The Return of the Bandicoot

Published October 30, 2007

Whenever a vaunted gaming hero is found relaxing beach-side with friends and family, you can be sure catastrophe lurks just around the corner. This time, in the case of Crash® of the Titans, catastrophe comes from the air in the form of Dr. Neo Cortex's latest flying contraption.

Wonder how Aku Aku feels about surfing on his face.

Yes, everyone's favorite giant-domed, yellow-bellied villain is back, hilarious as ever and hell-bent on world domination. Cortex requires the technical wizardry of Crash's sister, Coco, to put his plans in order, and so after the expected kidnapping, our hyperactive hero Crash is galvanized into action to save his sister and the world.

Classic Crash … But Different
The ongoing success of the Crash Bandicoot series is due in large part to its ability to offer familiar, much-loved gameplay with a new and innovative twist. If you're a fan of the series or the platforming genre in general, Crash of the Titans' blend of environmental puzzles, world navigation, and combat will feel at once finely tuned and familiar.

Ouch.

Whether you're double-jumping across gaping chasms, swinging from vines, scrambling up cliffs or stringing together massive combat combinations against Cortex's mutant armies, all the classic genre hallmarks are flawlessly executed and presented in outlandishly colorful worlds brimming with personality and humor.

Crash of the Titans isn't your average by the numbers platformer. In an effort to further foil Crash's heroics, the nefarious Cortex has plied his dark science to create enormously powerful Titan monsters. With the magical help of the mojo-powered mask Aku Aku, Crash is able to seize control of these creatures for his own devices, and it's with this gameplay twist that Crash of the Titans separates itself entirely from its predecessors.

Grab a second controller and a friend or relative ready to get their game on, and take on Crash cooperatively.

From Spike, the wolverine-esque melee master to Snipe (guess his special ability) to Rhinoroller, the unstoppable (well, giant industrial wood-cutting saws will give him pause) rolling juggernaut, each Titan provides a great change of gameplay.

Dungeon Time
Every few episodes leads to a temple or dungeon-like level quite unlike preceding levels, and this also helps to mix up the pace. The dungeons are focused more heavily on puzzle/challenge sequences, and, as you might expect, are likely to lead up to a boss fight.

For example, early on Crash must face Cortex and his pet Titan, Yuktopus. While Cortex busies himself by hurling insults from his perch above the battlefield, you must seize control of a series of lesser Titans in order to wear down and eventually possess Yuktopus himself. Once you do, it's a matter of fending off an army of Spikes, Snipes, and Goars while you break down the rock walls shielding Cortex from danger.

Two players, two Spikes, and a world of hurt.

Unlockables
There's nothing like a good solid reward for your heroic efforts, and Crash of the Titans has dozens of unlockable gifts. From concept art to enemy bios and even new costumes for Crash, every single episode offers several rewards, provided of course that you play well enough to earn them. Depending on your platformer prowess, you may earn a Bronze, Silver, or Gold statue on each level, with each statue corresponding to different rewards.

After defeating a level, you earn replay access to that level, so you can go back and clean up on any missed rewards.

Buddy Up
Grab a second controller and a friend or relative ready to get their game on, and take on Crash cooperatively. Not only will the second player help during the tougher combat sequences, but the game's ingenious "leapfrog" mechanic puts a spectacular new twist on platforming challenges.

Any time during play, Player Two can hop into the backpack of Player One and with leapfrog mode enabled, control of the active Crash will swap between players with every jump. This dynamic adds a whole new level of difficulty, and successfully completing complex platformer challenges turns out to be a great deal more fun and satisfying.

Crash of the Titans proves yet again that Crash, Cortex and the gang still reign among the elite platformer franchises while still maintaining easy-to-grasp gameplay and a healthy dollop of innovation.

Article by Ryan Treit