SSSV

Developer Toys For Bob has a long and storied history stretching back thirty years, although you may know them more recently for the Skylanders series and two excellent platformer compilations: the Switch version of Naughty Dog's (via Vicarious Visions) Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and the revival of Insomniac's Spyro platformers in Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

In a recent interview following the release of a brand new entry in the Crash series (sadly not yet confirmed for Switch, despite rumours), Creative Producer Louis Studdert has spoken of a cult classic N64 title that he's got on the brain. Chatting with Ewan Moore over at Lad Bible, Studdert had the following to say when asked about potential next moves for the studio:

I was trying to figure out what other mascots are there that would be worth going back to?... It was funny, because I kept thinking, the things that I like, are not necessarily what the world likes. I kept coming back to... there's a Nintendo 64 game called Space Station Silicon Valley."

"That's where my brain goes, because I'm very weird... So I actually think the Crash franchise is perfect for me, because it allows us to kind of weird and zany and crazy stuff. And I'm pretty happy with where we're at right now."

Spacestation Silicon Valley
Image: Nintendo Life

To be clear, this appears to be a personal wish of Studdert's and not a hint of any future project. Having been given the keys to the Crash franchise with a canonical fourth game, the logical assumption is that Toys For Bob might have similar plans for a particular purple dragon — the team appears very confortable with the Crash and Spyro series.

Still, it's very nice to see the cult favourite get namechecked *checks notes*... twenty-two years after release (almost to the day, in fact — it launched on N64 on 21st October 1998). Space Station Silicon Valley was developed by DMA Design, the team behind Lemmings, Body Harvest, and a little boutique series called Grand Theft Auto (before the studio rebranded as Rockstar North). The game saw you body-hop between animals and use their unique skills to solve a host of platforming puzzles and similar problems.

It's a little rough around the edges, but Space Station Silicon Valley is an enjoyably quirky experience with a wicked sense of humour, and definitely deserving of a little love and attention, if not a full-blown remaster. Throw Toys For Bob another set of keys, we say!

Coincidentally, we picked up a copy of Silicon Valley only a couple of weeks ago. Have you played it recently? Reckon it deserves its cult classic status? Let us know below.

[source ladbible.com]