From the mid 90s to the early 2000s, Crash Bandicoot was a pretty popular video game character. For a while, we didn’t hear or see much of Crash. Then, a few years ago, fan interested started to pickup again. Activision surprised us with fantastic remake of quite arguably the three best Crash games with Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
Many gamers were wondering what’s next for the orange marsupial hero. It only seemed natural that Crash Team Racing, the fourth installment in the Crash Bandicoot series, would be the next title to get the remaster treatment. Then, at the 2018 Game Awards, Activision announced that indeed Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled was coming for the PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One on June 21, 2019.
Just like Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is rebuilt from the ground up. Developed by Beenox in Quebec, Crash Team Racing Nitro-fueled uses new assets, includes online play, and has new content.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled Details
Platform:Â Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Developer:Â Beenox
Publisher:Â Activision
Genre:Â Kart racing
Modes:Â Single player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating:Â E10+ (Everyone 10+)
Classic and Nitro-Fueled Adventure modes
One of Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled‘s defining features is its story mode. Even when the game originally game on the PlayStation, the game’s story mode helped differentiate it and stand out against the likes of Mario Kart. In Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, you have two different Adventure modes to choose from: Classic or Nitro-Fueled.
Classic Adventure mode plays exactly as it did when originally released back in 1999. You must stop Nitros Oxide from destroying earth. To do this, you must beat opponents in various races across five hub worlds. There are six different types of races that range from Trophy Races, all the way to Gem Cups.
On the other hand, Nitro-Fueled mode can be considered a more modern version of Adventure mode. Here, you can change your character or kart whenever you want and choose from a wide variety of character skins, decals, wheels, stickers, and paint jobs that you unlock during the adventure. Furthermore, there are three different difficulty settings and new HUD.
Tweaked and update gameplay
Beenox did a great job in updating gameplay so that it is tight and responsive. Kart handling feels great and the moment when you blaze past your opponent by taking tight corners is truly satisfying. It’s also worth mentioning that opponents in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled are considerably more aggressive than you’ll find in other kart racing games. That being said, at times it can get a tad frustrating when you get repeatedly hit by cheap shot projectiles.
For those new to the series, you’ll notice that there are few gameplay differences in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. For example, drifting plays an important role in winning in Mario Kart. However, with Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, your powerslide is your best friend. Furthermore, your powerslide has a gauge attached to it, that when full gives you a temporary boost.
Much like other kart racing games, there are a variety of power-ups to help you succeed. Though, by collecting Wumpa Fruits, you can increase a power-ups effectiveness. For example, by collecting 10 Wumpa Fruits, TNT crates will instantly explode when your opponent touches. As opposed to the TNT crate landing on your opponent’s head and giving them a certain amount of time to get rid of it before exploding.
N. Sane visuals
Kudos to Beenox for doing an absolutely wonderful job with Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled‘s visuals. The amount of love and attention to detail that has gone into recreating this game is remarkable. The game’s 30 plus courses are bursting with colour and have been given additional elements that bring them to life while still retaining their nostalgia. Additionally, character models have been given new animations that further enhance the experience.
Performance wise, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled runs at 30fps across all systems. On the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the game runs at 1080p and 720p on the Nintendo Switch. Both PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X achieve a resolution of 1440p.
The game’s original soundtrack composers were brought back for Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled as consultants. All the music from the original game has been modernized and it sounds great. However, if your feeling nostalgic, you can switch between the remastered soundtrack and the original.
Multiplayer fun both online and locally
One of if not the biggest new additions to Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is the addition of online play. Initially, there were several issues with online play but with a recent update those issues appear to have been resolved.
Online modes include racing against others from around the world and battle against them in battle mode. Both are fun and give you plenty to do. Local Arcade is the game’s couch co-op mode that has plenty of race types including capture the flag, time trial and many more.
Recently, Grand Prixs have been added to the game, kicking off the Nitro Tour Grand Prix. Think of this as being similar to seasons in Fortnite. Each season in the Nitro Tour Grand Prix adds new drivers, karts and a brand-new original course to compete in. You complete in daily, weekly, themed and Pro challenges, which earn you Nitro Points. In turn, this fills up your Nitro gauge and unlocks exclusive cosmetic rewards.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is a fantastic kart racer that will keep you coming back for more
Although Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled may have some flaws, it’s a great game that kart racing fans should definitely check out. It includes 31 tracks, 26 playable characters, and a ton of content and modes that will keep you coming back for more. The visuals have been overhauled and look gorgeous! Playing with family and friends online or via couch coop is a blast.
As with Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, the difficulty level in this game is a higher than other games. And, at times, your opponents can attack you with some cheap moves that will leave you frustrated. The Nitro Tour Grand Prix is a genius move that adds virtually limitless replay value to the game.
Did you pickup Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled or plan to? If so, let me know what new feature you like or excites you the most in the comments section below.
+ Over 26 playable characters and 31 tracks to race on
+ Stunning visuals and updated gameplay
+ Online and local play
+ Nitro Tour Grand Prix
+ Ton of content that will keep you coming back for more
– Difficulty of opponents can be frustrating at times
– No tutorial for new gamers to the series
OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF CRASH TEAM RACING NITRO-FUELED
Gameplay:Â 4/5
Graphics:Â 4.5/5
Sound:Â 4/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability:Â 4.5/5
Overall Rating 4.25/5 (85%)
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I was able to try this game quickly, but I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on. I think I’ll have to try it again and see if more time with it will help me figure it out. The game looks amazing and I want to like it!
Thanks for the review!
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