Beloved 1997 3D platformer Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is being remastered for PC and consoles, and it’s coming from a newly revived version of originaly developer Argonaut Games.
Argonaut was founded by Jez San in 1982 and would go on to release the likes of Starglider and Birds of Prey before teaming up with Nintendo to create 1993’s classic on-rails space shooter Star Fox. A second Nintendo partnership resulted in 1994’s Stunt Race FX, and the studio would go on to release games for another decade before it closed amid financial troubles in 2004 – with many of the team ending up at Batman Arkham developer Rocksteady Studios.
20 years later, Argonaut Games is being resurrected as a “boutique publisher” by new co-CEOs Gary Sheinwald and Mike Arkin. And while San doesn’t appear to be involved with the revival, he does pop up in the announcement press release to say, “Argonaut was always about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming, and I’m excited to see how the relaunched Argonaut Games builds on that legacy, starting with the Croc: Legend of the Gobbos remaster.”
Argonaut originally released Croc: Legend of the Gobbos for PlayStation in 1997, taking players – as the titular crocodile – on a platforming adventure through the polygonal Gobbo Valley in a bid to free their friends from the evil magician Baron Dante.
Croc’s newly announced 2024 remaster promises enhanced high-definition graphics, updated modern control mechanics, and a “nostalgic, fun, and authentic gameplay experience”. It’ll also feature the Crocipedia, an “extensive and meticulously curated digital museum” incorporated the likes of game design documents, concept art, animation tests, and team member interviews.
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos’ remaster doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’ll be launching for PC and “all the current consoles” later this year. After that, Argonaut says it has a “planned slate of classic Argonaut IP and exciting original titles for both current and retro-gaming platforms.”