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==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
  +
*This is the first game in the series to have different names and logos between the NTSC-U and PAL versions.
 
*Save for the game's multiplayer mode and for a line of Uka Uka's, this is the very first game in the series to not have Cortex as one of the villains. Despite this, he does appear at the game over screen.
 
*Save for the game's multiplayer mode and for a line of Uka Uka's, this is the very first game in the series to not have Cortex as one of the villains. Despite this, he does appear at the game over screen.
 
*N. Tropy's hit points are nine altogether. Therefore, he shares second place with N. Trance from this game, and N. Brio from [[Crash Bandicoot (game)|Crash Bandicoot]] as the one with most of them. Despite this, N. Brio is still the one with most hit points shown on screen at once.
 
*N. Tropy's hit points are nine altogether. Therefore, he shares second place with N. Trance from this game, and N. Brio from [[Crash Bandicoot (game)|Crash Bandicoot]] as the one with most of them. Despite this, N. Brio is still the one with most hit points shown on screen at once.

Revision as of 10:38, 12 February 2017

Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced is the second game to feature Crash Bandicoot on the Game Boy Advance.

Storyline

Uka Uka calls upon the assistance of Dr. N. Tropy to defeat the Bandicoots. N. Tropy looks into the future and sees himself along with the Bandicoots and concludes that the only way to defeat them is to make them join their side. He in turn recommends the services of N. Trance in order to hypnotize them into joining their side. Using a teleporter, he attempts to transport Crash, Crunch, and Coco to a star base somewhere in space. However, Aku Aku prevents the teleportation from completing, and Crash is saved, while the other two are taken. For unknown reasons N. Tropy, N. Trance and Uka Uka end up with Fake Crash. Coco and Crunch are hypnotized and turned against Crash. He now has to save his friends and defeat N. Trance and N. Tropy.

Over the course of the game, Crunch and Coco are saved and become playable characters in certain levels. Fake Crash also is defeated though it is unclear whether he joins their side or not, since in the boss fight against N. Trance, while he can be used to hurt N. Trance, through the same means he can hurt Crash.

N. Tropy is then fought after the player has gathered all colored gems and completed the levels. After he is defeated in the end, the Bandicoots force him to take a picture with him, revealing this to be the image N. Tropy saw in the future, and misinterpreted as the Bandicoots joining his side.

Additions

Link Game

For the first time in a Crash Bandicoot platformer, N-Tranced also features multiplayer competitive game play. In order to play, both players require a cartridge of the game.

Atlasphere

Two players battle in the game's altasphere mode. Players can choose between the battle modes Domination, Bumpers, or King of the Hill on a variation of maps. Depending on the players' progress in one player mode, Crash, Crunch, Coco, Fake Crash, N. Trance and N. Tropy are all playable characters.

Level Race

Two players can choose to race in any of the on-foot levels unlocked in the one-player story. Both players play as Crash and the level data for both players is separate (a necessity for both to progress through certain gimmicks such as the vehicle crates).

Huge Adventure/XS Link

In addition, the game can be linked to Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure via GBA link cable to unlock extra content. Through this option, Dingodile, N. Gin, Tiny, Dr. Cortex, and Mega-Mix can be unlocked as extra playable characters in atlasphere mode.

Previous Game References

As seen in the previous game, this entry in the series goes on giving the GBA most of the features and environments seen in the Naughty Dog trilogy. First, instead of using a Warp Room, N-Tranced makes use of a "Warp Zone" structured like a map, in which every single portal is entered using the same animation seen in Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped - except the lack of any sight of the level outside it. Then, the only element hailing from Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is the usage of the jungle-themed levels' background music in the atlasphere stages, as well as in the very first stage, Island Intro, which the concept was already seen in the second game - though it was called just "Intro" and, instead of its successor, wasn't replayable. Also unlike the Intro of Crash Bandicoot 2, the Island Intro level is required, and contains a crystal, gem, and relic, whereas Crash Bandicoot 2's level could be exited from through the pause screen and skipped.

