Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

Crash 2 basically takes everything good from the first game and expands upon it with new characters, levels, bosses, everything was improved and polished to a sheen. Gameplay wise it retains the simple and effective linear stages but this time gives a hub world and lets you choose the order in which you progress. Each level has a crystal needed for progression and has a certain number of boxes you can break for an optional gem. Each level has its own boss that offers a different challenge from the last.

The graphics and animation: Dated by modern standards but its important to note how much personality crash has in his design and animations because it speaks to the core of how to properly create a video game character. The little hump dances he does when he wins help illustrate his goofy personality, crash has the demeanor of a goofball but with all the subtlety of a tom and jerry cartoon. The fun nature of crash helps balance out the hilariously violent death animations which see crash being disintegrated, flattened, electrocuted, eaten, you name it but it never gets old or stops being funny.

The controls: crash 2 introduces the slide which can be chained into a jump in order to gain momentum, it can also be used to hit enemies which makes movement a very smooth experience. Its very easy to get a grip on because of how simple it is but it also helps that the controls by themselves are very responsive and tight, you can tell a lot of time was put into how they feel. The new addition of analog functionality was also a welcomed addition that really took advantage of the ps1 hardware.

The music: Fantastic. All you need to know about the music for crash 2 is that it perfectly fits the tone and describes what the game is going for, a unique absurdity that only the lovers of cartoon level goofiness' can understand. Just listen to the title theme, its impossible not to smile while hearing it.

The characters and voice acting: Clancy Brown is(once again) phenomenal as Cortex, he gives off a lex luthor vibe without taking himself too seriously, he makes a great villain. The other characters are mostly completely new designs, the most notable being N gin and Polar with returning ones like nitrous brio and crash's sister. All these characters are great performances for what they are and most importantly fit the world they are put in.

Crash 2 reaches dizzying heights yet Naughty Dog makes it all seem so effortless and that's what true style is. I have a ton of respect for all of the developers who made this game possible. All killer no filler.

All right! It id official! After ten years of playing this game I finally started a new game and in four days I beat the game for the first time ever. Only three levels and one boss level challenged me really, really much. The game-play was excellent. Only problem is I am used to using the L3 pad as my directional pad it got just a little out of hand with Crash just walking occasionally and nearly running into an enemy or falling down a pit.

Crash 3 was a great sequel but a little too hard for me to beat. Although I am currently trying to beat it. But this game remains my favorite compared to others because I beat it for the first time ever and it is the only Crash game I ever beat.

I will never forget this game, ever! 10/10

I was feeling a bit down so I thought I play Crash Bandicoot 2 on my PC and I gotta say this really is the best PS1 game there is. I remember going to an EB games and buying PS1 games and one of them being Crash 2. I was hoping it was the Crash Bandicoot Warped game I played at Toys R Us with a little bandicoot riding a Tiger cub on the great wall of China. It wasn't what I wanted but I sure as heck wasn't taking it back.

Cortex Strikes back's plot is that Dr. Cortex wants the Crystals back now he must get Crash to help him. But Dr. M Brio will compete against Cortex.

Crash Bandicoot 2 Cortex Strikes backs is such a good game. This game oozes detail that Naughty Dog can only care about. Sure they may not be bad in other sequels but Naughty Dog has that kind of love and charm only people who work for Universal and Sony can provide .

Crash 2's gameplay is such an improvement from Crash 1. There are now Knee slides and body slams that Crash can perform to stomp turtles. A huge improvement from just spinning and getting mogged by boars from the original.

There is a sense of nonlinearity in a linear franchise. Split paths as you can collect crystals to help Cortex or Gems to get then . Crash will travel from Snow worlds and Green rain forests to sewers and science levels.

The bosses are fun and there is more story telling to the levels like the first being a tutorial.

There are even racing and chase levels. Go up a stream in a motorized surfboard run away from giant polar bears! Or even giant boulders.

Bonus rounds all about. Complete time trials too.

Crash can unlock secret levels by finishing others and getting secret colored gems.

Crash Bandicoot 2 has such amazing 3D graphics for a console. For something only using 1kilobites per texture and only the most polygons to spare this game really oozes personality and a strange sense of immersion that can only be found in an old Naughty Dog game. First of all, Cash himself is super expressive. His animation is super fluid and nice to look at. When Crash tumbles into a room from a rolling boulder he gets exhausted and his ears overlap.

This is so reminiscent of old Looney Tunes cartoons. Every level is super vibrant yet quite literally gritty and takes advantage of the PS's relatively low polygon count. All the world loads up and with out much pop in or glitches. It really is the perfect looking PS1 game. Whenever Crash dies, he'll either turn into ash or turn into a digeridoo playing angel.

The music is made by Mark Mothersburgh. Now every song sounds like 'Whip it' just to make things super zany and I love it even more for it. The reverb of the PS1's audio makes it so much better to hear.

Overall, Crash 2 has aged so well that I can't help but glaze it.

Let me start off by saying, that I am a HUGE fan of Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot games. 1, 2, warped, CTR, and CB are all pretty sweet games. But overall, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is my favorite of them all. Let me tell you why.

1) The Levels: Overall, this game has twenty-five levels of non stop fun. Though elements from the first game were used, there were new level types such as taking a jetpack and travelling through a space ship, and old elements were reinvented as well. For example, you run from a boulder in the first one. In the second one, you run from a huge polar bear. Pretty sweet and fun levels.

2) The challenges: Now believe me when I say that this game is freakin hard at times. At least, if you wish to get a 100% finish. Multiple traps, tricks, secret passage ways, if you want it all, be prepared to look around quite a bit. Well, not a bit. A lot!!! For example, you know those nitro boxes that you can't touch? Well in a level, there is a pile of them, set up to look like stairs. You can actually hop on those ones and not blow up. Get to the top of the pile and you end up in a secret warp room. I'm sure you wouldn't think about diving in a hole and uncovering a bonus room. Yup, very challenging.

3) The Characters: We are introduced to some of the Major characters in the series. Coco Bandicoot, Crash's lil sis, N. Gin, and Tiny Tiger. We also get to see Ripper Roo again. One of the particular bosses didn't last. The komodo bros. I think they were in CTR, but that's it.

Overall (Yeah, I use that word a lot) This game is freaking awesome! 10 out of 10, baby! Favorite and best Crash Bandicoot game ever!!!

CRASH BANDICOOT 2: Cortex Strikes Back! (1997) is one of the greatest Crash sequels, brought to players by Naughty Dog (Crash, Jak and Daxter, Last of Us). Crash 2 is the game that I played for hundreds of hours as a child, and it still holds a very strong and special place in my heart. The nostalgic force is strong with this one.

"Crash Bandicoot is on an adventure to collect crystals and help Dr. Neo Cortex save the world, or so it seems."

The game is a puzzle platformer, and has excellent level designs, characters, boss fights, and story. The level become progressively more challenging as the game goes on. The music and sounds effects are iconic and so well done. This game has such a great, unforgettable OST.

Crash Bandicoot 2 is by far one of the greatest games of all time, in my humble opinion, and my personal favorite in the series.