When Argonaut Games reentered the gaming scene in 2024, many longtime fans were left wondering what the future would hold. During its initial run, which sadly ended in the early 2000s, the company was responsible for helping create so many classics that went on to shape the world of gaming as we know it today. From the original Star Fox and the Super FX chip to their own original titles like Croc, Argonaut pioneered the way for 3D graphics, and we have felt the impact ever since.
With Argonaut's return, however, rather than attempting to compete with AAA game developers, founder Jez San and his team returned to basics—beginning with a remake of the original Croc: Legend of the Gobbos. This was a game originally intended to be a Yoshi platformer before being turned into its own IP and released on the PlayStation. Although it is now getting an official Nintendo 64 port all these years later (just one of the many projects the reborn Argonaut is involved with), being on a competitor's console helped the title stand out from Nintendo's very own Super Mario 64 and distance itself from its original inspiration. The game would go on to become a fan favorite, with the remake doing a great job of adapting it for the modern day while retaining customization options to preserve the original experience.
We here at Netto's Game Room were introduced to Argonaut shortly before the game's release when we were given the opportunity to review it, and we have since been following their new journey back into the world of video games. During that time, Argonaut expressed interest in bringing more titles back to the modern day, but they were not completely sure what form those would take. However, with the announcement of Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos, we finally have an answer: yet another complete remake of a classic.
Once again, courtesy of Argonaut Games and The Redner Group, we've been given the chance to check out Croc's next adventure ahead of release to see what it is all about. Interestingly, while the original release was simply called Croc 2, the remaster comes complete with a subtitle. This is because the game was always intended to be called Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos, but the name was changed before release—a story that is told in-game by Jez himself.
That said, I personally missed out on playing Croc 2 when it originally released, though I do remember the TV commercials quite vividly! While it definitely interested me, at the time I was limited on which games I could play, and even finding them in stores could be quite a challenge. So finally being able to play the game for myself over 25 years later was a surreal feeling to say the least, and I didn't know what to expect going in. While I did enjoy the original Croc's remake, it wasn't something I could call "perfect," though it was easy to see why so many fans fell in love with it back when it first released. With its sequel, I went in expecting more of the same tight-knit, challenging levels that would push me to the limits at times while becoming relaxing as I adapted to them and learned every nuance. Little did I know how big of a step up Croc 2 really was, with a mostly new approach.
The Story:
Croc 2 offers a simple story while stepping up its game compared to the original. This time around, Croc leaves his home to search for his missing parents and help the little Gobbo creatures he encounters along the way. While the game contains mini-cutscenes, a lot of the story unfolds during gameplay, with Croc now having the ability to speak to the Gobbos themselves—or rather, they stop and reach out to him. During these dialogue scenes, the cute little creatures voice their concerns and request the help of our scaly hero, which in turn directs him toward the many different stages. Each region of the world has a different set of characters to encounter, with a treacherous baddie to take down at the end, before finally moving onto the next set of stages. The story isn't anything crazy, but it is both charming and feels right at home in a platformer from the late '90s. It could also have made for great episodes of the Croc cartoon that was originally planned but sadly never came to fruition.
Although having more context for Croc's actions is great, and speaking to the Gobbos can be fun just to hear their unique little language, I'll admit that not having a dedicated button to speak to them is a bit of an inconvenience. They literally talk to you whenever you get close, which can lead to plenty of unwanted repeat encounters. Thankfully, there is a skip button for when a Gobbo tries to tell you to jump for the 20th time!
Gameplay:
Although Croc 2 is still a 3D platformer, it takes a completely different approach compared to the original, which featured tight, bite-sized stages selected from a map. Now, each region of the world is a fully 3D hub with Gobbos to speak to, doors that lead into the levels themselves, and additional challenges to discover along the way. These hubs are not large by any means, but they help the game feel more like an adventure and provide a little break from the standard levels.
When it comes to the controls of Croc 2, they are surprisingly smooth and responsive. The new remastered control options feel fantastic, and not once was there a moment where I felt cheated for not making a jump or missing an enemy I was trying to take out. While there is a snowball-rolling minigame that is still a bit awkward with its physics, and some rope swinging that could use improvement, everything else works perfectly—better than some actual modern platformers, in fact. That said, the classic Croc 2 controls are still available for those who want the true retro experience, though I personally cannot recommend them.
As for Croc himself, he has a handful of actions to make use of, with some being area-specific. By default, he can run, jump, ground pound, and whip his tail to attack enemies. He can also pick up and throw objects, push blocks to solve puzzles, climb specific surfaces, and, as previously mentioned, swing from ropes. Additionally, there are new items he can use at specific points in the world that allow him to bounce higher or send out a little wind-up toy to grab items and crystals that are out of reach. These items must be purchased using crystals, but they are something you should always keep on hand just in case a situation arises where they are needed—which happens quite often once you get into the stages.
