Crash Bandicoot The Wrath of Cortex: A Disappointing Mess

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I hope you enjoy this next part of the Crash Bandicoot retrospective series, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex - The Ultimate Retrospective!
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[@tert1741]

Still can't get over Cortex's eyebrows in this game. I wouldn't be shocked if they could just climb off his face and leave like their own species

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

lol

[@RealLarsUlrichISwear]

They probably would mitosis

[@GregCubed]

As far as Weathering Heights goes, there’s been cut content found over the years that shows originally you were going to fly in on the plane from Level 2 and have to try and damage the airship before entering it. That would also explain why it’s on fire when you look out from the window. It must’ve been cut late in development, hence why it’s the only lab level without a vehicle opening

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Yeah that was something I only remembered shortly after finishing the video, but yeah that perfectly explains it.

[@Charles-e4x]

For some reason, I find the idea of a bad ending involving Cortex accidentally killing his daughter trying to kill Crash hilarious to think about. In a series that's never really taken itself that seriously, such a grim and traumatizing event for both Crash and Cortex seems laughably out of place. Reo: I'm sorry... Dad... Crash... I... l... love... *dies* Crash: *sad whoas* Cortex: Crash! What have you done?! You've killed my daughter! Coco: No he didn't! *You* did! Cortex: I... No! I couldn't have! Not my only daughter... *Slow and somber sounding version of the Crash theme plays. Complete with violin and piano.*

[@paradoxxikal7327]

*crash 1 theme starts playing*

[@thestickdude308]

This reminds me of that one fan game where crash kills Coco when hes drunk and kills himself

[@DeltaBlazin]

You know, honestly. I think they could actually make this work if they made it very clear from the get go that this will be a more darker game, like sonic team did for sonic adventure 2, having Eggman blow up half of the moon just to make a point, and that's one of the LEAST crazy things that happen in that game, but it serves to show that this is different

[@MegaDude10]

@@DeltaBlazin I miss my daughter Crash.. I miss her a lot. I'll be back.

[@SammEater]

The Last of Bandicoots.

[@ci7210]

This and Enter the Dragonfly. This shows how Naughty Dog and Insomniac were miricle workers dealing with a crappy publisher like Universal Interactive. Damn imagine Wrath of Cortex and Twinsanity if they weren't rushed and had a better budget Crash 4 spoilers...... The one person Uka Uka could ask is Female N Trophy since she actually killed Crash and Coco in her and Tawna's universe.

[@e-122psi3]

But even she lost miserably in ONE HIT against the versions in Uka's universe. :P

[@playbossthebest936]

1:40:05 fun fact: this lab was meant to be preceded by a cut stage where you had to pilot a plane with the aiming of the "that sinking feeling" stage (i think we dodged a bullet) and damage the flying ship's turrets before entering it in the stage we got. That's why during the stage you can see fire on the ship in the background when there are windows. So yeah, you assumed something was scrapped and you're right

[@BendezuNZ]

Although all colored jems being in the order you need to collect them is new to wrath, dying after a death route or dying after collecting a jem for collecting no boxes or finishing in time so you can come back and get the box jem without leaving the level has always been a thing in crash 2 and 3.

[@yungJenny]

You can one-cycle many many levels in crash 2 and 3, yeah. Just a couple examples: Tomb Wader has a death route with no boxes, so you just get the blue gem, drown and continue from the checkpoint next to the death route, with the blue gem in your inventory. Turtle Woods is really simple as well. Play the level without popping any creates, get the blue gem, off yourself in the last pit of the level and start the level over again from the beginning, this time breaking all the creates - blue gem, clear gem and crystal will all be in your inventory by the time you're done. The Eel Deal has the green gem in a branching path. Simply walk it down until the end, get the gem, walk into one of the many enemies and start over at the check point before the branch with the green gem in your inventory.

[@ST0PM0SS]

i get it, they were "crunched" for time

[@marquiseMindfang]

I always assumed that the Sneak powerup and the Invisible crates were hints towards some kind of scrapped and repurposed stealth mechanics, personally. Sleeping enemies you had to tiptoe past? Enemies you had to evade while invisible? Who knows.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Yeah, that's an interesting theory I hadn't thought of!

