#she has such a good dingodile design

[sambadeamigosgato]

WAAUGHHH I GOT NOTICED BY ONE OF MY FAV ARTISTS (@ieatsockz) ON TWITTER WAOOWWWW!!!

Go check out their art...i love it <3

[kinghijinx22]

So I finished Crash Bandicoot 4 It's About Time

Beautiful and super fun game, loved it so much that it's my new favourite of the series. Don't really have many more thoughts than I did last time, loved getting to play as best bandicoot Coco for all of the regular levels and the other characters like Tawna and Dingodile with their different playstyles were fun to play as well. Actually got to play as Cortex now and he's cool too although probably my least favourite of the bunch.

I appreciate this game bringing back a lot of the classic characters and I think it really does a lot for them, like I think one of my favourite things was Coco really seeming to admire alternate Tawna and the 2 of the them forming a cute bond. I thought the new masks where all cool as well, both as new mechanics to expand on the gameplay with the powers they give you but also as characters and Time Mask was my favourite because she's a cute grandma. They even bought back the cute baby polar bear that you get to ride again in that one snow level which was cool.

N Tropy playing such a big role and being the main villain was interesting, as was the lady N Tropy showing up and teaming up with him although the weird... selfect thing between themmight be the only thing I didn't like in the game? Yeah that was weird lol. I suppose the idea is that they are so egotistical that they could only like another version of themselves. The boss fight with them was cool though, in fact all the boss fights where good and feel like a good test of your skills with my favourite being N Gin.

The twist of Cortex turning on the the Bandicoots was unsurprising because that jerk will never change and has been the final boss of every other Crash game. But I did like the idea of needing to chase him back in time and going back to his old castle from the first game as the final location. And this final shot of the Bandicoot family all playing games together in the end was super cute.

One level that I specifically want to give attention to is the alien planet from the future sci fi levels leading up to N Tropy. While this game is doing a lot of things to evolve the classic Crash formula, this level in particular really stood out in trying new things beyond the masks from both a gameplay and a presentation perspective. The whole level design and perspective felt really expanded on this one, especially in that part where you ride the alien and have to jump on the floating platforms and there is so far that you can travel to the left and right.

So yeah really fun game but also REALLY hard, easily the hardest Crash game in terms of platforming but they at least give you an infinite lives option so you will only ever go back to the last checkpoint and never have to restart the whole level which would have driven me mad.

[crusherthedoctor]

Top 5 favorite characters introduced between 2006 and today? :P

5. Agent Stone - For committing to the simp bit. Unlike Starline, who amplified my trust issues towards fictional characters who claim to follow Eggman (not clickbait).

4. Marine - I was a Marine defender before it was cool. >:| Maybe it's because years of being exposed to Dingodile gave me immunity to exaggerated Australian-isms, but I could follow her dialogue just fine, and she acknowledged her shortcomings by the end of the game on top of that. (If people have such a problem with her stereotypical dialogue, why do they never complain about Bunnie or Antoine? HMMMMM...)

3. Erazor - *T-poses over Mephiles' corpse*

2. Trip - I have a weak spot for meek gals who learn to grow a backbone by making fweeeends, and this one also has a dragon transformation. Also gotta give her kudos for dealing with Fang's notorious mech that was still probably made and provided by Eggman, stop downplaying Eggman pls fandom.

1. Hard-Boiled Heavies - They're really fun. That's all I need. I love how much character was put into their animations, and how distinct they all are despite abiding by the Egg Robo template.

Honorable mentions for Shahra since I've warmed up to her and her friendship with Sonic after being meh on them for years, Elise since she's a good character who was let down by less good execution (and an unnecessary amount of kidnappings), and Infinite because that's what it takes to be Infinite. Since I'm in love with Ariem's design, I'm hoping she would be on this list had it been made post-Dream Team. But we'll have to see what happens with her chosen portrayal, considering... y'know. *eyes Flynn*

[badgersighted]

Crash 4 Review/Drabble

Just finished the main story mode, these are my thoughts:

Gameplay:

I'm not the kind of guy who picks up on minute differences in gameplay across games, so I'll say this much - Crash and Coco were a joy to play as; they felt pretty much how I remember (or imagine) them to be, so I have no complaints there.

