Last year saw the release of the three original Crash Bandicoot video games as part of a collection called Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy for the PlayStation 4 but this month you can pick up the collection for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC.
The Nintendo Switch version of the Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy is a solid port that takes advantage of the Switch’s design. The game runs smoothly in both docked and portable modes with a locked in FPS that I did not notice wavering at all. I had some concerns that the game might suffer in portable mode due to the need for twitchy reactions in these difficult games, but fortunately, these concerns were unfounded. You may never mistake this game for a modern AAA release, but it does still manage to look good. In docked mode, the age of the games is a bit more apparent with some jagged edges and blurry textures, but given that these are updates of original PlayStation One games it is hard to complain.
The sound design has been equally updated with crisp effects and plenty of voice lines from the various villains. I suspect a lot of work went into recording new audio for the games, and the effort is appreciated. The music, on the other hand, is fairly muted and I barely noticed it during my playtime with the games. Overall the sound work on the trilogy is excellent, and fans and new players alike will appreciate the work put into it.
I would argue that the Nintendo Switch version of the Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy is the best one to go with. The graphics appear to be on par with the other consoles, and it includes all the same features that they do. The added portability of the Switch is what pushes it over the top, though. The short levels in Crash make it ideal for short bursts of gaming, which is where the Switch can shine. The only thing the Switch is missing is an achievements system, so that will knock it out of the running for trophy hunters. If that is not a concern for you and you were considering picking up this package, then I would definitely encourage going with the Switch version of the Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy.