Crash Bandicoot is one of those video games that made generations upon generations fall in love with gaming back on PlayStation 1. So, when Vicarious Visions and Activision decided to remaster the first three games in the series, you could feel the excitement in the gaming world. The N. Sane Trilogy, as the developers called it, has sold over 20 million copies worldwide since its release in 2017.

The developers originally released this title only on PlayStation 4. However, you can now play it on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch 2. Although all three games are absolutely legendary at this point, we all have our favorites. So, let’s take a look at our ranking of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.

1. Crash Bandicoot

It may be a little cliché, but you simply can’t deny that the first Crash Bandicoot is the best one. That was the case back in the 1990s when it dropped, and it is still true today. The first Crash Bandicoot game in the trilogy takes you on an adventure with Crash, an anthropomorphic bandicoot, as the protagonist. You play as Crash, who is trying to foil Doctor Neo Cortex’s world domination plans.

You play most of the game levels from a third-person perspective, in which the camera trails behind Crash. That being said, some of the levels, including all bonus levels, are from a side-scrolling perspective. These changes in perspective make the game more interesting, but more challenging as well. On your adventure, you collect wumpa fruits for extra lives and Aku Aku masks for protection. This game is as entertaining today, remastered, as it was in 1995 when the original dropped. That is why it’s #1 in our ranking of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.

2. Crash Bandicoot: Warped

Warped is actually the third instalment in the Crash Bandicoot series. This game lets you play as Crash and Coco Bandicoot, who are siblings. This story takes you into a battle for the salvation of the Earth. You beat the levels to defeat Doctor Cortex, Doctor Nefarious Tropy, the villain from the second game, and Uka Uka, who is Aku Aku’s evil counterpart. The challenging villains, along with the gameplay and remastered mechanics, are the reasons we put it at #2 in our ranking of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.

You travel through the levels thanks to the time-twisting machine, which has five chambers in total. These chambers have five buttons each, which then transport you to different levels. The goal is to find and collect the hidden crystals in each level. Although the remastered games didn’t get individual reviews, we still feel like an 80/100 Metacritic and an 8.3/10 user score is fantastic.

3. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

Cortex Strikes Back is the second game in the series, and although third on our list, we still enjoyed playing it. This game takes you on a series of fictional Australian islands where you collect crystals. Doctor Neo Cortex tricks Crash into collecting the crystals for him, under the guise of protecting the planet during the planetary alignment. As a remastered version, this game has incredible graphics and in-game mechanics, especially on gaming consoles like the PS5.

Although the original game, from 1998, was considered superior to its predecessor, the remastered version falls short. The developers did a fantastic job with the technical aspect. But the game simply lacks the level variety and challenging boss levels that the other two instalments have. Even so, we truly enjoyed playing it, and we recommend giving it a shot, even if it’s at #3 in our ranking of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy!