Backstage - Articles - Cameos and References

This PlayStation 4 title features the main character Nathan Drake playing the original Crash Bandicoot at certain points in the story. Both games were developed by Naughty Dog, making this a callback to the game that started the rise of their popularity.

The actual event is fully playable from Nate's perspective. It's a recreation of the level Boulders, but everything was coded from scratch while trying to mimic the original game in both graphics and gameplay. This includes the original PlayStation start-up sequence and the game's title screen. Longtime fans of the original game will spot the differences in controls and animations, but it's a rather faithful recreation. A key difference in this version is that it's timed and has a score tally at the end (the objective is to beat the high score claimed by Elena, Nate's wife).

Besides this homage, one of the treasures in the main game is a "Strange Fruit", which is basically a polygonal Wumpa fruit. It replaces the "Strange Relic" that was present in previous games in the series (itself a reference to another series created by Naughty Dog, Jak & Daxter).

Another game created by Naughty Dog, Jak & Daxter features one of the man-eating plants from Crash inside Samos's hut. It uses the exact same model and idle animation as in Crash Bandicoot 2, but with a green hue. It's just a visual reference and can't be interacted with.

Crash and Cortex appear as playable characters in Skylanders Imaginators, complete with their own action figures and an entire story arc dedicated to them. This was part of the franchise's grand revival following a 6 year-long hiatus. Head over to the dedicated game section for more information.

An animated spin-off produced for TV, Skylanders Academy features some of the characters from the Skylanders franchise, including Spyro the Dragon. Crash is somehow transported to the Skylanders' realm at the end of the first season's episode 10, which leads to episode 11 (Crash Landing) being entirely dedicated to him.

This version of Crash speaks fluent English with an Australian accent and is much more intelligent and competent than in the games, and also much less goofy. Spyro instantly becomes his number one fan and spends the episode gushing over the bandicoot's antics while trying to learn from him.

This episode was written by the show's creator, Eric Rogers, who also happens to voice Crash in it.

Besides secret WARPED, Crash Team Racing, and Crash Bash demos in each of the Spyro trilogy's games, Year of the Dragon features a couple of references to the bandicoot. One of Sheila's missions is titled Krash Kangaroo, and one of the riddles in Haunted Tomb presents "a bandicoot" as one of the possible answers.

One of the objects in this game uses Aku Aku's unmistakable mumbo-jumbo as a sound.

The Nintendo DS version of this game shows Crash in the level Dante's Freezer. He's being cooked over a fire but appears as part of the background and can't be interacted with.

Crash can be seen frozen inside an icy pond in Celestial Caves, right after the fire room. He has his Crash Twinsanity model.

One of the monkeys in this game is called Uka Uka.

In 1999, Sony showed off some footage that demonstrated the PlayStation 2's graphical capabilities. Various recognizable PlayStation franchises were featured, including Crash. During a few brief seconds, Crash led a march of dozens of penguins in the snow. The high number of characters on screen, along with the shadows made of polygons and cold temperature effects were a demonstration of what the PlayStation 2 could do simultaneously. Crash and the penguins all use Crash 2 models and animations.

Crash is one of the countless video game parodies that appear in this game. There is a bust of him in Little Venetia, which also serves as the loading screen for that level. There is also a totem pole in Pirate Island carved in his likeness.

This comic sometimes features characters wearing Crash Bandicoot t-shirts.

In Lesson 176 of this manga, a Japanese copy of Crash Bandicoot 2 can be seen in the pile of videogames one of the characters drops on the floor.

A TV advertisement for the game Ty the Tasmanian Tiger shows the titular character walking into a hospital room where 3 characters lie covered in bandages. Their full names aren't shown, but they're obviously Sonic the Hedgehog, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot. They all get nervous as Ty passes by, and then have heart attacks after he says: "Boo!", implying he's the one responsible for their condition.

Guess which one of these 4 characters would never hit it big! Your hint is: irony.

