Crash Bandicoot: Warped

Crash Bandicoot: Warped (クラッシュ・バンディクー3 ブッとび!世界一周 Kurasshu Bandikuu 3: Buttobi! Sekkai Isshu in Japan) is a platform game created and developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation. It was also released for download on the PlayStation Network for PSP and PS3, and can be played on PlayStation Vita via Remote Play. It was well-received publicly and critically, selling 7.13 million copies worldwide and scoring an average of 91% in Metacritic's aggregate. The game serves as a direct sequel to Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. It was the last platformer in the series developed by Naughty Dog, who then developed Crash Team Racing.

Gameplay
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped is a platform game in which the player controls Crash and Coco Bandicoot, who must travel back and forward in time and gather 25 crystals before Uka Uka and Doctor Neo Cortex do so. Much of the game takes place in the Time-Twister which acts as the hub area of the game. The Time-Twister is split up into five chambers; only the first chamber is initially available. Each chamber has five buttons that open portals to different levels. The goal in each level is to find and obtain the crystal hidden in the level. In some levels, the crystal is located inside the level. In other levels, the crystal is earned by completing a specific challenge. After completing all five levels in a chamber, a sixth button that opens a portal to a boss level will appear. By defeating the boss, the next chamber will become available for play. When all 25 Crystals are found and all five boss characters are defeated, the player has reached the first ending.

Crash and Coco start the game with 4 lives. They lose a life when they are struck by an enemy attack or suffer any other type of damage. If they are able to obtain Aku Aku masks, they can take more damage and if they collect 3 without taking damage they become invincible for a short time. More lives can be earned by instructing Crash or Coco to collect 100 wumpa fruit or break open a special crate to collect a life. If Crash or Coco run out of lives, the game is over. However, the game can be continued by selecting "Yes" at the "Continue?" screen.

Each level (except for vehicle levels) contains a bonus platform that leads to a special bonus area, where the player must navigate through a maze and collect everything in sight. As no lives are lost in the bonus areas, the bonus areas can be played through as often as the player desires until the bonus area can be cleared. Like in many other Crash games, the bonus rounds cannot be replayed a second time once the player has completed them. However, if the player leaves the level and comes back, then they are available again.

In addition to crystals, gems can be collected for more completion. Gems are rewarded to the player if all of the crates in a level are broken open or if a secret area is completed. There is a total of 45 gems in this game. Colored gems are found in special areas of levels and lead to hidden areas. There are five colored gems in the game: blue, green, purple, yellow, and red.

Relics can be won by re-entering a level where the crystal has already been retrieved. To obtain a relic, the player must initiate the time trial mode and race through a level in the pre-designated time displayed before entering a level. To begin a time trial run, the player must enter a level and activate the floating clock near the beginning of the level to activate time trial mode. If the clock isn't touched, the level can be played regularly. The player must then race through the level as quickly as possible. Scattered throughout the level are crates with the numbers 1, 2 or 3 on them. When these crates are broken, the clock is frozen for the number of seconds designated by the box. As no lives are lost in Time Trial mode, the level can be played through as often as the player desires. Sapphire, gold and platinum relics can be won depending on how low the player's final time is. The first five relics the player receives unlocks access to a level in the "Secret Warp Room". Every 5 Relics opens up another level in the Secret Warp Room. The levels in the Secret Warp Room must be won before the game can be 100% completed. There are a total of 30 relics in the game.

Story
Much of the game takes place in Nefarious Tropy's Time Twisting Machine, where Crash and Coco travel through numerous periods of time. The Time Twister consists of two hub rooms (one underground), the first one containing five chambers, each of which containing six portals, each leading to a different period of time, including (but not limited to) Medieval times, prehistoric times, Ancient Egypt, and the future.

The game takes place immediately after the previous installment, in which Doctor Nitrus Brio uses the 42 gems Crash has collected to power his giant laser weapon to destroy Doctor Neo Cortex's space station, the Cortex Vortex. As a result, large chunks of the space station's debris plummet down to Earth and crash into an ancient monument. When the smoke clears, an evil entity flies off into the sky.

Back on N. Sanity Island, the home of Crash and his friends, an evil laughter rings through the air. Aku Aku appears shaken and urges everyone to come inside, as a great evil has come.

