#n sanely perfect relics

[weird-al-song-tourney]

'Weird Al' Yankovic Song Tournament

The Bad Bitches Era Round 1

TW: The music video for Albuquerque contains flashing lights so if you're sensitive to that, please be careful!!

ALBUQUERQUE

Music Video. (TW: Flashing Lights)

Mascot: An Orb from Spyro 2 (Reignited version)

ANOTHER ONE RIDES THE BUS

Music Video

Mascot: N. Sanely Perfect Relic from Crash Bandicoot 4

[bunnywand]

doing ok in crash 4!! i'm up to 81% completion on my save file, and 71% of the trophies.. no idea how the completion percentage is calculated tho, like i'm at 81% with only 1 sapphire relic and 3 n. sanely perfect relics, so i guess they can't count for too much?? 😝

[gunpowder-gemini]

Sighs. Boots up crash 4 again to grind for n. sanely perfect relics.

[vodgoblin]

Platinum #4 Crash Team Racing

So fun fact about all these Crash games I'm currently playing: I have no nostalgic ties to any of them. Absolutely none. These remakes have been my introduction to lovable orange RAT and are the only reason why I've become such a big fan of the series in the first place. Also I'd like to say growing up with Mario Kart and only playing Nintendo's titular kart racer since the N64 days I am shocked that CTR is leaps and bounds better than any of the plumber's forays into the racing world and yet no one talks about it. WHY DO MORE PEOPLE NOT PLAY THIS GAME????? The technical aspect of actually requiring finesse and skill with drift boosting and U-turning is so much more satisfying and fun to master, though I'm starting to deviate a bit here from the topic of trophies because even those mechanics couldn't save me from the dreadful pain going for the platinum would cause me.

I don't know why I thought this would be any different than the N. Sane trilogy when it came to soul draining trophies because it's not like it's any easier... no, it's actually far WORSE. For one there are a multitude of multiplayer trophies that are always a total slog to get through. They included using every item (both the regular and super version which boils down to RNG), blocking specific items with a TNT crate, playing and winning every game mode, you get the idea it takes a while because of the aforementioned RNG. I ended up having to play two characters simultaneously in order to snag them all in a timely manner.

Then I had to play the game's story mode on hard difficulty and holy shid these CPUs are DEMONS. They are insanely fast and will obliterate you with 10 thousand items. I was struggling to win the first race because of how aggressive they were. I think I spent an hour just getting acclimated to all of the controls before I could start beating them regularly. The high skill ceiling required for hard mode made going for every CTR token within each level a total nightmare as well. Oh yeah that reminds me, you gotta play each stage SO. MANY. TIMES. This is because you have to beat the CPUs on hard mode, then do the race again collecting all the CTR tokens AND getting first place, then again for the time relic (thankfully sapphire is enough), beating all the cups for each colored gem, THEN EVERY OG CTR AND NITRO FUELED LEVELS FOR THE TIME TRIALS AND AT MINIMUM TWO MORE TIMES IN ORDER TO BEAT N TROPY'S TIME AND OXIDE TIME. Which is total BS by the way. If you accidentally beat one of N. Tropy's times and you don't have one of their ghosts selected it doesn't count. You will have to at MINIMUM do each time trial race three times which again is complete crap. And let me tell you some of these Oxide times are brutal when you're new to the game. Tiny Temple requires you to maintain blue flame for the last two laps, Deep Sea Diving requires your timing to be PERFECT in order to dodge a copious amount of giant fans that you won't see coming because of how fast you're going, Oxide Station for having so many sharp turns and many more cruel races. Dare I even mention the Crystal Challenges at this point? I think you're starting to get the point.

This was much harder than the N. Sane trilogy so I think it's time I take a break from Crash because I know the 4th game is the most brutal completion in the series. Make no mistake though this game is feckin' amazing and so much fun to play casually, but it's platinum trophy will drive you crazy.

