Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is a 1997 platform video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It is the sequel to 1996's Crash Bandicoot and the second installment in the Crash Bandicoot series.
Crash Bandicoot follows the adventures of the title character, an anthropomorphic genetically-enhanced eastern barred bandicoot created by the evil Doctor Neo Cortex. In Cortex Strikes Back, Crash is abducted by Dr. Cortex who tricks Crash into helping him by traversing through the N. Sanity Islands and collecting Crystals for Cortex. The game also introduces Coco Bandicoot, Crash's younger sister.
As a platform game, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is comprised of several levels the player must to traverse to obtain 25 Crystals. Crash can defeat enemies either by jumping on them or using his spinning attack, which can be also used to destroy crates. Crates may either contain items for Crash's benefit or offer other rewards such as saving checkpoints.
Development on Cortex Strikes Back began in 1996 shortly after the critical and commercial success of its predecessor, and lasted 13 months. Naughty Dog created a new engine to work with on the game, while the character of Coco Bandicoot by Naughty Dog was created to appease Sony, whose executives were uncomfortable with the design of the first game's Tawna. The game was made on a budget of $2 million.
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back received critical acclaim upon its release, with critics deeming it as superior to its predecessor. It received considerable praise for its controls as well as graphical updates and gameplay improvements over Crash Bandicoot, though criticism was directed at its trial-and-error formula and boss encounters. The game was commercially successful and sold over 4 million copies. A sequel, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, was released in 1998.
In 2017, the game, its prequel and its sequel were remade by Vicarious Games and Activision as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.