Critical Analysis Essay – Crash Bandicoot Has Almost Reached Peak Formula

Nearly Peak Formula

I’m lying in bed waiting to go to sleep. I swipe my phone to keep my favorite orange marsupial from hitting obstacles in the mobile game, Crash on the Run. I’m getting really caught up in swiping so fast, Crash hits every box like a furry tornado bent on container destruction.

As I grin at the accomplishment of my prolonged survival run and my crate crashing, I am recovered from the previous failure of missing nearly two-hundred boxes on Crash 4’s Rush Hour level, most notorious for requiring 441 boxes to acquire the box gem.

“There’s so many.” I think to myself. But in between these two games, is where my epiphany arises. Between the platforms and the item collecting, crashing boxes is arguably Crash’s signature. It’s so satisfying to break them open! I love the piles of boxes lying in a corner, and crashing through them unashamed (although sometimes I still keep an eye out for those TNT boxes in the middle). The moments of jumping along box after box above a bottomless pit, and a wall of TNT crates all going off at once are so pivotal to the Crash formula. Especially the old trilogy, when the frame rate dropped and the screen shook from too many Nitro crates. I’ll bet any Crash fan can name their favorite moment. Crash is a mutant bandicoot that will go to any length for the boxes. Even if it’s one hiding behind scenery. And while I don’t mind Crash 4: It’s About Time’s work in reviving the formula, I believe some things were overboard. Mainly how many levels had one or more hidden boxes. At first it was funny, but later it felt less like crashing into them, and more like an extreme scavenger hunt.

I like the secrets, and the difficulty, but I want more crashing. I want to crash more- thirty, fifty, a hundred boxes at the same time! I want to line up a trail of TNT and Nitro boxes and break the floor tiles like in the old Crash Bash level. But it shouldn’t stop at just crates.

Eurogamer published an article I had read their article on Super Mario 64, an excellent read on the philosophy of the titular plumber. Mario, is a jump man. He came onto the scene jumping, his move set evolved to include more jumps, and has lasted as a video game icon because the smart devs behind his games took that simple concept, and kept it the core idea for evolution.

Toys4Bob has outdone themselves with their careful research, and execution to making Crash feel like his true self. But I think I may have an idea as to where it can evolve.

Crash, Boom, Bang

My subtitle may make some fans cringe at the memory of the hastily put-together party game for the Nintendo DS of the same name. But, in essence, Crash is just that. I’ve mentioned it before that his true nature is spinning, and Toys4Bob thinks so as well, with an upgrade at the end of It’s About Time being a triple spin.

Andy Gavin described the boxes as void fillers. “Few polygons, and few rules” the boxes allowed them to work within their limited GPU and create puzzles with them. We easily see the success in this. The very first level of N. Sanity Beach has two paths toward the end of the level. Most will know that the right path leads to a box bridge. This box bridge requires working knowledge of Crash’s aerial time, and the player’s own depth perception to make it across the bridge, smashing every box, and not dying.

At the time, I believe Naughty Dog had different priorities than focusing on Crash’s trademark. As I said earlier, the boxes were mere objects to fill open space, there were so few enemies on screen due to limitations. Breaking them seemed like priority. Andy Gavin goes in length about stealing memory from the Sony PlayStation console, and stating “you weren’t supposed to do that”, and used the additional memory to further Crash forward. “Crashing” therefore, was still the name of the game, but metaphysically so in addition. It’s completely built into his DNA. And I think it’s why in part, that birthed the addicting phenomenon of smashing and collecting every box.

It seems that even though it was a huge success, pushing further and further remained the goal. What else could Crash do? Hang on monkey bars, ride a motorcycle, fly a plane, race across twenty-plus tracks. Naughty Dog “crashed” expectations with making successive games, available the very next year. Crash was crashing but the games were still following a formula, instead of really looking into what made Crash unique, and expounding. It’s understandable though, why would you? Crashing wasn’t broken, so why fix it? At the time even fans thought we didn’t need anything else.

