Croc: Legend of the Gobbos Review — Crocodile Rock

Over the last decade, many of the platformers I cherished during my childhood have been remade or remastered. This includes franchises such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, and even the lesser-known TY the Tasmanian Tiger. While there are still iconic platformers that I would like to see return (Banjo-Kazooie, please), one character that was noticeably absent from these nostalgic resurrections was Croc. Debuting in 1997 (almost 28 years ago), Croc’s original adventure is beloved by many and holds a special place in the memories of many gamers. Well, after a long wait, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is now available on current generation consoles in the form of a highly anticipated remaster.

So, will this remaster satisfy Croc fans *WA-HEY* or fail to reach their high expectations *KA-SPLAT*?

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos begins in Gobbo Valley, a location brimming with furry creatures known as Gobbos. But on this day, a small basket can be seen floating by a nearby river, and within that basket is none other than a small baby crocodile, better known as Croc. The Gobbos raise Croc as one of their own, but one day their peaceful valley is invaded by Baron Dante and his minions. Baron Dante begins capturing the Gobbos, locking them in cages and terrorising their homeland. During the mayhem, Croc is teleported to safety, and it is up to him to save the Gobbos, defeat Baron Dante, and bring peace back to Gobbo Valley.

As with many platformers of this era, the above scenario is shown during an initial cut scene, with the narrative ultimately used to motivate and explain Croc’s upcoming adventure. Baron Dante’s motivations are never described; he is simply the ‘big bad’ that Croc must stop. The typical 90s platformer hardly ever focused on compelling narratives, so the fact the story itself never evolves into anything more than ‘hero stops evil villain’ is perfectly serviceable.

Croc’s adventure takes place over four themed islands (plus one additional secret island), each housing six standard levels, two boss encounters, and two secret levels, which are unlocked by saving each Gobbo hidden on the corresponding island. One of the biggest changes between the original Croc and the remaster is the controls. Croc can jump, butt slam, tail whip, climb and swim his way across each level. Gone are the archaic tank controls and inconsistent camera, which were implemented due to the absence of an analog stick on the original PlayStation controller. Instead, players can now control Croc and the camera freely, smoothly and simultaneously, making it more accessible and enjoyable to play. Croc fans wanting to experience this adventure without those cumbersome control issues will be over the moon, with the remaster providing solid and responsive controls.

Croc might not be as horrifyingly challenging as other platformers of this era, but it will still deliver a tough experience to most players, especially during later levels. Saving every Gobbo and finding every hidden puzzle piece will offer an additional challenge for hardcore players, but it is worth noting that this remaster does not come with a Platinum Trophy. I did notice that Croc’s character model tends to slide when he comes to an abrupt halt, which can cause Croc to slip from ledges or crates if you are not careful. It is ever so subtle, but those additional pixels are noticeable and did cost me a few lives during my initial few hours before I accounted for the extra movement.

Each level features several sections, almost like individual rooms, that have been stitched together to create a level. Each room houses its own challenges and hidden items to collect. Leaving one section loads up the next section of the level, but thankfully, load times are instantaneous. Croc will lose a life if he falls into the abyss below, but upon falling into hazards (lava, etc.) or being struck by an enemy, he can have one moment of respite if he is carrying standard gems. Think Sonic the Hedgehog and his rings. If Croc has no gems on hand, he will die. Croc can gain additional lives upon collecting 100 gems, but as most levels seem to only contain 50-80 gems, gaining additional lives can be a slow and arduous process.

Croc’s enemies can chase, shoot fireballs, fly, and even swing swords, so players must be careful around baddies seeking reptilian blood. Hit detection with enemies feels inconsistent, as some hits seem to be acknowledged while others are ignored, despite the distance between Croc and his foe seeming to say otherwise. The inconsistent hit detection is most noticeable during boss encounters. This means you need to be especially careful when delivering damage, as sometimes you may suffer damage yourself despite your previous attack not being close enough to register. Despite that, boss encounters are fun, offering a brief, albeit easy, change of pace from the typical levels. Dark Souls bosses, these are not. The majority of bosses play out the same way, with Croc dodging until it’s his turn to attack, rinse and repeat three times until victorious. Still fun, though.

The soundtrack of Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is still phenomenal. The main theme tune alone is unabashedly 90s, with trumpets, xylophones and an emphatic cheerful bounce within every beat. The same cheerful vibes can be found throughout every level, with even spooky-sounding tunes still possessing this adorable and addictive charm. I legitimately have the main menu theme playing as I write this review, and it continues to fill me with incessant joy with each keystroke. Even Croc is adorable due to his charming dialogue, as he will greet players with small phrases between his actions on screen.

To reiterate, this is a remaster, and because of that, do not expect to see the level of overhauled visuals that the Crash N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy delivered. Visually, the Croc remaster looks crisp and clean when compared to the original. This is thanks to the high-definition visuals and high-resolution textures, which smooth jagged edges from character models and add more detail to environmental textures. Croc also provides visual customisation options, allowing players to decide which elements of the retro and remastered visual style they want to use. For example, players can choose to keep the original character models but implement the remastered textures, and vice versa. Retro display options are also available, replicating the visual style of CRT TVs and VGA graphics. As with most remasters, the retro and remastered visuals can instantly be switched at the touch of a button. The customisation options and visual display features are fantastic additions that I believe old-school Croc fans will appreciate.

Hardcore Croc fans will also find hours and hours of compelling bonus content within the Crocipedia. This extensive digital library includes the original Croc soundtrack, alongside remaster remixes, classic Croc videos, a plethora of concept art and work-in-progress artwork, development videos, merchandise and even documentaries with original developers, industry experts and more. This Croc archive will keep Croc fans busy long after the credits roll. My one gripe with the documentaries is the fact they do not save your progress or allow you to fast forward, meaning you must watch them in one sitting, or be forced to watch the entire thing again. As a father, with a five-week-old newborn, the lack of simple video features is sorely missed.