[@e-122psi3]

@@DylantheKnightOwl It seems to be true. One of the unfinished concepts found in builds of the game was a 'Close Circuit Cortex Crate' that according to early descriptions, would explode unless Crash sneaked past it. (If you seen the unused crate with a radar symbol on it, that seemed to be this.) I suspect placed next to some Nitros this would be a really devious obstacle. I suggest checking out The Cutting Room Floor site and its entries on Wrath of Cortex, it's been updated lately with several new finds, helped by having a few betas discovered.

[@Dezboint]

This is why i love video games , so much history behind the game makes you appreciate effort and ambition compared to now where it’s just micro transaction slop

[@Specter227]

I remember being so hyped for this game as a kid. Then I got the PS2 with Jak & Daxter, saw the Naughty Dog logo and even then I knew that the Bandicoot's best years were behind him. I still enjoyed The Wrath of Cortex quite a bit, even though it definitely felt like a "second-rate" product compared to the likes of Jaks, Ratchets, and Marios; it didn't help that the Spyro series was also going through a rough period, it just felt like those two franchises were way past their prime. Nowadays, I think that The Wrath of Cortex is a pretty decent 7/10 game with the graphics being its worst aspect. Seriously, even as a kid, I thought that the game was ugly as sin. Is it better than the new Crash 4? Not really, but at the same time, I think that when Nu-4 gets grindy and annoying it's way less fun than the OG 4.

[@greatestnitemare6626]

The new crash 4 was ass. Beyond overrated

[@Forged4War206]

@@greatestnitemare6626 Basically everyone I know that says this just suck ass at the game LOL.

[@skullkid325]

@@Forged4War206 This lol I don't blame anyone for not liking the game as much as the first 2 or 3 or for disliking its grindiness but it's inarguably a very competently designed game.

[@e-122psi3]

@@skullkid325 4 has the opposite problems from Wrath of Cortex, it got the time and resources to be polished and fluidly made, but the devs just got way too overindulgent with showing off the mechanics and difficulty level, tragically having a solid engine but ruining it with aggravating gameplay choices. By contrast Wrath of Cortex is rough around the edges, but at least a rather approachable game.

[@MarioLuigi25]

I believe it was actually stated in the instruction manual of the game that Pyro is the strongest of the 4 elemental masks so I think he’s meant to sorta be kind of the leader of the elementals. So I don’t think you were off at all about him being the leader

[@jay7568]

I really hope they bring back Crunch in a future Crash Bandicoot because I really liked the character as a kid

[@Ace_of_Horns]

He was in the crash team racing remaster actually.

[@themanofshadows]

Hopefully he and Nina will be in Crash 5 (and Team Rumble).

[@austinashworth6413]

I wish we were in the alternate timeline where the whole game wasn’t scrapped and was forced to be thrown together in a year

[@mr.nobodymc9741]

I can’t wait to see more episodes of this series, I hope that you cover sly.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

That's the plan lol, Sly will probably come after Crash.

[@GregCubed]

My relationship with Wrath of Cortex has always been a very strange one that I don’t think I’ve had with any other game. Usually I fall in line with the general consensus on whether a game is good or bad, but even fully being aware of all this games flaws and why people don’t like it… I can’t bring myself to not like it. Growing up, Wrath of Cortex was one of my favorite games of all time. It was my first Crash game ever, so I didn’t see it as a downgrade from what came before; I could only judge it on it’s own merits. When you’re in that bubble, it’s really not a bad game like you pointed out. It’s flawed sure, there’s a lot that even as a kid annoyed me (the monkey bars, the sub etc) but compared to say, Pac Man World 2, it’s a similar quality. It had such an entrancing atmosphere with its music and art direction (yes I find the Y2K graphics somewhat charming) and hey, a game based around Crash 2/3 is still going to carry a solid structure when you haven’t played the those games. As an adult who now has played the original trilogy and understands what makes those games work, I’ve still for some reason never been able to reconcile this game with the trilogy. I understand everything this game does worse, but my nostalgia and having played it in that childhood bubble I described leaves me unable to directly compare them in my mind; they’re two separate entities to me. I fully agree with everything you and a lot of other reviewers say about it, and while for a time the intense criticism this game gets has always bothered me, I’ve accepted now that it’s just going to be one of those “bad games” that I (and perhaps only I) unironically love, faults and all. I think it also helps that this is the last “traditional” crash game we ever got (besides the gameboy games, which I also quite like… well at least the first one). The series went in such an odd direction after this that I never really vibed with quite as much, even Twinsanity which a lot of people seem to enjoy. I know we got Crash 4, but the lack of the warp room structure, crystals, and the overall grind-heavy nature of it (as well as the art style I’m not a fan of) leaves me still waiting for a proper follow up to WoC/original trilogy. I hope one day we get that. To leave off, there’s actually two big positives this game has above the original trilogy that keep me coming back to it. For one, the level variety is SO much better in WoC. Look I love Crash 3 as much as the next guy, but when you get to that last warp room and it’s ALL just reused levels, it’s a bit anticlimactic. Same with the 4/5 identical motorcycle levels. In Crash 2 most of its levels feel the same; some variation of jungle or snow, with space added in at the very end and the odd sewer level here or there. In WoC, pretty much every level is unique, with its own aesthetics and music tracks. Even when they reuse aesthetics, they always mix it up with a vehicle or something to give it a totally different vibe. Right up until the end you’re experiencing new things (for better or worse), and that’s something I’ve always really appreciated that’s always made me feel a bit underwhelmed by Crash 2/3, despite being better games. The other big positive is the soundtrack. This might be the biggest thing that keeps me coming back, it just has such a cool and unique vibe that’s very nostalgic to me. I like the OST in the original trilogy, but none of it is music I’d listen to outside of playing the game. Ideally one day I’d love to see a game that perfectly emulates Crash 2/3, with the level design and flow of Crash 4 (sans the dickishly hidden boxes) and the unique level variety of WoC. Unfortunately the vibe can probably never be recaptured, seeing as it’s very “Y2K”.