An ad featured in video game magazines about Croc: Legend of the Gobbos. It shows the game's namesake character picking his teeth after having eaten three other characters. You can extrapolate their identities from the accessories lying next to Croc: Lara Croft's shotgun, Mario's hat, and Crash Bandicoot's shoes.

Crash is featured on the cover of issue 457, along with several other famous video game characters.

Crash was a protagonist in a MADtv sketch spoofing Franklin & Bash, a TV show about two unconventional lawyers (with Crash taking on the role of Bash). Franklin and Crash act as defense laywers for the Prince from Katamari Damacy, with several other video game characters making appearances as well. Crash was given a voice and a speaking role for this sketch.

A second sketch named Diary of a Wimpy Kid Icarus features several character bullying Pit from Kid Icarus. Crash is seen at one point while they're playing dodgeball.

This is a French animated short starring a generic First-Person Shooter monster who becomes tired of his villainous role and decides to look for a new one (and yes, this did come out before Wreck-It Ralph). At one point he's seen walking out a door accompanied by Aku Aku, presumably after a failed audition for the role of Crash. Aku Aku says his usual mumbo jumbo and is smacked by the monster out of frustration. He later reappears inside a trash can, along with various other video game items.

The first episode of this show briefly shows an ad spoofing the old "Got Milk?" campaign, with Crash's Twinsanity model on the side for some reason.

There's a scene in this Disney movie that shows a Crash Bash poster on a wall.

In the episode Johnny vs. Smash Badger 3 / Johnny Bee Good, the eponymous protagonist is rewarded by his mother with a video game called "Smash Badger 3" (an obvious parody of Crash Bandicoot). In the game, Smash must defeat Dr. Swampbrain, whose voice tone is similar to Cortex. Smash has identical moves to Crash Bandicoot, being able to jump, leap, and flip-spin.

In the first episode of the animated show (When Pants Attack), Cindy threatens Jimmy to get her pants back by saying: "Neutron, prepare to face the wrath of Vortex!", a possible allusion to The Wrath of Cortex.

Additionally, in the episode Ultra Sheen, Jimmy, Sheen, and Carl go inside a video game. In order to defeat an enemy, they need jewels called "power crystals" that resemble the ones from the Crash Bandicoot series.

In episode 210, Lisa Gets an "A", Lisa Simpson becomes addicted to a video-game called "Dash Dingo", which is an obvious parody of Crash Bandicoot. The titular dingo receives the mission of devouring the "seven crystal babies" from a floating Australian stereotype's head. This is a reference to the warp room sequences from Crash 2 (though the bit about a baby-eating dingo is a reference to Azaria Chamberlain).

In the Family Guy movie, Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (which was also split into three episodes and adapted to TV), news reporter Tom Tucker is seen doing something with his hands under his desk while shouting "yes" and "no" repeatedly. A few seconds later, he's revealed to be playing on a handheld and says: "Eat my dust, Crash Bandicoot!" Judging by the time this movie was released, it's likely a reference to Crash Nitro Kart.

Whether it's on the big screen or on TV, Crash games seem to be a favorite of many directors who instruct their actors to play them. Some examples include:

• Angel (pictured): Drogyn and Illyria play The Wrath of Cortex on the Xbox, complete with the box lying next to the console. Drogyn instructs: "It is a test. You must collect these crystals. And fruit."
• Yes, Dear: Jimmy plays the first game on a PlayStation.
• Friends: In the episode The One With Monica's Thunder, Chandler plays as Crash in Crash Team Racing's Hot Air Skyway.
• Dawson's Creek: Not a genuine example, but in the episode Four to Tango, Pacey says he's "just playing some Crash Bandicoot" as an excuse for being home on a school day.
• Felicity: One of the characters plays Orient Express from WARPED.
• Baby Geniuses: One of the babies in this movie plays the first game in a store.
• The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle: Crash Nitro Kart is shown in action as one of the characters plays the track Inferno Island.
• Kids World: One of the characters plays WARPED, and a poster of the game is seen at one point.