Crash Bandicoot 4: Game Details and New Footage

Last Updated: July 1, 2020

After the revival of the dormant Crash Bandicoot series with 2017’s Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and then 2019’s Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, remakes of the original trilogy and racing spin-off respectively, fans wondered if a brand new entry in the popular 3D platformer series might be on the way at last.

Several teases suggested a new Crash Bandicoot game was in development, and fortunately it turned out to be more than just the auto-runner spin-off Crash Bandicoot Mobile. This June, a full entry in the series was finally announced for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, titled Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.

While many fans thought the theoretical new Crash Bandicoot game would be developed by Vicarious Visions after their work on the N. Sane Trilogy, this new entry in the series is being developed by Toys for Bob, who worked on the Switch release of the trilogy and more notably developed the Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

What About the Other Games?

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is set directly after the events of Crash Bandicoot: Warped, the third game in the original trilogy. The game features Crash and Coco trying to restore order to the multiverse after Dr. Neo Cortex and Uka Uka tear through the boundaries of time and space. According to an interview with Press Start, the other sequels have not been retconned. They still exist “on alternate timelines that may or may not have some reflection in this adventure.”

How these multiple timelines will play into the story is still unknown, but it opens up the door for fan-favorite characters from the later games, such as Crunch Bandicoot and Nina Cortex, to return in Crash Bandicoot 4.

Playable Characters

Speaking of characters, Crash Bandicoot 4 will feature multiple playable characters. In addition to Crash and his sister Coco, Cortex himself will also have playable levels. His gameplay style will be quite different from theirs, as he makes use of a ray gun and scientific gadgets rather than the traditional platforming gameplay of Crash and Coco.

Gameplay

Alongside the traditional Crash Bandicoot gameplay, the newest entry will also feature special powers gained from obtaining the four Quantum Masks, wall running, rail grinding, rope swinging, and more. Some of these new elements can be seen in the latest video of Crash Bandicoot 4 footage from IGN, which highlights a pirate-themed level. The gameplay footage also suggests that time trial challengers, another series staple, will be returning as well.

As is typical for the series, you will access individual levels from a hub area. The game will also feature a special retro mode. According to that same interview with Play Start, the Crash Bandicoot 4 retro mode will give you a limited number of lives like in the original games. The “modern mode,” meanwhile, will instead reward the player with a new type of clear gem for beating a level with fewer deaths.

Price and… Microtransactions?

In less exciting news, the Microsoft Store page for the game lists it as costing $59.99 with in-app purchases. The apparent inclusion of microtransactions has been met with consternation from fans, but with any luck it will be limited to cosmetic items and other non-intrusive uses.

Update: Toys for Bob has clarified that there are no microtransactions in Crash Bandicoot 4.

Conclusion

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will be out on October 2 for the PS4 and Xbox One. Digital pre-orders include the “Totally Tubular” skins for Crash and Coco. We expect to see much more from this game leading up to its release. What do you think of the new Crash Bandicoot game from what you’ve seen so far?