[@crashfan9997]

Good point about y2k nostalgia, it seemed like such a much more fun time. This game is flawed but childhood nostalgia elevates it.

[@Forged4War206]

Holy shit someone admitting that Wrath of Cortex is a flawed game and realizing that a lot of their love for it is driven by nostalgia? That's rare.

[@therdrfanboi1899]

27:28 bro this was so unexpected i laughed Hella hard and loud and played back multiple times 😭

[@cyanbug3021]

Two hours for a crash bandicoot video? Didn't expect this lol

[@Agent0range9]

Your "new move" is straight up lifted from crash 4

[@NebLleb]

I don't know what's sadder: How rushed it was, or the fact that this was my first Crash game as a kid. I'm just so happy to have finally played the OG/N-sane trilogy and that my first Spyro game wasn't Enter the Dragonfly (it was The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning, if you're curious).

[@vernie_in_hell]

I have an interesting perspective because this was the first game i EVER played, THIS schlock taught me the fundamentals of game design lmao

[@TheLonelyGoomba]

Great video. Just sat through it. The thing about the minecart level is, there is no substantial reward to winning the race really. At that point you're only after gems so destroying the boxes is basically the sole purpose of that level. Like yeah, you can win by doing nothing but...it doesn't really achieve anything in regards to completion. Which by that point is your focus. I just see that complaint come up a lot and I don't really think it's a big deal. Game is still bad though.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Thank you, in glad you enjoyed the video! I brought up the minecart thing mainly because you get a gem for winning the race, so if you win the race by doing nothing then all you gotta do is play it a 2nd time and get the boxes and it doesn't matter if you win that time.

[@CherriNGT]

I thought that was pretty important to bring up. Regardless of weather it's necessary or not, you can still beat it while doing nothing. ESPECIALLY if it's a reward.

[@TheLonelyGoomba]

@@CherriNGT True but my point is, since it is a post game level, it's only purpose is to get the gems, with the intent of getting all the remaining gems. I think the level was solely made with the box gem in mind because of that.

[@JomasterTheSecond]

The Wrath of Cortex is one of the Crash games of all time. It's got levels, it's got gems, it has eyebrows, what more do you need?

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Better level design lol.

[@homeoftek5844]

​@@DylantheKnightOwlto be fair, who would be critiquing the game that much if they played it in 2001-02 when PS2 and XBOX was new hardware and the most advanced software at the time???? I played this game on PS2 back then and it looks pretty decent for a early PS2 game that came out in 200freakin1

[@Forged4War206]

@@homeoftek5844 The game looked decent but also looked very off compared to the graphics of Warped. I remember even as a kid I couldn't really figure out why I thought the game seemed to look worse than Warped even though the graphics looked "cleaner".

