Naughty Dog hit the mainstream with the Crash Bandicoot franchise on the PlayStation. The series was then handed to different developers after they finished Crash Team Racing, falling into obscurity before coming back strong with a remake of the first three games in 2017.
Now that the lovable bandicoot is in the spotlight once more, we thought it a good time to look back on the series and rank the games according to their Metacritic score, going from the lowest lows to the highest highs. (Unfortunately, the first two games don't have scores, but they get their due respect when talking about the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.)
17 Crash Boom Bang! (2006) - 37
This party game came out exclusively on the Nintendo DS. Critics lamented its poor gameplay and uninspired structure. It resembles the series in name and characters only. While Mario Party is at least fun with friends, nothing redeems Crash Boom Bang!
16 Mind Over Mutant On Nintendo DS (2008) - 45
The Nintendo DS version of this forgotten entry is a different game, playing more as a side-scrolling beat 'em up than a 3D platform. Unfortunately, the move didn't find favor with critics nor fans. Considering the DS's stellar library, no reason exists to touch this.
15 Crash Twinsanity (2004) - 64
The series' first attempt at a more open-ended adventure had a few terrible missteps. The camera and precision felt all wrong, making for an unfairly difficult game. The humor was its only saving grace. Truly funny games are hard to come by, and Twinsanity's wisecracks and parody will have fans rolling on the floor.
14 Ripto's Rampage (2004) - 67
Crash and Spyro join forces to team up against their respective villains, Neo Cortex and Ripto, in two Game Boy Advance games. Ripto's Rampage sees Crash take on Spyro's nemesis. It was negatively received, but still got some acclaim for its mini-games and controls.
13 Crash Bash (2000) - 68
This party game for the PS1 and the first non-Naughty Dog entry offered a cooperative experience to players. Unfortunately, the mini games present in the package control poorly and are too difficult for their own good. The game also introduced Rilla Roo, so we can never forgive it for this indiscretion.
12 Crash Tag Team Racing (2005) - 69
Like Mario Kart: Double Dash, this racing title features the ability to drive as a duo. It differentiated itself by allowing players to join up mid-race for uneasy alliances, with the first player to disengage earning a speed boost. Additionally, its single-player had platforming elements and the humor from Twinsanity.
11 Wrath Of Cortex (2001) - 70
The last traditional Crash game, developer Traveller's Tales did a decent job crafting thirty more unique levels for fans to enjoy. Its graphics were gorgeous for the time, and plenty of variety kept players occupied. The only real issue were the ungodly loading times.
10 Crash Nitro Kart (2003) - 70
The second kart racing game in the franchise isn't as fondly remembered as Crash Team Racing, but enough people held it dearly enough to have the tracks included in the recent Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled.
Like its predecessor, it continued the trend of skill-based driving over collecting the right items.
9 Crash Of The Titans (2007) - 70
The first game to showcase Crash's dramatic redesign marked a significant change for the series. Its move to a beat 'em up made many nostalgic for the early days of brutal platforming challenge. Reviews were lukewarm, marking the start of a decline in the series' popularity.
8 Mind Over Mutant (2008) - 73
Mind Over Mutant wasn't lambasted, but many veteran fans were uninterested in the focus on combat versus platforming. While the gameplay was uninspiring, its story and various art styles throughout cutscenes were venerated.
7 Crash Of The Titans DS (2007) - 73
The DS version of Crash of the Titans was slightly more renowned because of its similarities to the older games. At a time when traditional Crash titles were absent, this was the best people could ask for. Fortunately, those dark days are over.
6 Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced (2003) - 75
This GBA game successfully transferred the Crash formula to a handheld. The 2D gameplay found favor with critics, though criticism was aimed at its lack of innovation from its predecessor. Still, a Crash experience fitting in one's pocket was more than enough for the time.
5 Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure (2002) - 77
While the console games were falling out of favor in the early aughts, the handheld spin-offs picked up the slack, thanks to Vicarious Visions.
The worlds heavily resemble those from the early console games, making one feel right at home as they bounce on enemies and collect crystals.
4 Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (2017) - 80
Vicarious Visions got plenty of experience on the series in making the mostly beloved GBA entries, so they were the right studio to remake the original trilogy from the ground up. All three games play almost exactly as one remembers, only with jaw-droppingly beautiful visuals. Additionally, time trials are added to Crash Bandicoot and Crash Bandicoot 2, proving the team went above and beyond the call of duty.
3 Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled (2019) - 84
This remake of Crash Team Racing also includes all the tracks from Crash Nitro Kart. As if that wasn't enough already, the developer continued updating the game with free new tracks and unlockable characters. The content updates are set to end soon, but the competitive multiplayer will hopefully live on for several years to come.
2 Crash Team Racing (1999) - 88
Fans were still playing the PlayStation classic until its remake came out. Unlike its competitors like Mario Kart, the game relied less on items and focused more on boosting from drifting, which required precise timing and reflexes. While items helped, one would get nowhere in a race without the right skills.
1 Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (1998) - 91
The third game perfected the gameplay while the levels had a manageable difficulty curve. The addition of time trials doubled the replay value when compared to predecessors. While avid fans can beat this game with their eyes closed, its charm and radiance make it just as enjoyable today as it was in 1998.