Uka Uka confronts Doctor Neo Cortex. In an as of now unknown area, Doctor Neo Cortex is seen cowering before the evil entity (now known as Uka Uka), who appears to have saved Cortex from the depths of space and is now upset that Cortex has failed him twice. Cortex insists that it is all Crash Bandicoot's fault but Uka Uka's patience is spent, as there is now no other power source on the planet since the crystals and gems have already been used. But since Cortex has indirectly set him free, Uka Uka spares Cortex's life and introduces Doctor Nefarious Tropy, master of time and the creator of the "Time Twister" that the trio is currently standing on. "And this time, the great Uka Uka will make sure that you do it right". With N. Tropy's Time Twister, the villains plan on gathering the power crystals in their original places in time.

Inside Crash's home, Aku Aku tells the Bandicoots a story of how many eons ago, Uka Uka, Aku Aku's evil twin brother, was locked in an underground prison by Aku Aku to protect the world from his malice, and now that he is free, he must be stopped at all costs. With that, Crash and his friends travel to the Time Twister Machine, where their adventure begins.

After Crash and Coco have defeated N. Tropy (along with Cortex's minions, Tiny Tiger, Dingodile and Dr. N. Gin) and collected all of the Crystals and all of the Gems, Crash battles Doctor Cortex in the core of the Time Twister Machine. Upon Cortex's defeat, the Time Twister implodes (due to N. Tropy's defeat), taking Cortex, Tropy, and Uka Uka with it. Crash and the others escape just in time for the snow season. As the ending credits roll, it is seen that the three villains are trapped in a time prison, with Cortex and Tropy transformed into infants and fighting over Uka Uka's possession.

In addition, the game features a new time trial mode, in which a level must be raced through in the fastest time possible. Boxes are laid throughout the levels that are able to freeze time for 1, 2, or 3 seconds. A sapphire, gold, or platinum relic will be earned if the given time is beaten. In addition, there are developer times set by the Naughty Dog and SCEA testers. A platinum relic can still be received before completing the game with 100%, but the times will only be seen on the level info box if the game is completed with 100%. Completing the game with 105% (the maximum percentage of the game) shows a sequence in which Crash and Coco watching a fireworks display. To complete the game with 105%, the player needs to get 104% taking all gems and relics from all levels, including secret levels, then the player will have to get all gold or platinum relics and fight Cortex again. When the player will have no more sapphire relics, they will get another gem and switch to 105%.

There are five main warp rooms, twenty-five main levels, five boss arenas, a sixth secret warp room with three secret levels and two secret entrances and two more secret levels hidden into a regular level. Boss fights are in bold.

Medieval
These levels contain wizards and knights as opponents.


 * Toad Village (Level 1)
 * Gee Wiz (Level 6)
 * Double Header (Level 15)

Underwater
Crash has to swim.


 * Under Pressure (Level 2)
 * Deep Trouble (Level 12)

Pura/Great Wall of China
Coco races on Pura the Tiger across the Great Wall in its final years of construction. These levels are based off the Polar levels in Cortex Strikes Back and the hog levels from  Crash Bandicoot.


 * Orient Express (Level 3)
 * Midnight Run (Level 10)

Prehistoric
Crash has to make his way through volcanic swamps, often being chased by an angry triceratops. In part of Dino Might! (level 11) and the whole of Eggipus Rex (level 32) Crash can ride on Baby T.
 * Bone Yard (Level 4)
 * Dino Might! (Level 11)
 * Eggipus Rex (Level 32)

Jet Ski/Pirates
Coco makes her way through pirate-infested waters on a jet ski. These levels have similarities to the sections of the stream levels in Cortex Strikes Back where Crash rides a rocket-powered surfboard.


 * Makin' Waves (Level 5)
 * Tell No Tales (Level 18)
 * Ski Crazed (Level 26)
 * Hot Coco (Level 31)

Arabian Town
Crash makes his way through an Arabian Nights-esque setting with genies and robed swordsmen. Like in the sewer levels in Cortex Strikes Back, Hang'em High and High Time have grids that Crash can hang onto.


 * Hang'em High (Level 7) - A secret entrance to this level is numbered as level 27.
 * High Time (Level 13)
 * Flaming Passion (Level 23)

Race/Highway in USA
In the 1950s, Crash needs to win a race against hot rods on a motorcycle. In Area 51? (Level 28), he races UFOs at night.


 * Hog Ride (Level 8)
 * Road Crash (Level 14)
 * Orange Asphalt (Level 22)
 * Area 51? (Level 28)

Ancient Egypt
Crash enters the pyramids and has to dodge traps and mummies. In the level Tomb Wader (level 20), the pyramids are flooded. The Tomb Wader level is very different from the other three, and has only one enemy type (spiked mummy) seen in any of the other three. In Bug Lite, Crash uses a firefly to see in the dark, like in Night Fight and Totally Fly from Cortex Strikes Back.