As for Cortex, Tawna and Dingodile, I could probably take them or leave them. I think a symptom of me being somewhat disheartened at playing their levels was due to the levels being so punishing (see Level Design), so I expect they would have been fine in a more forgiving game. Either way, they're good - but not as good as Crash/Coco, and I would have just as happily played the game without their levels.

It's about a 7/10 for me - high for Crash and Coco, subtracting a little for the other three and some of the punishing levels.

Level Design:

Here's where it gets tricky. I both appreciate and dislike the level design for the same reasons (hear me out) - I appreciate how challenging it is, but it doesn't fill me with the desire to go back and get those gems/crates. I think this is more down to the levels being so long than anything. If they were shorter levels, broken up into 5 or 6 levels per hub rather than 2 or 3, it'd be easy to jump in and replay them - end up missing a box and decide to do another lap to get it right. But these levels being 10+ minutes long really does take it out of you.

In Crash 2-3 it'd be 3 minute levels, maybe 5 minutes at most, and you wouldn't feel winded at the end of them if you missed a box. With 4's levels being so long, and such pixel perfection required, I don't feel encouraged to go back and run through a level because I know how much time I'll spend doing it.

So I appreciate the challenge, but the length of the levels really puts a dent in that appreciation. I'll also briefly mention that the crate placement feels a little 'throw crates at the wall and see what sticks' and bollocky, cheap off-screen placement is a little too common, but in shorter levels that would be easier to live with.

Level design is somewhere around a 6.5-7/10. Great mechanics, but levels are just a bit too long to cope with how aggressively punishing they can be.

Mechanics:

I really like the implementation of some of the mechanics in this game. The Quantum Masks are all equally interesting ideas and they get plenty of time to shine (mostly Akano and Lani-Loli as they're in the game longest, Kapuna-Wa and Ika-Ika seem to get the short end of the stick). The vast majority of their segments are enjoyable, encourage you to think and are challenging without being painful (let's ignore Cortex Castle in that description, that level is pain), and they don't overstay their welcome. They blend nicely with the existing gameplay.

Another thing that blends nicely is the rail grinding; it's a nice change of pace, though I would have liked the ability to speed up/slow down so it felt less automated.

I would maybe say that some of the other new abilities that made it in, for example the ropes, felt like addition for the sake of addition and went a little underutilized, but ultimately the game's new mechanics feel nicely implemented.

Lands about an 8.5-9/10

Art Direction:

I really love the style Toys For Bob has going right now between Spyro and Crash. I have no issue with it at all, though I found that certain things didn't track as "Crash Bandicoot" to me sometimes. Some character designs were dead on to me (i.e N.Tropy) while others felt a little too far removed (I don't think Coco needed so much clutter, the goggles alone would have been enough). I think this is more symptomatic of 22 years passing in the real world and a different studio helming the franchise than any real issue with the direction itself, however.

Overall I really like it, it'll just take a hot minute to associate with Crash. It's bloody beautiful, they did a great job on it, so that's a 9/10.

Soundtrack:

I have to say from what I heard I was expecting big things from the music, and it did deliver in certain instances - though admittedly this was mainly where leitmotifs from previous games were used, especially in the boss levels. Overall I liked the music, but it had the same issue as Spyro Reignited that it lacked the punch and was relegated to the background and didn't feel as much part of the level as everything else.

The only level I feel like they really went all out in was Off Beat (one of the best levels in the game). The way the music was a huge part of the level felt a lot more impactful to me, and I think it's why that level sticks in so many peoples' minds.

Overall, soundtrack probably gets a 5/10.

Boss Fights:

The boss fights were fine - N.Gin and N.Brio were pretty decent, Cortex 1 felt a little cluttered together, but Cortex 2 did everything much better, so I presume they were holding out for that. They're mostly comparable to Crash 2 and 3 (Brio's is almost a direct life), so I'm somewhat surprised they didn't try to do more with them.

