Amongst recent discussions I've been having about Crash Bandicoot with a close friend (the latter a relative newcomer to the series, so I've been explaining the characters, background, and lore to her) for the past few months or so, she's been most (un)fortunate to hear my rants (as much as the raves) I have about the games.
I made a post recently discussing Rumble marking a possibly definite statement that the franchise was starting over from scratch (largely) and how, after a decade of fucking around after the OG trilogy, and then another decade of NOTHING, really needed it.
I feel like this would be a good opportunity to take post-Naughty Dog era Crash game characters and retool them to fit the N.Sane Trilogy/Crash 4 world. I say this because my poor, poor friend had to listen to me bitch about the utter USELESSNESS that is Crunch Bandicoot and the wasted potential of this character.
Personal opinion? He never should have joined the heroes' side.
Crash could do with a reoccurring rival-like character and Crunch was very much set in his first appearance to be an "evil" Crash Bandicoot, the "What If" result of Cortex's experiment if Crash successfully became the "General of his army."
It felt like none of the developers post WoC had any idea what to do with this guy. He's either stuck in spin-off games, background cameos, or uselessly pushed off to the side because... well, what can he do?
What does Crunch offer? How does he fit in as a Bandicoot Trio to the original Bandicoot Duo? The thing about Crash and Coco is that they're dynamically opposites, but counterbalance one another. Crash is the brawn and more likely to physically duke it out; Coco is the brain and while she's no weakling, she's the gadget girl who builds machinery. I always got the vibe that Coco is also the logical one who thinks her way out, but Crash has her beat in the empathy department - he's much more willing to give people second chances and/or understand their position more than his sister does. Coco tends to be serious, but can have goofier moments while Crash proves he's significantly more cleverer than his actions imply. They work together because their specific talents and personalities bounce and compliment each other.
Crunch, however, can't seem to fit in a box that works when he's on Team Bandicoot. He's smarter than Crash, but he's not AS smart as Coco. Crash is usually the brawler of the two, but Crunch is More Stronger. The problem with him is that he's redundant. He offers nothing and by the time Mind Over Mutant came out, all he's been reduced to is a musclehead who likes to exercise and I guess... that's it.
I don't know if Toys for Bob (or whoever takes on the next Crash games) has any plans to bring in post-NDi Crash characters to any future Crash games post-Rumble, and far be it from me to tell professionals what to do, but I'm just saying, we're missing that reoccurring "evil half" in the Crash franchise.
At the least, Crunch Bandicoot needs a certain something to stand out past what he was in WoC (where he was at his best and most important) or otherwise, what good is he?
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Tonight we enjoy an incredible boss fight against N. Gin, get yelled at by Cortex, acquire some cruelty-free lives, and take a space walk.
Welcome back to the N. Sane Trilogy! Tonight we continue our adventures with the second game of the series where a supposedly repentant Neo Cortex kidnaps Crash and convinces him to hunt down a collection of purple crystals.
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Join our Discord server!: https://discord.gg/ZCuEwuEWX3
New lets play videos daily!: https://www.youtube.com/c/BasicKabyl
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This time we take on Tiny, have some trouble with nitro crates, and get chased by bees.
Welcome back to the N. Sane Trilogy! Tonight we continue our adventures with the second game of the series where a supposedly repentant Neo Cortex kidnaps Crash and convinces him to hunt down a collection of purple crystals.
___
Join our Discord server!: https://discord.gg/ZCuEwuEWX3
New lets play videos daily!: https://www.youtube.com/c/BasicKabyl
___
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