[caddicarustv]

2 months in the making. Pain. Bruising. Regret. Here it is, everyone. The 90 minute epic. Let's complete Crash Bandicoot 4. CHECK TWEET REPLIES FOR THE VIDEO LINK   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yapbT_FgFQ&list=PLuau-_j-MhpiXa-8N2MnMYejzrC3yZuEB&index=1

[thebuttsmcgee]

ima keep it real with yall, fuck this game I'm just playing crash 4 casually now the n sanely perfect relics can burn in shit

[skopostheorie]

Not to be like hashtag selfie but this is at NINE THIRTY PM I CANT STAND THIS COUNTRY also I got N Sanely Perfect Relic on Off Beat

[thisurlwasnttakenbutnowitis]

Replaying Crash 4 with the PS5 upgrade casually, not worrying about 100% completion, it's given me a new appreciation of the game. It really is the most fun Crash game if you don't care about doing absolutely everything. Really, I think it's just the N. Sanely Perfect relics and the platinum time trial relics that drag the game down. And I think there is still fun to be had in an "all gems" run. I think that's the perfect way to play imo, challenging enough to feel satisfying without feeling hair-pullingly frustrating, and enough collecting to scratch my completionist itch. I do think I'm gonna return to this game continually for fun in the years to come, just as I do with the original Crash trilogy. But just playing that way. Never 100% again...

[hxuse-of-muses]

//And now for the final question: your thoughts for Crash 4?//

{{Alright so here we go, we’re now up to date! c:}}

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Such a cool thing we finally have a new game, not counting the N. Sane Trilogy this is the first new game for Crash in 12 years.

Now there is a lot to unpack here, so first there is the new art direction imposed by Toys For Bob which was a surprise as I said before the NST designs will be missed but I do really like this new style and might even prefer it a little, the cartoony style just feels like it works with Crash for not only their models and environments but for the animation which is beautiful in this game.

Now that I’ve actually played it for myself I found it to be really good, felt like the controls were a bit better than even the N. Sane Trilogy and I thought the design of the levels was beautiful especially something like “Off Beat” which might now be one of my favorite Crash levels. It also includes a cameo of Ripper Roo, and a Spyro and CTR reference.

The addition of more playable characters was really cool too, not sure who my favorite besides Crash/Coco was but maybe Dingodile, and I think the game made me like him even more than I did. It’s interesting to see him become a neutral and basically reformed trying to enjoy retirement, then actually fight alongside the Bandicoots against the Tropys which I neve thought I’d see this former pyromaniac do.

I can also say I liked the Quantum Masks, even though Lani-Loli is the one with the most screentime, Kupana-Wa being the second. I thought they were pretty great and I found their powers and what they add to the game to be a nice inclusion. I feel like I had a hard time trying to get used to Ika-Ika though, took some time but I eventually got it down.

I found the inclusion of skins just like what Nitro Fueled did to be great, there are a lot of cool skins in the game but I wish that Dingodile, Tawna and Cortex had some too because there is a lot that could’ve been done for them.

There is also those new Flashback tapes, which are much more difficult levels that you play through that are set before the events of Crash 1 and with a retro filter over it. The cool thing about these is how there are little bits of lore in it because of things Cortex, N. Brio or N. Gin say over the intercom which are nice little inclusions.

On to the main story, which has a bit more focus than the previous games rather than it taking a backseat to the gameplay like the older games with the exception of something like Twinsanity. I thought it was decent enough, nothing groundbreaking or super ambitious but it was something to try and invest in along the way.

The game isn’t without it’s flaws however, such as aspects of the story.

The story isn’t awful or anything, but it feels like there is a few holes and parts that should have had cutscenes in my opinion for context sake, Like when Crash and Coco get captured in Salty Warf and then the AU Tawna doesn’t really have an introduction she’s just sort of there. Same for when later she and Dingodile meet up off screen. Who for instance, Dingodile has an introduction to him he doesn’t just appear out of no where unlike her.

Would have been nice if the other playable characters had full levels to themselves besides their introduction levels rather than just going halfway before their segment ends. Then replaying the same level with Crash with box placements being the only difference, to give the other playable characters more time to shine too and fulfill the small arcs they have.

