CTR: Crash Team Racing

CTR: Crash Team Racing is a single-player and multiplayer kart racing game featuring characters and settings from the Crash Bandicoot series. The story centers on an alien speedster named Nitros Oxide, who arrives on Earth and challenges its best drivers. If no one can beat him, he plans to enslave the planet and turn it into a giant parking lot. Players choose one of the available characters and race across themed tracks to collect trophies, relics, and gems in order to confront Oxide and prove Earth’s worth.

Races are held on closed circuits with up to eight competitors. The game’s Adventure Mode combines story progression with a series of races against computer-controlled drivers. Completing each track earns trophies, while winning boss encounters against characters such as Ripper Roo, Papu Papu, and Pinstripe rewards keys needed to unlock new areas of the hub world. Once all trophies and boss keys are collected, players gain access to Oxide’s challenge.

The core gameplay follows an arcade-style racing format. Each kart can accelerate, brake, and power-slide around corners. Players can execute a “turbo boost” by timing jumps on ramps or successfully chaining slides. Mastering the boost mechanic is crucial for maintaining speed and gaining an edge over opponents. Characters differ in speed, acceleration, and handling, allowing players to pick one that suits their racing style.

Items play a central role in competition. Weapons and power-ups are obtained by driving through crates scattered across the tracks. These include offensive tools such as homing missiles, rolling bombs, and TNT crates, as well as defensive items like shields and speed boosts. Collecting Wumpa Fruit enhances these power-ups, transforming them into stronger versions. A blue warp orb, for example, automatically targets the leading racer and can shift the outcome of a close race.

Outside of Adventure Mode, the game offers several other ways to play. Arcade mode allows quick single races or tournaments, while Time Trial lets players race alone against the clock or challenge ghost data. Battle mode is designed for up to four players and takes place in dedicated arenas where drivers compete to deplete each other’s lives using items. Additional modes such as Relic Races and CTR Challenges introduce variations that test speed and item collection skills.

The cast features a mix of heroes and villains from the series, including Crash, Coco, Dr. Neo Cortex, Dr. N. Gin, Dingodile, Tiny Tiger, Polar, and Pura. Unlockable characters such as N. Tropy, Fake Crash, and Penta Penguin add further variety. Each character comes with a distinct stat balance, and kart colors can be customized in certain modes.