Also, the Egyptian tomb (like Tomb Time) and Arabian-themed stages (like Hang'em High) are based on the levels from Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped, as well as their own background music, while the volcano island ambiance hails from Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (despite its music being remixed from the prehistoric levels from the third game). The water-themed levels offer the same tropical sea setting seen in the levels Crash Bandicoot 3, such as Makin' Waves, but here Crash does some water-skiing while being tied to an off-screen motorboat and chased by a shark. Therefore, these stages act as a chase. The flying-themed levels of the prequel, mixing the jetpack itself with fights against blimps, are now substituted by another kind of escape, in which Coco, wearing an astronaut suit and tied up to a hovering "space life belt" of sorts, has to manage to escape a giant - and unseen since being off-screen too - fireball (despite the first stage in this series being called "Run from the Sun") while fighting between meteorites as well as Lab Assistants. The atlasphere concept, instead, is from Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex

The pause menu reprises the one from the prequel in terms of structure, but is totally different when it comes to appearance. The "C" symbol now features Coco's face in order to match the one seen in Crash Bandicoot 3, as well as Crunch's face. Now Crash's face is on the bottom of the emblem while Coco's stands on its top. The pause menu is now almost completely golden. The pause menu is also the only place in the game to view a level's number, as this is no longer shown in the warp zone, like it was in previous games.

The bonus platforms now lead Crash to the bonus round by floating instead of just teleporting him there.

Another correction is made whenever Crash dies by falling into a chasm: in the prequel he would just become an angel/ghost, while now (reflecting the second and third games in the series) he throws up his shoes.

Colored gems are still featured, but in an entirely different way. In each Egyptian-themed level a red "gem shard" (1/4 of a colored gem) is hidden. Likewise, the volcano-themed stages hide blue gem shards and green gem shards are hidden within Arabian-themed levels. When N. Trance is defeated, the last section of the map (a wooden bridge set in outer space) is accessible. This portion acts as N. Tropy's hideout, and instead of the portals, the last three levels are accessed through the now recreated gems. Getting all four gem shards of any color unlocks one of these levels. Each of them has the relative colored gem to be found, as well as the normal gem and the relic. After each colored gem is aquired, the portal to N. Tropy, disguised as a gear, is accessible. In these levels, the colored gems act similar to how crystals act in most levels. In order to access time trial mode, Crash must get the colored gem from the level first, and all three colored gems will unlock the boss for that area.

The fight against N. Tropy is a mostly faithful recreation of the battle fought in Crash Bandicoot 3. N. Tropy fights Crash in an arena structured just like its counterpart, only set in Arabia. N. Tropy has a total of three hit points, but once defeated, he recovers and causes the battle to start over in an Egyptian tomb arena with smaller platforms, now attacking at a faster rate. As soon as he loses all of his health again, he restarts the battle one last time by setting it in the volcano environment. This time the player can defeat him once for all, but if they die, the battle has to restart from the beginning.

Music

As it was in the case of the game's predecessor, this game's soundtrack references most of Naughty Dog's work on the series. First, Island Intro, as well as the atlasphere stages use the background music of the jungle-themed levels seen in Crash Bandicoot 2 as their own, only re-arranged in a way that is even different than the one heard in The Huge Adventure. The Arabian-themed stages and Egyptian tomb stages, being taken from Crash Bandicoot 3, have also music similar to their original counterparts but adapted to the GBA and therefore have been shortened and are in MIDI format.

The volcano environment hails from Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, but the volcano levels (except for Island Intro) make use of the background music of the third games' prehistoric-themed levels, while the water-themed levels use a background music somewhat similar to the one heard in the jetski-themed levels Makin' Waves and Tell No Tales.

Fake Crash's boss fight uses a rearrangement of the background music of Crash Bandicoot 3's Rings of Power.

N. Tropy uses a rearrangement of his own background music instead.

All stages retain their one player music themes in multiplayer, though the atlasphere multiplayer mode lacks background music.

Soundtrack disc

Certain releases of the game also included a soundtrack CD featuring slightly enhanced arrangements of most of the game's music:

  • Track 1: Main Theme
  • Track 2: Warp Room
  • Track 3: Volcano
  • Track 4: Arabia
  • Track 5: Motorcycle
  • Track 6: Space Station
  • Track 7: Atlasphere
  • Track 8: Egypt

Track 5 (a rearrangement of the motorcycle-themed levels' theme in Crash Bandicoot 3) is not featured in the actual game, suggesting it belongs to an unused area or sequence. Track 7 is also not used in N-Tranced, instead a rearrangement of the background theme for the futuristic-themed levels in The Huge Adventure.