The most disappointing boss fight for me has to be the Tropys. When I saw they only had two hit points between them I felt a little let down - it came across as an anticlimax for each of them to only have one hit each, and they barely even did anything.

Boss fights get a 5-6/10.

Story & Characterisation:

I'll say one thing - a platform game doesn't need much of a story, but when it has one it has to make the most of what occurs within it. I think Crash 4's story is decent, but it had focus in the wrong areas. Certain characters went very underutilised - notably Aku-Aku and Crash himself, while others were a little too much.

There was a point where I was wondering why we needed Dingodile and Tawna in the game when their plot relevance amounted to very little and the Quantum Masks would have benefited from more characterisation with the time that would free up.

The most egregious case of misused characters for me is the Tropys. The strange little narcissistic selfcest they had going on seemed ripe for a lot of jokes and dialogue, but they were only in about two cutscenes together and then they were gone. Much like Dingodile and Tawna, it made me wonder what the point of having a female Tropy was if she was there and then gone again three levels later... but then Tropy prime didn't exactly do much either. Felt like they failed to stick the landing in that area.

I find it especially odd that Cortex was his more campy form from Twinsanity onwards. I could maybe see it if they'd taken the angle that 3 defeats had made him that way, but they present his Crash-1-self the same way. I think it would have been more interesting to have the two contrast rather than be the same.

For me the story is decent, it's just a bit off and mismanaged, and the characterisation doesn't completely track from Crash 3 to this game. That's a 6/10 for me.

TL;DR - it's about a 7/10 if I'm being harsh and looking at aspects individually, while stepping back and looking at the full picture is around an 8/10.

The game was really fun, I loved the challenge, I think some stuff just needs time to set in for me and my score will probably rise.

[jcmorrigan]

okay my curious who's blastoff bandiroo?

HOO BOY

The short version is THEY’RE NOT A CHARACTER YET AND WITH ANY LUCK, THEY WON’T BE.

Because they’re a fankid. And you know what happens every single time I make fankids? A process:

1. Have crackship

2. Give kiddo to crackship

3. Get more invested in kiddo

4. “Actually they’d make a great OC on their own. I’m gonna change the name and design to remove all fandom references!”

5. And then they’re in the OC cast that I don’t do much with at all

6. Attempt to make NEW fankid for NEW ship

7. Repeat.

Every single time. Every SINGLE time.

Buuuuuut okay. So one of my more recent poisons is Pinstripe Potoroo x Tawna Bandicoot from Crash Bandicoot. I’ve vagued about that one, right? Any time the word “TawnPin” shows up on this blog. That’s it. That’s the one.

I’ve been considering writing a fic for them, but I’m trying to strike a balance between “I have enough scenes to give them a full plot” and “this CANNOT be an ultra longfic because I will not have the time or energy.” So I was actually thinking at work today about how I might structure such a fic, and I’m leaning toward a montage-style kind of thing. And because it is indeed Crash Bandicoot, time travel play is allowed, so I was like...I can pick a point where their relationship is just starting out, but have them move forward to areas where later stages of their relationship is happening! So I can have a slowburn AND show the long game! Eh? Clever, right? Probably actually going to be confusing in practice. Anyway, I wanna at least finish watching a playthrough of CB4 before I commit.

But to your QUESTION.

As with many of my ships, I have designed them...a CHILD.

One idea I had, that I REALLY SHOULD NOT DO because I cannot PORT AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC MARSUPIAL into my OC cast (I already had to kill the Megavolt fanchild because she wouldn’t translate; I don’t ship him with the “mother” of that one anymore anywayyyyyyyyy) is that TawnPin end up in some far-flung futuristic world and they’re like “Okay let’s just blaze through and get out” and then they get a random assist from this random enby criminal and they’re like “Thanks. If there wasn’t a couple decades’ gap between us and you existing we would team up” and what they don’t know, what they DON’T KNOW is that IT’S THEIR OFFSPRING

For the name, I realized that I’m essentially doing an interspecies relationship (they probably shouldn’t be able to biologically mate but whatever, it’s a cartoony game where everyone is mad science), so rather than name the kiddo either a Bandicoot or a Potoroo, I pulled a Dingodile and just mashed the names. They are both. They are a Bandiroo. Then, because it’s CB, I wanted some good old ALLITERATION in there, so I’m like, what starts with B, isn’t a NAME name but conjures some kooky imagery, and can be seen on a villainous character? I had actually considered and thrown out “Burstbubble” before I got to “Blastoff.”

