Doctor Neo Cortex
Doctor Neo Cortex | |
---|---|
Crash Bandicoot character | |
First appearance | Crash Bandicoot (1996) |
Last appearance | Crash Team Rumble (2023) |
Created by | Andy Gavin Jason Rubin |
Designed by | Charles Zembillas |
Voiced by | English
Japanese
|
In-universe information | |
Weapon | Raygun |
Nationality | American |
Doctor Neo Periwinkle Cortex[2] is a character and the main antagonist of the Crash Bandicoot video game series. He has appeared in every mainline game in the series as Crash Bandicoot's archenemy, as well as a playable character in several spin-off titles. Cortex is an egomaniacal mad scientist who seeks to achieve world domination with the use of the Evolvo-Ray, a machine capable of creating genetically enhanced soldiers from ordinary animals. Crash was one such subject but thwarted the scientist's plot; Cortex is subsequently determined to eliminate Crash as an obstacle to world domination.
Cortex was created by
Concept and creation
During the development of Crash Bandicoot, Naughty Dog founders Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin conceived the idea of Cortex while eating near Universal Interactive Studios. Gavin came up with the idea of an "evil genius villain with a big head" who was "all about his attitude and his minions". Rubin, having become fond of the animated television series Pinky and the Brain, imagined a more malevolent version of the Brain with minions resembling the weasel characters in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. After Gavin put on a voice depicting the attitude in mind for the character, he and Rubin instantly came up with the name "Doctor Neo Cortex". Gavin and Rubin described Cortex to character designer Charles Zembillas as "[having] a huge head but a tiny body, he's a mad scientist, and he dresses a bit like a Nazi from The Jetsons". Rubin owns the original sketches of Cortex by Zembillas.[4]
Crash Bandicoot co-artist Joe Pearson wrote a full backstory for Cortex as part of the game's production bible.
Cortex was kept stationary in many of his early appearances because his game model was unable to walk properly due to the short length of his legs.[4] Artist Nicholas Kole adjusted Cortex's proportions for his appearance in Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, though according to Kole, Cortex's more "debonair" build resulted in his animations turning out "too handsome". In response, the game's artists created an expression sheet to preserve Cortex's comedic characterization.[9]
Voice portrayal
Cortex is voiced by
Characteristics
Cortex's most distinguishing physical traits are his large head, yellow skin,[4][24] pointed goatee and the N tattooed onto his forehead.[25][26] Cortex is near-bald with the exception of a few areas on his head; Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin jokingly explained that Cortex only uses Rogaine on those select areas,[27] while Joe Pearson's production bible suggests that Cortex had been prematurely balding since his infancy.[7] Cortex stands 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) and weighs 59 kilograms (130 lb).[28]
Cortex's basic characterization was conceived by Gavin and Rubin as "A villain, all full of himself, unable to conceive of ever doing anything the simple way, but constantly (in his eyes) betrayed by the incompetence of his henchmen".
Appearances
Main series
In
In
In Crash of the Titans, Cortex kidnaps Coco and steals a large quantity of Mojo from an ancient temple, planning to use it to create an army of "Titans", which will aid him in the construction of the Doominator, a giant robot capable of destroying the Wumpa Islands. After failing once more to destroy Crash, Cortex is lambasted by Uka Uka, who replaces him with Nina. Incapacitated for much of the game, Cortex is denied the opportunity to watch his Doominator in action. At the end of the game, Cortex rescues Nina from the collapsing Doominator and praises her for her treachery, but nevertheless promises retribution. In Crash: Mind over Mutant, Cortex deposits Nina at his Evil Public School, then reconciles with Brio to invent the NV, a personal digital assistant that controls whoever uses it by transmitting negative Mojo; the Mojo is forcibly extracted from Uka Uka after Cortex takes him captive. Cortex later engages in a fight with Crash inside his new Space Head space station, empowering himself with the use of Brio's mutation formula. Upon losing the fight, Cortex throws a tantrum, causing the Space Head to plummet towards Earth. Cortex returns to normal and escapes the Space Head in a smaller shuttle.
In Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, which retcons the games following Warped from continuity,[32] Cortex and Tropy escape from their temporal prison, which creates rifts leading to different dimensions, and they begin a plot to conquer the multiverse. After another defeat to Crash, Cortex prepares to retire until Tropy announces his own plot to reshape the multiverse, which would erase both Crash and Cortex from existence. Cortex, incensed by Tropy's betrayal, teams up with Crash and his group to stop Tropy and seal the dimensional rifts. Following a celebratory trip to a futuristic metropolis, Cortex kidnaps Kupuna-Wa − a magical "Quantum Mask" with time-altering powers − and uses her to travel back in time to his original bid for world domination and avert Crash's creation. However, he is unable to convince his past self to abandon the experiment, and is again defeated by the present Crash. The present Cortex is banished by the Quantum Masks to the end of the universe, where Cortex relaxes on a beach and enjoys the peace and quiet until Uka Uka suddenly appears before him.[33]
A series of collectible "Flashback Tapes" in the game detail Cortex's training of the then-unnamed Crash prior to his initiation into Cortex's army,
Other games
Cortex appears as a playable character in the racing titles
Promotion and reception
Cortex has been featured in a series of Crash Bandicoot action figures produced by Resaurus. For Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, Resaurus produced a "Dr. Neo Cortex" figure bundled with a laser gun, a Wumpa Fruit and a Crystal as seen in the game.[52] A vinyl figure by Funko and a rubber duck by Numskull Designs have also been made in Cortex's image.[53][54] On July 28, 2020, First 4 Figures unveiled a 21-inch resin collectible figure of Cortex, with an estimated Q3 2021 release date. The figure depicts a scene from the boss fight against him in Crash Bandicoot: Warped, in which Cortex wields a ray gun and a timed mine. The figure will be released in both a standard and exclusive edition; the exclusive version features a light-up hoverboard, mine and smoke trail.[55][56]
Cortex has ranked within a number of lists of best video game villains. Robert Workman of
Clancy Brown's vocal performances as Cortex have received positive notice from reviewers. Major Mike of
Cortex's portrayal and Lang's vocal performance in Crash Twinsanity were also praised. Reviewers appreciated the added dimension to Cortex's personality and considered the character and his dialogue to be the most entertaining and accomplished in the game.[63][64][65] Nick Valentino of GameZone described Cortex as "nutty in the best possible way",[66] while Andrew Reiner of Game Informer admitted that "turning Cortex into a cross-dressing lunatic brought about a few chuckles".[67]
Eddie Makuch of GameSpot, discussing the demo for Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, was delighted by Cortex's "cartoonishly evil" personality, and Alessandro Fillari of the same publication appreciated his humanization after observing him from a distance in the original games, describing him as "sort of like the Wile E. Coyote, but with more advanced technology and a bigger ego. He's somehow always two steps behind Crash, which is hilarious".[68]
References
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Park Drone: Hey, man. You trying to sneak around in forbidden areas but can't because of your huge head and bright yellow skin?
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Doctor Neo Cortex: Three years I spent alone in the frozen Antarctic wastes, and I missed you!
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External links
- Doctor Neo Cortex at Crash Mania