For the boxes it feels like it’s difficult to get them all on your first run of a level because in many levels at least one or a couple boxes are extremely well hidden in places you might not even think about. As if TFB saw the memes of people missing 1 box and then made it so it would happen in many levels. Stuff like that makes it take a bit longer to reach at least 100%

The 100% ending, which is the reward for completing the game, getting all the gems in the game and completing all the Flashback tapes with a Platinum gets you an epilogue showing what all the main characters got up to after the events of the game, a fun little cutscene.

I think I might never beat it to 106% mostly because of the time relics which traded in the minimum requirement from Gold to Platinum which for some of these levels feels incredibly difficult, especially without the running dash from NST.

As of writing this I currently have 100% and only one gold time relic, and quite a few of the N. Sanely Perfect Relics. Although I feel like levels such as “Bears Repeating” are gonna be one of the things that prevents me from reaching 106% due to the controls on Polar or “Toxic Tunnels” which is a monster of a level, they’re evil for putting boxes in the gem route. XD

Overall however I thought the game was really good and just as I thought with the trailer it was promising. I feel like Crash’s future looks bright with this game and just work out some of the little things with this game to make a possible Crash 5 better, because they do tease what I assume is another sequel in the 106% ending.

[nbstevonnie]

been meaning to do this for a while but better late than never...! bingo card comes from @gamingofkenna

for oldest backlog: prince of persia: warrior within/the two thrones

i started playing warrior within a while ago but got frustrated with all the backtracking and almost complete lack of direction as to where to go and stopped playing “for a while” only to not pick it up again until now, five (five!) years later. warrior within was ultimately something i completed for completing’s sake, not because i enjoyed it that much. two thrones was a much better experience for me though: much shorter, much more linear (like the first game) and i picked easy so the enemies were not too troublesome or boring. i can see myself playing it again, though probably not for a while. about a 6-7/10. (warrior within: 5/10)

for non-human player character: crash bandicoot n sane trilogy

whilst this is a ps1 classic, i had never actually played it myself until now. it was one of those games series i knew was almost universally acknowledged to be good, but i wasn’t sure it was for me/didn’t really have the drive to pick up. BUT the n sane trilogy came out and i decided it was time and for the most part i’ve really enjoyed it! i think the first game is my favourite because there’s something about the fact that it’s focused so clearly on tight platforming that appeals to me. the other games feel a little like they move a little further away from that and the third game in particular has some level styles i just don’t like that much.

crash 1: 9/10

crash 2: 8/10

crash 3: 7/10

EDIT (2022): I think I must have written this before trying any of the time relic challenges in 3 because that completely changed my assessment of the game. I loved the way it made you attempt levels in a new (and sometimes, unexpected) way and made you rethink what you thought you knew. I believe I also realised I disliked some Crash 2 levels more than I thought in my attempts to 100%. I haven’t replayed the games recently, but I suspect my rating would now go: Crash 1 - 9/10; Crash 2 - 7/10; Crash 3 - 8-9/10. 

for 2D graphics: professor layton (and pandora’s box)

i played curious village for the first time back in 2019 i think and really enjoyed the experience. most puzzles felt very “get-able” and i really liked the ones where you move things because you could just sort of try them and do it. you didn’t need to get the “perfect” answer, once you’ve done the challenge, you win. i think pandora’s box was the one with the one puzzle i didn’t particularly like, which was the jumping balls one, which was only because i found the sixth and last challenge first, so it said basically “you know the rules by now, go for it” and one of the hints was “get it into the pattern you did for three and complete it from there” and i was literally like “um hello i havent done any puzzles before what do you mean, what do i do/??”

