Crash Bandicoot PC

Controls

• Arrow Keys: Move / Select Menu Options
• Up Arrow: Grab Climbable Surface
• Shift (Fire 1): Spin Attack
• Space Bar (Fire 2): Jump
• Ctrl.: Orange Gun (after you defeat Dingodile) / Fire Missile (in "Death Made Neo" only) / Fire Grenade (in Super Tanner 2)
• Enter: Enter World / Choose Menu Option
• Left Mouse Button: Select Other Screen Options
• W Key: Return to Warp Room

Version History

Though originally released for the holiday season of 2001, this build of Crash Bandicoot PC which I tinkered with years later (dated March 19, 2011) features much-needed improvements to the warp room hub, and a progress system that remembers which levels you've collected the special items on. Also, the game now features a slick-sounding soundtrack comprised of WAV clips from the original Crash games, though you still have the option to listen to the original MIDI soundtrack in its place if you want to. Along with these changes are other minor graphical and gameplay improvements that make this game feel more like a true Crash Bandicoot game.

Helpful Hints

• Be sure to collect the purple crystal in each level, as well as break all the ? crates to get the level gem, which looks like a round gray crystal.
• Collect the Aku Aku masks to let Crash take one hit from an enemy without dying.
• TNT boxes have a time limit before exploding, whereas Nitro boxes explode immediately. Always avoid Nitro boxes, but use the TNT boxes to blow up Nitro boxes that are in the way..

Fun Facts

• This game was made as a Christmas present in 2001 for my cousin Tanner.
• The character and item sprites all came from placing the short-lived Crash Bandicoot line of toys on a scanner, and then animating them in the computer.
• A sequel for Crash Bandicoot PC was planned for release in 2002. It was going to be called Crash Bandicoot PC 2: Crash Chronicles, and it was to be a sprawlingly massive game that included Games Factory remakes of all the Crash Bandicoot games ever released (at that time, there were only seven). Unfortunately, not only was this plan far too ambitious, I quickly got bored with it and abandoned the project.
• The first level's music track is "Eat Your Veggies" from Commander Keen, only played backwards.
• The sprites for Level 27, "Time Vortex," were stolen from various places. The first stage of the journey consists mostly of Klik'n'Play library sprites. The second stage consists of enemies from Zelda, the third stage consists of sprites from Mario, whereas the final stage has stolen Metroid sprites.
• Level 29, "Death Made Neo," is a parody of the boss battles seen in Earthworm Jim 3D for the Nintendo 64, in which you'd have to collect 100 items while shooting missiles at your opponent, who was trying to collect the same items.
• Crash Bandicoot PC was most recently featured on Square Eyed Jak's YouTube channel on February 29, 2024, in a video called "The Surreal Story of Crash Bandicoot PC (2001)". Jak provides a (very kind) deep dive into the game for 11 minutes, followed by an interview with yours truly about the making of the game. Go give it a watch!

Cheats and Secrets

• Looking for the Super Tanner 2 hidden game? In the second level, look for the Super Tanner poster with a missing "r" in "Tanner." Stand in front of it, and type in "CRASH."
• On the main menu, type in "CRASH" to access the warp room with instant access to all levels, as well as a sound test screen.
• Type in "CRASH" on Level 14 (Coco's Room) to access a secret bonus level, "Elliott's World," in which you are chased by the infamous "scanned Elliott face," also seen in Anton Wars Episode 22 and Windows '01.

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• Development time: Fall/winter 2001 (age 11)
• Tools I used: The Games Factory
• Biggest inspirations: Mario Quest II: Sonic Returns (I largely stole the plot from this game), Gex 3: Enter the Gecko (the inspiration for Super Tanner 2) and of course Crash Bandicoot.
• See also: Crash Bandicoot PC on Gamejolt