[@homeoftek5844]

@@Forged4War206 I played TWOC before I played Warped. So I didn't think the game looked off. It definitely has It's issues and i found the vehicles frustrating to use at first. But once I got the hang of TWOC, it was one of the most fun games I've played during my teenage years. I wouldn't say it's better than the trilogy. But I enjoyed it far more than the games that came out afterwards

[@cherrunous7387]

Fun fact: Coco can also use the super stomp ability that's obtainable on Banzai Bonsai's red gem route. But all it does is increase the damage radius, and i guess landing speed Edit: PS: Protip: i should watch the video to the end before commenting

[@benthecat4345]

I feel like your spin slide idea would've very useful in this game, especially when getting the red gem since the tornado glide for some reason doesn’t work properly

[@novastorm4187]

Le Owl Strikes Again... Let the Hoot Party Begin

[@SOBEKCrocodileGod]

Honestly I’ve always loved this game growing up

[@toby1439]

I remember playing this. Thinking back I only remember rage quitting because I sucked at it and not really having fun. Not really a fan of that game.

[@KazShiro]

Funny how you mention the villains being minibusses. In tornado alley and any of the glider levels, those small airships that chip your hp that you shoot down as mob fodder. The villains pilot them including N Tropy though it's hard to see except when you complete the level where the camera is held still and you can see it if they were behind you.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Interesting I never even noticed! lol

[@matthewgillis2617]

That bit where Cortex is talking about the story was hilarious XD

[@BLUEWOLFOFNIGHFIRE]

Can we appreciate how hard work Dylan puts into his videos for us and he never fails us to entertain us and he always makes our day or night even better 💜

[@vl8371]

The second boss is demanding to some because the timing in the first sec is vital. If your timing is wrong, u need more accurate platforming or slide jump. In reality if you rhythm with the waves it’s super easy

[@theloaten17]

This was actually a really well made video. Definitely subbed.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Thank you!

[@jamesrodney951]

Finally!!!!! Someone who doesn’t suck at the second boss. I always thought it was a simple boss and never understood why people have so much trouble with it? It’s literally Junp and duck under obstacles and move forward…..

[@modrozelenaalga9607]

2:02:14 - This is the only thing I disagree about. These five bonus levels are not mandatory for progress and they are here for the players who chase 100%, so therefore I think they should be looked at with that in mind. When you are going for all the boxes, it's actually a clever puzzlish level where you have to calculate the route to make sure that you'll pass through every area.

[@jakedover5301]

Damn, Naughty Dog's ps1 models and environments looking better than this crap on ps2

[@jakedover5301]

They were true wizards of programming, even sony was asking them how they pulled off some of the stuff they did while making crash 1

[@Skrenja]

I think the OG trilogy graphics are timeless and _still_ hold up -- they're the best looking PS1 games by far. I think the great art direction of the originals is something that didn't translate into the N.Sane trilogy. The visuals in the remakes have none of the grit or character that the OG's had.

[@SUPREME22.]

What's Sucks We Have Louise As The Only Mini Boss In Crash 4 IAT.

[@krackers5061]

1:14:56 actually not anymore, Scott Whyte voices Crash in 4, and while we are talking about voices, this game was the first time that Debi Derryberry voices Coco. She voiced her until 4 when she was recast.

[@stonetimekeeper]

I'd just like to point out that the music you said for Weathering Heights was great, the music you actually played was the Droid Void soundtrack. Nevertheless, a great video.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Thank you! and yeah I caught that mistake only after I finished the video lol.

[@sebay4654]

I have an idea on what to do instead of the sneak shoes, A Charge Dash by holding the same button you do for the sneak shoes crash charges up A Burst of Speed with Rock trailing Behind him that Crystallizes Nitro And Prevents it from exploding by encasing it in rock along with creating a temporary platform when used over an Edge. (The theme of each time crash defeats an elemental mask He's Able to absorb the power they'ed given to crunch) Though unlike the Sprint power the Dash is a burst of speed that requires charging as opposed to a boost in speed (this adds a dynamic of charging dashes which can allow you to cross gaps and jumps that usually require the tornado spin to your arsenal, Leans on the element aesthetic and would enable speed tech that would be excellent in a speed run like charging a dash and using it at a platforms edge into a slide jump(since it creates Temporary platforms of solid rock beneath you that will fall when the Dash Ends but can still be used as a platform) and death Tornado to Cross a gap.

