CG Caleb Gayle

Sometimes we look back to our childhood and wish video games were as good as they used to be. Beenox, of course, knows how near and dear the Crash Series is to fans hearts, so with CTR Nitro Fueled the team set out to make this the most fun and visually stunning kart racing game on the market. Does Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled live up to the original PlayStation release, or did it go flat on the track a long time ago? Let's find out now….

So Much Content, Such a Little Price

With all the love and hard work put into this game it still launched at $39.99 and that really shocked me. When I first heard the price, I was honestly thinking the game was going to launch incomplete or lacking original modes from the first game and I can say that is not the case. The game actually comes with a total of 10 playable modes that consist of the Adventure Mode, Single Race, Cup Race, Battle, Time Trial, Relic Race, CTR Challenge, Crystal Challenge, Online Mode, and the Grand Prix that launches for free on July 3rd.

One of the main modes I really jumped into was The Adventure Mode. The adventure mode has a pretty straightforward story. Crash and his companions have been challenged by Nitrous Oxide to race for the planet, and boy is there some challenges ahead. As you make your way through the story, each boss you face will have more crazy ways of trying to slow you down and Nitrous Oxide is by far one of the worst. Shooting Nitrous crates, missiles, and more at you…Your best bet at beating these bosses is to make sure you get in front of them but to do that you have to have the right racer.

Just as in the original, the story does not change depending on the character you choose but it will affect how your play style. There is a total of 25 characters to play with and more on the way, each character has their own skill sets while racing with some being more balanced than others.

Each character has a meter for their speed, acceleration, and turning skills. For example, Crash and DR. Neo Cortex seem to have the most balanced skills with their speed, acceleration, and turning all even on the meter making them easier to use and more dependable for new players. Depending on the type of player you are these skill settings may come in handy, but if your someone new to the series, you have the choice of choosing between a racer that are Beginners, Intermediate, or Advanced. Having the ability to short out the racers really helps players see the skills of the characters easily, helping them choose the best racer for their play style.

I played the other modes as well, but I liked playing couch co-op more than anything. My wife and I run a very competitive gaming household, so when new fighting or racing games come out...it’s time to take our marital frustrations on each other in the virtual world.

Nitro Fueled is by far the best set up I have seen for co-op in a racing game. The placement of the map in the center of the screen was such a smart decision. It opens up the screen for both players giving them a better visual representation of what’s coming their way. I have seen so many games cram everything they can on the screen, which ultimately takes me out of the race. Beenox seems to know what consumers want: a fun, easy to play, visually stunning game.

The overall controls for the game seem tighter this time around. While I really enjoyed the original, it was easier to get used to the control layout and the somewhat difficult boost system. When boosting, you have to turn the analog stick in the direction you want to go, then hold R1. When you see black smoke from your tailpipes, you’ve gotta hit L1. This took me some time to get used to, but after a few races, I got the hang of it. It is a bit different from the other kart racers out there, but I feel it is what sets the game apart from the competition and makes this one of the most challenging and thrilling kart racers of all time!

So, not only did the team bring back a cult classic game that is looking and playing better than ever...but we're also getting Grand Prix that will bring new seasonal tracks, characters, skins, karts, and customizable items for FREE! This shows how much Activision and Beenox really care for their fans, they could have easily charged $59.99 regular version of the game and tacked on “Grand Prix Season Pass” for around $29.99. Now that is a steal!

Burning Rubber in a Beautiful World

As we know, Beenox has worked really hard to bring back the original fun factor from Crash Team Racing (originally launched in 1999) and inject it directly into the remake/remastered version Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled. When I first start up the game I had an instant smile from ear to ear. I could help but think about how excited my 11-year-old self was when I first played this game.

The overhaul on graphics in the game is truly stunning. Just by going through the menu, you can see the type of love and care Beenox put into this game. Of course, when I first played the game I jumped right into the Arcade mode and played Single Race. The track I chose was the classic Crash Cove and man was I floored by what I saw. The level design has been updated so much I was at the point of almost crying.

When I play games, I use it as a way to escape stress and depression from the real, crazy world we live in. Seeing this game in its current form really made me appreciate my childhood and shows how much the dev team really loves this game. Beenox didn't just reskin this game, they rebuilt it from the ground up and made it a work of art. As I drifted around turns, attacked my fellow racers, and jumped with joy as I won my first race, I realized this is what gaming is all about; escaping to have fun and Beenox is a prime example of a studio that really cares for its fans.

The levels are more detailed than ever before with sprawling tracks that come to life and even attack you at times. Seeing these racers, tracks, and environments in stunning 4K resolution has really made me apprentice Beenox more than ever before. I’m sure it would have been really easy for them to say let's just HD Remaster the original and throw it on the store for $29.99, but they didn't.

The breathtaking visuals in CTR: Nitro Fueled really stand out amongst the crowd and also showcase what Beenox can do as a studio. Hell, you can see every strand of hair Crash has! This is a wonderful and overall stunning experience and I suggest even if you don't play kart games you give this game a shot.

While at E3 I was able to talk to the dev team and just hearing their passion about this game gave me hope for our industry. I feel that the industry has changed a lot, though it seems like things are getting better you don't see a lot of games at this visual-calibur that less than $59.99. That goes to show that the company had enough confidence in their game to launch it at a more affordable cost and know that what they made was a great game that all fans would enjoy.

As said above, the graphical presentation in the game is jaw-dropping. The environment, active background scenes, and color scheme really popped and made this crazy, video game world come to life. I’ll go as far as saying this is for sure the best looking cart game on the market and yes, I mean it is even better looking than the plumbers kart racing title

OVERALL

Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled is one of the best kart racing games I have ever played. The characters, level design, music, and overall visuals make this one of my favorite games of 2019. Having so many modes, levels, and characters available Day One at such a cheap price really makes this game a must buy.

Although the drifting and controls can take a bit to get used to, all the other great aspects of this game exudes the exact reasons I gave this title a Best of E3 Nominee Award during E3. I want to thank Beenox and Activision for giving me the opportunity for playing this game. Please check back soon in the coming weeks for my thoughts on the new mode Grand Prix!