The graphics may be 3-D, but gameplay is flat as roadkill on a four-lane highway. Forget about plot: in most levels, Crash simply marches along a linear path, spinning into enemies and smashing crates filled with fruits. Collect 100 pieces of fruit and you get an extra life
Several levels are side-view jump-fests, as seen on 16-bit machines dozens of times before. Rumor has it that the game's most interesting feature - hidden gems that are revealed by executing levels flawlessly - was added only at the behest of producer, not the Naughty Dog team.
Players may enjoy Crash Bandicoot purely as a test of jumping abilities. And make no mistake: jumping is key. Crash executes every type of jump ever seen in a platform game: short jumps, long jumps, short AND long jumps, quick jumps, jumps onto icy ledges, jumps onto tiny ledges, and so on. Players looking for an old-school platform game with uncanny visual effects will certainly find it here. However, for players who want a true nonlinear 3-D run-and-jump game