A strange little side quest
Put Crash Bandicoot next to the history of platform games and a few unexpected connections appear. Sonic the Hedgehog launched in 1991 and turned speed itself into a defining platform-game mechanic. That is only half the story. Early computer role-playing games helped turn rules, inventories, exploration and character progression into systems that could support long-form digital adventures. The screen is modern; the urge to test skill, pattern and timing definitely is not.
