You’ve refined your platforming skills as Crash exploring various environments in the past. Friends came together as you picked a kart and raced through different tracks. But what would happen if you combined the platforming of the main Crash games with multiplayer? The answer to that question is Crash Team Rumble, a 4v4 team competition where players compete to gather Wumpa Fruits as fast as they can. You must work with your team to gather Wumpa Fruits while you stop your opponents from doing the same.
Gathering Wumpa Fruits involves the same platforming skills that you’ve come to expect from the mainline games. You’re breaking crates and jumping around obstacles to collect as many fruits as you can. At the same time, your opponents are doing the same, and they will try to intervene with your efforts. It’s a chaotic environment that adds an element of strategy, but is also accessible for players of all skill levels.
Two teams of four players participate in a match. The goal is to gather the map’s target of Wumpa Fruit (usually 2000), with victory going to the first team to reach that number. Characters are loosely divided into three jobs: Scorer, Blocker, and Booster. Scorers are characters designed for getting as much Wumpa Fruit as possible, while getting around the map quickly. Blockers are adept at stopping players from reaching locations and reducing their Wumpa Fruit count. Boosters are great at capturing Gems to help boost the team’s Wumpa Fruit gathering, and activating Relic Stations.
Each character also has unique abilities to go along with their role, making you want to try out every character. Players aren’t strictly locked into roles, as all players can contribute to Wumpa Fruit gathering, stopping other players, and activating Relic Stations. The more you perform actions related to your role, the faster your abilities charge, and there’s an incentive to stick to your job. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean players can’t play defensively as a Scorer in case the opposing team is winning.
A big part of Crash Team Rumble is strategy and working together. That’s true of all multiplayer games, but here, you really can’t just do your own thing and not coordinate your efforts. Characters must work together, working with the environment and stations to get an advantage. Making sure your team has enough players in the right roles is crucial, as is understanding what characters are capable of.
Even if you have never heard of Crash or played any of the games, Crash Team Rumble is designed to be accessible for everyone. New players can quickly jump in after a short tutorial and perform admirably in a match. Veterans might have a shorter learning curve, but a new player can still go up against them and expect to compete reasonably well.
Crash Team Rumble is available for pre-order today, and getting the pre-order gives you access to the closed beta. The closed beta will run from April 20-24, 2023, giving you access to a few maps and characters to test out on your own. Crossplay is available, giving all players a chance to compete regardless of console.
You can purchase either the Standard Edition or the Deluxe Edition. The Standard Edition gives you access to seasonal events, limited time modes, and a Premium Battle Unlock Pass for Season 1. The Deluxe Edition has everything the Standard Edition has, though they have a Premium Battle Unlock Pass for Seasons 1 and 2. You also get a Digital Proto Pack with eight skins and a variety of other goodies, along with a 25 Tier Instant Unlock for Season 1 Battle Pass.
Crash Team Rumble will launch on June 20, 2023 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
About the Author
Victor Tan
He/Him
Victor spends his time trying to help players out of tricky situations and give them the guidance they need to succeed. Outside of the video game world, you can find him training at the gym or doing simple improv activities.
