All the Crash Bandicoot games on PS1: the 5 episodes of the PlayStation

The 5 Crash Bandicoot games on PS1 in a nutshell

Five games were released on the first PlayStation, between 1996 and 2000. The first four were developed by Naughty Dog, the last by the British studio Eurocom.

#	Game	Genre	Year
1	Crash Bandicoot	Platform	1996
2	Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back	Platform	1997
3	Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped	Platform	1998
4	Crash Team Racing	Race / Kart	1999
5	Crash Bash	Party game	2000

1. Crash Bandicoot (1996): the birth of a mascot

It all starts with a bet: to make a 3D platformer at a time when the genre still didn't know how to move into the third dimension. Naughty Dog chose a camera placed behind the hero, which advances through corridors, and internally dubbed the project «the game from behind Sonic». The character, initially imagined as a wombat, becomes a bandicoot, a small marsupial from Australia. The game was released in Europe on November 8, 1996.

History and the universe

Doctor Neo Cortex and his sidekick Nitrus Brio transform animals into soldiers thanks to their Evolvo-Rayon. Crash, one of their failed experiments, escapes and ends up on the beach of a small archipelago off the coast of Australia. He travels through the three islands, N. Sanity, Wumpa and the island of Cortex, to save his girlfriend Tawna, guided by Aku Aku. A map links the levels and shows his progress, island by island, to the scientist's mad castle.

The gameplay

The first Crash lays the foundation for the series over 32 levels: the Wumpa fruits (100 give one life), crates to be broken by a rotating attack, TNT crates that explode after three seconds, and gems reserved for those who break all the crates in a level. There are alternating corridors seen from behind, passages in 2D seen from the side, leaks facing the camera, and races on the back of a boar. Saving is done through bonus levels or a password, and the game doesn't forgive much: this is the most demanding episode.

The characters of Crash Bandicoot

The game also features staging Tawna, Crash's girlfriend, and three other bosses: Papu Papu, the tribal chief armed with a stick, Ripper Roo, the wild kangaroo, and Pinstripe, the mafia boss armed with a machine gun.

The cult levels of Crash Bandicoot

#	Level	Which makes him cult
1	N. Sanity Beach	The first level, between fine sand and jungle, which features all the basics
2	Jungle Rollers	Stone rolls to avoid in the middle of the jungle
3	Boulder	The escape facing a giant rock, seen from the front
4	Wild Hog	A frantic race on the back of a wild boar
5	Upstream	A river to be climbed from platform to platform
6	The High Road	Suspended bridges in the fog, considered very difficult
7	Sunset Vista	A long level at sunset
8	Heavy Machinery	A factory full of steam and burning pipes
9	Lights Out	A level plunged into darkness, illuminated by Aku Aku
10	Slidgy Climb	The ascent of Cortex Castle, on steps that disappear

The bosses

#	Boss	Who is that?
1	Papu Papu	The chief of the tribe of N. Sanity island
2	Ripper Roo	A crazy kangaroo jumping between the TNT boxes
3	Koala Kong	A mutant koala that throws rocks
4	Pinstripe	The gangster from Cortex, armed with a submachine gun
5	Nitrus Brio	The scientist who transforms into a monster
6	Neo Cortex	The final boss, at the top of his dirigible

Why play it again today?

It's the birth of Crash and a game that marked an entire generation: more than 6.8 million copies sold worldwide. More difficult than its sequels, it remains a real challenge for fans of demanding platformers, and the best way to understand where the series came from.

2. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (1997), the sequel that fixes everything

A year later, Naughty Dog returns with a longer, more beautiful and above all more accessible sequel. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back was released in Europe in December 1997, and many fans still consider it the best-balanced episode of the trilogy.

History and the universe

This time, it is Cortex himself who asks Crash for help: he must recover 25 crystals, supposedly to save the planet. In reality, the doctor wants to power up his space station, the Cortex Vortex. Nitrus Brio, who has sided with the other side, encourages Crash to rather collect the gems. The game abandons the map of the islands for a central teleportation room: five rooms, connected by an elevator, each open onto five levels.

