Christmas 1999. PlayStation players had an exceptional year to say the least, with the launch (in Europe) of Metal Gear Solid at the start of the year, Final Fantasy VIII, Silent Hill of the first name, Tony Hawk Skateboarding, Medal of Honor, from Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, from Dino Crisis, without forgetting Driver and his cursed parking lot. A crazy year therefore, marked moreover in November by the highly anticipated launch of a clone of Mario Kart 64, but in PlayStation version: Crash Team Racing.
In the small world of video games, the years pass… but the passion and the memories remain! Re:Play looks back at the great classics of video game history. A little return to the future past, in search of your child or adolescent soul, the very one that has undoubtedly already made you (or will make you) utter the magic formula “it was better before”. What if it was true…? So we blow into the cartridge, let’s go for Re:Play!
Crash Bandicoot… but Super Mario Kart style
In the 1990s, many genres attracted the favor of gamers. We obviously enjoy countless platform games (Rayman, Super Mario, Sonic, etc.), but also very arcade-style sports adaptations (hello NBA JAM), without forgetting the essential fighting games (Street Fighter 2, etc.), beat games. em all (Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Final Fight…), but also… kart games. In 1992, a certain Super Mario Kart was launched on Super Nintendo, and which gave birth to a whole new trend.
Indeed, many publishers quickly worked on their own version of Mario Kart. At Ubisoft for example, they launched a certain Street Racer in 1994, which enjoyed its small success. In 1996, it was Sunsoft which offered Ayrton Senna Kart Duel, without forgetting Rock’n Roll Racing then the unforgettable Mario Kart 64, which would lead to Diddy Kong Racing, Chocobo Racing, Megaman Battle and Chase and Bomberman Fantasy Race. … At the time, everyone (or almost) wanted their own karting game.
And while a certain Sony PlayStation is already installed in many homes, Naughty Dog, behind Crash Bandicoot, decides to develop a karting game in turn. Its name: Crash Team Racing. A game that features many characters from the original trilogy, which was a real hit on PlayStation.
A launch at the dawn of the year 2000
It was between September and November 1999 that Crash Team Racing (or CTR) was launched worldwide. The game allows you to find no less than 15 characters from the famous franchise, for wild races. As in Mario Kart, objects, the main game mechanic, sometimes favor the player, sometimes destabilize the opponents. No coin here (like in Super Mario Kart), but Wumpas, fruits which allow you to increase the maximum speed and the effect of certain objects. No invincibility star, but an Aku Aku mask, which allows you to benefit from temporary protection.
In short, it’s the same, but it’s not the same, and for many players, Crash Team Racing immediately stands out as “PlayStation’s Mario Kart“. Like the Nintendo game, drifting is an integral part of the gameplay, and is executed via the L and R buttons on the PlayStation controller… just like you know. The system is, however, richer than the competitor with the red cap, with the possibility of chaining three turbos during a skid, a mechanic which arises directly from the Nintendo 64 episode of Mario Kart.
To stand out from Nintendo’s game, Crash Team Racing offers an Adventure mode, playable only solo. The latter requires participating in various races and other arenas, with many items to glean (including three CTR letters hidden in each level). The levels (and characters) gradually open up over the course of the player’s exploits, and everything incorporates “boss fights“, a bit like a classic platform game, but remodeled with a karting twist.
Of course, there is also an Arcade mode, to configure the race of your choice, with the possibility here of playing with a companion, via two-player mode. No online mode obviously (it’s 1999), here we benefit from a two-player mode locally, on the same sofa or the same mat, each race including 6 opponents managed by the AI. Finally, CTR also includes a Time Trial mode and a Battle mode, allowing up to four players to play (via Multitap), in dedicated arenas (like in who you know).
At the time, the game producers believed that the game engine of this Crash Team Racing was “the most powerful ever developed on PlayStation“. And it must be said that the game, developed in just under a year by around twenty people, is impressive. Visually of course, but also because of its handling, very dynamic, with a very assertive “drift” side, and essential to the gameplay (like in a good old Ridge Racer).
A sliding title and AI… who’s cheating?
Despite its racing orientation, the game does not deny its origins as a platform game, and each route is full of shortcuts and other passages to find, often through a jump or a mastered slide.
Note that the title is also based on an AI which “cheated” depending on the situation. Thus, if he is in the lead, the game will encourage opponents to target the player in order to slow down as much as possible a Max Verstappen-style breakaway at Interlagos in 2024. Conversely, if he is behind, the competitors managed by AI will do everything to “to wait for” the player, and allow him to move up in the rankings.
Upon its release, in addition to a major promotional campaign, already started a few months earlier in the magazines of the time, Crash Team Racing will also benefit from the benefits… of a playable demo (from January 2000 via the official magazine). Thus, like a Siphon Filter (to cite another PlayStation game), CTR will be tested by millions of players, through a short demo which will trigger a purchase among many of them.
Also, in the United States, Crash Team Racing will occupy third place among the best-selling games at the end of 1999, behind Resident Evil 3 and Knockout Kings 2000. In total, the game will sell nearly 2 million copies. copies in the United States and 300,000 copies in Japan, for a total of 5 million sales worldwide.
Crash Team Racing back in stores since 2019
And for the record, this same Crash Team Racing was relaunched in 2019 on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, in the form of a… remake. Indeed, after the Crash Bandicoot N’Sane Trilogy compilation, bringing together the redesigns of the first three opuses, Activision offered a modern reissue of this much-loved racing game.
Obviously, modernity requires, in addition to modern graphics, this Crash Team Racing Nitro Fueled also offered online play as well as various customization possibilities.
Note that another karting game featuring Crash Bandicoot and his clique (Crash Nitro Kart) was launched in 2003 on various platforms, which once again filled a lack of Mario-Kart Like on many platforms, facing a Nintendo GameCube which also had a certain Mario Kart Double Dash. Worse (or better?) yet, the game published by Universal Interactive was launched the same month as the Nintendo game…
