Smash Talk!: Challenger Approaching! 3: Spinsanity

Crash
- Debut: Crash Bandicoot (1996)
- Latest Appearance: Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 (2010)
- Affiliation: Good

Yee-haa! The mutant is crashing in on the whole Smash tournament as one of the many new 3rd Party characters. And with his guardian Aku Aku, he should stay out of trouble. Right?

Why?
For years, I've always wanted Crash to be playable in a Smash game. I was a Crash fan back when it was on the Playstation, and it was one of my favorite game series. Most say he rivaled Mario and Sonic for a time because he could jump and spin to attack.

Things sure have changed over the years, huh?

Crash Bandicoot was good when it started, but admittedly lost a lot of that quality as the years went on. But I don't think that means we could just kick the marsupial to the curb.

He IS elegible to be a Smasher because he started as a video game and has had several games on Nintendo systems, like Crash Tag Team Racing for the GameCube.

Anyone who relishes in the old Crash would at least give it a glance if they heard he was accepted. Sakurai and his team wouldn't do Crash injustice in both balancing and overall...well, Crash-ness.

You're darn tootin' they won't

Universe?
Like fellow 3rd Party people Snake and Sonic, Crash comes from a universe outside of Nintendo. This means that Crash needs his own symbol to represent the Crash Bandicoot universe. That icon would be a stylized paw print, as seen from the loading screen of Crash of the Titans.

Here is a quick sketch of what I mean.
Note how the swirl looks like a "C" for Crash.

Gameplay?
Crash's moves were very limited to just spinning around like a tornado and stomping on heads in his purest form. But in Crash of the Titans for Wii, Crash engaged in close range combat for the first time!

You don't fight someone who could do a Norris Roundhouse kick.

Crash of the Titans will largely contribute to his moveset and smash attacks. Some things like his slide attack and the Crash Dash from his classic style would be worked in as well.

In terms of movement, Crash is OK in speed until he breaks out the surprisingly fast Crash Dash. He's very nimble and can cover a good distance when side-stepping.

And whenever Crash needs to protect himself, his guardian mask Aku Aku would come out and take the hits for him. It's basically like Yoshi's special egg shield. As Aku gets damaged, he gets darker. When the shield breaks, he disappears in a puff of multi-colored feathers.

Oh My Goodness!

Crash is also a middle weight fighter with the ability to crawl. His look is of course based off of Crash of the Titans (like the picture at the top shows), but his classic look could be an alternate costume.

But you get bet he'll be shouting "Whoa!" when he gets KO'd, just like in the original games.

Special Moves
Standard Special: Death Tornado

Look Ma! I'm a helicopter!

You can't have Crash Bandicoot in anything without his signature spin attack. Crash twists around like a top of destruction, damaging anyone on contact and even reflecting projectiles. If someone mashes the button, Crash spins around longer and even does more damage. It also sends reflected projectiles flying back faster, and can be used to slow Crash's fall. He doesn't rise into the air like Meta Knight's Mach Tornado, but he does move along the ground faster while spinning.

Side Special: Bazooka

Who wants some?! Anyone?!

Ever since Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped for Playstation, Crash has had the means of firing out projectiles from his trusty side arm. As opposed to the Wumpa Cannon from that same game, I'm talking about his Bazooka from Crash Purple: Ripto's Rampage for Game Boy Advance.

That weapon is more metallic and shiny as opposed to the old army green. And instead of shooting out Wumpa Fruit, he fires out rockets! They go straight and don't home in like Samus' Missiles. But if you smash the control stick, Crash will shoot three rockets instead of one! The middle flies straight, with one above and one below. And of course you know...

Rockets Explode!!

Up Special: High Jump

This is a good example of what I'm going for.

In his games, Crash uses his High Jump to get a bigger jump after crouching down. In Smash, his High Jump is...well, a very high jump.

Crash does a small aerial roll, much like Captain Falcon's Falcon Dive, and then does his classic split pose as he gains considerable vertical recovery, but little horizontal. If someone is near the bandicoot when he does the beginning of this move, Crash will grab the foe and do a High Jump off their heads!

Not only will this bring Crash up higher, the opponent he grabbed gets spiked down. Unfortunately, the High Jump doesn't deal damage, much like Lucario's Extreme Speed.

Down Special: Body Splash

This is gonna hurt...

I was never sure how Crash could take damage from animals touching him and not from Belly Flopping on the cold, hard ground. Maybe Crash doesn't realize he's in pain when he does the attack? There have been several moments that hinted on Crash's lack of brains. Possibly why he can survive the pressures of space and spin so fast without getting dizzy...

Anyway, moving on.

Crash's Down Special is just like his Super Body Slam. He jumps straight up into the air, does a crazy spin, and that lands smack on the ground beneath him. There is a push that happens to anyone who is next to him as he lands, and maybe a small chance to stun them for a moment. When he spins around before falling, it does deal small damage and sets up the final flop.

Final Smash: Aku Aku

Boop-La-Kot!

Aku Aku has always protected Crash from danger ever since he found him on the shores of N Sanity Island. For his Final Smash, Crash's tattoos glow as Aku Aku raises out of Crash's pocket (or wherever he was). His leaves change from a rainbow to autumn colors as Crash wears him on his face.

This makes Crash invincible to damage of course, but will also increase his speed. Perhaps some moves will also get a power boost? That effect is something I'm still thinking about, but maybe.

In Conclusion
Crash Bandicoot has been a hit on the Playstation in his early days, but Mind Over Mutant for the Wii isn't as good as it could have been, or so I've heard. Crash fans and others who have heard of his time would agree that he deserves a second chance at redemption. I say, LET CRASH SMASH!

Oh, just keep in mind that Aku Aku will also look like he does from Crash of the Titans. I could only find pictures from the classic Crash.

So anyway, what do you think? Wanna see Crash spin circles around Super Mario?