A Crash Bandicoot fan posted a photo of their handmade Uka Uka mask to Reddit this past week, garnering highly positive feedback from the rest of the gaming community. The creator explained their unique process of creating everything out of Sintra plastic and polyurethane resin only. Once again, fans of a classic series such as Crash Bandicoot have used their own creativity to keep the series alive and further express what makes the series worth revisiting.
The art piece is an exact replica of Crash Bandicoot’s arch-villain and the main source of all evil deeds in the franchise’s universe. Sharing many abilities with twin brother Aku Aku, the evil Uka Uka can also take over the mask wearer and control them to meet his own evil ends. Unlike his brother, however, Uka Uka has a grimacing angry face bordered by bones and a beard.
A Reddit user called The Sci-Artist has gotten over 3,000 upvotes and several comments of praise since they posted their handmade Uka Uka mask. The Sci-Artist detailed their creative process on how they created each unique part of the mask, stating it was almost made completely out of polyurethane resin, with the beard section made from wool. They went on to explain that everything was handmade from sheets of Sintra, a type of plastic often used in PVC, to form the molds and overall shape of the mask. The Sci-Artist also mentioned that no 3D printing was involved in the Uka Uka mask's creation, making the object completely handmade by a fan with a lot of love for the Crash Bandicoot series.
The Sci-Artist also previously made other Crash Bandicoot objects, such as an Aku Aku mask that also serves as a magnet. Another impressive fanmade object by the user includes an unfinished Colonel Radec helmet from the Killzone series. These are just a few examples of how fans mix their own brand of creative process and passion for video games to bring original concepts from lovable franchises to the real world.
The original Crash Bandicoot games are a piece of nostalgia for many of fans and continue to entertain gamers new to the series today. Fans have also incorporated their love for the series into other games as well, from creating custom outfits in Fall Guys or requesting his addition to the highly popular Nintendo game, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Needless to say, the impact of the franchise cannot be understated. The care put into the fanmade creations dedicated to the eastern barred bandicoot and his colorful cast of friends, foes, and the world of Crash Bandicoot series overall is proof that the impact of the series is vast and remains a source of creative inspiration to a whole generation.