This Month's Most Viewed Games Tagged 'Playstation, casual, adventure' on The Great Games Experiment http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/css/logo.jpg en-us Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped is a platform game created and developed by Naughty Dog. Released in 1998, it was the third platformer game in the Crash Bandicoot series and the last platformer game in the series made by Naughty Dog, who became an in-house developer for SCEA after Crash Team Racing.

The game's story centers on a duo of anthropomorphic bandicoots and their mission to gather Power Crystals scattered across time before their enemies can.

A large critical and commercial success, Crash Bandicoot 3 is considered the best game in the series and one of the defining platform games of its era, alongside Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie.

Like previous installments in the Crash Bandicoot series, Warped consists of two main modes of gameplay: a hub room and the levels. The hub room (called the Time Twister here) is split into five areas, each containing five levels and a boss fight. Initially, only one area in the hub is accessible, but more are opened as the areas are completed. The levels featuring Crash largely follow the "follow-the-path" gameplay seen in previous games in the series, but other modes, such as riding a biplane, jetski, and tiger among others, can be seen along with this. Another new feature is the ability to gain new abilities by defeating a boss. These abilities include faster running speed, a longer spinning attack, and a bazooka among others. The game also makes heavy use of the then-new Dual Shock controller by using the vibration effect frequently.

In addition, the game features a new Time Trial mode, in which a level must be raced through in the fastest time possible. Boxes are laid throughout the levels that are able to freeze time for 1, 2, or 3 seconds. A Sapphire or Gold Relic will be earned if the given time is beaten. In addition, there are Platinum Relics and developer times set by the Naughty Dog and SCEA testers. A platinum relic can still be received before completing the game with 100%, but the times will only be seen on the level info box if the game is completed with 100%. Completing the game with 105% (the maximum percentage of the game) shows a sequence in which Crash and Coco watching a fireworks display.

]]> 04 Mar 2007 02:46:32 Crash Bandicoot is a platform game made by Naughty Dog in 1996 for the PlayStation, featuring the character by the same name. In it, Crash must fight Dr. Neo Cortex's henchmen in order to save Tawna, his beloved bandicoot girlfriend for revenge on Cortex.

Evil dr. Neo Cortex and his sidekick dr. Nitrus Brio have captured Crash and his girlfriend Tawna to experiment on them. Crash was rejected as a failiure, but Tawna is still at the clutches of evil scientist Cortex. It is up to Crash to rescue her.

In Crash' first appearance on the Playstation, you must run, jump and spin your way through this part 3D platform/part Side Scroller/part Mario 64 style adventure.

]]> 03 Mar 2007 02:03:56 Megaman's first move into 3D, Megaman Legends, or Rockman Dash in its native Japan was a unusual spin on the franchise turning it from a side-scrolling fast-paced shooter to an RPG-esque almost cartoon-like adventure.
Believed by fans to be set several centuries after the Megaman X series, Megaman Legends is set in 'a world covered by endless water.' In this world people must make a living on the tiny patches of land remaining above the sea, relying on Quantum Refractors to power their machines. These Refractors are located in ancient ruins underground and out at sea and tracked down by explorers called Diggers and their Spotters. One day after a successful dig, 14 year-old Digger Megaman Volnutt, his friend Roll, her grandfather Barrel Caskett and Megaman's robot monkey Data (don't ask, it's complicated) crash their ship, the Flutter, on a small island called Kattelox and soon have to contend with a band of sky pirates called the Bonne Brothers, Reaverbots (guardians of the ruins) activating of their own accord and the prophecy of a great disaster seeming to be coming to fruition. Now Megaman's left to deal with all thse problems, with help from his 'family' and the islanders and learn about his own mysterious past.
As always, Megaman is equipped with his Mega Buster, which can be upgraded with the many upgrades scattered around the island and he can also use a variety of special weapons, such as a mine-laying device, a giant cannon, and a drill just to name a few. These weapons aren't found whole however. Several items must be found first so Roll can put them together. The same process goes for upgrades for Megaman himself. For example, to get the Zetsaber, Megaman must first find a Broken Sword and Pen Light in the ruins or scattered around the island.
It looks a bit dated now, and some of the voice acting is pretty terrible but the story is enjoyable enough and the game is solid enough to have stood the test of time.

