The internet is an odd thing. Sometimes it latches onto a topic and just won’t let go, bothering anyone with the power to make it a reality. This is exactly what happened with Crash Bandicoot, with sections of the internet going insane with any possible hint of a new game in the iconic series. They finally got what they wanted, and more with Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, a remastering of the first three games for PS4. I got to try the game at PAX East 2017 and chat with one of the guys responsible for making it real.

It was fascinating to see just how quickly all of those nostalgic memories came flooding back to me the moment I picked up the controller and saw a much better looking Crash standing before me. I didn’t have to reference a control chart, I didn’t need any tutorials. I picked up the controller, started running, and had a blast doing it.

This is very much the intention, as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Game Director Dan Tanguay told me in the interview below. The team has worked exceptionally hard at making sure that this game is easy to pick up and play, while maintaining all the things that fans loved about those original three games.

Thanks to finding the original level geometry, everything has been built on the foundation of that initial design. Still, the team had to create a lot of the game’s physics and other elements from scratch. This, of course, necessitated a lot of plays through the original games, making minor tweaks until everything looked, felt, and played just right.

They’ve succeeded quite handily from what I saw in my short demo. The game plays exactly as I remember it, with only minor changes to make the earlier titles more in-line with later improvements. And it’s all covered in a gorgeous coat of paint that makes Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy look like a totally new game. Pay special attention to Crash’s fur, which is a definite piece of technical wizardry from the team at Vicarious Visions.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy hits PS4 on June 30th.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Interview