Two Words: Must. Have.
From the incredible graphics to the perfected platforming sections, Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped, is not only the best in the series, but possibly the greatest 3-D platformer of all time. One of the greatest games ever made for the PS1, and a notable achievement in Sony's history, it truly is a must-have.
Now, let's get started on the story. It still isn't Final-Fantasy-esque, but it is nevertheless an improvement from the first and second. After the miserable failure of the Cortex Vortex, a fragment of the ruins fall down and break Uka Uka's prison. As you can probably guess from reading this, Uka Uka (It's spelled Aku Aku backwards :P) is Aku Aku's evil twin brother. Imprisoned for thousands of years, Neo Cortex's failure actually sets him free. Uka Uka, angered by Cortex's incompetence (Apparently, he actually works for Uka Uka. Another plothole, made famous by Naughty Dog), almost punishes Cortex himself. But, since Cortex miraculously (and luckily) released Uka Uka from his prison, he lets him go, unscathed.
Uka Uka hires somebody more trustworthy for the job, Dr. N. Trophy (N. Trophy, N. Trophy, N. Trophy.. After saying it a few times fast, it sounds like the word "Entropy". Clever, Naughty Dog...). His assignment is to watch over the time traveling station, while N. Cortex and Uka Uka team up to collect the crystals. Meanwhile, fan favorites such as N. Gin and Tiny Tiger are left to guard the time traveling zones. Uka Uka realizes that his evil twin brother is free, and he sends Crash and his sister on a mission to collect the crystals, gems, and relics (New power source, which I'll tell you about later) before Cortex can.
AThe gameplay also shows more variety, this time around. Other than the mandatory chase levels/platformer levels, you are able to scuba dive deep into the ocean, gallop on a tiger during the construction of the Great Wall of China, dogfight WWII style, ride and flip on a jet ski, and even ride down the highway on a motorcycle. Now, Crash is not just a platformer's game.
The new relic system also incorporates more elements of racing, as you bash through time boxes, and zip through every level, to get through the stages as fast as possible. A sapphire relic represents a good run through, a gold relic represents a great run through, and a platinum relic represents a perfect run through. There's even a hidden level (I won't tell you how you get there, because it's supposed to be a secret), where you gallop on a baby dinosaur in an entirely 2-dimensional level, which is most likely a tribute to the Yoshi-riding segments in Super Mario World, for the SNES.
Even the difficulty is perfect for this game. It isn't as frustrating as Crash 1, and it's definitely harder than Crash 2. For those who want a true challenge, getting 107% (Yup, there's an extra 7% completion you can get from this huge game) is no easy task. For the most hardcore of gamers, you can also beat all of the developer's time trial records and unlock a super-secret hidden alternate ending.
So, Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped, is one of the few video games out there with no flaws to be found. For the time period in which this was released in (1998), the graphics are perfect, the replay value is enormous, the levels are perfectly crafted, and there's a difficulty value for everyone. It's a win-win situation, and there's no reason to miss out on this classic.
Graphics: 10
Gameplay: 10
Difficulty: 10 (If you want to get 107% completion and unlock the hidden alternate ending, this is arguably the hardest game in the series.)
Story: 7 (It doesen't matter, TBH. There are some games that don't need a well-made story to be a classic.)
Replay Value: 10
Overall: 10