It’s not a big surprise to see Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time releasing on the Nintendo Switch. After the tremendously successful port of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, it was pretty clear the Nintendo crowd likes Crash Bandicoot. Unlike the N. Sane Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot 4 is an entirely new entry in the franchise that looks incredible on the other consoles, so how well can a game like this get ported to Nintendo’s hybrid console? Let’s find out.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Since this review focuses on the Nintendo Switch port, I won’t go into full details of what Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is and why it’s so enjoyable. If you want to learn more about the original game, be sure to read Timmy’s review, a small snippet:
Crash Bandicoot is one of the all-time platforming classics and is often named in the same breath as Super Mario, Sonic, Kirby, Castlevania, … While not being a true style 8-bit classic and only appearing in the later generations of consoles, this game has found its way into the hearts of many gamers all over the world. Admittedly, I was never the biggest fan, though I did really enjoy the games.
Crash Bandicoot 4 takes all the good of the previous games, shakes it up a little adds skins, and so on. It keeps being the collection game that we know and maxing it out, finding all those items in-game, is a game in itself. Annoying for some but amazing for others, this all depends on your mindset when going into a game like Crash. I really like how the original feeling was honored by this latest installment.
I have often said this before and I will say it again I like it when some sort of shadow function is used in 3D platforming so you can see where your character is jumping towards, especially necessary in games like this. Crash Bandicoot 4 does it just about as perfect as can be, you always know where you will end up as long as you don’t mess up the jump itself.
If you buy the Nintendo Switch version, you’ll have access to the exact same content as the other versions, meaning you’ll have plenty of levels to complete and tons of collectibles to collect. Crash Bandicoot 4 really delivers a lot of fun for its price and is packed with challenging levels and above all, lots of fun. It’s not the easiest game in its genre so if you’re getting this for a younger audience, be sure to keep that in mind. Luckily, since this is a modern take on the classic, Activision added some more forgiving elements such as infinite lives to make it all a bit more accessible. One thing’s for sure when it comes to content, this game doesn’t disappoint at all. So what about the technical side of things?
The Nintendo Switch version
As we all know by now, Switch ports clearly aren’t as pretty as the versions on other consoles, but if you go in with the right expectations, you don’t have to worry about that at all. It’s no rocket science to understand that this game doesn’t look as good as the original and the framerate is a bit lower. Goodbye to the solid 60 frames per second, enter the era of 30 frames per second. Although this sounds like a rather big deal, you don’t really notice this cut in frames while playing. Crash Bandicoot isn’t a fast character and jogs through the levels rather than running. Meaning you won’t suffer input lag playing this in 30 frames per second. Of course, if you compare it directly with a PlayStation 5 version, the difference really is noticeable, but if you’re only playing it on your Switch, you won’t be held back by its technical limitation.
Although the differences are certainly there, it’s a very enjoyable game to play on your Switch and although I would always recommend playing this one in Docked mode, the Handheld mode does stand its own ground. Thanks to a clever filter, Activision managed to make this game look pretty in handled mode too. Sure, some details get lost and it’s a bit more blurry during the more action-packed levels but it’s always perfectly playable. The graphical downgrade never stands in the way of having fun and that’s the most important thing about this port for sure. This is a brand-new Crash Bandicoot adventure that is perfectly enjoyable on the go, what’s more to ask for?
Conclusion:
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time offers the exact same amount of content and fun as the other versions at the cost of lesser graphics, but that’s nothing to worry about. Unlike other Switch ports, this downgrade never stands in the way of enjoyment and if you don’t own any other consoles, this is a great addition to your Nintendo Switch library for sure. If you’re looking for a fun yet challenging 3D platformer, this is one that should definitely be on your list.