 * Tomb Time (Level 9)
 * Sphynxinator (Level 16)
 * Tomb Wader (Level 20)
 * Bug Lite (Level 25)

Plane/Race
In World War I, Crash and Coco are flying biplanes and need to shoot down blimps, bomber planes, and fly through rings for extra speed.


 * Bye Bye Blimps (Coco) (Level 17)
 * Mad Bombers (Level 24)
 * Rings of Power (Level 30)

Future
Crash visits a futuristic metropolitan setting. In Future Frenzy (Level 19), Crash needs extra boxes in order for him to collect a clear gem, which are found via the secret entrance (Level 29). These levels each have a lengthy side-scrolling section.


 * Future Frenzy (Level 19) - A secret entrance to this level is numbered as level 29.
 * Gone Tomorrow (Level 21)

Boss Fights
There are 5 bosses in the game.


 * Tiny Tiger (Boss 1, fought in a Roman coliseum). "Tiny take them back in Gladiator arena!"


 * Dingodile (Boss 2, fought in the Ice Ages). "Bring out the butter, gonna make toast!"
 * Dr. Nefarious Tropy (Boss 3, fought in the Time Twister control room). "Now you're on my time, you little skunk! Give me the crystals!"
 * Dr. N. Gin (Boss 4, fought in space using an advanced mech). "Prepare to be pulverized, Bandicoot!"
 * Dr. Neo Cortex and Uka Uka (Boss 5, fought in the core of the Time Twister). "Crash Bandicoot, for the last time, give the crystals to me!"

Puns and references

 * N. Tropy's name is a play on "entropy", which is a concept in thermodynamics.
 * N. Gin's name is a play on "engine".
 * "Road Crash" might be a pun on "road rash", which are skin abrasions caused by sliding on pavement after a motorcycle accident. It could instead be a reference to the video game series of the same name.
 * "Hot Coco" is a pun on "hot cocoa".
 * "Gee Wiz" is a pun on the phrase "gee whiz", which means slight surprise.
 * "Double Header" is a pun on "double header", a term used in baseball to describe two games played by the same teams on the same day, and also referencing the two-headed giants in the level.
 * "Gone Tomorrow" is a pun on the term "Here today, gone tomorrow".
 * "Flaming Passion" is a pun referring to love.
 * "Dino Might!" might be a reference to J.J.'s catchphrase from "Good Times".
 * "Sphynxinator" could be a reference to the Terminator movies.
 * "Tomb Wader" is an obvious reference to the video game series Tomb Raider.
 * "Hang'em High" is a reference to the movie of the same name.
 * "Bug Lite" might be a reference to "Bud Light", a beer in real life, or it could be a play on the word flashlight, considering most of the level is dark.
 * Two levels are references to past Naughty Dog games: Ski Crazed (second game made by Jason Rubin and Andy Gavin) and Rings of Power (third official game by Naughty Dog).
 * "Midnight Run" could be a reference to the movie's name.
 * "Midnight Run" is the same name as the song "Midnight Run", from the band Example.


 * "Eggipus Rex" is a clear reference to the Greek tragedy "Oedipus Rex".
 * "Tomb Time" could be a reference to Tool Time, the show-within-a-show from the sitcom Home Improvement.
 * Dingodile's name is a portmanteau of "dingo" and "crocodile". Dingodile also has an Australian accent, and that may be a pun on the fact that he is half dingo and half crocodile, for both animals are native to Australia.
 * "Toad Village" could be a reference to the Mario series, for there is a town named Toad Village that the Toads live in.
 * "Under Pressure" could be a reference to Queen's song.
 * "Orient Express" could be a reference to Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express".
 * "Hog Ride" might be a reference to the Crash Bandicoot level "Hog Wild".
 * "Orange Asphalt" is probably a reference to the driver's education video series Red Asphalt.
 * "Tell No Tales" is a reference to the phrase "dead men tell no tales", which is commonly associated with pirates.
 * "Bone Yard" is a reference to the term "bone yard", which is both an informal name for a cemetery and a place where animal bones accumulate (in this case, the game is most likely referencing the latter).
 * "Deep Trouble" is a reference to the term "deep trouble", which is usually used to describe the state of being in a very bad predicament.
 * "Area 51?" is a reference to the government facility "Area 51", which was well known for being the center of many conspiracy theories involving UFOs.
 * "Mad Bombers" is a reference to the term "mad bomber", which means an insane person who uses bombs to cause death and destruction.

