Croc 2: 25th Anniversary Edition

Fantastic update!

The original Croc 2 was already a fun game on the GameBoy Color albeit a little dated compared to modern sensibilities. This 25th Anniversary Edition makes the game much more accessible and enjoyable with it's included bug fixes, improved save system, and quality of life improvements to the controls.

A Revival of an Underrated Handheld Platformer

ModRetro’s re-release of Croc 2 is a really nice way to revisit a colorful and overlooked Game Boy Color platformer. The game still has a lot of charm, with varied levels, hidden collectibles, fun puzzles, and that classic late-90s handheld adventure feel. The quality-of-life improvements make it much easier to enjoy today without losing the original intent. It’s another strong preservation release from ModRetro and a great fit for the Chromatic.

A Unique and Charming Handheld Adventure

The Game Boy Color version of Croc 2 takes an unexpected direction, swapping traditional platforming for a top-down, mission-based adventure. Instead of mimicking its 3D console counterpart, it focuses on exploration, objectives, and light puzzle-solving, giving it a distinct identity on the handheld. The game’s ambition is immediately noticeable. Levels are fairly large, encouraging players to explore and interact with characters while completing various tasks. This structure adds a sense of scale not often seen on the system and helps it stand apart from more straightforward titles. Visually, the game is solid, with colorful environments that are easy to navigate and well-suited to the hardware. However, Croc 2 struggles with pacing. Movement is slow, and the lack of a sprint option makes traversing the larger areas feel tedious. Over time, the mission-based design also becomes repetitive, with objectives blending together and reducing the sense of variety. While the simplicity makes it accessible—especially for younger players—it can leave the experience feeling somewhat shallow. Despite these issues, Croc 2 has a certain charm. Its attempt to do something different on the Game Boy Color is commendable, even if the execution falls short.