Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy: Original Programmer Critiques Jump Mechanics in Vicarious Visions Remake

Crash Bandicoot N.

Sane Trilogy: Original Programmer Critiques Jump Mechanics in Vicarious Visions Remake Crash Bandicoot N.

Sane Trilogy, the highly acclaimed reimagining of the iconic Crash Bandicoot platformers, has captivated audiences on platforms like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC since its release in 2017.

Developed by Vicarious Visions, the trilogy faithfully recreates the experience of Naughty Dog’s original PlayStation masterpieces, bringing updated visuals, remastered audio, and modernized gameplay to a new generation.

However, despite its commercial and critical success, one of the franchise’s founding developers has pointed out a significant gameplay divergence. Andrew Gavin, co-founder of Naughty Dog and original lead programmer for Crash Bandicoot, recently shared his perspective on the N.

Sane Trilogy via a post on LinkedIn.

While Gavin applauded Vicarious Visions for accurately capturing the series’ visual style and atmospheric charm, he took issue with the changes made to Crash’s signature jumping mechanics—a core element of the platforming experience. In his statement, Gavin explains that Naughty Dog’s original team implemented a nuanced system for jump height control using the PlayStation’s digital buttons.

Without analog sticks at their disposal, the developers designed an advanced mechanism that would interpret how long the jump button was pressed, allowing for varying jump heights even with binary input.

This system subtly adjusted gravity and force during the jump’s arc, enabling fine control for players—short hops with a quick press or maximum leaps with sustained input.

"We designed a system that translated short and long presses into analog-style jumps, even with digital buttons," Gavin recalled. Gavin contends that Vicarious Visions' remake overlooked this sophisticated approach, opting instead for a simplified jumping system.

In the N.

Sane Trilogy, all jumps are set to their maximum height, making them feel floaty and less precise than those in the 1996 original.

“The remake’s solution was to give every jump maximum height, losing the precise, analog feel,” he summarized. This design choice, Gavin argues, results in a fundamentally different platforming experience—one where subtle, precision jumps become more challenging, altering the difficulty curve compared to the PlayStation classic.

Despite these criticisms, Crash Bandicoot N.

Sane Trilogy has enjoyed remarkable success, setting franchise sales records and expanding Crash’s presence to new platforms like the Nintendo Switch and eShop. Since its debut, the N.

Sane Trilogy has become one of the best-selling remakes in modern gaming, reintroducing Crash Bandicoot to audiences worldwide and celebrating Naughty Dog and Vicarious Visions’ developer achievements.

However, as Gavin’s comments highlight, even the most faithful remakes can face challenges in capturing the full nuance of classic game design.

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