Blastoff is nonbinary (mostly they, very rarely she), and has hair that’s curly like their mom’s but black like their dad’s, and they keep it in a ponytail that never manages to properly stay in place. They fell right into the family business of ORGANIZED CRIME and are known as being fearsome despite having a bubbly personality. As in...will say “Wow, great weather we’re having lately! Perfect day for a swim.” while they shoot you in the liver and push you off the dock into the ocean. Yeah. That kind of evil. Also the #SWAG type. They wear pantsuits - pinstriped because of their dad and pink-and-blue because of their mom (bonus points: it makes the trans flag, though I think they also have an enby flag pin on a lapel). But since they’re not a dude, they can pull off the one aspect of the suit their dad never could: THE MATCHING FEDORA

They wield some kind of firearm with a trigger, but we can either go the dad route of a HUGE-ASS GUN or the mom route of a hookshot that allows them to actually grapple enemies and parkour through town, or maybe they dual-wield? I dunno. I don’t need to be thinking about this character I DON’T need to be thinking about this character.

[hxuse-of-muses]

//And now for the final question: your thoughts for Crash 4?//

{{Alright so here we go, we’re now up to date! c:}}

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Such a cool thing we finally have a new game, not counting the N. Sane Trilogy this is the first new game for Crash in 12 years.

Now there is a lot to unpack here, so first there is the new art direction imposed by Toys For Bob which was a surprise as I said before the NST designs will be missed but I do really like this new style and might even prefer it a little, the cartoony style just feels like it works with Crash for not only their models and environments but for the animation which is beautiful in this game.

Now that I’ve actually played it for myself I found it to be really good, felt like the controls were a bit better than even the N. Sane Trilogy and I thought the design of the levels was beautiful especially something like “Off Beat” which might now be one of my favorite Crash levels. It also includes a cameo of Ripper Roo, and a Spyro and CTR reference.

The addition of more playable characters was really cool too, not sure who my favorite besides Crash/Coco was but maybe Dingodile, and I think the game made me like him even more than I did. It’s interesting to see him become a neutral and basically reformed trying to enjoy retirement, then actually fight alongside the Bandicoots against the Tropys which I neve thought I’d see this former pyromaniac do.

I can also say I liked the Quantum Masks, even though Lani-Loli is the one with the most screentime, Kupana-Wa being the second. I thought they were pretty great and I found their powers and what they add to the game to be a nice inclusion. I feel like I had a hard time trying to get used to Ika-Ika though, took some time but I eventually got it down.

I found the inclusion of skins just like what Nitro Fueled did to be great, there are a lot of cool skins in the game but I wish that Dingodile, Tawna and Cortex had some too because there is a lot that could’ve been done for them.

There is also those new Flashback tapes, which are much more difficult levels that you play through that are set before the events of Crash 1 and with a retro filter over it. The cool thing about these is how there are little bits of lore in it because of things Cortex, N. Brio or N. Gin say over the intercom which are nice little inclusions.

On to the main story, which has a bit more focus than the previous games rather than it taking a backseat to the gameplay like the older games with the exception of something like Twinsanity. I thought it was decent enough, nothing groundbreaking or super ambitious but it was something to try and invest in along the way.

The game isn’t without it’s flaws however, such as aspects of the story.

The story isn’t awful or anything, but it feels like there is a few holes and parts that should have had cutscenes in my opinion for context sake, Like when Crash and Coco get captured in Salty Warf and then the AU Tawna doesn’t really have an introduction she’s just sort of there. Same for when later she and Dingodile meet up off screen. Who for instance, Dingodile has an introduction to him he doesn’t just appear out of no where unlike her.