]]> 08 Feb 2007 03:43:29 Ape Escape was the first game on Playstation to use both control sticks at the same time to move and attack.
In this 3D anime-style adventure, the un-named Professor has created a machine called the Peak Point Helmet, which increases the wearer's knowledge when worn. Unfortunately, he still needs to work some glitches out and a monkey called Specter has got hold of the prototype. Immediately deciding Earth would be a much nicer place if monkeys were the dominant species, with his army of helmet-clad chimps he hijacks the Professor's new time machine and begins to wreak havoc across time. Fortunately, the Professor's young friends Spike and Buzz are also sucked into the time vortex. Armed with a constant supply of gadgets at his disposal Spike now has to fight his way home, capturing monkeys as he goes, deal with a brainwashed Buzz and ultimately catch the now hyper-intelligent Specter with help from the Professor and his granddaughter.
As well as the main adventure there are also 3 mini-games to be unlocked including racing and boxing. The control sticks are used to move Spike around and operate his many gadgets and whatever useful devices he can get his hands on. The adventure sends Spike from the prehistoric era to the present day with over 100 monkeys to catch. Ape Escape proved to be so popular that it has spawned 2 sequels, 3 spin-offs (the Ape Academy series and the up-and coming racing game) a remake on PSP and even a brief cameo in the Metal Gear Solid series.

]]> 12 Feb 2007 04:48:40 Crash Team Racing is a racing game for the PlayStation, made by Naughty Dog. It was released in 1999. This was the last Crash game made by Naughty Dog. After this game, they left Universal Interactive Studios (now Vivendi Games) and became an in-house developer for SCEA.

Crash and his friends are preparing to enter a kart racing tournament. Unfortunately, an extraterrestrial named Nitros Oxide sees this, and travels to Earth to compete. He claims to be the fastest racer in the Galaxy, who travels the stars looking for creatures to test his skill. He then challenges Earth to a "little game" he calls "Survival of the Fastest", and explains the rules: Oxide races against the best racer on Earth. If Earth's driver wins, Oxide will leave Earth alone. But if Oxide wins, he'll turn the entire globe into a concrete parking lot, and make Earth's inhabitants his slaves. The drivers of Earth prepare to race for the fate of their planet.

Gameplay is similar to that of Mario Kart; the following are gameplay elements original to CTR. Collecting ten wumpa fruit improves any item used. The game has a special "power slide" move that gives the player a speed boost while turning. It should be noted that in the last Jak and Daxter game from Naughty Dog: Jak X: Combat Racing also has a "power slide" which gives you an extra speedboost.

In the races, boxes contain weapons or other powerups that give the player an advantage. Green and black arrows on the ground (turbo boosters) will give the player a short speed increase. Most of the courses contain obstacles that cause a loss of speed, and must be avoided.

As in Mario Kart, CTR has a battle mode, in which players attack each other in one of several special battle arenas, some of which are unlockable.

Collectible items include trophies, crystals, gems, and relics. A number of secret characters can be activated throughout the course of the game.

]]> 04 Mar 2007 03:17:32 The player controls Musashi, a boy summoned to the Allucaneet Kingdom by its Princess — named Fillet — to save it from the invading Thirstquencher Empire. Fillet's intention was to summon the legendary Brave Fencer Musashi, who had saved the kingdom from a monster called the Wizard of Darkness 150 years before; she is therefore disappointed when she gets a small boy instead. Nevertheless, Musashi is given the blade Fusion, and charged with the task of obtaining Brave Fencer Musashi's sword — Lumina, the Sword of Luminescence — before the Thirstquencher Army does.

