20 years ago, I fell in love with my one and only kart racer and that was Crash Team Racing. There was just something special about the game compared to other games in the genre that drew me in and held my attention for months on end, and when the announcement came that they were remaking Crash Team Racing, I was beyond excited for it. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled may be a remake of the original game, but it’s still the game I remember as a child except somehow... it’s even better than I remember.



Some quality of life changes and a nice new graphics engine propels the game back into my go-to kart racer spot. There are plenty of modes for both online and offline play. Adventure mode makes a return and with it a new mode - while old-school fans may prefer to stick to the original style of adventure mode, selecting your character and playing with them throughout the campaign is also rewarding. An additional Nitro-Fueled mode has been added to this campaign, which allows you to switch out characters as you please as well as customize your karts. It’s a great addition to the game overall. Adventure mode consists of 5 hub worlds, each with their own sets of challenges and boss battles blocking you from progressing further. You can driver around freely in the hub worlds and select which races to start.

Winning is all part of the game, as each race will unlock new characters and customization options, as well as trophies which are required to unlock boss battles and progress. In addition to this, there's also the CTR and relic challenge modes. In CTR mode, you will need to race against the CPU while also collecting the CTR letters scattered around the stage. It is challenging at first but it’s a great way to learn the tracks and the secrets it holds. In relic mode you will be racing by yourself against the clock. The track will have numbered crates scattered around, each number represents how long the timer will stop for, so picking up as many boxes as you can while also getting around the track within the time specified can prove quite challenging at times.



Other modes include the standard time trial and crystal challenge. My least favourite mode of the game, crystal challenges places you in an area and gives you a certain amount of time to pick up all the crystals. It requires near-perfect precision as you can easily miss a crystal, and just overall isn’t very fun to play. Most player's time will be spent in multiplayer, either online or offline. I spent hours racing around tracks with my son, and the memories it brought back when I was a child left me feeling quite giddy and nostalgic. There are also cup races and battle mode which can be played offline or online and offer a single-player and multiplayer experience. Battle mode may be the go-to for some as this includes various battle staples such as capture the flag.

I spent hours racing around tracks with my son, and the memories it brought back when I was a child left me feeling quite giddy and nostalgic.

Levels are varied and exciting, each with its own unique style, and very few feel too long for the type of game this is. Over 30 tracks make a return in the game, each with their own pitfalls and hidden secrets. Tracks have all been given a major overhaul and I can easily say this is the best-looking kart racer out there. Stages are vibrant and feel alive, the karts themselves look slick and just the overall presentation of the game feels high quality. If you're feeling a bit nostalgic, there are also retro-character and kart models that you can change to in addition to various other outfits that can be unlocked for each character.



Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is a fast-paced game, with each character having their own unique stats in 3 different categories - namely Acceleration, Speed and Handling. Choosing which one suits you best will be the key to victory. Another key mechanic to learn is the Drift Boost, which allows you to drift through corners while also stacking on boosts for higher speed. You can stack up to 3 boosts while drifting. Learning the mechanics of this may take some time as it's very different to any other game out there. It requires both timing and precision to do correctly but when you have it down, it adds a whole new level of excitement to the game.

Whether you're in first place or last place, you can still get useful power-ups that can help you maintain the lead or close the gaps.

Like any kart racer, power ups are the name of the game. Luckily in Crash Team Racing, there aren’t any power ups that trump skill, as power-ups feel fair and fun. Whether you're in first place or last place, you can still get useful power-ups that can help you maintain the lead or close the gaps. In addition to this, fruit boxes also play a role. Collecting fruit, up to a max of 10, will increase your speed and drift boost abilities making you go faster around the track, and all power-ups will get an upgrade making them more potent, so always try to collect as much fruit as you can.



Other power-ups include lock-on missiles, and barriers that can protect you from other players power-ups and track obstacles, but they can also be discarded and act as a deadly projectile. The Aku Aku or Uka Uka, which not only make you invincible, also affects your speed. There are many different power-ups within the game, each being useful in their own way. While TNT crates can be bounced off your head by repeatedly pressing the jump button, these can be powered up to Nitro boxes which explode on impact if you are carrying 10 fruits with you, so again always look at for those.

Online is another world altogether. With what seems like a healthy number of players, I was never stuck waiting for a race for too long. Online includes both private and public matches and various game modes can be played online. My experience with the online has been great, rarely any hiccups in terms of lag and the game just gets so much more fun to play when other human opponents are in the mix.



Like the previously released Resident Evil 2 Remake, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is another shining example of how to do a remake of a beloved game. Adding a new coat of paint and some quality of life changes is all an old, and already great, game needs. This is a love-letter to fans and a game that can be played for a hours and hours with friends gathered around just enjoying the high-octane zaniness for what it is: pure, unhinged fun.