Would have been nice if the other playable characters had full levels to themselves besides their introduction levels rather than just going halfway before their segment ends. Then replaying the same level with Crash with box placements being the only difference, to give the other playable characters more time to shine too and fulfill the small arcs they have.

For the boxes it feels like it’s difficult to get them all on your first run of a level because in many levels at least one or a couple boxes are extremely well hidden in places you might not even think about. As if TFB saw the memes of people missing 1 box and then made it so it would happen in many levels. Stuff like that makes it take a bit longer to reach at least 100%

The 100% ending, which is the reward for completing the game, getting all the gems in the game and completing all the Flashback tapes with a Platinum gets you an epilogue showing what all the main characters got up to after the events of the game, a fun little cutscene.

I think I might never beat it to 106% mostly because of the time relics which traded in the minimum requirement from Gold to Platinum which for some of these levels feels incredibly difficult, especially without the running dash from NST.

As of writing this I currently have 100% and only one gold time relic, and quite a few of the N. Sanely Perfect Relics. Although I feel like levels such as “Bears Repeating” are gonna be one of the things that prevents me from reaching 106% due to the controls on Polar or “Toxic Tunnels” which is a monster of a level, they’re evil for putting boxes in the gem route. XD

Overall however I thought the game was really good and just as I thought with the trailer it was promising. I feel like Crash’s future looks bright with this game and just work out some of the little things with this game to make a possible Crash 5 better, because they do tease what I assume is another sequel in the 106% ending.

[banduckoot]

So, I promised one of my followers I would post my Crash OC’s character profile. It took me a while to finish it, as I wanted to get it exactly right, but here it is!

Name: Dr. Nancy Morgan Chant

Nickname: N. Chant

Age: 25

Gender: Female

Orientation: Bisexual

Height: 5'3”

Weight: 110 lbs.

Blood Type: B

Species: Human (with ancient alien ancestry)

Race: Ama Zonian (descended from the Ama Zona Island tribe)

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Brown

Skin Color: Apple green

Notable Feature(s): Pointy elf-like ears

Occupation: Scientist, Magician, Inventor, and Magitech Engineer

Alignment: Neutral Evil

(MORE BELOW)

Background:

Nancy was born into a wealthy yet abusive household consisting of her mother and two older half-sisters. As a means of mental escape, she turned to science, magic, cooking, the internet, and video games. Crash Bandicoot was her favorite franchise, and Dr. Cortex her favorite character. His comical nature and ability to persevere inspired Nancy to pursue a career in villainy and become an evil scientist herself. After meeting Dr. Cortex and Uka Uka at a villains convention (EvilCon), she became the newest recruit to the N Team, and the latest threat to Crash Bandicoot and his friends. It was not long after this that Nancy found herself falling in love with Dr. Cortex.

Powers and Abilities:

Magic: Nancy can wield magical energy and cast spells, either with a magic wand or by the power of sheer will. The strength of her magic relies almost entirely on her emotional state.

Magitech: Nancy can use her magic and knowledge of science and engineering to create inventions and weapons that are powered by magical energies, spells, and artifacts.

Shape-Shifting: One of Nancy's magical abilities includes being able to temporarily change her physical form. This is a power she develops sometime after joining the N Team.

Hacking: Years of turning to the computer as an escape has led to Nancy learning the art of hacking without being detected. She has used this primarily to drain funds from her mother's massive bank account and into her own private one.

Programming: Going hand-in-hand with her hacking abilities, Nancy has learned how to make simple yet undetectable programs to do whatever task she needs.

Cooking: Nancy was often forced to do her own cooking growing up, and has become an exceptional chef as a result. She often cooks meals for the N Team, as almost all of them are incapable of preparing real food.

Painting: Nancy takes up oil painting as a hobby when she joins the N. Team. She is able to create a multitude of portraits within a relatively short time, all with distinct themes and color palettes. She mainly does this as a stress reliever.

Mutant Creation: After studying N. Brio's research on mutations, Nancy figures out how to create her own mutants using her magic. It takes a lot of energy out of her to do this, however.

Equipment:

Laser Wand: Resembling a stage magician's prop, this magic wand can both cast spells and fire laser blasts out of it. She built it herself.

