Crash Team Racing Review – Fast and Furry-ious

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Our review format is not your usual fare and we’ve broken it down into 3 very simple ratings!

“Buy it!” means that the game deserves a place in your collection. Be it day 1 or a slightly delayed purchase, it’s hard to go wrong with this title. In numbers, this is around a 8/10 and above.
“Wait for it…” means that the game probably isn’t worth it at its day 1 price point, we suggest you wait for a sale before jumping in. In numbers, this is around a 5 – 7/10.
“Trash it!” means that the game is not something we’d recommend playing, whether it be now or in the near future, unless you want to intentionally hurt yourself. Let’s not even go to the numbers for this one.

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  • Release Date: June 21
  • Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Switch
  • Modes: Single player, Local and Online Multiplayer
  • Similar Games: Mario Kart, Team Sonic Racing
  • Price: PHP 1,995 (updated price from day one release of PHP 1,795)

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Back in the day, if it wasn’t Mario Kart, it was Crash Team Racing. Friendships were formed and destroyed and fast forward 20 years later, Crash is back looking spiffier than ever. Check out our review to see if Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled is worth your time and money!

Blast from the past

For newcomers, Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled is a racing game that will have you choosing from several characters as you race through multiple tracks to see who is the fastest and furriest creature in town. Scattered across the track are crates that will give you power ups to get a heads up on the competition. From TNT to Nitrous tanks, you’ll need to use these strategically if you want to come out on top. This was a game first released in 1999 and is now back into our living rooms in all its remastered glory. Caught up? Let’s dive right in.

CTR Nitro Fueled is a textbook remaster by all accounts. It boasts of better graphics and literally the same gameplay and controls from before. All 31 tracks from the previous games are included as well as a whopping 26 characters to play around with. The magic of this remaster lies in the wonderfully lush environments that come alive as you race through them. Everything looks superb and the developers Beenox have done a fine job of reimagining the world 20 years later.

Crash and burn

/Rant I loved Mario Kart. Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, and Mario Kart DS were my go to games in the realm of “kart racing” because they were not only fun but also had a fantastic control scheme. Crash Team Racing suffered from the ONE thing I could not get over even after countless hours, the horrible power slide implementation. There was something off with hopping and turning at the same time that Mario Kart got right and CTR didn’t. While I do love the skill level involved where you have to press the opposite power slide button to prolong and enhance the boost, the hopping and turning part really irks me. Apart from that, CTR’s control scheme is very tight, responsive, and easy to learn. /Rant

This game is tough as balls. It was tough then as it is now so if you hate a challenge, stay away. The term medium difficulty is very misleading because it is certainly more than enough to rattle you. Pair it with the incredibly frustrating power slide mechanic, which you’ll actually need to use most of the time, and things could get into the “throw your controller” territory. Veteran players will feel right at home while newcomers will certainly get a splash of water in the face.

Crash-hog day

Replayability is high because there is a lot of content to unlock. In adventure mode, you’ll need to make your way through a number of tracks before you face a boss that you’ll have to beat in order to unlock the next area, where more tracks and another boss will stand in your way. A podium finish is not enough, and you’ll have to top the charts if you want to proceed to the next track. The bosses are tough enough because they have unlimited power ups so you’ll be repeating this process quite a number of times, maybe even more than you’d like.

You’ll want to keep repeating a lot of these races though because doing this will give you Wumpa Coins, which you can spend over at the shop to purchase all sorts of stuff that has item availability on rotation. If you can’t find the item you’re looking for, best to check back again some other time. Given that there are so many customization options to choose from such as variations of kart bodies, character skins, stickers, paint jobs, and much more, racing towards that goal of purchasing that next item is ultimately very satisfying. Some of the items are quite expensive BUT due to the sheer number of races you’ll be playing due to difficulty, then I guess the prices are justified. Some of these cannot be purchased so you’ll need to complete adventure mode to eventually unlock them all.

crash team racing nitro fueled

What we liked:

  • Graphics look amazing and performance is buttery smooth
  • TONS of customization options
  • 26 playable characters and at least 31 tracks
  • Great price point

What we didn’t like:

  • Loading times, especially on the Switch
  • Hard as balls
  • Horrible online multiplayer (Fixed as of the latest patch)

Verdict: BUY IT!

Crash Team Racing is the same game we’ve known and loved through the years. Beenox has given the game a breath of fresh air with tons of customization options, no micro transactions, and the option for online multiplayer (FINALLY). While the PS4 and Xbox versions will have Crash playing and looking his best, the portability of the Switch just takes the game to a whole new level of enjoyment. You can be assured of a nitro fueled nostalgia trip that’s worth the ride whatever platform you choose to play on!

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Videogame Content Editor. A father and gamer. Would gladly trade what’s left of his soul to witness a Final Fantasy 6 and Xenogears remake done during his lifetime.

Picture of Chris Garcia

Chris Garcia

Videogame Content Editor. A father and gamer. Would gladly trade what’s left of his soul to witness a Final Fantasy 6 and Xenogears remake done during his lifetime.

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