[@jamesrodney951]

The atlasphere stages are actually so good

[@deadman7624]

You can actually die and keep the gems in the original trilogy as well, being able to collect all of a levels collectibles in some cases. That being said, I do prefer the secret exits of the originals over this. Also I'm only less than halfway though this video and this is great man! Instant sub

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Thank you man!

[@dorkork]

41:09 you can do the same thing in crash 2 in the n sane trilogy, if you get the blue gem then die you can get the box gem as well, you can do this in a few other levels too I think Pretty sure the green and purple gem work

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Yeah when I end up putting all these Crash videos together in the 'Super cut I'll be noting that. there is still core issue in that most levels where you can do that in Crash 2 it doesn't matter since you had to go into a whole new level or route to get it anyway so dying wouldn't benefit you much even if you still keep it. In other words there are plenty of times dying after collecting the gem does nothing for you in Crash 2 and 3, whereas there is never a time it doesn't benefit you or isn't the optimal strategy in WoC.

[@z3duns]

it’s insane how this is regarded as the worst crash when it’s the only one i’ve played and i loved it as a kid… maybe it’s time to play the remaster trilogy

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

See I by no means think it's the worst Crash, it's just one of the more "meh" ones. but yeah I would highly recommend you try the remaster trilogy and Crash 4 at some point.

[@Skrenja]

Avoid the remasters, the OG trilogy is much better. (Better physics, hitboxes, soundtrack and art direction.) The OG trilogy still looks gorgeous upscaled to 4K on an emulator.

[@Heazytoohot]

What a wonderful video! Easily one of my most nostalgic videogames. Loved going to my aunts before she died and playing on her xbox

[@unclegrandpagaming165]

I will always have a soft spot for wrath of cortex since it was the first Crash game I ever played, that being said my nostalgia can’t change the fact that wrath of cortex is not as good as the OG trilogy and 4

[@SerraPontosSoc]

21:09 I think you meant to say Uka-Uka instead of Aku-Aku 😂

[@Etsuk0]

Love your videos Dylan, always such hard work put in and high quality out 😍

[@Valvadrix]

One thing I noticed is that even though they got most of the original voice actors back, they both messed up their unique voice effects (most noticably on Uka Uka) and gave them worse voice direction, so the drop in performance is noticable.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

True!

[@Themonkeymartin]

Something you didn't mention is that Night Time is literally a copy of The Gauntlet, except played as Coco and it's dark. I feel like that sadly adds to the overall rushed feel of the final 5 levels

[@benthecat4345]

Surprisingly, the easiest thing to get in Smokey and the Bandicoot was the platinum relic, which I got by pure accident when I wasn't even going for the relic and trying to get the box gem

[@dummythedomo7425]

This was unexpected but I love it. Crash is my favorite series. Crash 2 is my favorite game. Also the power up suggestion is pretty neat and creative but I believe warped mastered the movement sets.

[@red-man7017]

A crash move thought: The ultra bellyflop-a version of the bellyflop that is strong enough to actually break metal crates but leaves crash vulnerable after using it To perform this move, press the usual button in the air for a bellyflop. But if you spin before crash falls down, he will actually start spinning before he drills straight to the ground at a very fast speed. As i said, this move is able to destroy metal crates and can be used to break open metal crates that are blocking regular crates, reveal secrets or even the path forward or reveal an iron exclamation crate that reveals the path forward. It leaves crash vulnerable though as he is left dizzy for a short moment.

[@ErdrickHero]

Apparently Jess Harnell did not play Crash in It's About Time. I don't remember the name of the guy who did, though.

[@Teh69thSpartan]

The guy who dubbed Crash in IAT is Scott Whyte.

[@Fubwub]

Aww yeah, Crash! Let's go! Love your videos, man. 😎 My favorite Crash games are the ones on GBA, those are so good.

[@Create9408-r4l]

Yes! Love this video! Hope you cover Twinsanity and the other Crash games!

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

I will very soon!

[@Create9408-r4l]

@@DylantheKnightOwl great! Also if I recall correctly, Crash as of right now has different VA no?

[@autobotstarscream765]

​@@DylantheKnightOwlAh, Twinsanity, the realization of that concept for a more open Crash game.

