Crash Bandicoot is back almost 20 years after the original

Remaking a beloved game is always risky with legions of fans to please. This one may just have done the impossible.

Get ready to start your engines gamers, because Crash Bandicoot and friends are back in the driver’s seat, with the release of Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fuelled remaster.

After the success of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane and Spyro Reignited Trilogies, a CTR remake was the next logical step, and Activision and Beenox have done an amazing job here.

Like the original that came out 20 years ago, this game lets you play as the characters from the Crash Bandicoot franchise, racing to win trophies before you take on the evil Nitrous Oxide and save the world.

The game feels a lot like the original.

While the story is a bit light, it’s still extremely enjoyable and there are some amazing cut scenes throughout the game that show off just how wacky and zany the Crash Bandicoot franchise is. And if you ever played the original 1999 release, the sense of nostalgia you get from racing as your favourite character is something to look forward to.

The game feels just like the original, with the race tracks just how you remember, but with better graphics and a fresh new look.

Almost 20 years after the original, Crash Team Racing is back on our gaming consoles.

Developed by Beenox and published by Activision, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fuelledhas been rebuilt from the ground up, keeping all of the features that fans know and love, while also adding some awesome new features.

Players can still play either by themselves or with friends offline, and for the first time online gameplay is available.

There are a number of different play modes, with the main campaign adventure, the battle modes, time trials, capture the flag and custom races.

One of the best new features is character skins and kart customisation, with players able to come up with their own unique look that they can show off online. From different paints, wheels, stickers, trail streams and more, there are so many different options to make your karts stand out.

And don’t worry, these changes are purely cosmetic, so kart changes won’t give anyone a competitive advantage in online play. All customisations are unlocked through gameplay, so there are no pesky loot boxes or in-game purchases required.

There are 31 tracks to race on, and 35 playable characters that all look fantastic and there is a clear attention to detail throughout, for example one track has monkeys cheering you on as you cross the finish line. There is also a big focus on the characters, with post-race animations, podium finish dances and trash talking during the race that all add to the spectacle of the game.

All your favourite characters are back.

This game is also really accessible for all audiences, with different difficulty settings introduced, as well as different character classes, with different strengths and weaknesses depending on your skill level. For first time players I’d recommend playing on Easy, with one of the beginner characters as some races can be quite hard if you haven’t mastered the mechanics.

The controls are the same as the original game and are relatively easy to learn and master if you pay attention to the tutorials. The boosting system is what really sets Crash Team Racing apart from other kart racing games, as you can get a speed boost from getting airtime or doing power slides.

Like the recent Crash Bandicoot and Spyro remasters from Activision, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fuelled is an awesome addition to the franchise and an absolute joy to play. While there is something for everyone here, people who played the original 1999 game will especially get a kick out of this as they get a rush of nostalgia.

Now that we finally have a Crash Team Racing remake, we can only hope that a Crash Bash remake is in works.

Rating: 4/5

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fuelled is released worldwide from June 21st 2019 and is available for purchase on PS4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch.

Wilson Smith is a games writer for news.com.au. Continue the conversation with him on twitter at @wilson_smithDT