Alexx Aplin
Alexx AplinA lot of people grew up playing Mario Kart, but as a kid, I found myself drawn toward a different racing game. There were a few that caught my attention as a kid, whether I was pod-racing on the Dreamcast or playing Burnout on a PlayStation console. However, the racing game that I had the fondest memories of, was none other than Crash Team Racing. Now, to my glee and surprise, Crash and his pals have returned in a remastered racing experience.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is a remastered, enhanced version of the original Crash Team Racing, with courses and content from Crash Nitro Kart and Crash Tag Team Racing. Additionally, Activision has added a few interesting mechanics that should, hopefully, give the game a bit more longevity.
If you’ve played a “Kart Racer” in the last ten years, then you should have an idea of what you’re getting into. If not, basically you drive through each race-track, using power-ups, and trying to be the fastest racer on the course. Each course has hazards and obstacles that will try to impede your progress, and can easily be the factor that makes you win or lose.
Each racer has their own speed, acceleration, and turn stats, so picking a character that suits your racing style is important. Additionally, you can customize your Kart with different bodies, wheels, paint, and various other cosmetic additions. Each racer also has a variety of skins you can unlock, changing their appearance as well.
Now, here’s where things take a turn for the new and exciting. Nitro-Fueled introduces two very special mechanics, the Pit Stop and the Grand Prix. The Grand Prix is a monthly event similar to Seasons in other games. With the Grand Prix, you are given a variety of missions, daily, weekly, themed, ranked, and more. These missions give you Nitro, which fills up a meter that slowly unlocks various unlockables.
These rewards may range from characters to skins, to car bodies, paint jobs, decals and more. Luckily, not all Grand Prix missions require online play or Multiplayer. I had a few issues pre-release playing online (because obviously, no one else was playing) and yet I was able to get some nitro points and complete missions, such as performing a successful power slide.
On the subject of Power-Slides, Nitro-Fueled does something interesting with the concept of turbo-boosting. By power-sliding, you are able to get around sharp turns. However, if you press the alternate power slide button (the opposite bumper/trigger depending on your platform) when the kart’s exhaust turns black, it gives you a short speed boost. You can do this up to three consecutive times, with a bigger boost each time.
You can also boost by pressing the power-slide button to hop at the height of a ramp, giving you a higher lift-off, with a boost once you land. Obviously, there are also boost pads on courses, as well as power-ups that give you a boost of speed but learning how the power-slide works is very important.
Back to the subject of the Grand Prix though; should you miss out on rewards from a previous Grand Prix, they will become rewards at a later date in the Pit Stop. The Pit Stop is a store that allows you to use Wumpa Coins (gained from races) to purchase skins, characters, decals, and more. The Pit Stop’s offerings are different each day, so you always have new things to purchase.
It takes a while to accumulate Wumpa Coins since each race nets you between 20 and 50 coins at a time. I did manage to do a few Online Matchmaking races post-release and discovered that the Wumpa Coin rewards are basically the same.
In terms of modes, there are tons of things to do besides just racing with other people. Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled offers a full story mode, as well as the Local Arcade, which has a variety of options such as battle mode and time trials.
In the story mode, you play as whomever you like, as they attempt to prepare for a race with Nitros Oxide, who has challenged the people of Crash’s planet to defeat him in a race. If he is not defeated, Oxide plans to take over the planet, much like he has done with so many others.
Adventure mode is split into different segments, which are navigable by a hub world. After completing a certain number of races (and getting trophies for winning) you unlock bosses, which you must race to open up the next world. Once you complete a world, you can play the levels again to earn CTR coins, Crystals, and Relics, which open up special levels (and unlock skins and other unlockables.)
If I’m honest, I feel like Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is exactly what I’ve been wanting from a Kart Racer. I don’t have to have other people to play with unless I want to play online or compete with friends. Yet I can also play solo as much as I want, and there are varying difficulties so I can tailor my experience to my personal needs.
Full disclosure, I’m terrible at racing games, but even losing to people online was an absolute blast. The Grand Prix also gives you the incentive to try new things and new characters. There is never a dull moment, and there is always something fun to do. Even when I found myself frustrated with the challenges, I still had an absolute blast.
To tell the truth, I can’t really complain about much in Nitro-Fueled. Most of my issues with the game come from my own inadequacy regarding timed areas, so most people probably won’t have any issues. The tracks are beautiful, the skins and kart designs are impeccable, and there is so much to love in this game.
If you’re looking for a new racing game to play, or something fun to play with family and friends, Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled will hit that spot nicely for you. If you played any of the previous Crash Team Racing games, and want to relive those days, this will also hit the spot for you too. With Spyro and other characters coming soon to the game, there is a lot of racing fun to be had as well.
A Nintendo Switch review copy of Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled was provided by Activision for this review.
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🔥129Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled
$39.99
Pros
- Fantastic Racing Gameplay
- Online and Offline Modes
- Grand Prix Offers Lots of Extra Content
- Multiple Difficulties for Adventure Mode
Cons
- Timed Challenges Can Be Frustrating
