Crash Team Racing is getting a remastered version in 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation classic was originally released in 1999. The remake comes just in time for Crash Team Racing’s 20th anniversary.
Developed by Naughty Dog, Crash Team Racing was a popular kart racing game featuring Sony’s mascot at the time, Crash Bandicoot, a character who starred in several of his own platformer games. The game included 15 playable characters from the world of Crash, including his archenemy Cortex, friends, mini-bosses, and more. Courses were based on levels from Crash’s previous games. Though Crash Team Racing wasn’t able to match the popularity of the game that inspired it, Mario Kart, Crash Team Racing was successful in its own right and was well-received by both critics and fans. A sequel, Crash Nitro Kart, was released in 2003 for various consoles.
At the Games Awards 2018, Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled was officially announced and is being developed by Beenox. One distinct difference between the remastered version and the original is that Nitro-Fueled will come with both online and offline play. The addition of online play will open up all sorts of new ways for players to enjoy the game. Other modes from the original will return, such as adventure and time trials. Four-player split screen will also be supported. More details about the game’s features may be announced in the months leading up to the game’s release in the summer.
The game’s reveal trailer highlights the game’s enhanced graphics, which are a major improvement over its 20-year-old predecessor. The updated graphics is reminiscent of the art featured in Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy, the remastered collection of Crash Bandicoot’s first three games: Crash Bandicoot, Warped, and Cortex Strikes Back. Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy sold extremely well on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, and for a time was the fastest-selling game of 2018, which shows that nostalgia is becoming a powerful driving force in today’s video game industry. The game remained at the top of the UK video game charts for a string of several weeks, and is still going strong. So it’s no surprise that the success of N. Sane Trilogy is beginning to spark a comeback for the classic Sony mascot.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled releases June 21, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
