There are some articles that I need to sit down with a cup of tea and do a lot of research for, and there are some that I've spent my life thus far preparing to make. I've played so much Crash Bandicoot throughout my life, and I've also spent a lot of my childhood playing Rare's back catalogue. And if there was one game that I would love Rare to make that isn't a new Banjo-Kazooie title, it would be Crash Bandicoot.
I've wanted to see something 'old-school' from Rare for a while now, and if they're not making a Banjo game, then having them in control of the world's most famous jorts-wearing marsupial, aka another hairy creature like Banjo, would make sense. It might be nice to see a more meandering adventure than the traditional linear routes on the old Crash games. What I don't want is Crash arriving in a Nuts 'n' Bolts-style game - this is the time to rectify that terrible game, Rare! Or they could turn it into a swear fest like Conker's Bad Fur Day - I bet Crash knows a few choice swear words!
So, let's talk about the rumour to start off with. Asha Sharma has recently announced the transfer of some of the major studios under the Xbox brand to Activision, one of those being Rare. It feels like Rare have been passed from pillar to post since Microsoft acquired Rare from Nintendo, but now they're firmly part of Activision.
Knowing this, the rumour is that they might have been tasked with making a new Crash game. It's mainly speculation at this point, but speculation keeps the retro gaming world alive. I still think about games that never came out that I read about in magazines years ago; the hype that was built up around them still lives rent-free in my mind (I'm looking at you, Cabbage).
Of course, they could also be working on a Spyro game just as easily; Rare's history of game development means they would be great working on either of these titles and reinventing them. There's a lack of what I would call 'non-threatening' platformers on consoles that aren't the Nintendo Switch, so it could be a great move for Microsoft to bring back much-loved dormant franchises like Crash and Spyro.
I've been playing a lot of Banjo-Tooie recently. Both Banjo-Kazooie and the sequel are amazing games with great storylines and abilities to discover. They're relaxing games that still provide a challenge, which I love, and if Rare were to get their hands on the Crash IP, I think they could do wonders with it.
What are your thoughts about the rumours? Let us know in the comments below!