And for many years after that, we see the error in both not evolving, and trying to veer away from the nature of Crash. Trying things that didn’t work, and completely overhauling Crash was almost mostly a bad idea. But let’s rush ahead to the success of It’s About Time, the suspension of Crash on the Run, and the mysterious yet addictive Crash Team Rumble. The formula had returned! Bigger levels, box gem requirements, puzzles, and even wall running. Toys4Bob have shown that they did their homework.

Bigger, Badder, Bandicoot

But I think it can go farther. What if Crash could crash more? What more do you ask?

Boxes: Smash. More. Boxes. I noticed in the latest game, people didn’t like the Fire Boxes. Admittedly, until the levels became harder, or I needed to get through them fast, I thought they were a cute obstacle that didn’t matter to me. But what about bigger boxes with more Wumpa, or in time trials, gave a marginally bigger time freeze at the cost of taking longer to break it? What about boxes that hit back? Bring in a new enemy: The Mimic. It’s a classic box villain, and it could even have an agenda against Crash for being the terrible box breaker that he is. Little Mini Mimic’s scattered around could slow down the level, but could also mix things up, and challenge players to look at boxes more closely. And in Time Trials, changing them around where normal boxes would be, could provide a fresh take on a familiar level. Boxes could also be instrumental in level crashing; steel boxes have always been obstacles, but what if they also helped tear open a wall that led to a secret path where more boxes lie in wait, or the hidden gem was found? Maybe it’s the treasure hunter in me, but when I think “crashing” I think mayhem and hidden reward chambers.

Levels/HUD: The inverse levels are only scratching the surface. What if Crash can “crash” levels? Take a sewer level for example, and find a main that explodes, causing the entire thing to flood, completely changing it. Or you can go minor scale and flood the remaining level. Take the idea another way and make alternate endings that lead to secret levels. The way to the secret is by crashing the environment that makes a secret path. Crashing the HUD could get you to later levels, even? Or interconnect levels- crash them together. You don’t have to change the core level design to even add these elements. I know this might sound borrowed from Super Mario, and it may well be, I’m not trying to be original, but I am saying things make sense in the orange marsupial formula that fit from other places as well.

Tools/Equipment/Abilities: The Titan series actually gave him the power to dig, and I liked that. It was not implemented great, but there’s promise there, and something for future games to have and give more variety in challenge and fun. It certainly begins to make me think, what if Crash could wield more than his spin to cause more devastation? To be honest, this portion is left intentionally small, because I feel like this could be a more open-ended conversation outside this essay. Tell me more of what you think Crash could do that wouldn’t take away from the formula or his style. #bringbacktornadospin #bringbackwumpabazooka

Playing through the Dingodile levels of It’s About Time really drove home that the formula is there, it can just add a bit more. Some of my favorite parts of the game are the level Snow Way Out, with the large areas. Twinsanity, and these small portions prove that Crash works in some open area level layout, and it wouldn’t deviate too far from the formula. Make a big open level, with destructible environments that add secrets, reward exploration, and tons of boxes to fulfill that desire to crash.

In the end, I’m probably not saying anything new, but this was something close to my heart. I love the Crash guy, and I want to see new things in the series that makes sense, and if I have any involvement in its future that would tickle me pink with joy.

Works Cited

-Crash Bandicoot Co-Creator Andy Gavin: Extended Interview | Ars Technica- https://youtu.be/pSHj5UKSylk

-War Stories- https://youtu.be/izxXGuVL21o

-What Makes Super Mario 64 So Special- https://www.eurogamer.net/what-made-super-mario-64-so-special

What Is In Your Hands?

David Guzik is an amazing commentator on the Bible. I love jumping into his wisdom as I’m reading. He posted some thoughts and references in Exodus 4 that have opened up Moses to me, made him feel relatable.

If you’ve ever felt unable, so did Moses.

