Ranking Crash Bandicoot Games: the Best and the Worst

Very few games become synonymous with a console, but that was the case with Crash Bandicoot and the original PlayStation. Developer Naughty Dog put out four excellent titles starring the lovable bandicoot, and Sony used the character in a lot of their marketing. Eventually, it became time to move on and after Naughty Dog had moved onto bigger and better things (read as: Jak), gaming’s favorite marsupial was left on his own.

What followed was a lot of mediocre games, although I wouldn’t classify any of them as outright terrible. Regardless of Crash’s more recent (and less fun) history, last week marks the 20th anniversary of Crash Bandicoot. That means it’s time to celebrate, and it made sense to take a look back at one of Naughty Dog’s most memorable series. I’ve gone ahead and ranked the rank them from the worst to best Resident Evil games.

Before we get onto the list, here are a few things to consider. First off, only games that appeared on a PlayStation console count. That means no Spyro crossover on Game Boy Advance. Second, and most importantly, there wasn’t some mathematical formula to come up with this list. It’s all just a matter of opinion.

I hope you enjoyed my look at the Crash Bandicoot series. While this look back at the series didn’t really help my confidence in that the remake will be any good, it did make me want to play Crash Team Racing. Man, that game is fun.

In your opinion, which are the best Crash Bandicoot games? Which is the worst entry in the franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Essential Reading:

Ranking Crash Bandicoot

Ranking the Crash Bandicoot Series
11. Crash Twinsanity

Twinsanity is the worst game in the series. It attempted to freshen things up by offering up larger levels to roam (think 3D Mario), but the design of these stages didn't hold up their end of the stick. The one saving grace is the game's funny script, which is really the only good reason to play this.
10. Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex

The first non-Sony published Crash Bandicoot tile was The Wrath of Cortex. Developed by LEGO developer Traveller's Tales, the game just felt like a poor imitation of what worked on PlayStation. Those ideas weren't nearly as fresh in 2001 as they were in the 90s, and the only thing the game really accomplished was getting players to go back and replay the better PS1 games.
9. Crash Tag Team Racing

Mario Kart: Double Dash is awesome, so it's not surprising that Crash would try to copy its success. Sadly, something was lost in the process and Tag Team Racing is the worst racing game in the series. It didn't provide much of a challenge, or fun.
8. Crash Bash

Developed for the original PlayStation, Crash Bash was Sony's answer to Mario Party. Just without a lot of the charm and the fun board game mechanic. I wouldn't say that it's a terrible game (as a few of the mini-games are really fun to play), but it certainly didn't outdo the plumber they were trying to beat.
7. Crash of the Titans

Crash of the Titans was one of the first games in the series to get away from trying to replicate what Naughty Dog did. That's actually a good thing, as previous titles felt like stale imitations. Instead, the platformer became more of a brawler, having Crash mash out combo attacks in order to succeed. It wasn't great, but at least it was something different at the time.
6. Crash: Mind Over Mutant

The latest Crash Bandicoot game released in 2008. Called Mind Over Mutant, it was actually a pretty solid (if not forgettable) platformer. It was a step up from its predecessor, and it seemed like Crash was back on its way to being a relevant series again. Sadly, it didn't mark better things to come, and it just marked the last game for eight years.
5. Crash Nitro Kart

The second Crash racing game was pretty fun, even if it felt like a step down from Crash Team Racing. It's not like the PS2 was filled with good kart racers, so it definitely filled its niche. Plus, it was just fun to see Crash and his pals in a fun game again.
4. Crash Bandicoot

The 1996 original has aged surprisingly well for a 20-year-old game even if it isn't Super Mario 64. The core gameplay is still fun, even if playing a 3D platformer with a d-pad is way more awkward than I remembered back in the 90s. Its lasting impact, and some nostalgia, helps it get the fourth slot on the list.
3. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

Cortex Strikes Back is a perfect example of how a sequel should be done. It's better than the original title in every imaginable way from level design to graphically. It's more of what fans loved, and it smartly refined the core mechanics.
2. Crash Bandicoot: Warped

Warped was Naughty Dog basically showing off that they had done everything they could with Crash Bandicoot. Since there were only so many ways to make the platforming seem fresh, the studio added in a lot of vehicle stages. This gave Warped a unique amount of variety, and it made for the best Crash platformer.
1. Crash Team Racing

As weird as it is, the best Crash Bandicoot game isn't a platformer. In fact, it's a kart racer, and one of the very few that managed to outdo Nintendo's own efforts at the time. Crash Team Racing showed that Naughty Dog was able to create a diverse array of titles, not just platformers. It's also still one of the best kart racers, and holds up better than any other title on this list.