Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2617 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sony Computer Entertainment UK
• Released on: 2001-01-12
• Platform: PlayStation

Amazon.co.uk Review
PlayStation owners no longer need to borrow their friends' Nintendo 64 in order to have a rollicking good old time racing virtual turbo-charged go-karts through outlandish environments. Crash Team Racing does an excellent job of re-creating that same thrill on the PlayStation.

Crash Team Racing has all the marks of the kart-racing genre, including big-headed characters driving diminutive go-karts, power-ups to increase speed and slow-down opponents, and thematic tracks with multiple paths for exploration. What CTR adds to the mix is fairness: tighter-turning cars are rewarded for precision driving, skilful jumping, and strategic placement of booby traps. Sure, the playing field is level, but the better the driver, the better chance he or she has of winning consistently without any annoying "catch-up code".

The one-player game is wonderfully presented as an exploratory adventure, while the multiplayer mode is a split-screen must-play for anyone with a PlayStation (and, of course, friends). Twenty-five tracks, twelve characters, and responsive control make CTR the gotta-have racing game. -- Jeff Young

Manufacturer's Description
The race to save the planet has begun! Crash Team Racing is speeding your way exclusively for the PlayStation game console. It's a multiplayer character racing game featuring your favourite bandicoot, Crash and a host of his friends... and foes! There's a new mad scientist in town and his name is Nitros Oxide and he's about to wreak his own havoc on this little island paradise. He is absolutely obsessed with speed and fast just isn't fast enough for him, so he concocts a crazy idea to speed the whole world up forever! Tune your own "wheels", pick up goodies and watch out for those environmental hazards. It boils down to pure racing skill! A key feature is the ability to select from eight of your favourite characters--play as Crash, Coco, Cortex, Tiny, Dingodile, N. Gin, Pura (the Tiger) or Polar.

Play against the computer or up to three of your friends! Race across more than 20 different tracks. There are five different, challenging racing modes: Adventure Mode, go head-to-head in Vs Mode, Time Trial Mode, Grand Prix Mode and Battle Mode where you can test both your driving and combat skills. Customise your carts! Win a race, receive a Gold Wrench and visit Lugnut's Garage for a "tune-up".

Upgrade your carts in three categories: Tyres, exhaust and engine. Can you say Power-ups?! Augment your chances of winning a race by picking up power-ups which have abilities to help you, or slow down your opponents. There are tons of moves: accelerate, brake, hop and steer. Rev your engines for a "fast start"; initiate a power skid to take corners tighter and faster; slam your brakes and slide around quickly--perfect for nailing that tailgater or cutting around a really tight corner; hit a Turbo Pad and hold a wheelie and boost your speed until you let go!

Customer Reviews

Brilliant! Buy it now!
This is an addictive excellent game.
With a range of different characters with different skills this is the ultimate in racing.
The 2 player option is fantastic. There's nothing better than having a smug opponent who is ahead of you and you get to blow them up with a rocket!
The levels are not that challenging and the bossess easy to beat. I beat Nitros Oxide within a couple of goes (the bigger they are the harder they fall!)
Trying to get all the CTR tokens and relics to get platinum awards is so hard. I managed to get about 90% of the game.
I played the vs game with my brother (who plays it all the time and has got 100%) after over a year of not playing and I still beat him!
I play Crash's sister - Girl Power! Buy it now!

The best race game I have ever played
This has to be the best race game I have ever played. This game has often been compared to Diddy Kong Racing on the N64. I have played Diddy Kong Racing several times, and it was fun, but Crash Team Racing blows it clean out of the water. Another game CTR has been compared to is Mario Kart 64, but I have never played that, so I cannot make a fair comparison.

This game has excellent graphics and reasonable sound, but what really got to me was the gameplay. It's fast, fluid and very addictive. I have to say that the tracks on this game are the best tracks I have ever raced on, they look nice and are exciting to race on.

The only criticism I have of this game is that it is rather easy to achieve the main objective (saving the world from Nitros Oxide), I managed it very quickly. Having said that, even having defeated the final boss I have only completed 40% of the whole game. I still have to get all the relics (awarded for getting round each track in record time), CTR tokens (awarded for winning each race and collecting the letters CTR during the race - which can be tricky) and Gems (awarded for winning extra races. Only then can I beat Nitros Oxide a second time and make him acknowledge that I the fastest racer in the universe.

This is a very easy game to get into, the controls are easy to learn and the 'tutorials' given by Aku-Aku (or Uka-Uka) give you helpful information.

The cartoony graphics and easy playability will make this game appeal to kids but this shouldn't put older players off. With a number of four player modes, this game could prove a great laugh after a few beers.

Best since Mario Kart
As a die hard Nintendo fan, and Mario Kart lover I have to admit that this game is hard to beat. Its fun for all the familly highly addictive and fantastic value for money. There is the adventure mode which is like a racing platform game with different levels, then you have the racing mode where you pick up power ups and really tee your opponents (dad, brother husband) off by turning them into a wobbly jelly or dropping TNT on their heads. Worth buying even for PS2. You wont regret it I promise!!!!