Levels

Warp Area 1

Level Name Type Character Collectibles Crates
1 Island Intro Volcanic Island Crash Crystal, Clear Gem 23
2 Prints of Persia Arabian Nights Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Green Gem Shard 29
3 Lagoony Tunes Wakeboard Crash Crystal, Clear Gem 49
4 Globe Trottin' Atlasphere Crash Crystal, Clear Gem 112
5 Pharaoh's Funhouse Egyptian Tomb Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Red Gem Shard 54
6 Runaway Rug Arabian Nights Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Green Gem Shard 62
BOSS 1 Evil Crunch Boss Crash Super Slide 89

Warp Area 2

Level Name Type Character Collectibles Crates
7 Tiki Torture Volcanic Island Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Blue Gem Shard 57
8 Hoppin' Coffins Egyptian Tomb Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Red Gem Shard 71
9 Barrel Roll Atlasphere Crunch Crystal, Clear Gem 101
10 Flockful of Seagulls Wakeboard Crash Crystal, Clear Gem 30
11 Magma Mania Volcanic Island Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Blue Gem Shard 73
BOSS 2 Evil Coco Boss Crash Rocket Jump N/A

Warp Area 3

Level Name Type Character Collectibles Crates
12 Run from the Sun Space Suit Coco Crystal, Clear Gem 21
13 Now It's Istanbul Arabian Nights Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Green Gem Shard 92
14 Mister Lava Lava Volcanic Island Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Blue Gem Shard 89
15 Water Logged Wakeboard Crash Crystal, Clear Gem 25
16 Slip-N-Slidin' Sphinx Egyptian Tomb Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Red Gem Shard 91
BOSS 3 Fake Crash Boss Crash Death Tornado N/A

Warp Area 4

Level Name Type Character Collectibles Crates
17 Rocks Can Roll Atlasphere Crunch Crystal, Clear Gem 114
18 Rock the Casaba Arabian Nights Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Green Gem Shard 109
19 Eruption Disruption Volcanic Island Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Blue Gem Shard 108
20 Spaced Out Space Suit Coco Crystal, Clear Gem 25
21 King Too Uncommon Egyptian Tomb Crash Crystal, Clear Gem, Red Gem Shard 91
BOSS 4 N. Trance Boss Crash Speed Shoes N/A

Warp Area 5 (Secret Bridge)

Level Name Type Character Collectibles Crates
22 Wild Nile Ride Egyptian Tomb Crash Clear Gem, Red Gem 97
23 101 Arabian Kites Arabian Nights Crash Clear Gem, Green Gem 64
24 Fire Walker Volcanic Island Crash Clear Gem, Blue Gem 115
BOSS 5 N. Tropy Boss Crash N/A N/A

Bosses

Evil Crunch

Shoot at Crunch while avoiding nitro crates. Crunch has a shield that he'll use until he suddenly hits a nitro crate, causing him to lower it for a minute. This gives Crash a chance to do damage to him. This level is on a carpet. He has a total of three life points.

Evil Coco

(Listed as "Evil Coco" but not to be confused with the real Evil Coco, an unused character from Crash Twinsanity) Avoid Coco's attacks and lava while Crash fights in a volcanic area. This level is on the copter. She has a total of three life points.

Fake Crash

This boss battle may be considerably short (lasting only 11 seconds at the very least), depending on the player's skills. In the Egyptian tomb, Crash faces his goofy doppelganger as anyone would imagine the fight: Fake Crash mirrors every single move made by Crash. Spinning doesn't damage Fake Crash (but Crash himself), but serves as the only way to switch the sides. There are the spear traps typical of this environment, set in a mirrored way but not working as such. Keeping these facts in mind is key for any player aiming to defeat Fake Crash. He has a total of four life points.

N. Trance

This fight has two rounds.