[@user-fh7di8st6l]

Crash Bandicoot is a really weird franchise It's cursed that every time he tries to get a new rival, a new lover, another nemesis or a new stage, the wicked dirty company gets in the way, and every time he's remade into a silly battle between Cortex and him. seems to have reached and the cortex as well Trying to acquire new minions and allies, as well as a spin-off title and his rival scientist will be cancelled. Only his niece Nina's idea of ​​being the same "villain kid" trope as bowser jr, sage, etc. against Cortex came to fruition. Crash was supposed to be a hero like looney tunes, but he can't get as many enemies and allies as Bugs Bunny

[@madcat789]

in regards to crunch talking, if after every boss defeat he was essentially begging Cortex to let him just go and pummel Crash with his own two hands, saying he doesn't need the Masks and growing more and more fed up with their promise of imbuing him with elemental power, I think that would've helped to flesh him out again. Then, during each level of the final hub, hes just taunting, excited, even giddy to finally lay his hands on Crash. With an actual bossfight to boot.

[@thelargesmoke4197]

1:01:30 I liked the sneak move but I love your spine slide idea, it's the SM64 long jump but still, so why not taking inspiration from other moves from that game ? a side jump, a wall jump, a backward jump, or wathever... Another thing could be to give Crash the ability to glide in the air with his jet for a small time, jump after a slide while *in the air* !

[@ludwigfloko1788]

I love this game, even with all its flaws, this game has a special place in my heart

[@freshtomato9305]

First game I ever played. I have to say I love it even when I understand its flaws and criticism, I remember my mother playing it with me. Good video.

[@AlejandroCastilloRapper]

I gave this one a listen at work and the Cortex impression went over better. I think you’ll get good at it and it’ll become a signature

[@megative-music]

Nice video here. Really explained Wrath of Cortex in detail, especially with stuff like initial design concept. Also your new ability suggestion is interesting, since I think that's the core concept of the new slide mechanic in Crash 4 but without the spinning part. Although I'd say the colored gems remained collected even after dying is a trait that exists in Crash 2 and 3, not just this game. Any gems, in fact. Like for instance in "The Eel Deal" of Crash 2 or "Flaming Passion" from Crash 3, you can get the colored gems and then kill yourself to quickly teleport to the last checkpoint and you'll still get the gems. Or "Turtle Woods" of Crash 2, where you can get the blue gems by not breaking the boxes on the get go and die afterwards, so you can get the box gems simultaneously. And if you wonder, yes this trait is retained in the N Sane Trilogy as well. From what I think why this is the case, is because some gems are pretty frustrating to get and requires a degree of backtracking (like "Diggin It" from Crash 2 where some of the boxes for the box gem are in the death route) that if dying resets the state of the collected gems, may results in players need to recollect the gems from the Death Route again. So I can safely say this is not an oversight from Wrath of Cortex, it is intended.

[@jmgiambalvo]

I struggled on the second boss as a kid and couldnt get past it for a while. I think the depth perception in this game can be pretty bad sometimes which causes issues in levels like that. the trick must be to be patient and you dont have to run in right away. It just felt like no matter what I did, i never had enough height to jump over obstacles.

[@barriehannon6857]

the loading screens were absolute hell in this game. a number of the games psychics such as the floaty jumps can cause some unfair deaths. Coco's kick absolutely sucks. and crunch being every boss battle does lack verity. that being said i still have quite fond memory's of this game and the soundtrack i still fondly think of to this day. hey at least its not Enter the Dragonfly.

[@CherriNGT]

Bro the elements thing genualy sounds like a really cool idea, especially with that consept art. But then they downgraded it into masks of wich with water and air i sometimes confuse wich is wich.

[@murderman8578]

Replayed it And yeah a lot of things aren't too fondly aged nor Memorable

[@Ant-574]

I don’t understand the hate man, this game was one of the best!

[@YokaiMario]

I say the soundtrack is the game's greatest strength. Each level has its own unique theme song and they still held up even today.

[@Shiraraxi]

Let the retrospective… begin.

[@KaeMcSpadden]

It’s funny how when they made Crash 4, they totally revamped the tip toe move to how you can use one of the masks to slow down time so you can jump on the just before they explode.

[@Corrieographer]

Wrath literally killed the series for me. CB2 was my very first ever game to 100% at the age of 9. Trying to find all the secret areas and routes to figure out how to get the colored gems were the best parts in the whole original trilogy. Not to mention the Death Routes, which were always fun to tackle. Until Wrath came along and really ruined the whole formula. 1. The physics and platforming was turned to dogshit. 2. The 60fps and dull atmosphere and washed out colors made it extremely bland. 3. The colored gems were basically GIVEN to you, which was the straw that broke the camel's back. I never played a single CB game since. The original trilogy + CTR (and our slow friend Crash Bash) will always be the Gods.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Yeah I get you, I would also recommend Crash 4.