ANYWAY pandora’s box storyline was better in that i didn’t guess the twist in ten minutes flat, but also worse in that it sort of achieved that by having a very off the wall twist XD still, enjoyable and the mystery kept me guessing the whole way through. 8-9/10

for player character of colour: emperor’s new groove

seriously hesitated about putting this one down for this, and i still might remove it/put it somewhere else, because as you can probably guess, you spend the whole game pretty much as a llama...

this game pleasantly surprised me with how much i enjoyed it. i’d had a PC version as a kid that had never worked properly so i’d had this game in the back of my mind for a long time. then i found out that the folks who made it made the ps1 harry potter games (which i really enjoy) so that cinched it for me and i went out and got it.

it started of very easy and i sort of thought “oh no, is this like... actually a kid’s game?” but the difficulty ramped up pretty quickly! i started missing secrets like ‘wait what?? how did i miss anything??’ (a good thing btw! i enjoy secrets actually feeling like... secrets) and i did die a few times. my ONE complaint about this game (and it is a serious one) is that any time you quit the game, you lose all your lives. like... i could go through the game and earn seven (quite needed, at some points!) lives but then have to go to bed and switch it off and all my hard work is lost (and you just have to hope the next level isn’t a hard one!). further to this, any time you REPLAY a level, you also lose all your lives! for a game with secrets to discover, this is a REALLY bad shout. like, i am generally a 100%-er and i love looking for secrets, but this “mechanic” really put me off going back and searching, which is really a shame. honestly, if it weren’t for this, i probably would have rated this game 9-10/10. as it is, it’s more of a 7-8: still enjoyable, but needlessly frustrating. that being said, i will DEFINITELY play it again (which can;t be said of all games here...) and i would also recommend it despite this.

[vibrantlifeboringdeath]

4 changes to instantly improve Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time:

1. deaths before the first checkpoint do not count towards the ‘under 3 lives’ gem or N Sanely Perfect Relic

2. Allow Aku Aku Masks to carry between levels

3. Replace like, a third of the Checkpoint Crates with Aku Aku boxes

4. Make the Checkpoints in Dragon On steel checkpoints, so you can hit them without missing out on the Blue Gem. Would also give more of a hint as to how to get it

[mrnerdteacher]

4 Reasons Why “Crash Bandicoot: N Sane Trilogy” for the Switch is a Trip for Millennials

It’s been a rough year two for Switch owners, but for me personally, I’ve been looking forward to this title for months. Here are 4 reasons why this little cartridge will blow your mind if you’re an adult gamer like me.

#1) It’s Crash Bandicoot, and it’s on a Nintendo Console

Most kids don’t think of Crash Bandicoot as a Sony exclusive title since he’s been appearing on multiplatform games since 2002, but for folks like me who still remember those hilarious mascot-suit commercials, it always seems a little weird to see the big orange doofus venturing outside the Playstation. I was SO jealous of my PS1 owning friends every time these ads interrupted my Saturday morning cartoons.

#2) It’s Crash Bandicoot, and it’s Portable

The game works remarkably well as a handheld title, largely because of the way the levels are either side-scrollers or confine you to navigate one narrow lane or path at a time. This removes the need to constantly adjust the camera with the right thumbstick, which always felt a little unnatural to me in handheld mode. Plus, considering the size of 90’s era televisions and o.g. Playstations, it still impresses me to have it all in my pocket at a moment’s notice.

#3) It’s Crash Bandicoot, and It Looks as Good as Your Imagination

Back in the day, game programmers were limited to rather simple polygons and limited draw distances, often asking the player to imagine things like Crash’s fur or a foggy jungle scene. However, Vicarious visions has done an amazing job not just updating the graphics, but improving the animations and aesthetics without sacrificing an ounce of that Crash charm. Impressive on its own, but downright jaw-dropping as a portable title.

#4) It’s Crash Bandicoot, and It’s Way Harder than you Remember

I have beaten every Dark Souls title. I dashed my way to the end of Celeste and blasted the devil to bits in Cuphead. I like hard games, but nothing, NOTHING prepared me for the insane challenge of the original Crash Bandicoot.

Die-hard fans have lamented that the collision detection and jumping controls are a bit more finicky than the original, but what really makes this game an exercise in frustration is just how brutal and unfair the design is at its core. Let’s bullet point them super quick.

