Crash Bandicoot, like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and all other great stories, is a perfect lesson in how even the smallest people, hobbits, or marsupials can do great things.
When it comes to the actual hardware of games, Crash Bandicoot emerged at a time when the PC vs Console wars weren’t even a question: if you wanted to play exciting, high-graphic games, you needed a console. And this game in particular was a big advancement for a relatively small piece of kit.
Crash Bandicoot itself was one of the first (if not the first) to make significant use of the PS1’s new state-of-the-art graphics technology. For our younger readers – the PS1 may look “retro” now, but when we first saw it on shelves in 1994/95 it was the equivalent of seeing the Millennium Falcon in the flesh. Not only was it one of the most advanced consoles of its time, but it was also relatively affordable to the average gamer!
But with every new jump in tech comes a heap of games and films that have “the newest and bestest graphics”, but also end up being relatively joyless to play. Crash Bandicoot, on the other hand, was an instant hit – not only because it was way more advanced graphically than anything else at the time, but it was a really, really fun game to play.
Up to that point, 3D elements in games had been mostly gimmicks; they were largely based around 3D characters with 2D mechanics. But Crash Bandicoot opened up an actual 3D world that you could run around in (even if this 3D world was limited, by today’s fully open-world standards).
If you’re interested in how Crash Bandicoot was made, check out this great interview with co-creator Andy Gavin on Ars Technica.
So, if not already clear enough, Crash Bandicoot holds a special place in many gamers’ hearts – let’s look at all of the characters, and find out why.
Crash Bandicoot: The Unlikely Hero
A bandicoot is a small marsupial (an animal with a pouch) – and while they look a little like rats in pictures, they can grow to be quite large in person. Crash Bandicoot, on the other hand, has outgrown most of the original limitations of his species.
He was created by the evil Dr Neo Cortex and originally intended to be an equally evil super soldier – commanding Dr Neo Cortex’s army. As we love to see, however, this experiment goes wrong, and we get instead a goofy, fun-loving whirlwind of destruction, spinning and jumping his way through boxes and straight into our hearts.
And his heart’s always in the right place. Even though he’s sometimes quite easy to trick (i.e. mistaking Cortex in disguise for his own sister), he’s always trying to save his friends and thwart Cortex’s newest and evilest schemes.
Coco Bandicoot: The Brainy Sister
Coco Bandicoot is Crash’s sister, and is the brains of the bunch. Her laptop never runs out of battery and her ponytail defies the laws of physics – and both of these help her, to varying degrees, to stay one step ahead. She can hack into anything, fix any machine, and usually still have time left over to go on long adventures. While Crash is busy breaking things, Coco is usually figuring out how to put them back together. She’s like the Hermione Granger of Wumpa island, but with a lot more surfboards and far less homework.
But she’s not all seriousness – she often joins Crash on his antics, and their sibling rivalry and camaraderie usually saves the day.
Dr Neo Cortex: The Evil Evil Villain
Dr Neo Cortex is very aptly named, as most of his body mass is indeed taken up by his brain. With his lightbulb head and “midlife crisis” hair, Cortex is always coming up with new and increasingly ridiculous plans to conquer Wumpa Island, and the whole world. Whether it’s mutating animals, creating mind-control devices, or summoning ancient spirits, Cortex’s schemes are as varied as they are doomed to fail (if Crash & Coco have anything to say about it).
Aku Aku: The Benevolent Spirit
Every great hero needs a great mentor and, for Crash, that mentor is Aku Aku – the ancient witch doctor spirit trapped in a wooden mask. With his deep, resonant voice and floating, disembodied head, Aku Aku provides guidance, protection, and the occasional bit of sass. He’s like Yoda, but with better dental work.
Aku Aku can turn Crash temporarily invincible, making him the ultimate power-up and plot device rolled into one. Plus, his rivalry with Uka Uka, his evil twin brother, adds an extra layer of family drama to the series. Watching two wooden masks argue about the fate of the world is strangely captivating, and just the right amount of absurd.
Uka Uka: The Evil Spirit
Where there’s good, there must be evil – and this evil in the Crash Bandicoot universe is always Uka Uka. The malevolent twin brother of Aku Aku, Uka Uka is always pulling the strings behind the scenes – pushing Cortex and his other minions to greater heights of evilness. Even when he joins teams with Crash to fight against an invading force, he only does so because it’s supposed to be “his job” to be the evil one.
Dr Nefarious Tropy: The Time-Twister
Dr Nefarious Tropy (or N. Tropy for short) is the master of time manipulation and, just like entropy, his main aim is to make everything get worse. With a steampunk-gone-wrong fashion sense and a time-twisting tuning fork, he’s always working to rewrite history to his advantage. He’s the kinda guy who would go back in time just to ruin your high school prom (maybe he did?) before gloating about it in his annoying, annoying voice.
Dingodile: A Smart Chimera
Dingodile is what happens when you mix a dingo with a crocodile and give it an impressive amount of brains – as well as a flamethrower. Sporting a thick, Australian accent and an even thicker hide, Dingodile is one of the most unique and quirky villains in the series. He’s a pyromaniac with a love for BBQing anything that crosses his path.
Despite his fearsome appearance and dangerous weaponry, Dingodile has a certain charm that makes him a fan favorite. He’s the kind of guy you’d want at your backyard BBQ – as long as he’s only doing the grilling.
Tiny Tiger: The “Tiny” Enforcer
The game’s creators clearly had fun with naming their characters. The name “Tiny Tiger” would usually make you expect a cute, cuddly kitten – but this guy’s a hulking, musclebound cat with a cat’s instinct for hunting. Tiny is Cortex’s loyal enforcer, always ready to smash, bash, and crash his way through any obstacle.
Despite his brutish exterior, however, Tiny isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. His simplistic thinking and childlike demeanor often lead to comical situations, especially when he tries to use his brute strength to solve problems that require a bit more finesse.
Polar and Pura: The Adorable Sidekicks
No adventure is complete without a pair of cute animal sidekicks and, for Crash, those are Polar (the polar bear) and Pura the tiger. These cuddly companions provide Crash with much-needed transportation across icy tundras and exotic locales. Polar’s wide-eyed innocence and Pura’s playful nature make them the perfect antidotes to the series’ more intense moments. Plus, watching Crash ride a tiny polar bear or a fierce tiger is also just very cute.
Tawna Bandicoot: The Femme Fatale
Tawna Bandicoot is Crash’s original love interest, and she’s got all the hallmarks of a classic femme fatale. With her towering blonde hair, sassy attitude, and knack for getting kidnapped, Tawna is the damsel in distress with a twist. She’s no pushover, and often takes matters into her own hands, proving that she’s more than just a pretty face. Though, admittedly, she didn’t do a lot originally.
Her recent reimagining in the series has given her a more active role, turning her into a bona fide action hero in her own right!
Collect Vibrant Crash Bandicoot Posters
If you love Crash Bandicoot as much as we do, check out our range of Crash Bandicoot metal posters – printed to last and look great forever.