  • First round - Avoid N.Trance as he leaps to one end of the screen, then avoid his claw as he shoots it at the place you are standing. Jump over the claw and either spin or land on his head to make N.Trance bring the claw back to him. Do this four times to get to the second round. This is in an Egyptian-styled level.
  • Second round - N. Trance's head turns into a rocket and he floats around the screen. Crash needs to spin him to keep him from attacking. Fake Crash pours lava on N. Trance once he gets under a cliff, causing him damage (it causes Crash damage if the player flies under the cliff). N .Trance attacks with one out of four types of beams when he's left alone for a while. The glow around him depends on the type he will use. This part is a copter level. This is a volcanic-themed level.

He has a total of 9 life points.

N. Tropy

First, get all blue, green, and red gem shards, beat all the extra levels, and then Crash can face N. Tropy. This fight has three rounds.

  • First round - He will attack down, then up twice. Then, after he moves to the other platform, a few gems will appear. Jump on them to the platform N. Tropy is on, then spin or jump on him. Repeat this two more times. Once he is defeated the first time. he will add two more of his usual attacks. This is an Arabic-styled level.
  • Second round - Exactly the same as the first round, but he will attack down, up twice, then down again. Hit him, he will then attack down, up twice, down twice, up twice again, and down. Hit him once more, he will then attack: down, up twice, down twice, up twice, down twice, up twice, and then down once more. Hit him, then Crash will fade to the next round. Crash must avoid every attack. This is a Egyptian-styled level.
  • Third round - He will attack down, up twice, then down. Jump over the gems and then attack him. He will attack down, up, down twice, up, down twice again, then up. Once hit, he will then attack in this order: down twice, up twice, down, up, down twice, up, down, up, down. Crash must avoid every attack. This is a volcanic-themed level.

He has a total of 9 life points.

Power-ups and related glitches

Despite that there are five bosses instead of the prequel's four, there are still only four power-ups and the Fruit Bazooka from Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped is still absent.

However, the Super Charged Body Slam, as well as Double Jump, are available from the very beginning of the game. The first two power-ups, gained by defeating the first two bosses (being the brainwashed Crunch and Coco, respectively), are the Super Slide (a faster and more powerful slide, executed by pressing R while holding L and while standing still) as well as the Rocket Jump (maybe referencing the "Moon Jump" seen in most platform games through cheat devices - this one being an extra-high-but-not-long jump executed by jumping while standing still and holding L). By defeating N. Tropy the player isn't awarded any power-up at all.

The "power-up ? panels" appear in both "Island Intro" and "Globe Trottin'", as in-game tutorials while outside of the time trial mode.

Gallery

See: Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced/Gallery

Trivia

  • This is the first game in the series to have different names and logos between the NTSC-U and PAL versions.
  • Save for the game's multiplayer mode and for a line of Uka Uka's, this is the very first game in the series to not have Cortex as one of the villains. Despite this, he does appear at the game over screen.
  • N. Tropy's hit points are nine altogether. Therefore, he shares second place with N. Trance from this game, and N. Brio from Crash Bandicoot as the one with most of them. Despite this, N. Brio is still the one with most hit points shown on screen at once.
  • Crunch says, after being defeated and returned to normal, that he was "brainwashed again". This is an allusion on how he was originally on the evil side during the events of Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex.
  • During the game's ending, Uka Uka stares from cold space and swears that he will not rely on underlings next time, implying that he will work alone in the next game. However, as N-Tranced had no sequel, this is long forgotten.
  • Despite being an established character, Fake Crash is given a new origin story and is treated like a brand new character.
  • This is the last game to have Coco in her overalls.
  • This is the first game where Crash fights Coco.
  • This is the first game where Crunch assists the bandicoots. It is also the first game where he is playable in some form, and the only case of being so in a platformer title.
  • This is also the first platformer in the series to utilise multiplayer options.
  • The Vicarious Visions logo can be seen on the walls in the Egyptian-themed levels.
  • Despite having more levels than in Huge Adventure, N-Tranced only contains 1,791 crates.
  • The game's manual claims the game's link ability with The Huge Adventure also unlocks new levels though this was not made available in the final game.
  • Crunch and Coco use their "evil" headshot icons in the Atlasphere menu, though their game models and map icons use their normal forms.
  • This is the first Crash Bandicoot game where the relics are not needed to unlock the alternate ending.
  • Just like Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure, some copies of the game came with a poster.