Reception
Crash Bandicoot: Warped was universally acclaimed by critics, who noted a high quality in many areas, including gameplay, graphics and audio. The game went on to sell 5.7 million units as of 2002, making it the tenth best-selling Playstation video game of all time. In Japan, the game surpassed the sales of its two predecessors and became the first non-Japanese title to sell over one million units in the country.

Johnny Ballgame of Gamepro concluded that the game was "a very strong contender for PlayStation game of the year" and that the "rowdy rowdy" gameplay will "keep your head spinning for days." Official U.S. Playstation Magazine considered the game to be "the best 2.5D platformer ever released." Ryan MacDonald of Gamespot said that Crash Bandicoot: Warped is "easily the best Crash yet," describing how all of its aspects were superior to previous installments in the series, and concluded that the game was "the most fun I've had with a 3D platform game in a long, long time." Mark Cooke of Game Revolution called the game "a barrage of good things" and said that the game's elements "all come together perfectly." Scott Alan Marriott of Allgame ("All Game Guide" at the time) considered the game to be "so impressive to watch that you'll have to keep one hand firmly below your chin to keep it from falling to the floor."

The game's graphics were lauded by critics. Johnny Ballgame praised the game's graphics as "incredibly clean" and "detailed", citing the water in the jet ski levels as "the most realistic-looking waves of any PlayStation game we've seen so far". Randy Nelson called the game "drop-dead gorgeous", detailing that "the textures are impeccable, the animation's top-notch, and the special effects kick some serious booty." Ryan MacDonald called the game "one of the most beautiful PlayStation games ever", citing the game's "smooth" character animations, "bright" and "colorful" landscapes, "gorgeous" lighting effects and a "refreshingly fast and steady" frame rate. Mark Cooke praised the game's "smooth" and "cartoonish" animation as "top of the line, bested by no other game" and its "limitless" rendering distance and "beautiful" 3D models as "the pinnacle of PlayStation rendering". However, he criticized the absence of death animations for the enemy characters. Scott Alan Marriott described the graphics as "unbelievable" and said that "everything is crystal clear, colorful, smoothly animated and extremely detailed."

The game's audio was also critically praised. Johnny Ballgame said that the sound "gets you pumped to play, especially the wicked drum beats that blare when you're charging through a level with the invincibility mask." He also commented positively on the other audio effects, such as "the boiling lava", "the raging pterodactyls" and the "zany movie voice-overs". Randy Nelson was thankful for the game's increased musical diversity in comparison to Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. Ryan MacDonald praised the music, sound effects and character voice-overs as "outstanding" and "extremely well done" and noted that the onscreen lip-synching is "almost perfectly matched to the voice." Mark Cooke said that the game's "over-exaggerated" voice-acting is "like those in good cartoons, and sometimes even better", and cited an "equally cartoonish" aspect in the music. Scott Alan Marriott described the voice-acting as "five-star quality all the way" and noted that the music "captures the level setting(s) perfectly."

As of 2002, Crash Bandicoot: Warped has sold over 5.7 million units worldwide. The game's success resulted in its re-release for the Sony Greatest Hits line-up on August 23, 1999 and for the Platinum Range in 2000. undefined Crash Bandicoot: Warped was a bestseller in Japan, and was the first non-Japanese title to receive a "Platinum Prize" in Japan for selling over 1,000,000 units.

