Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced review (Game Boy Advance)

While all these skills, upgrades, and changes in perspective do wonders to extend the life of the game, you still need to keep in mind that it's basically just a copycat of similar games made by the likes of Nintendo, Sega, and Konami. For various reasons, Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced doesn't feel as cohesive as your typical Sonic or Mario game, even though it is still fun to play. Another thing to consider is the game's difficulty. Nitro boxes and lava floors are uncommon in earlier stages but abundant in later stages. You may find the placement of these items in later levels to be unfair, since it will take many attempts to memorize their locations, which are often one right after another. It's easy to earn extra lives, however, so that does offset the challenge somewhat.

Otherwise, Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced is a solid effort all around. The graphics aren't as artistic as those of other games, but the backgrounds have multiple layers of scrolling, and the character animation is exceedingly smooth, possibly more so than in any other GBA game to date. The music and sound effects are on par with those of the other action games available for the system, which is to say that they fit the onscreen events without drawing positive or negative attention. If you and a friend both own the game, you can use a link cable to play time-attack and Atlas-sphere matches against him or her. Finally, owners of Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure can use a second GBA system and a link cable to upload their old save data into the new game, which will unlock additional bonus stages and multiplayer characters.

For people who enjoyed the first game, or for those seeking an action game that doesn't feature Mario or Sonic, Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced is a good choice. It may be a difficult game to complete in the long run, but the variety in each level makes it one of those games you can just pick up and play at random moments throughout your day.