Revisiting Crash Bandicoot’s Jump Mechanics
When the N. Sane Trilogy launched in 2017, it was met with a warm reception, marking a significant milestone as PlayStation’s beloved mascot made his debut on PC. However, beneath the surface of nostalgia, a lingering unease has emerged regarding the platforming mechanics of this remake. Players have taken to various online forums, particularly Reddit, to voice their concerns about the peculiarities of Crash’s jumping abilities, which seem to present a greater challenge than those experienced in the original PlayStation games.
Several theories have surfaced in an attempt to explain this phenomenon. One user, Kunikunatu, speculated that alterations to Crash’s hitbox might be at play, while another, known as KillingLechu, questioned whether the “hold X to jump higher” mechanic had been overcomplicated. Gavin, in a thoughtful post on LinkedIn, noted that while the remake succeeded in many aspects, it faltered in what he deemed the most critical 30 milliseconds of gameplay.
To tackle the jumping mechanics, Gavin revealed that Naughty Dog had previously implemented an innovative solution. The game was designed to detect the moment a player pressed the jump button, initiating the animation while continuously measuring how long the button was held. This allowed for nuanced adjustments to gravity, duration, and force as Crash ascended, effectively translating player intent into a more fluid jumping experience. This system, which was not binary—meaning it didn’t just differentiate between a small jump and a big jump—was a key element in creating a responsive gameplay experience.
However, it appears that Vicarious Visions may have overlooked this sophisticated approach. Gavin posits that they either did not recognize the importance of this system or chose to proceed without it. The result was a realization that Crash was unable to complete many jumps throughout the game, leading to a drastic adjustment: all jumps were set to maximum height. This shift transformed the jumping mechanics into a binary system, a departure from the nuanced design that Naughty Dog had meticulously crafted nearly three decades prior.
As a consequence, Gavin observed that every jump in the remake now feels exaggerated and floaty, detracting from the fundamental mechanics that defined the original 1996 release, despite the remake being powered by hardware that is a thousand times more advanced. This sentiment was echoed by PCG alumnus Andy Kelly, who expressed his mixed feelings in his review of the N. Sane Trilogy for PC. While he acknowledged the fun to be had, he also highlighted the frustration stemming from design decisions rooted in a bygone era.
In a more recent development, developer Toys for Bob made strides in refining platforming mechanics with the release of 2020’s Crash Bandicoot 4. This title marked the studio’s last project before its separation from Activision, hinting at a potential evolution in the beloved franchise’s gameplay design.