Top Hat: A purple hat Nancy wears with a golden yellow band around it. Contains its own pocket dimension in which many objects can be stored. She inherited it from her now-deceased father. The pocket dimension was something she added herself.

Pocket-Dimensional Suitcase: Like her hat, Nancy's suitcase contains its own pocket dimension in which many objects can be stored. Having a tiny bedroom at home, she was forced to cram pretty much all of her belongings into this suitcase for space and security reasons.

Exploding Playing Cards: Exactly what it says on the tin. Nancy can throw these cards, making them explode on impact.

Strengths:

Nancy has very powerful magic that is in tune with her emotions; the more emotional she is, the stronger her magic gets. This is often seen when she is furious with someone, her eyes glowing bright yellow with power and her voice deepening.

Nancy is always finding new ways to use her magic and utilize it in a variety of ways. Whether it's creating clay golems to do her dirty work, or building magic-fueled batteries to power her inventions, she's very good at being flexible.

Unlike Dr. Cortex, who has little to no empathy, Nancy has a great deal of empathy. While this can work against her at times, it allows her to analyze where other people are coming from, allowing her to figure out a strategy to best deal with them. This goes for both allies and enemies.

Nancy is rather understanding and accepting of others for the most part. While this is not a typical quality for someone who is evil, it has allowed her to (mostly) get along with her fellow villains. While they may be wary of her at first, she inevitably charms them and wins them over, even if it takes a long time. She truly is enchanting.

Nancy has an in-depth understanding of mechanical components, devices and engines, as well as designing them to be safe, reliable and efficient. By enhancing these devices with magic, she can create a wide variety of Magitech.

Weaknesses:

Despite being a villain, Nancy can never bring herself to harm a child. It is the one line she refuses to cross. Initially, this only means human children, but over time this comes to include mutant children (such as Coco Bandicoot) as well.

Nancy has a huge soft spot for Dr. Cortex. Not only did he inspire her to become a villain, but to also keep on fighting despite her terrible home life. She would do just about anything to make Dr. Cortex happy, as he's done so much for her without him knowing it. This can lead to her having lapses in judgment.

She is terrified of her mother, Nora Trigue. Nora has been incredibly cruel and monstrous to Nancy for most of her life, always trying to break her spirit and control her. Nancy had to run away from home in order to join the N Team, and she fears her mother finding her and forcing her to come home.

Nancy is lacking in physical strength; though she is stronger than the puny Dr. Cortex, she can't throw a punch to save her life. The only exception to this is when she's angry, in which case she becomes surprisingly strong for her size and build.

Nancy does not like making mistakes. She often berates herself whenever she slips up. This is mostly due to her upbringing. She's kind of like Guzma from Pokemon Sun and Moon in this regard, for comparison.

Favorite Things:

Color: Purple

Food: Ribs, and anything else with pork (except ham)

Drink: Fruit-blended iced tea

Music: Pop and Rock

Animal: Cat

Movie(s): Pacific Rim; Pan's Labyrinth (she's a big fan of Guillermo Del Toro)

TV Show: Pinky and The Brain

Book(s): How to Rule the World: A Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator; How to Be a Villain: Evil Laughs, Secret Lairs, Master Plans, and More!!!; The Villain's Guide to Better Living

Number: 7

Holiday: Christmas

Relationships:

Family: Nicholas Chant (father; deceased), Nora Trigue (mother), Nikki Amor (older half-sister), Natalia Tice (oldest half-sister)

Significant Other: None, but wants to make Dr. Cortex that significant other.

Friends: N. Brio, Pinstripe Potoroo, Dingodile, Tiny Tiger, Fake Crash

Allies: N. Gin, N. Tropy, Nina Cortex, Ripper Roo, Koala Kong

Enemies: Crash Bandicoot, Coco Bandicoot, Crunch Bandicoot, Aku Aku

Other: Uka Uka (boss/father figure), Dr. Cortex (co-worker/crush), Kit Catfox (mutant creation/daughter figure), Queenie Quoll (mutant creation/daughter figure), Betty Bettong (mutant creation/daughter figure)