The emergence of the 3d platformer

[Bacon McShig]

Crash Team Racing was the best racing game of the PSX generation imo.

Wipeout > CTR

Not that CTR wasn't good.

I do think that Crash 1-3 get hated on WAYYYYY too much in the gaming community. They're solid games, and IMO a much better evolution of the platformer into 3D than that free-roaming collect X key items to progress junk Mario 64 turned them into. Point A to point B platformer levels 4 lyfe, y'hurd.

[Changeling]

Jumping Flash was really great on drugs. I kinda don't want to play it now cuz I'm afraid of ruining the memory.

[torgo]

I do think that Crash 1-3 get hated on WAYYYYY too much in the gaming community. They're solid games, and IMO a much better evolution of the platformer into 3D than that free-roaming collect X key items to progress junk Mario 64 turned them into. Point A to point B platformer levels 4 lyfe, y'hurd.

Yeah never understood that. They are great games that actually have *gasp* a lot of solid gameplay and platforming. I especially liked Crash 2, one of the very few games I 100% found everything in.

[NeoZeedeater]

Jumping Flash was really great on drugs. I kinda don't want to play it now cuz I'm afraid of ruining the memory.

I don't think it has aged that much, at least the second game which I played again last year.

And, I agree with the Crash fans. They're great platformers without a lot tedious scavenger hunting. I don't care for a lot of the character designs in them, though.

Fade to Black is a game I really wanted to love but it seemed too awkward to play.

[PKBMax]

I do think that Crash 1-3 get hated on WAYYYYY too much in the gaming community. They're solid games, and IMO a much better evolution of the platformer into 3D than that free-roaming collect X key items to progress junk Mario 64 turned them into. Point A to point B platformer levels 4 lyfe, y'hurd.

I agree on Crash 1 and 2, they're pretty solid games with some challenging platform segments. Crash 3 IMO is where the series tanked.

[Compass]

Crash 1 is one of the best pure platformers of all time. Getting 100% in that game is a glorious undertaking of the best hopping and bopping has to offer. Secret areas were really well done, too.

I hated how they would give you more checkpoints if you died a lot in Crash 2. Don't reward me for sucking!

Never played Crash 3.

What about Floating Runner - PS1? This was early '96, pre-Mario 64. I remember GameFan doing a spread on it. Can't find any screenies on the web, though.

[Daitokuji]

Crash 1 is one of the best pure platformers of all time. Getting 100% in that game is a glorious undertaking of the best hopping and bopping has to offer. Secret areas were really well done, too.

I hated how they would give you more checkpoints if you died a lot in Crash 2. Don't reward me for sucking!

Never played Crash 3.

What about Floating Runner - PS1? This was early '96, pre-Mario 64. I remember GameFan doing a spread on it. Can't find any screenies on the web, though.

I was just about to mention Floating Runner. I think that game came out before Mario 64. I've never played it, but I always wanted to

[James]

Floating Runner! I've been trying to remember that name since I saw this thread title. Void Runner, Portal Runner, nothing was clicking.

It was supposed to be pretty crap, but I never had a chance to play it.

James

[Sqoon]

The concept is great, but the game's impossible to beat (your max HP actually decreses every time you continue) and there's no save system.

[Jeremy]

I had no idea that Jumping Flash had a precursor, and that I, Robot game reminds me a great deal of the Super Mario Sunshine platformer sub-levels. I would love to try out Geograph Seal at some point, as I love Jumping Flash.

I remember being really hyped about Bug! when it came out, and the gameplay has aged fairly well. It hasn't held up as well as any of the PSX Crash Bandicoot games, which remain fun, and like Nights, a simple really, really good-looking remake it would make me very happy, as the gameplay doesn't need much improvement.