The gameplay

Crash learns new moves: sliding, diving to break through reinforced crates and crouching movement. You can finally save at any time, and 42 gems await the most curious players, some hidden behind secret paths. The levels gain in variety: slides on ice, descents on jet-boards, passages on jetpacks. The music, composed by Josh Mancell and the Mark Mothersbaugh studio, remains in the forefront of the hours after.

The characters from Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

The brothers are also crossed. Komodo Joe and Moe, two varans armed with swords, and Ripper Roo, Returning first boss.

The cult levels of Crash Bandicoot 2

#	Level	Which makes him cult
1	Turtle Woods	The first level, where the turtles serve as stepping stones
2	Snow Go	The first level is covered in snow, the ground is slippery and the paths are hidden
3	Hang Eight	A river descent on a jet-board
4	Crash Dash	A leak in front of a giant rock between electric barriers
5	Bear It	The ride on Polar, at full speed on the ice
6	Road to Ruin	Ancient ruins and dizzying passages
7	Unbearable	The pursuit by an adult polar bear, much less kind than Polar
8	Piston It Away	A piston factory that crushes everything
9	Rock It	A jetpack level around the space station
10	Totally Bear and Totally Fly	Two secret levels to unlock

The bosses

#	Boss	Who is that?
1	Ripper Roo	The crazy kangaroo, becoming smarter
2	Komodo Joe and Moe	Two brothers armed with sabers
3	Tiny Tiger	The colossal tiger jumping on platforms
4	N. Gin	Cortex's assistant in its giant robot
5	Neo Cortex	The final duel in space, in a jetpack

Why play it again today?

This is the most balanced Crash: enough challenge for gems, without the frustration of the first one, and a variety of levels that never get stale. If you only had to experience one platformer episode, this is an excellent starting point.

3. Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (1998), the journey through time

The third episode is the most ambitious of the trilogy. Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped was released in Europe in December 1998 and takes Crash and Coco through history, from prehistory to the future. It is also the one that we have ranked in our top list of the best PS1 games.

History and the universe

The Cortex space station crashed and unleashed Uka Uka, Aku Aku's evil twin brother. With the help of Dr. Nefarious Tropy, the master of time, he built the Time Twister, a machine that allows him to travel through time to retrieve the crystals before Crash. Its five rooms each lead to five levels: medieval village, Egyptian pharaohs, prehistoric, 1950s American road, Arab city, underwater, Great Wall of China, sky of the First World War, and even a future filled with robots.

The gameplay

The levels vary enormously: classic platforming, motorcycle racing, aerial combat in a biplane, scuba diving, chasing a baby T-Rex on a sled. Coco becomes playable, especially in jet skis and on the Great Wall with his tiger Pura. Every boss defeated grants Crash a new power, and a time trial mode allows you to earn sapphire, gold, and platinum relics by finishing the levels as quickly as possible.

The powers to unlock

#	Boss defeated	Power obtained	Effect
1	Tiny Tiger	Great dive	A plunge that destroys everything around Crash
2	Dingodile	Double jump	A second jump in mid-flight
3	N. Tropy	Super cute	A sustained rotating attack to glide
4	N. Gin	Fruit Bazooka	Picking Wumpa fruits from a distance
5	Cortex	Running shoes	Running faster, ideal for the time trials

The characters of Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

The Doctor Nefarious Tropy, the master of time and inventor of the Time Twister, is the other big boss of the game. We also meet Baby T, The baby Tyrannosaurus that Crash rides in prehistoric times.

The cult levels of Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

#	Level	Era	Which makes him cult
1	Toad Village	Middle Ages	The first level, between frogs and knights
2	Under Pressure	Marine funds	Underwater diving
3	Orient Express	Great Wall	Coco on Pura's back
4	Bone Yard	Prehistory	The escape in front of a dinosaur
5	Hog Ride	50s	The motorcycle race
6	Tomb Time	Egypt	The traps of a pharaoh's tomb
7	Dino Might!	Prehistory	The ride on Baby T
8	Bye Bye Blimps	First World War	The combat in biplane against dirigibles
9	Hang 'em High	Arabia	The roofs of a city from the Thousand and One Nights
10	Future Frenzy	Future	A futuristic city filled with robots

Why play it again today?

It's the most varied and generous Crash: a time travel concept that constantly renews the scenery, with vehicles everywhere and counter-time races that prolong the pleasure long after the credits roll.

