What’s the Difference Between Modern and Retro in Crash Bandicoot 4?

Remember when Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy came out, a critic jokingly compared it to Dark Souls, and a bunch of people had temper tantrums over it? Well, that happened in the first place because Crash Bandicoot games can be super difficult, and punishingly so thanks to limited lives and no second chances. Crash Bandicoot 4 is here now, and it lets players choose between “Modern” and “Classic” settings. But what exactly does that mean?

Crash Bandicoot 4 Modern and Retro Mode Explained

Modern mode, as you may expect, is the default setting for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. The game is designed around this mode, especially when it comes to having the opportunities to fill out those challenges to earn gems. You want those Skins, and Toys for Bob wants you to have ‘em too. You still have to earn them though, which still isn’t easy.

Basically, Modern mode turns the lives counter you’d expect to see in platformers into a death counter. As you make it through the level you’ll see the number of times you died, a new kind of shaming that doesn’t make you restart the level. There will also be occasional boxes containing 25 wumpa fruits, which give an extra boost on that 80% task.

Related: How to Earn Skins in Crash Bandicoot 4

Retro mode is more about giving all the classic Crash fans an opportunity to turn on the masochism machine. What this option does is turn the death counter back into a traditional life counter, and if you get a “game over” you’ll have to restart your level. Whatever progress you were trying to make, on boxes for example, is toast. Instead of those 25 wumpa boxes, you’ll find the occasional extra life to help you out a bit.

In sum, Modern mode and Classic mode are difficulty toggles of sorts. The levels themselves don’t change at all, so you’ll be seeing the game’s death animations and cursing at ridiculous jumps either way. The primary difference is whether or not you get as many chances as you need to get through, or if you’ll have to start over after a few tries.

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Are you enjoying the Modern mode, or looking forward to the continued extinction of life systems? Or are you a challenge junkie who can’t wait to toggle over to Retro mode and never look back? Let us know what you think of Crash Bandicoot 4 over at the Prima Games Facebook and Twitter channels!