Anyway I’m going to post what he wrote directly. This is my cite that it is of David Guzik and are not my original words. Enjoy

What is that in your hand? This reflects a precious principle regarding how God uses people – God used what Moses had in his hand. Moses’ years of tending sheep were not useless. Those years had put into Moses hand things he could use for God’s glory. God didn’t use the scepter that was in Moses’ royal hand when he lived in Egypt, but He did use the simple shepherd’s staff.

i. God likes to use what is in our hand.· God used what was in Shamgar’s hand (Judges 3:31)· God used what was in David’s hand (1 Samuel 17:49)· God used the jawbone of a donkey in Samson’s hand (Judges 15:15)· God used five loaves and two fish in the hand of a little boy (John 6:9)

A Reboot/Remaster of Croc and the Gobbos | passion project

One of the games I received as a kid, in between Crash Bandicoot and Rayman, was a little green guy with a little backpack. Croc 2 was another kid friendly, PS1 mascot with a history of almost being Yoshi. But I wouldn’t know that until over twenty years later.

At the time, all I knew was I had a little guy with a funny voice, and an awesome 3D environment hub to run around in. There was also something I didn’t realize until many hours later…

Croc 2 was hard.

Imagine owning Crash Bandicoot, Rayman, and Croc 2 at the same time. A trio of hard-hitting challenges. If you were too frustrated with one, you popped in the other, but then you remembered where you left off, the last challenge that left you frustrated, so you pooped the third in, remembering the same thing. You’re stuck across all three at various spots, and every day you hope that your skill improves enough on one of them to get a breakthrough.

Or you find another game that’s easier.

Roger Red Ant. A name that will forever haunt me no matter how many times I’ll beat Croc 2, was the biggest breaking point where I would set Croc 2 for a long while. It was a misstep into the pits, that I remember clear as day all those years ago.

I’ll never forgive him.

The moment it all went down…

He was the last challenge between me, Lava Lamp Larry, and the next world. After trying to collect golden gobbos, all 100 gems per level, and the awkward controls of the nearly impossible snowball level (you know, that level), it all felt worthless.

But I couldn’t leave it alone forever. In fact, I still love the little franchise, if not for any other reason than that bopping main theme.

I’ll stop now and cut straight to the point: I’ve been working on an idea for a reboot/remaster. I loved Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, but that game didn’t have the hold on me as 2 did. I know it’s backwards, but the world felt more cohesive to me, than the early Croc 1 world.

The best part is that it requires no new ideas. The whole revamp in mind comes straight from the original ideas, just expounds upon it. The ginger soda subplot helped shape a fun part of the game, but it was just a little glue holding some continuity together.

I’ve taken some creative liberties to expand that, to make the Gobbo world all about Ginger Soda production and gathering. I can see how this game could benefit from bridges being soda stirs, mountains of snow actually being mountains of sugar, soda water found with the ancient Inca Tribe, and lots more.

I’ve got tons of scans I’ve poured into below:

The whole point where this started was Lava Lamp Larry’s shop and the untapped potential that held as to what it could be. I thought about for hours and eventually began drawing it, because a lava lamp tree in the winter sounded so warm and welcoming, but also so cool in design.

In game I thought it would really cool to be a returning area Croc could visit and enter an enhanced boss rush mode provided in the shop. Croc could return to boss fights with harder objectives like no-hit runs, faster enemy movement, lower timers, things like that. Everyone loves and remembers Soveena, but what if the barrels shifted the burning mechanic, keeping the route throwing the bomb at her random, and challenging?

I’ve been working on this for two weeks straight. And I would like to have every level thought out, so that the devs wouldn’t hardly have to lift a finger in designing this new world. But I would love encouragement, too. This consumed my thoughts for a long time, and I would love to let it happen again, but the next step requires taking a deep dive into the entire game, each level, one after the other.

So what do you all think? Think it’s worth rebooting? Do you think the first game can integrate into this as well? Let me know!

lava lamp larry’s tree designed from scratch

I Surrender All

2 Timothy 1:3-7

³ I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

https://fb.watch/aKsprLEK6v/

This past Sunday, our preacher spoke on not giving in to a spirit of fear, but a spirit of truth. The worship team had a theme of surrender in the songs. The entire service blended together. It took a sermon which many church goers may be familiar with, but took it to a deeper level.