[@MILDMONSTER1234]

It’s funny how they dedicated a whole game to getting krunch and put him in later games only for him to be replaced by tawna in 4 and basically be made non canon

[@autobotstarscream765]

It's weird that Crash 4 is supposed to bump WoC from canon considering it fits right into and fixes WoC's biggest plot hole (the whole "weren't Cortex and Tropy babies when we last saw them?" thing).

[@jiml8637]

Love your content dylan. Just a question I’ve wanted to ask - is the irate gamer internet fables video still coming?

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Yep! It's still coming.

[@jiml8637]

@@DylantheKnightOwl At the risk of sounding biased, could you tell me is it more harsh than the AVGN one lol?

[@teen_laqueefa]

@@jiml8637 AVGN wasn't harsh, it was factual, and from the perspective of a fan who noticed the complete degradation of the original series into a conglomerate of failed podcasts, and fizzled out series and a watered down flagship series that resorted to plagiarism and spawned an equally prominent subreddit that feeds off the misery

[@JaePeaS]

Pretty damn good video. Fun fact, the first youtuber to review Wrath in this level by level format was TheStimpyLand.

[@JadenArchibald]

Another great crash retrospective can't wait for you do Twinsanity at some point anyway I'm subscribed.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Thank you! It'll probably be on it's way in May.

[@cheatsykoopa98]

oh on the topic of getting gems and backtracking by killing yourself, crash 2 and 3 had that too, look up how speedrunners do it. for the purple gem in c2, they get it at the beggining of the challenge part and then die, because it keeps it in their inventory

[@Jectana]

Never realized this got some backlash. I guess as a kid everything’s a masterpiece cause I fuckin love this game

[@ErdrickHero]

While Mark Cerny was certainly involved with Crash, I don't believe he "designed" the PS1 games - not on his own, anyway. The basic concept was put together by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin, Cerny was brought on later into the development of the first game.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

That's what I meant, that he was involved in designing them. Not that he designed them by himself lol.

[@CherriNGT]

Dylan forgot to mention this but there is also no reason given to collect gems in this game. I also feel that Coco's different style of gameplay was kinda like how Mario & Luigi have a different style of gameplay. I didn't even think about Coco being a girl with that gameplay until Dylan brought that debate up XD.

[@Hitlercumslurper]

Uka uka sounds like mr krabs in this game

[@Gamewar5OOO]

I find it kinda interesting that Clancy Brown, who originally voiced cortex, makes a return to voice uka uka

[@supermaro2349]

40:52 Thats not really an oversight so much as that is an intended game mechanic. That feature was in both 2 and 3, specifically so you dont have to do the stage in one life, as if they didnt save then you would have to restart the entire level to grab the collectibles. The reason it is so easy in this game compared to 2 and 3 is how the game hides the color gems, 2 and 3 hid some color gems in certain ways where you couldn't pick it up on a normal run and required you to come back in a new way. TWOC has all the colored gems be hidden behind the death routes so it is very easy to just grab the colored gems, die and then continue on from there to get the crystal and clear gem. Additionally that idea of dying and keeping the color gem was something that was possible in 2 and 3 just not for every level. In Crash 2 you could do that in Turtle Woods, simply run through the stage without breaking any boxes, picking up the crystal, then collect the blue gem, go back and die and then break all the boxes and bam you get both gems and the crystal In Crash 3, Tomb Wader the blue gem is on the death route and that route has no boxes, so you can break all the boxes up to the death route, go on the death route and get the blue gem, die and then continue on from there and you also beat the stage with both gems and the crystal. And there are plenty more examples for 2 and 3 so my point is that its not really a mistake more just a result of how samey the requirements to get the colored gems are.

[@nifralo2752]

Sneaking could be fine if you unlocked it later in the game and then it was used to reach previous inaccessible areas.

[@azoz273]

I think it's interesting that they have two types of between-levels cut scenes. One in the hub world save screen 53:03, like Crash 2. And one during the transition screen, 52:45, like Crash 3.

[@OfficalBalascioFilms]

Whats funny is the boss fight with crunch and Py-ro have both voice actors of the joker. crunch is voiced by Kevin Micheal Richardson and py-ro is voiced by Mark Hammil.

