Now this is a controversial shout. Crash Bandicoot was the game that made Naughty Dog, and its titular character became Sony's mascot on the back of the original game's phenomenal success, giving them a counterpart to Nintendo's Mario and Sega's Sonic The Hedgehog. Pitting an anthropomorphic bandicoot against a stereotypical mad scientist, the game was a colourful (and highly challenging) adventure from start to finish. In a year that also saw the release of Super Mario 64, it significantly helped to raise the bar in the platforming genre. Ultimately, its low ranking comes down to a matter of replayability over legacy. Subsequent Crash games improved upon the formula so much to the extent that the original feels ridiculously sluggish in comparison, largely due to the limited nature of Crash's moveset. The considerable linearity, frustrating camera and the ridiculously difficult task that was saving your game also haven't helped it stand the test of time, regardless of what those who nostalgically view the past through rose-tinted glasses might think. It's definitely worth playing to experience the evolution of the series, mind.