The levels in Croc 2 are similar to the original, but they have been greatly expanded and often offer a new gimmick or two to contend with. Introductory levels start out easier, with Croc mostly needing to jump over small gaps and climb up platforms while attacking or dodging enemies, but the first "world" alone ramps things up quite a bit. Croc can only survive so many hits, but gongs found in each stage will heal him and act as checkpoints if he dies. Thankfully, these checkpoints can be hit multiple times to keep Croc's health up as needed, though it can be an inconvenience to backtrack if they are truly necessary. Permanent health upgrades can also be purchased in the shop found in each hub, so health management becomes less of a problem as the difficulty starts to crank up.
Fortunately, Croc 2 features a more open-ended structure, with each hub giving you access to all standard stages from the start. So, while the minecart level is technically the second one you will see, you can save it for later if you find the platforming, climbing, and backtracking required to complete it too much of an early challenge. This is a great example of how diverse each stage truly is, as you are rarely doing the same type of level twice. While they are mostly platforming levels, their themes constantly change, and sometimes the gameplay itself is drastically different. The aforementioned snowball stage puts Croc on a slippery slope as he attempts to navigate its winding twists and turns to reach the end. Meanwhile, the boat stage is a full-on race to the finish, complete with a shortcut to ensure your victory. These gimmicks extend to the bosses as well, which are all quite unique, featuring their own methods to defeat them. All of this keeps the game from getting stale, making each new set of levels an adventure into the unknown. While they might not be technically impressive by modern standards, they are a lot of fun, and that is what matters most. But it does not stop there.
Collectibles are another major focus in Croc 2, just as they were in the previous title. Every stage has 100 crystals to find, which are used as currency in the shop, as well as five colored crystals that sometimes require special items to reach. Collecting them all will reveal a teleporter that lets you obtain a Golden Gobbo, and finding all of the Golden Gobbos within a world will open up a special door containing a Jigsaw Piece. Players wanting to 100% complete the game will need to search every nook and cranny to find every collectible, which is no easy task. Even the smaller stages hide their items quite well, so it will take a keen eye to find everything—though the binoculars Croc is given at the start of the game make this a bit easier.
While the stages in Croc 2 are quite fun, there is another aspect that cannot be ignored: the soundtrack. The tunes featured in the game are catchy and strangely nostalgic, despite this being the first time I have heard them. This might mainly be because the style is very similar to other platformers from that era; a handful of tracks would have felt right at home in something like Super Mario 64. Either way, they fit the stages very well. It was not long before I was humming along as I attempted to find the secrets in each level.
The Croc2pedia:
Just as the first game's remake contained the Crocipedia, Croc 2 features the Croc2pedia: an interactive museum with tons of bonus content to view. This includes, but is not limited to, promotional material for the original release of the game, the script for the Croc 2 hintline, and exclusive interviews with the development team. All of this is quite nice, with plenty of interesting facts to learn, but the inclusion of cut content to explore was a very welcome surprise. As someone who enjoys the technical side of game development and has some experience with it, I have always liked checking out stages, enemies, and other parts of a game that were cut or are generally inaccessible. With the Croc2pedia, we as players can now use a 3D camera to explore this content and learn a bit more about what could have been. It might not be for everyone, but I am sure longtime fans of the series will especially appreciate seeing something new.
Although plenty of material is available from the moment you start up the game, the Croc2pedia contains a lot of unlockables that require actually completing challenges in Croc 2 to access. This provides additional motivation to see and do everything the main game has to offer, and I thought it was a really nice touch. Rather than simply looking at everything right away, you have to put in the time and effort, and it is always fun to come back and see what is new after a pop-up message informs you of a new unlock. I personally like this system a lot, but those who want to dive into the bonus content right away might be a bit disappointed. But not everything can just be handed to you all the time, right?
Should you play it?
After spending quite some time with Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos and attempting to complete everything, it became easy to see why so many fans loved the original release, despite the issues that plagued it—which were mainly the awkward camera and limited draw distance. It is a solid platformer with fun and unique stages, as well as plenty of content to sink your teeth into. The hub worlds are a nice change of pace from the map screen featured in the first game, and I was greatly impressed with the controls. Yes, there are some hiccups with the swinging physics and the snowball minigame, but in general, the game is simply a joy to play! Everything else is so smooth and responsive that I never felt cheated when I misjudged a jump—which rarely happened because of how tightly Croc actually controls. Of course, the game also shows its age from time to time, and players expecting the wider, open areas that became popular during the mid-to-late '90s might be disappointed to see the still semi-condensed linear stages. Honestly, though, it is a refreshing change of pace. Not every 3D platformer needs to be Super Mario 64, Spyro, or later releases like Jak and Daxter; Croc retained its own identity and offered an experience that was entirely its own—though I cannot help but wonder what a larger, more modern Croc 3 could look like.
VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
Review Copy was Provided
Available On: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5,
Xbox Series X|S, and PC
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