The bulk of the game involves Musashi fighting a variety of enemies, using both Fusion and Lumina, to save the kingdom from various threats (which range from fires breaking out, to an invasion of half-vampire, half-zombie monsters called Vambees), and to acquire five scrolls which increase Lumina's strength and grant Musashi new abilities. There are also several minigames and puzzles scattered throughout which must be completed to advance the plot.

]]> 10 Feb 2007 01:38:47 Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is a platform game made by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation and released in 1997.

The game takes place after the end of the first game, where Crash sent Cortex falling to his supposed doom from atop his blimp and into a cave, where Cortex discovers a large Crystal, and has a flash of inspiration. One year later, he is seen in a space station, being told by his new assistant N. Gin that to harness the Master Crystal's power, he will require an additional 25 "Slave Crystals", which are scattered across the Earth. Cortex then abducts Crash (while he is searching for a spare battery for Coco's laptop) and persuades him to gather the Slave Crystals, telling him that he will use them to harness the power of the aligned planets and prevent Earth from certain doom.

The gameplay is characterized by a limited environment, and by the breaking of crates, each of which contains some bonus. Breaking all of a level's crates earns the player that level's clear gem. The player can collect additional clear and colored gems by finding and touching them. Colored gems activate secret areas. If one collects all of the gems in the game, the secret ending is activated. Crash has several moves: jump, spin attack, body slam, slide, duck, crawl, and an extra-high jump performed by sliding or ducking and then jumping. Stepping on a question-mark platform/trap door takes Crash to a bonus level. Going to special locations, where something is somehow out of place, brings Crash to one of five secret levels. Also if the player manages to get to certain place in some levels with out losing a single life, the player can hop onto a platform with a Skull and Crossbones logo on it. It takes you to another path in the level of the main path and contains boxes and other secrets one might notice not being found on the main path.

]]> 04 Mar 2007 02:37:59 Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare is the fourth installment of 1992 survival horror video game series Alone in the Dark created by Atari. The game was released on several platforms including PC, PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation 2.

Edward Carnby's best friend, Charles Fiske, has been found dead off Shadow Island, a mysterious island near the coast of Maine. Carnby's investigation quickly leads him to Fred Johnson, who informs him of Fiske's search for three ancient tablets with the ability to unlock an incredible and dangerous power. Johnson pleads with Carnby to take the place of Fiske and reopen the investigation in order to recover the tablets. Carnby accepts the mission making it his life's goal to avenge Fiske's death and find the tablets.

Carnby isn't alone on his quest. Aline Cedrac, an intelligent, determined young archaeologist joins Carnby on the mission to Shadow Island. This high-spirited adventurer has taken it upon herself to find the missing tablets, but is there another reason she was so determined to come to Shadow Island? Time will surely reveal the secrets and the intentions, so on October 30, 2001 they approach Shadow Island.

From their first steps on Shadow Island in the cold winter night, Carnby and Aline are immediately confronted by terrifying, evil creatures that are determined to halt their progress. Throughout the course of their investigations, every step they take, every corner they turn, they are met with suspense, intrigue and a sense of impending doom. Relying only on their instincts and limited resources, Carnby and Aline must destroy this sinister evil and uncover the truth.

The player takes the role of either Edward Carnby (a rugged paranormal investigator) or Aline Cedrac (a feisty scholarly type), and find themselves marooned on Shadow Island, a haunted place where the shadows are rumored to come alive. The player soon comes under attack from "Creatures of Darkness" that appear out of nowhere and seem to be living shadows. These "Creatures of Darkness" are eventually revealed to be reptilian, silicon-based life forms from the center of the Earth, an enormous world of dark caverns known as the "World of Darkness". Shadow Island apparently contains one of the many entrances to this underground world. True to their name, the game's enemies are averse to light (which apparently turns them into sand), and this figures heavily in gameplay. Players can use their flashlight to repel certain creatures, and killing them is accomplished with such light-producing ammunition as "magnesium bullets" and "phosphorus shells."

Light plays a significant role in this game. One of the game's main gimmicks is the use of a flashlight that players can use to light up the game's darkened pre-rendered screens, revealing hidden details and uncovering items.

]]> 11 Mar 2007 06:23:46