4. Crash Team Racing (1999), the karting king on PlayStation

For its latest game, Crash, Naughty Dog has left the platform and moved on to kart racing. Crash Team Racing, or CTR, was released in the fall of 1999 and brought together all the characters from the series on circuits inspired by their adventures. It is still one of the best kart games ever released.

History and the universe

Nitros Oxide, an extraterrestrial who claims to be the fastest pilot in the galaxy, lands on Earth and launches a challenge: if no one beats him in the race, he transforms the planet into a giant parking lot. The Adventure mode takes place in an open territory that can be explored by kart, divided into five worlds: N. Sanity Beach, The Lost Ruins, Glacier Park, Citadel City and Gemstone Valley. Each world features its own circuits and a boss to be challenged in a duel.

The gameplay

What makes CTR a great racing game is its system of drifts: by slipping into the turns at the right speed, you can trigger up to three turbo boosts in succession. The bonuses are equally successful: stealth missiles, bombs, TNT crates, the N. Tropy clock that slows down all opponents, and the Aku Aku (or Uka Uka) mask that makes you invincible. The Adventure, Arcade, Counter-clock mode, Duel, and Battle modes can be played with up to four players using a multitap, as detailed below. our selection of the best retro 4-player games.

The 8 starting pilots

Seven more pilots are unlocked, for a total of 15: the four bosses of the Adventure mode, Ripper Roo, Papu Papu, Komodo Joe and Pinstripe, as well as N. Tropy, Fake Crash and Penta Penguin.

The 18 circuits of Crash Team Racing

#	Circuit	Atmosphere
1	Crash Cove	Beach and pier on Crash Island
2	Roo's Tubes	Tunnels and water slides
3	Tiger Temple	Temple of the jungle with mobile traps
4	Coco Park	Landscaping park, ideal for learning
5	Mystery Caves	Dark caves and secret passages
6	Sewer Speedway	Sewers and pipes
7	Dingo Canyon	Desert canyons and bridges
8	Papu's Pyramid	Pyramid and hairpin turns
9	Blizzard Bluff	Snowy mountain
10	Dragon Mines	mines and wagons
11	Polar Pass	Banquise and big jumps
12	Tiny Arena	Grand stadium and giant jumps
13	N. Gin Labs	Futuristic laboratory
14	Cortex Castle	Doctor Cortex's castle
15	Hot Air Skyway	Aerial circuit between the hot air balloons
16	Oxide Station	Nitrous Oxide Space Station
17	Slide Coliseum	Bonus circuit to unlock
18	Turbo Track	Bonus circuit to unlock

The 7 arenas of the Battle mode

Battle mode pits up to four players in seven closed arenas: Skull Rock, Rampage Ruins, Rocky Road, Nitro Court, Parking Lot, North Bowl, and Lab Basement. You can play in points, time, or lives, solo or in teams, with all the race bonuses.

Why play it again today?

Huge content, immediate control, and real depth thanks to the glitches: CTR is the perfect kart game for four-player evenings. Proof of its status, it received a complete remake in 2019, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, but the PS1 version retains its charm and nerve.

5. Crash Bash (2000), the four-player party game

The last Crash game from the PS1, Crash Bash, was released in Europe on November 29, 2000. It was the first episode that wasn't developed by Naughty Dog, but by the British studio Eurocom, and it completely changed the genre: it was time for a four-player party game.

History and the universe

Aku Aku and Uka Uka, the two feuding brothers, decide to settle their old conflict through a tournament. Each recruits their team from the series' heroes and villains, who face off in arenas through a series of short trials. The Adventure mode, playable solo or with a partner, takes place in teleportation rooms inspired by Crash 2 and Warped.

The gameplay

The game offers 28 challenges divided into seven families, plus four boss arenas. To progress in the Adventure mode, you must win trophies, then gems, crystals, and relics by completing more difficult challenges. The most dedicated players aim for 200 %, and even 201 % by playing with characters from opposing camps. But it's with four controllers that Crash Bash takes on its full dimension.

The characters of Crash Bash

The 7 families of trials

#	Family	Principle
1	Ballistix	Each player defends his goal against one or more balls, including the famous Crashball
2	Polar Push	Pushing his opponents off a glacier, on the back of a polar bear
3	Pogo Pandemonium	Bounce on the tiles to paint them in its color
4	Crate Crush	Throwing crates, including explosive crates
5	Tank Wars	Tank duels with mines and shells
6	Crash Dash	Arena races, with bonuses and knockdowns
7	Medieval mayhem	Varied challenges in medieval settings

Why play it again today?

