Once considered the PlayStation’s mascot (though never officially),Crash Bandicootwent from being called the Mario of the PS1 to starring in a string of mostly-disappointing games following his initial platformer trilogy and first kart racing game. That isn’t to say that all Crash games for the PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and beyond were bad– though some certainly were– just that they weren’t top-tier, AAA experiences like the early titles.
Related:Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time May Come to Other Platforms
Fortunately, the wiry marsupial has seen a resurgence in recent years, first with remasters of his greatest adventures and now witha brand new title on the waythat looks to be in the style of the games that made him famous. And as we look forward to Crash’s future, we thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on his past, both the triumphs and the tragedies. Note: As this feature focuses on Metacritic scores and that site didn’t launch until 1999, you won’t find Crash’s first two games on the list.
10Best: The Huge Adventure (78 Metascore, 7.9 User Score)
There had been side-scrolling segments in theCrashgames from the beginning, so there was already a template for how to do a game in that style once the series came toGame Boy Advance.The Huge Adventure– get it, because it was on a handheld system?– was a pretty by-the-numbers platformer, but considering how much utter garbage there was on the GBA, it was nice to see a Crash game that actually had some thought and care put into it.
9Worst: Nitro Kart (66 Metascore, 7.8 User Score)
Not many kart racing games can claim to be on the same level asMario Kart, butCrash Team Racingwas one of those games. Sadly, it was also the finalCrashgame from original developer Naughty Dog, and none of its four-wheeled sequels could quite recapture that magic. Some got close–Tag Team Racingwas pretty solid– butNitro Kartjust didn’t quite get there. And if you had a GameCube, you were too busy playingMario Kart: Double-Dashto bother with a mediocre kart racer.
8Best: N-Sane Trilogy (80 Metascore, 8.5 User Score)
More than remasters but notquiteremakes, theN-Sane Trilogywalks the line between old-school feel and new-school graphics wonderfully, adding some necessary quality-of-life improvements to the originalCrashtrilogy but leaving behind just enough of the original elements to make the games feel authentic (read: maddeningly difficult at times). It felt like a practice run for a brand newCrashgame in that style, which turned out to be accurate onceCrash 4was announced and looked to be a continuation of theN-Saneversions of the first three games.
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7Worst: Twinsanity (64 Metascore, 8.3 User Score)
After years of mostly linearCrashgames,Twinsanityfinally brought the franchise up to the standards of its 2000s peers by featuring a more open-ended, free-roaming set-up. It was also unique in that it was structured as something of a reluctant buddy comedy with Crash and Cortex teaming up– but without a co-op option which felt like a missed opportunity. It was a well-meaning attempt to finally modernize Crash and a decent enough game, but it was still too little, too late compared to what other platformers were doing by that time.
6Best: Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (84 Metascore, 5.8 User Score)
After theN-Sane Trilogywas a major success for Activision, it was a given that they were going to look to more games in the series to give that treatment. Unfortunately, there was only one game left that was universally hailed as a classic:Crash Team Racing, which they reworked intoNitro-Fueled. It feels a little light content-wise compared toN-Sane, andActivision pulled some shenanigans with DLCthat soured the experience a bit, but it’s still one of the best kart racers ever made redone with modern graphics.
Related:Crash Team Racing Gets Strange New Racer
5Worst: Wrath Of Cortex (62 Metascore, 7.1 User Score)
After Naughty Dog stepped away from theCrash Bandicootfranchise and moved ontoJak & Daxter, nobody quite knew what to expect from the former series going forward.Mario Partyrip-offCrash Bashwas fine but unremarkable, and it wasn’t untilWrath of Cortexthat the first platformer in the series post-Naughty Dog was released. The result was a game that just kind of… there. It certainly wasn’t bad, but there was basically nothing special or unique about it, either. It was the very definition of “going through the motions.”
4Best: Crash Team Racing (88 Metascore, 9.0 User Score)
No matter where you stood during the battle between the N64 and the PS1, one thing was clear: N64 hadMario Kart 64and PS1 didn’t. At least, not untilCrash Team Racingwas released and, unabashedMario Kartrip-off though it was, it gaveMK64a run for its money in almost every way. It even managed four-player split-screen with a rock-solid framerate, something very few PS1 games pulled off (or even attempted). And, if you ask us, it aged a little better thanMario Kart 64, too.
3Worst: Mind Over Mutant (45 Metascore, 5.4 User Score)
The console version ofMind Over Mutanttakes theCrashformula and re-tools it as a more action-focused game, at times ever feeling like a straight-up beat-em-up. And, especially as far as latter-dayCrashgames go, it’s pretty fun– that is, as long as you’re playing one of the console versions (the Wii incarnation being the best of the bunch). The DS port is an absolute abomination, looking like it was thrown together in about six months by how ugly the graphics are and how unpolished and clunky the gameplay is.
2Best: Warped (91 Metascore, 9.0 User Score)
Finishing off the originalCrash Bandicoottrilogy wasWarped, which not only saw the most refined platforming gameplay and level design of the series but also introduced a variety of other play styles into the mix. Whether you’re having dogfight in a biplane, piloting a submarine, or playing a glorified game ofRoad Rash, there’s never a dull or poorly-implemented moment inWarpedand it still stands as one of the best platformers of all time, even when bringing heavy hitters like Mario into the conversation.
1Worst: Crash Boom Bang (37 Metascore, 4.6 User Score)
What in the world happened here?Crash Bashmight have been a passableMario Partyclone for its time, but it wasn’t a concept that needed revisiting– especially not on the DS. And yet, here cameCrash Boom Bang, a game that is even lamer than its cringe-worthy title suggests. Nothing about this “party game” is worth celebrating, from the abysmal graphics to the terrible minigames that are as shallow as they are painful to play. Stay far, far away from this embarrassing game.
Next:Crash Bandicoot Vs. Spyro The Dragon: Who Is PlayStation’s Best Platforming Mascot?