Trivia

 * All of the Arabian levels (Hang'em High, High Time, and Flaming Passion) contain a color gem (yellow, purple, and green, respectively).
 * It is possible to have a saved game with 105% if the player collects every crystal and gem and has every relic at gold or platinum.
 * Once completing the game 100%, the player can see Fake Crash in two levels, or three in the PAL version: Toad Village, Makin' Waves, and Hog Ride (PAL exclusive). Each level has him dancing.
 * The title menu is completely different in the Japanese release. Crash pops up and dances, and his dance includes new moves not present in his dances in other versions.
 * This is the first main continuity game in which the front cover art depicts Crash in a vehicle as well as in a different outfit.
 * In the PAL version, N. Tropy doesn't normally say his quote after being defeated, but if the player jumps back to the other platform, they will hear him saying it. The reason for this is unknown.
 * The font used in the warp area for the level numbers is the same font (possibly AustereCapsSSK) that was used as the main font in the prototype version of the original Crash Bandicoot game. It is also the same font or a very similar font to the main font in many Spyro the Dragon games.  It also appears to be the font used by Georgio's Oven Fresh Pizza Company.
 * Game Informer placed this as the 109th best game of all time.
 * The Japanese version has FMV movies in the game.
 * In the beginning intro, you can see Crash's old, slightly bigger surfboard hanging on the wall from Crash Bandicoot 2. There are also photos of both Crash and Tawna on the mantlepiece.
 * The Arabian levels look like they're based on Agrabah from Disney's Aladdin. To prove this theory further, there are enemies in red and black robes (Jafar), monkeys wearing purple clothes (Abu) and genies on magic carpets wearing white puffy robes like Aladdin when he changes into Prince Ali.
 * A demo version of Spyro the Dragon is unlockable in this game. At the title screen, press up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right and square, then select Spyro the Dragon Demo, then you can play. The player is limited to two areas while playing the demo, though.
 * This game has the most levels out of any Crash Bandicoot Game, along with Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. It has 30 levels, excluding boss fights.
 * Crash Bandicoot has 26 (27 if counting The Great Hall as an actual level).
 * Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back has 27.
 * Crash Bash has 28.
 * Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure has 21.
 * Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced has 24.
 * A special limited edition of Warped was released, containing the game, a t-shirt and a few other extras, all inside a steel box.
 * Aku Aku speaks non-Japanese for the first time, voiced by Mel Winkler from this game until Crash of the Titans.
 * Coco was made silent in this game for the same reasons Crash was before. Naughty Dog intended the players to identify themselves with the playable characters more easily, without personality dislikes.
 * Currently, this is the only game where Polar, Pura and Baby T appear at the same time.
 * In this game, Crash has about 30,000 frames of animation, which Naughty Dog thought to be more than any other video-game character at the time.
 * This was one of the few games to have PocketStation compatibility in Japan.
 * In pyramid levels, hieroglyphs depicting Morgan T. Dog, the (now deceased) pet mascot from Naughty Dog, can be seen.
 * The theme song for this game would be remixed numerous times in the future. Variations of it became the theme songs for Crash Bash, The Wrath of Cortex, The Huge Adventure, and N-Tranced. It's also heard in the first cutscene of CNK.
 * The shape of the relics was most likely inspired by the Egyptian hieroglyphic for "ankh," meaning "to live."
 * Cortex's hair continually changes colors throughout the game. During Tiny's boss battle his hair is purple, during the cutscenes it's blue, and during his boss battle it's black.
 * The monument destroyed during the intro cutscene bears a strong resemblance to the Sunset Vista temple, seen in the map of the original Crash Bandicoot.
 * A Neutral Slide Spin (NSS) doesn't exist in this game. Instead, it's replaced by a Neutral Slide Jump (NSJ).
 * There are 1,961 boxes in the game.
 * All in-game text is loaded in every level (includes warp room), which also includes some strings with "NO CHEATS", "GET RELICS", "GET ALL", "OPEN LEVELS" and "CLOSE LEVELS" in them.
 * If the player takes longer than 10 minutes in time trial mode, the time trial mode ends and the level goes back to standard mode. This means that crates now appear in their normal form, the bonus round can be entered in levels that have one, the "Restart Trial" option is no longer available from the pause menu, etc. The exception is that crates that were already on screen before 10 minutes was reached will still appear in their time trial form, unless the player goes away and comes back so they are redrawn. It is unknown if this is a glitch or not. This only happens in the NTSC-U version of the game, however.
 * Instead of choosing the "Warp Room" option on the pause screen, the player can alternately exit a level by pressing Start to pause the game and then Select on the pause screen. These controls are left over from Crash 1 and also worked in Crash 2.
 * All the bonus round soundtrack are actually the same score remixed with different hings (Medieval, Prehistoric, Arabian, Egyptian and Futuristic) and some other differences.
 * The same applies to the special route soundtracks (death routes, gem paths, secret entrances).
 * Due to the game being rather rushed, it is filled with graphical glitches and alike, such as some Nitro Crates in Deep Trouble not being configured correctly, and the depth glitches in some levels such as Tomb Wader.
 * There are unused death route platform textures for the Future and Prehistory levels.
 * There were supposed to be death routes or secret entrances for the baron, ocean and highroad levels. This soundtrack was composed but didn't make it to the game. It hasn't been uploaded anywhere yet.
 * In the level "Bone Yard" the segment near the start where there are 3 boxes before you get chased, there are some broken planks of wood bark beside the area you stand. One of the pieces is shaped exactly like the "N" on Cortex's Head.