With Crash Bandicoot’s style of 3D platforming being set in long hallways, it can be pretty easily compared to 2D platformers, with the best example being Donkey Kong Country. Both were visually groundbreaking games with immersive environments and brutal difficulty, taking players across a variety of zones filled with their own unique challenges. So, just like in my Donkey Kong Country review, I have to point out that the challenge and immersion didn’t mix well. Some levels are absolutely enchanting with their details and visual polish, but as visual styles get reused for increasingly difficult stages, the magic wears off and you're left repeatedly running down a corridor and getting smashed. Being the initial attempt at the concept means it deserves some level of forgiveness, but after the good first impression wears off, you'll definitely wish you were playing one of the later games in the series. It certainly belongs on the list of historically important games to play, but I wouldn't predict that people would fall in love with it today as they did back then.