Remasters of all styles and sizes are commonplace within the present online game panorama, and admittedly, some deserve the return to the limelight greater than others. Argonaut Video games, itself revived after an extended hiatus, is bringing again one in all its best-loved titles that we expect greater than earns its proper for a comeback. Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is a cult favorite PS1 platformer from a time when making 3D video games was nonetheless new, and whereas in some methods it exhibits its age, it is tough to not be charmed by this remastered traditional.
Hopping into this sport in 2025 is a nostalgic overload for anybody with fond recollections of Croc; the very first thing you see is the gobbos inflating the Argonaut Video games brand, taking part in out on an enormous CRT tv. Particularly whenever you hear the title theme on the primary menu, all of it comes flooding again, and what’s so pretty about this remaster is simply how devoted to the unique expertise it’s; you possibly can actually inform that is basically the identical sport with the identical code, solely with some mod-cons and a recent coat of paint.
Loading is instantaneous as you hop into the sport correct, which retains the colorful, stylised look of the unique with clear enhancements, particularly to character fashions. A number of graphical choices can help you apply numerous filters and visible tweaks, that are appreciated, although we caught to the remaster’s default look as a result of it is so crisp.
As for the way it performs, you possibly can transfer Croc with both his traditional tank controls on the d-pad, or go for a a lot smoother, fashionable expertise with full analog management on the left stick. You should use both of those always, and what’s attention-grabbing is that, as a result of the sport was initially designed across the d-pad’s tank controls, there are some situations the place that is truly the higher possibility. Clean analog management goes to really feel greatest for many gamers, although, and it has been carried out nicely, permitting you to essentially velocity via ranges in a means you possibly can’t with the previous scheme.
The sport could be very simplistic by at present’s requirements, with brief ranges, enemies posing little risk, and pretty tame obstacles. Simple although it could be, particularly utilizing the fashionable controls, that is nonetheless an old style expertise, that means restricted lives and beginning a stage over when you do hit Sport Over. Newcomers and veteran followers alike may breeze via, however once more, the sport’s inherent allure will imply you are smiling whereas it occurs.
There are six gobbos to search out in every stage, in addition to particular colored crystals that open a bonus door close to a stage’s exit. The extent construction is sort of distinctive; they’re all segmented by quite a few doorways, with some easy puzzles requiring you to search out one thing in a single room and return to a different. It is broadly a really linear sport, however there are some examples of doubling again on your self or discovering well-hidden secrets and techniques that present some novel concepts for the time.
Croc himself has a stable transfer set, with a beneficiant soar, a butt-slam to open packing containers, a 180-degree flip, and a tail spin assault, to not point out the power to climb sure surfaces, swing on monkey bars, and swim underwater. The sport makes common use of most of those, giving the platforming a great tempo.
Additionally serving to to maintain issues recent is completely different stage themes for every island, which introduce new enemies and obstacles to cope with. A spotlight of Croc for a lot of is the characterful boss fights, that are all fairly simple to defeat however have enjoyable designs, like a boxing ladybird or a big fish with a trident.
Total, the sport itself has a number of cutesy character, and appears and performs higher than ever with this remaster’s additions. Its simplicity may go away some slightly chilly, however we discovered it to be refreshing and stress-free.
Elevating the package deal is the Crocipedia, a surprisingly giant museum part with heaps to see and do. The soundtrack, work-in-progress music, previous images, design documentation, character mannequin sheets and animation exams, and plenty of speaking head interviews with present and former workers is all right here. For followers of the unique, or simply followers of gaming historical past, there’s a lot to chew on right here, and it actually provides worth to the remaster.
Conclusion
Whereas the sport itself inevitably exhibits its age with its simplistic design, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos stays an cute and enjoyable platformer on this remaster. The revamped visuals pop whereas staying true to its old skool look, and the analog management supplies a a lot smoother solution to play. The Crocipedia fleshes issues out, offering a number of element in regards to the making of this pioneering 3D title.
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