1) One-hit kills. Games used to do this all the time.

2) Even if you have a shield, getting hit still knocks you backward, usually off a cliff.

3) The floor of most levels are over 50% bottomless pit, with platforms as narrow as your foot.

4) Most jumps require maximum distance and perfect timing, often two dozen times in a row.

5) No double-jumps here, which means mid-air steering is at an absolute minimum.

6) The game only starts giving you extra checkpoints after you have lost over 5 lives. Each level starts with you 4, which means if you can’t find a bonus life or collect enough mangoes, you’re on your own.

7) Attacking a power-up can accidentally destroy it. So cruel.

8) Bottomless pits and other hazards are often hidden behind scenery or off-screen, and you can’t adjust the camera.

9) No stopping a level partway through. It’s one and done or none, son! (sorry)

10) No skipping a challenging level. The in-game “map” is a straight line, like it or not.

11) No in-game tutorials or hints pointing out a boss’s weakness. This is a relic from the days when you would learn tricks by reading the manual, skimming through a magazine, or calling a help-line.

12) At the end of the each level, the game literally beats you over the head with all the secrets you missed, because you suck.

Games just used to be harder. Decades ago (wow), video games were not quite the multi-billion dollar juggernaut they are today, so the industry hadn’t quite figured out that making a game that’s easy to beat is more lucrative (because people are more likely to buy the sequel if they’ve finished the previous release). This also predates DLC or online multiplayer, so the only real way to inject longevity is to actually make your games longer (and harder). Levels in Crash seem to last about 5 times longer than you expect, but the flip-side is that beating one feels OH SO SWEET. It’s a euphoria that actually, somehow, makes it all worth it.

Hopefully I don’t snap my Switch in half in the process. Cloud saves are still a few months away, right?

FINAL GRADE: B+

[crashynews]

The Viperian: How to Beat Polar Bear Level - Hitbox Quick Guide (Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time)

The Viperian: How to Beat Polar Bear Level – Hitbox Quick Guide (Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time)

Crash Bandicoot 4 Polar Bear Level is probably one of the most annoying & frustrating hitbox in the game. With this Polar Hitbox Quick Guide, I will be showing you one of the best ways to make things much easier for you, especially if you are trying to get the N. Sanely Perfect Relic.

[jutsei]

Finished Crash 4... well, all levels/story, at least, really good game, loved the gameplay, levels, story and characters, even if it was occasionally REALLY frustating.

Now I need to get

N Sanely Perfect Relics (5/6 Gems in a level WITHOUT DYING ONCE... there’s 38 of them...)

PLATINUM Time Relics

All the Gems

And all the N verted gems-..

and all the flashback tape relics too...

I’mgoing to play another game andf flip flop or I WILL go insane

[chaymino]

The Comfort Zone Act 7 “The Clock Watcher”

A thousand years of waiting. Yet here I am, still sitting around trapped, with no way out. It’s not fair. The gate is open! Why did this dumb thing pick some stubborn landwalker instead of another Meropian? It made no sense, and now I’ll never be able to keep the Ostium safe. I became good at counting days while sealed behind the closed doors of the Ostium, and for a moment I thought I wouldn’t have to to rely on it to keep me sane, but I lose hope quick. I already found myself timing the seconds into minutes, then to hours and days and… oh?

Something’s happened, the gate opened again? I swam up to the tinted blue window, and peered out. I could see him, Sonic was right there. I hoped he’d realize he was making a mistake.

I emerged from the Ostium and looked him right in the eye, he looked horrified.

“It’s about time! Finally realize that throwing me away like trash wouldn’t solve your petty little problems??”

Sonic didn’t answer me, instead he made a strange gesture with his eyes. Turning around, I saw someone else there, another hedgehog of course, but this one was black and red.

“Ah, you blend in so well I didn’t even see you through the Ostiums window.”

“Eh, doesn’t really concern me too much, you can suffer. Besides all that, who is he? Your boyfriend or somethin’?”