[@Arnitikos]

'Intro song by Astrophysics' that caught me offguard haha, lovely.

[@justinsinger2505]

I don't know what it was about Wrath of Cortex growing up but i remember renting this from a blockbuster for ps2 when I was about 6 years old and the copy I rented was like corrupted I think cuz some warps would take me to completely different levels than said and the cutscenes had a lot of dialogue switched around such as uka uka saying someone else's lines or repeating the same line. For the longest time this game felt like some fever dream I had until replaying it again when I was 13.

[@jordaneye0077]

The mine cart part of Compacter Reactor gave me DK64 flashbacks

[@Amber_xo_133]

This is the first Crash Bandicoot game to be released on other consoles that are not just Playstation. On the Xbox version of the game, there is a cheat where you can beat the game in full 100%. When you start a new game, you'll be told to type in a name. Type in "WOMBAT" and the cheat will be activated. This is also the first Crash Bandicoot game where Coco has combat moves when you play as her. This game was originally going to be a free roam game, but the concept of that idea was later scrapped and the idea wasn't used until Crash Twinsanity (2004) was released.

[@gilsthyname256]

Dang, this was my first experience with crash and I understand why people don’t mention it as it really was a washed down version of what it was supposed to be and overall just a not so good experience compared to others makes me actually want to try the trilogy considering I got it on sale. Definitely won’t say I didn’t have fun with it cuz I was like 5 but it was something to keep me busy. If anything it keep me interested in the universe of crash bandicoot

[@Ace_of_Horns]

This games soundtrack is probably the best we've gotten out of the entire series. Even taking that out of the equation, you still have a very fun, but admittedly challenging game. The story is pretty decent too. I especially like the new character Crunch. To call this game a dissapointing mess is a pretty opinionated critique, an unfair one at that.

[@justinmercado1185]

Load times are broken

[@ualec]

Amazing work as always! =D i'd love to see a retrospective on crash twinsanity or its about time, in the future

[@KazShiro]

Coming back to this video suggestion for the 1st powerup could be the spin punch which is sorta like like the scrapped spin punch that was in Twinsanitys demo. Except you can hold it to change the distance it travels and it can even function as an air dash(just like cortex's airdash in 4) when you hold it for a short moment. You can even use it yo travel across the lines of nitros or tnt crates to outrun the explosion to where it doesnt hurt you. If that doesnt work, the 2nd function can be that it can function as a homing attack except you aim it on airborn crates and enemies.

[@DaveMan1K]

That Gem collecting oversight was also in Crash 2 and 3, plus the N Sane Trilogy.

[@starpunch96]

Do you intend on doing sonic someday? I know he is literally the most discussed game character on the platform but I somehow never get tired of hearing a new person give their take. Even if it does end up being the same as everyone else.

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

Yes, I do plan on doing this type of video for Sonic some day!.

[@starpunch96]

@@DylantheKnightOwl excellent! You always make incredible videos and I must say I’m enjoying your scorching takes with this franchise at times.

[@robertlauncher]

*Tries the slide jump.* Well that was a good time, I’m just gonna play something else now

[@TheHeirOfSteinhagen]

Twinsanity retrospective when? (no rush)

[@DylantheKnightOwl]

That will come out next month!

[@TheHeirOfSteinhagen]

@@DylantheKnightOwl oh boy I gotta mark my calendar

[@SonicandRatchetCo]

Do not say "Taste issues" when I say this is one of my favorite Crash games along with Titans, N. Sane Trilogy, Nitro Kart, Twinsanity, 4: IAT and Twinsanity.

[@ninjaworshipper]

totally agreee on Wa Wa. Don't understand why so many people struggle with him

[@battlefieldkille]

I think the issue is actually the terrible hitboxes

[@Askeroth94]

first ever game i had on the ps2 growing up, i love it to death

[@MaddieS659]

If it were up to me, I think I would have written the true ending final encounter to have a section where Cortex (for whatever reason the plot allows) gets a chance to stab Crunch in the back and takes it without hesitation, and Crash saves him instead of immediately stopping Cortex, with the betrayal and subsequent compassion of Crash being enough to break Cortex's grip on Crunch's mind for them to destroy the machine and team up for a boss fight that's Crunch and Crash against a (potentially fleeing) Cortex