Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (Jun 15, 1997 prototype)

An early prototype of Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back for the PlayStation.
==Notes==
*The build matches the demo that was used at E3 1997. Starting on the second warp room, five levels are normally available, with three more available in the (inaccessible) first warp room. Sewer or Later, Hangin' Out, and Ruination are also present, but can be only seen in demo mode and cannot be accessed through normal means.
**Level 6 - Snow Go
**Level 7 - Rock It
**Level 8 - Bear It
**Level 9 - Hang Eight
**Level 10 - Taz Tiger
**Level 1 - Turtle Woods (accessible through cheat code only)
**Level 2 - Cold Hard Crash (accessible through cheat code only)
**Level 5 - Crash Dash (accessible through cheat code only)
*An earlier logo design is used, featuring considerably different lighting and choice of text colors.
*There are a number of Crash 1 leftovers, notably including the HUD and the game's pause menu.
*Crash's moves are more limited here: by doing an extra-high jump performed by sliding or ducking and then jumping, when touching the ground you won't be able to take control of him until the animation ends. The only way to avoid this is by spinning in the exact moment you touch the ground.
*The game doesn't save smashed boxes, collected wumpas or defeated enemies when the player respawns after dying or after returning to the main level when losing in a bonus round.
*Dying on the last life will never result in a game over. The player is, as a result, capable of dying as many times as they like.
*There are no specific music tracks for bonus rounds and alternate routes - the main path music is always used in both instances instead.
*If Crash dies while in a bonus round, the bonus platform will lock when Crash returns to the main level. The only way to retry it is if the player loses a life.
*Crystals are smaller and more transparent, have a different shape, lack a shadow, and don't shine. They will fly away upon collecting it instead of going off-screen after a second to the HUD.
*The Nitro detonator wasn't implemented yet at this point in development.
*The broken box tally in the HUD is only displayed in bonus rounds instead.
*There is no box counter at the end of the levels.
*Gems are not present at this point in development.
*Many animations are missing at this point, like when spoiling a collectible, dancing or warping.
*Hangin' Out features a completely different level design. Everything was later redone from scratch, with some layout chunks reused in the final version.
*The majority of the music tracks are different to how they sound in the final game.
*Rock It has an entirely unique theme, which is not present in the final game.
* Some cheat code combinations can be done while in the warp room:
** Unlock the elevator to Warp Room 1 - Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Down, Circle, Square, Triangle
** Hold R2 to spawn the Cortex hologram - Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, X, Circle, Circle
** Turn off cheats - Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Down, Circle, Triangle, Circle
*To enter a given level on start up, use the following Gameshark code (with XX replaced with the level ID) and reset the game:
**To enter Sewer or Later, replace XX with 0A.
**To enter Hangin' Out, replace XX with 0D.
**To enter Ruination, replace XX with 0F.
 80011520 00XX
*Dump verified using DIC.
*Miscellaneous Notes:
**Game is emulatable: Yes, works on PSP and PSVita with Adrenaline (as of May 2, 2021)
**Game utilizes a dongle: No
==Screenshots==
File:Crash2-Jun15-1.png|Title screen
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 01.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 02.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 03.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 05.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 06.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 07.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 08.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 09.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 10.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 11.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 12.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 13.png|Gameplay
File:Crash 2 Jun 15 1997 prototype - 14.png|Gameplay
==Origin==
File:Crash2-Jun15-Disc.png|Disc front.
==Videos==
<youtube width="320" height="224">ui8mG53dnaY</youtube>
<youtube width="320" height="224">LYj5CnnZlUk</youtube>
<youtube width="320" height="224">cDYY7pFZLWc</youtube>
<youtube width="320" height="224">9tRFlVpr3d8</youtube>
<youtube width="320" height="224">NfMGEilLSzg</youtube>
<youtube width="320" height="224">XQ7uUQq69Hw</youtube>
==Acknowledgments==
A huge thank you to the whole Crash Landing team, and especially Hwd45, psx-collector, Darkaiser/GDias, madmarsrocks, Iniche and an anonymous donor in researching and donating for this release!
==See also==
*The original announcement article for this prototype.
*The Cutting Room Floor
*Redump.org entry