“N-no, he’s not my boyfriend!” ahaha, he was red in the face, he must like him then. At this point I was dead-set on embarrassing him, I had to do something to get revenge for him throwing me into the ocean. I moved aside so I could see both of them easier. The other one was blushing too, how cute.

“What’s happening? Who is she?” He finally spoke, he had a very calm voice, even though he seemed very confused and surprised.

“Some fish-ghost that cursed me. Long story.”

“Excuse me?!!? If either of us is cursed it’s me! Imagine having someone as incompetent as you protecting something you were born to keep safe!”

“I. Am not. Incompetent.”

“Prove it and actually do something useful then!”

“Um, you know I think the long story would be better.” The dark one intruded.

“Yeah sure, but I think it would sound better coming from her, since I never even heard the full story anyways.” Both of them looked at me and I cleared my throat.

“Well, The bracelet Sonic had found is called the Oceanum Ostium. It’s a magical relic that grants the power to control water to it’s fullest. Not only that, but it holds all the secrets of the Meropian people inside, it is -as I’ve been saying- a very important object. My family had always been responsible for it, and had protected it for generations from people who wish to seize control of the planet, which would be pretty easy with the entire ocean at their disposal. Around a thousand years ago, I was old enough to begin guarding it as per family tradition. Unfortunately, the time a new guardian begins is always the most dangerous. An evil meropian named Ketea wishes to steal the Ostium from its shrine, and I was told to hide it somewhere before he found me. I… couldn’t get away from him. He cornered me in a cave, and I had no other option. I used a spell to put him to sleep for a millennia, but at the cost of my freedom. I had to give up my body and seal myself inside the Ostium in order for the spell to work, but I was confident that someone would find the Ostium and help me protect it from Ketea by the time he woke up. Even if they didn’t have the power to open the gate. Yet, instead, I found the exact opposite: someone who could open the gate, but won’t help me.”

Sonic looked somewhat guilty now, which I guess is a good thing.

“Look, Palyma, I got a bit overwhelmed and I panicked, I shouldn’t have thrown the Ostium away, I’m sorry. I’ll help you.” Hm, a noble apology I suppose.

“Really? You will?”

“Yeah Totally!”

“That’s uh…” I paused a moment.

“Great to hear.”

I wasn’t sure if he Sonic was really going to pull through but I decided to try and be hopeful. His friend, which I now know is named Shadow, said that he would help. The rest of the night went by smoothly, as they said goodbye to each other and Sonic went home. Yet he seemed to not be able to sleep.

“You seem tired, yet you aren’t sleeping. Afraid of having another trip inside again?”

“I guess I- wait, what do you mean inside? Inside where?”

“The Ostium of course, where’d you think those nightmares took place, the middle of the ocean?”

“Yeah, kinda! Aren’t you inside the Ostium?”

“I am.”

“So, in that nightmare I had, you were there the whole time?? Why didn’t you help me?” He sounded angry, and that feeling of helplessness started to come back to me.

“I can’t, I’m not allowed to interact with anything that resides in the outside world. Why do you think I’m transparent? I can project myself out here through the window, but I’ve merely got my head above the surface inside the Ostium. Coming into contact with you while you’re in here could be disastrous. You could get stuck in here with me, or I could disappear forever! The most I can do is look at you.” There was silence for a moment before he responded.

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, I should have explained all this sooner.”

“So, where do we start? This Ketea guy is probably awake and looking for you by now, I don’t know what I can do to help besides trying to fight him off. I think I may be a bit useless against a Meropian though.” While he never told me exactly, I get the impression that he can’t really swim, no wonder this is so much for him to take in.

“The best thing we can do at this point is get you some control over thee powers the Ostium gives, I know the perfect place to go, we can head out tomorrow.”

“Sounds good, should we bring Shadow too?”

“He may be of use I suppose.” I could tell he just wanted an excuse to see him again, it’s kinda sweet. But I need to make sure they stay on track when we go to the Ocean shrine tomorrow.

[thebuttsmcgee]

blegh