5. Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (1997) (Playstation) (Developer: Argonaut Software)
Croc never gained the popularity of other anthropomorphic video game characters, perhaps because he was a little straight-laced for players who liked Sonic’s slick edge and Mario’s, uh, keen workmanship. Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, though, was released in 1997 and went on sell 4 million copies, and sent players on a quest to rescue adorable furry balls called “Gobbos” – who had been taken by a Bowser-like villain called Baron Dante – whilst collecting crystals and exploring worlds made up of lava, grass and ice.
6. Crash Bandicoot 2: The Wrath Of Cortex (1997) (Playstation) (Developer: Naughty Dog)
Crash Bandicoot’s appeal was in his upfront cheekiness and the general ease at which the character seemed to embrace his inevitable repeated deaths. Though the original Crash entry was a superb platformer, Crash Bandicoot 2: The Wrath Of Cortex improved on its predecessor in mostly all ways. Fresh from his latest battle with Dr. Cortex, Crash finds that the evil genius has changed his tune and wants to save the world instead – not all is as it seems, however, as later events reveal. Praised for its quirky sense of humor and relentlessly mad gameplay, this was one of the Playstation’s best platformers.
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