Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

The peak of the Crash series.

The best Crash game in the series. It drops the fucking awful save system of the first game while upping up the aesthetic and personality the first game established. Not only that but it also created more level variety while refining how Crash controls. Thematically the game isn't as strong as later titles but I'd argue that it has much better focus in terms of level design and fun challenges.

Some efforts to smooth out the rough edges of the original made this one ever so slightly easier, but it's still a hell of a challenge. Cortex Strikes Back has its own identity and nothing repeats from the first game, which is pretty impressive given the year gap between them. Also, the music for this whole trilogy is bonkers good.

this was my one as a kid. i love the opening, the level too, sis and villains. i dont think i knew how to long/big jump as a kid lmao. love the polar bear ride, and the one that chases you, and one while you ride the cub :P. and the snowball. the jetpackski. tryna 100% more fun now. some levels or parts of them annoying or it'd be 90. i gotta learn the crash dance. dark level cool. ends up with too many detours+extra levels. jet pack cool but too weird for boxes

I never became obsessed with any of the sequels in the way that the original game possessed me, but the first two are both quality offerings

Probably the zenith of the platformer genre.

Excellent game. This was vastly improved from the first one as you can now save after every level you completed. I fully beat this game getting every gem. I remember my street friend having so much trouble in this game until I explained to him that the memory card you have for this PS is used to save games so you don't have to beat this in 1 sitting. He was so shocked when he heard that. Was freaking out and saying that's why I am not beating any games. Then found it easy once he knew.

The first PS1 game we got and holy moly what a jump from SNES.

(Rating based on N. Sane Trilogy remaster) Lost interest enough to not bother finishing it.

The best entry in the Crash series. Great level design, smoother controls with new moves such as the slide which made the game feel more dynamic. Polar bear sections were awesome.