I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Crash Bandicoot remasters.

Usually these visual overhauls come off shallow. The same game with newer graphics stapled on leaves me feeling empty, and I even prefer the game with the original graphics. Indeed, the newer graphics take away the charm.

But Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy works. I’ve had good fun with it and will continue to. The visual updates don’t detract from the experience nor does the game feel hollow – it is simply a fun revisit of classics.

Tweaks have improved the games, especially the original. You may now use an analog stick –though I prefer the directional buttons in the sideview stages – and you may save after each level. For the original this means not having to wait for the next bonus round to give you a save point or a password (and these not being guaranteed should you fail the bonus round). This does not make as much of a difference in the second and third games, though now you may save from any spot in the warp room and time zone.

The original Crash remaster also allows you to retry bonus rounds. In the original Crash, if you failed a bonus round you had no second chance. Now you may try as much as you’d like.

Other tweaks soften difficulty late in the game. “Heavy Machinery” now has a much needed earlier checkpoint box, for example. And Koala Kong was a tad easier.

The animations are energetic. The visuals are beautiful. The platforming is fun. Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy works.