The games last a few minutes, the rules are easy to understand, and the atmosphere quickly gets electric. Less well known than the trilogy, Crash Bash has been the subject of many evenings spent with friends, and it is also featured in our selection of retro 4-player games.

Episodes 1, 2 and 3: what changes from one episode to the next

The three platform games look similar at first glance, but each adds its own unique twist to the experience.

Episode	Objective	New features	Backup
Crash Bandicoot	Saving Tawna by crossing 3 islands	Series bases: crates, Wumpa, gems, Aku Aku	In bonus levels or by password
Crash Bandicoot 2	Recover 25 crystals	Salles Warp, slide, dive, Coco, jetpack	At any time
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped	Recapture 25 crystals across time	Times, vehicles, powers, playable Coco, against-the-clock	At any time

In what order should I play the Crash Bandicoot games?

The order of departure is the best choice: Crash Bandicoot (1996), Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (1997), Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (1998), and then Crash Team Racing (1999) and Crash Bash (2000). The story follows this order, and each episode adds movements and characters to the previous one.

If the first episode seems too difficult for you, there's no reason not to start with Crash 2, which is more accessible, and then return to the first one once you've mastered the controls. CTR and Crash Bash, on the other hand, can be played in any order: they're primarily games for multiplayer play.

What is the best Crash Bandicoot game on the PS1?

For the platform, our preference goes to Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped, the most varied and generous of the trilogy, just behind Crash 2, which remains the most balanced. For multiplayer play, Crash Team Racing is untouchable: it is one of the best kart games ever released, on all consoles combined.

The first Crash Bandicoot remains indispensable to understanding the series, provided you accept its difficulty. As for Crash Bash, it is the ideal companion for evenings with friends, when you want short games and lots of laughs.

And after PS1? All the Crash Bandicoot games

After Crash Bash, the series leaves Naughty Dog and the PlayStation exclusivity. Here are the main games that followed, to place the PS1 episodes in the full saga.

Game	Year	Genre
Crash Bandicoot: The Revenge of Cortex	2001	Platform
Crash Nitro Kart	2003	Kart
Crash Twinsanity	2004	Platform
Crash Tag Team Racing	2005	Race
The Crash of the Titans	2007	Action
Crash: Generation Mutant	2008	Action
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy	2017	Remake of the PS1 trilogy
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled	2019	CTR remake
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time	2020	Platform
Crash Team Rumble	2023	Online multiplayer

Most fans agree on one point: the PlayStation era remains Crash's golden age. It is indeed this era that the N. Sane Trilogy and Nitro-Fueled remakes have chosen to revive.

How to play Crash Bandicoot on the PS1 today?

Nearly 30 years after their release, there are several solutions to find Crash, depending on whether you are looking for the original versions or a modernized version.

1. The original PlayStation

This is the authentic experience, with the games on CD. You can expect between 15 and 30 euros for a Crash in the Platinum edition, and often more than 40 euros for a complete original version in good condition. You also need a working console and, ideally, a cathode ray television: on a modern screen, the image from the PS1 is often blurry without an adapter.

2. The remakes: N. Sane Trilogy and Nitro-Fueled

In 2017, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy remade the first three episodes in high definition, followed in 2019 by Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. The graphics have been modernized and the content has been enriched, but the game play and physics have changed, and purists often prefer the original ones.

3. A retro all-in-one console like the GearMaster

Connected to your TV via HDMI, the GearMaster brings together the Crash games from PlayStation alongside 20,000 classic games from 70 consoles. No disc to clean or cable to find: you choose the game, grab a wireless controller, and play, up to four people for Crash Team Racing and Crash Bash.

Solution	Original versions	Game for 4	HDMI branching
Used PlayStation	Yes	With a multitap	With an adapter
Remakes (N. Sane Trilogy, Nitro-Fueled)	No, re-made games	Yes for Nitro-Fueled	Yes
GearMaster	Yes	Yes, 4 controllers	Yes

Frequently asked questions about the Crash Bandicoot games