I've mentioned this before, but this was actually the first game I ever beat 100%, so it holds a very special place in my heart. It was very fun rediscovering all of the game's secrets and playing through the game again - it was just as fun as it was the first time, playing the original version, so I have officially beaten both the PS1 and N. Sane Trilogy versions of this game! This is my favourite of the original trilogy (and my favourite in the series) for quite a few reasons. Firstly, I really love the exploration aspect of the adventure - the secrets aren't too obvious, but they aren't too cryptic either (most of them anyway) and can be solved with some clever thinking, which I find really rewarding. Crash 1 barely had any secrets, but was still a good time, while 3's "secrets", I felt were WAY too cryptic (I'll get to those when I get to my review of Crash 3). These secrets give you access to new levels, as well as letting you access new, previously inaccessible parts of other levels. Second, it mostly hits the right spot in terms of difficulty. It's not as hard as Crash 1, but it's not as easy as Crash 3, so it's still a relatively challenging game that doesn't hold your hand too much, although there is a bit of a difficulty spike in the final set of levels. The levels are really pleasant to look at with a variety of environments like jungles, mountainous forests, snowy valleys, sewer systems and space stations. Although Crash 2 ditches the map, in favour of the Warp Room that gives you a bit more leeway in choosing how you want to progress, the nature to machinery progression is still there, albeit not as strong as in Crash 1 due to the less linear structure. Levels are also more action-oriented, focusing more on doing stuff and moving, compared to Crash 1's more stop and go gameplay. Crash here is in a larger variety of situations, some of which return from 1, with some extra layers, like running from boulders and polar bears, riding on polar bears, fighting mutated animals while exploring the ruins of Cortex Island and swinging on grates in the sewers. Crash 2 also throws a couple of curveballs, like the level Un-Bearable having you (in the final section of the level) running from a polar bear while riding the same bear you rode in the snow, which really helps tie the world together a little bit more. Like Crash 1, Crash 2 also takes place in the Wumpa Archipelago, Crash's home. The soundtrack here is a massive upgrade (in my opinion) from the previous game, focusing more on catchy melodies and generally being a lot more adventurous, compared to Crash 1's more atmospheric tunes. Notable favourites include all the boss themes, every variation of Hang Eight, Turtle Woods' death route, N. Brio's theme and Snow Go. While I absolutely love Crash 2, it isn't without its fair share of flaws. The backtracking in some levels in order to get everything can get quite annoying at times if you want to get everything in a level quickly. Assets are also reused and recycled a lot more than in Crash 1, so some levels don't feel as distinct as a result. I think one of the things Crash 1 does better than 2 and 3 is the limited asset recycling, making most areas feel new and fresh while also saving up on space. The boss fights here are also pretty weak for the most part, not offering much challenge. N. Gin has the best fight in the game, but that mainly comes down to him being the only boss that doesn't defeat himself. The final boss fight against Cortex (the fight after N. Gin) is a really disappointing end to an otherwise great game - he doesn't attack you even though he has a raygun, (in the PS1 version at least - in the N-Sane Trilogy, he has the master crystal) the mines don't kill you and the only way to lose this "fight" is if you wait too long, and even then, he WAITS for you to catch up. Spin him 3 times in the jetpack (where you're forced to go fast in an arguably tighter space than the previous jetpack levels in which you need to go slow) and that's it. REALLY disappointing. But, to conclude, I absolutely love this game. Loved it when I first beat it, love it now replaying it. Can't wait to review 3!