It’s all about what you’re surrendering too. Are you surrendering everything? And what are you forgetting to surrender?

I had a dream once a couple years ago. I was pushing a car up a steep hill. Never mind, that it was so steep, and I was just one person, that the whole thing was blatantly impossible, I was still pushing. A stranger walks by and laughs at me and says, “Just let go, and let God!”

It took me forever to realize that I was still doing so many things, and also not so many things, that should be the Lord’s. Later, I found a habit of producing feelings from my own will when I prayed. When I wanted bravery, I tried to feel brave in that moment. It sounds ludicrous, but I didn’t realize that was a thing until I cracked open The Screwtape Letters.

I also found that spiritually I was a deer in the headlights. My families future was stagnated because I was not stepping out. I always thought that my future would come to me. And why wouldn’t I think otherwise? Friends, food, travel, jobs, school, they all seem to fall into my lap thanks to the Lord, so why was my future, any different? Why would I have to plan, except for holding on to my seat?

Because for my walk with Christ, He was waiting for me to step out. I realized after making plans that I’m completely useless just stagnating. Even if I make bad plans, I can still be redirected, or something.

I had to surrender my ways of thinking. Now I have new jobs for me and my wife on the way (please be in prayer!) because within a year or two, we want to foster children. And we definitely need a better apartment than what we have now, haha.

But that all came to mind yesterday, imagining what we need to surrender. Somethings are so deeply ingrained it may take a book, or stepping out in faith to realize they’re still there. But, take heart! If we want to surrender everything to the Lord, He will make a way!

Crash IV Review – Introspection

Looking back at my previous posts, I noticed that I was holding out for a new Crash game, and ever since then, a new game- two in fact including Crash on the Run-, have released and it may appear to my followers that I had nothing to say about it.

Actually, I did have something to say, but I failed to say it here. At the expense of writing again, I will post my review from the site Geeks Under Grace, and also provide a long-needed explanation for my absence.

I see that I shouldn’t walk away from a personal blog that I’ve attached some serious hard work too, just because I got the chance to get a volunteer gaming review spot at said GUG. I also stream for their team on Saturday! My wife even managed to get on and join as an editor. It’s been a very impactful two years.

Maybe it’s the end of the year that gets me thinking about what I’ve done, but there has been A LOT. I got back into drawing, played so many games, wrote reviews, and had some more epiphanies; yikes- I think it’s time to get back to writing!

I won’t promise anything, but I’ll try to remember Salvation and Shenanigans some more going into 2022.

In the meantime, here’s that link I promised; I’m proud of it.

Review – Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Comix Zone: Nimona

This was my first indie graphic novel. An exceptional first step away from Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, or any other of the better known publication houses.

Blerd Beats

As one who grew up during the era of Doug, Rugrats, and Ren & Stimpy era of Nickelodeon’s Nicktoons, I do not care much for modern American animation styles. Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, Craig of the Creek, andStephen Universeare shows that look like I could have drawn them. These series must be noteworthy for their writing rather than their animation styles.

Nimona’s cover features similarly simplistic artwork, and I might have ignored Noelle Stevenson’s graphic novel if it had not been featured on a number of “must-read” lists. I was hoping for one of those situations where the cover art is not representative of the larger work, yet here, objects in the mirror are precisely as they appear. Well, I do reserve favor for the exception that is the big reveal of Nimona’s true form. But I am placing the cart before the…

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The Controversial Politics of Fantastical Wish Fulfillment: a Review of T. J. Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea

A Naga of the Nusantara

We used to have a rescue, a Siberian husky, whom we named Lucy. And it was quite apparent to all who met him that Lucy is a boy and because we live in a deeply gendered society, people naturally wondered why we named him that—and I, naturally a troll, enjoyed everyone’s bafflement so much that I was not always forthright with the explanation. It wasn’t easy to say goodbye to Lucy and leaving him with his newfound family when we moved our entire household from one island to another last year, and I cannot help but think of him as I read the explanation for Lucy’s name in T. J. Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea.

