Crash Team Racing: Mascot racing at its finest
Written: Apr 13 '00 (Updated Sep 19 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a great example of mascot racing
Cons: none
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| qibo's Full Review: Crash Team Racing for PlayStation 1 |
Crash Team Racing could be the best mascot racer ever (and I had a lot of fun with Mario Kart!). It took a long time to get a good mascot racer on the Playstation, but it was worth the wait.
CTR is far from being the first mascot racer on the Playstation. Unfortunately, earlier mascot racers for Playstation were mediocre at best. CTR succeeds where those who have gone before have failed, mostly by learning from their mistakes and doing something different.
One of the best things about CTR is variety. It has more than a dozen characters, several of which are unlocked in the course of play. It has lots of tracks -- 25 in all -- all of which are very different from each other. Some of the tracks even have semi-secret shortcuts. CTR's 5 play modes include the usual versus, time trial and arcade modes, as well as a battle mode and an adventure mode, both of which are surprisingly good. There are a lot of power-ups, as in most mascot racers, but nothing all that unique. The power-ups are reasonably well-balanced and they serve to keep the game interesting.
Another impressive aspect of CTR is subtlety, surprisingly enough. Although the controls are easy enough to learn, there is quite a lot you can do with your cart as you gain experience with the controls. CTR's cartoon racing physics allow for some fun and complex moves, which add an element of racing strategy unequalled by other mascot racers, and even some traditional racing games. Mastering the different track layouts, shortcuts, and different techniques of hopping and power-sliding can give you a real advantage in the game when playing against others. A good command of these techniques is also essential if you want to succeed in the adventure or battle modes. CTR is easy to start playing, but it gives you a lot of room to grow.
While it's great that CTR has so many features, describing them cannot convey the feeling of pure cartoon fun of this game. CTR succeeds in creating a wacky cartoon milieu with broad appeal.
Naughty Dog, the developers of Crash Team Racing, have demonstrated once again their amazing attention to detail in creating this game. The animation and lighting effects in the off-track scenery are superior to the main effects in many other games. There is hardly any graphic pop-up, which is impressive considering how much is going. Even in multi-player modes, everything still runs smoothly, with very little loss of visual quality. The vibration effects enhance the general impression of cart racing. The music score and sound effects are quirky and fun without being annoying, thanks to the talents of Mark Mothersbaugh, former Devo keyboardist. CTR easily has one of the most fitting soundtracks in console gaming history.
Even if you don't like mascot racers, or previous Crash Bandicoot games, Crash Team Racing is good enough to make you change your mind. It's a great and different racing title in the crowded Playstation racing genre.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
qibo
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Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 19 members
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