10 Video Game Franchises That ALWAYS Get It Wrong

Crash Bandicoot had become the face of the PlayStation brand in the late '90s, with the first three entries in the franchise cementing the mascot alongside the likes of Mario and Sonic. But, as the series moved across to new platforms and new systems, a conga line of mediocre releases took the sparkle off everything.

2001's Wrath of Cortex was the first instance of a Crash game not being acclaimed upon release. The game had been criticised for playing things too safe, which resulted in the different companies developing the franchise going forward going too hard on the flip side.

Twinsanity, Crash of the Titans and Mind over Mutant were all very unique titles in their own right, but just so much so that they hardly felt like a Bandicoot game at all. Development swapped hands frequently which, coupled with the constant switch-ups in tone and direction, meant actually making these games became huge tasks, often completed with a slew of cut content and technical problems.

Throw all of this in with some strange decisions over character designs and voice acting, and it resulted in Crash going back to the drawing board with nearly a decade without a new entry. When The N Sane Trilogy and Crash 4: It's About Time did arrive, however, they landed with a hefty amount of acclaim behind them, so perhaps all is not lost for Activision's favourite Bandicoot just yet.