Coincidentally, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about found families and islands, and it features someplace called the Marsyas Island Orphanage which is the home of an orphan named Lucy—short for…

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Acts 8:1-4 “Everybody MOVE!”

1 Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 
² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

⁴ Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

***

When Saul attacked Christians, he wasn’t just sending them nasty letters through the mail. He was going into their houses, dragging them by the hand, and throwing them in prison.

This made people run away.

Imagine that you had someone come into your home, and drag you away to prison. It never says how long they are there, if they lived. But that was their life now.

But those who hadn’t been caught yet, said “not me!” and scattered. I won’t lie, I probably would too. Scattered kind of has a negative meaning to me, cause I think of bugs when I think of the word scatter. The imagery of a bunch of bugs scattering when you pick up a log in the woods comes to mind.

And so I can’t help but see that when I imagine the early Christians running from big bad Saul.

We can’t be too hard on them though, because verse four brings up an interesting development in this story, and the main point I’m bringing forward today.

“Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”

The went EVERYWHERE. When they scattered, they went BIG. And though they ran in fear for being a Christian, that didn’t stop them from preaching! Suddenly they don’t seem like bugs anymore, but more like some folks looking for a safe place to keep doing what they love.

I heard somewhere, or read somewhere, that God let that happen. God let Saul go on an imprisoning spree, because the Christians were comfortable where they were, and weren’t fulfilling the second part of the Great Comission.

Whoa.

So what may have seemed like a really difficult time for them, turned out to help sread the gospel in the end.
I’m sure later on, everyone, including Paul had a big laugh about this.

But in that moment? I’m sure it didn’t seem so funny.

And that’s my point today. Our God knows what’s best for us, and He’s got His eye on everything. Only a few people in the Bible didn’t have the luxury to look back at the folly of humans and learn from their mistakes. We have the full knowledge to know God knows all, and know that sometimes, uncomfortable times are being allowed because He needs us to move.

What is it today that is making you uncomfortable? Is it a nagging at the back of your head about the current political climate? Is it someone trying to put you in prison for being a Christian? Ask the Lord to show you what He is wanting you to move on.

What Salvation and Shenanigan’s is All About

“A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it.” —Ursula LeGuin.

The power of word is crucial. One of my few passions in this world is how speakers, authors, or entrepreneurs choose what they say carefully. It shows intentionality, and care for the point they want to, or have to, convey.

These days, no one blindly follows. Everyone is asking why; what purpose does this serve; what is this really?

And I don’t think there is nothing wrong with that. When that happens, true authenticity shines.

Which is why I can say this with the truest conviction, and confidence.

Get to know Jesus Christ.

If you get nothing else from this blog, I want it to be that.

There is no one more trustworthy, more noble, more loving, and more devoted to you than Christ, who died for everyone.

Ravi Zacharias failed. Church failed. People failed, and still fail. Imperfect beings trying to be better, on their own journey.

Jesus will never fail.

Oh- He is different. He doesn’t do what you think, in the way you think, in the time you think. Jesus Christ is perfect, and so He has the perfect plan for each of us.

I am writing this in a time of challenge. I’ve had a lot of highs in my walk with Christ. But lately, I’m walking through daily difficulty and hardship. I say this so you know I’m not on some current spiritual high that I will come down from, and change my mind.

I can see the parts that are teach worthy moments, but some things I just can’t understand. But He promised that He would work for the good of all things. He didn’t promise nothing bad would happen, but He would work to bring good out of it.

And quite frankly, that’s just worth it. Who else would do that for you all of your life?

Matthew 21:33-45 (parable of evil farmers)

43. I tell you the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.

I’ve seen tons of young people of different ages, race, and passion talking about Christ, praying for others, giving compliments, giving devotions, and getting lots of attention; hopefully some good.

I am going to a church that is in a struggle for life. A few of us are holding our finger on the slowly fading pulse, and keeping the life support in check. I believe we are close to seeing the people get a fire under them.

But the Lord isn’t stupid. He can see what’s going on in our hearts better than we can. If He knows we truly don’t want anything to happen, He will move on, and give it to someone else.