Despite having been introduced to gaming fans over 20 years ago with its self-titled debut in 1996,Crash Bandicootcontinues to find its way into the hearts and consoles of gamers in 2023. In a fresh concept that adds the famous Bandicoot branding to an arena-type project,Crash Team Rumbleis set to hit the shelves in June.
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For avid fans who were eager to sample the upcoming title, a closed beta went live between April 20 and April 24, which gave players an opportunity to try out some of the game’s arenas, characters, and powers as 2 teams of 4 would go head-to-head in a race to bank the most Wumpa. While the game shows a lot of promise for a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience inCrash Bandicoot’s signature light and comical fashion, there are a few changes that would take the game to the next level.
8Adventure Mode
TheCrash Bandicootfranchise is well-loved and has stood the test of time on the back of its story-telling, which mixed some familiar narrative structures with some well-known characters, whilst keeping things freshwith challenging levelsand a consistent brand of humor. While it does not appear that this game will include a distinct adventure mode, some players are holding out that it does. Much of the optimism surrounding the prospect of a story mode revolves around the introduction of a new character to the franchise, CatBat.
It would not appear that an adventure mode is on the horizon forCrash Team Rumble, given there has been very little mention of any story-based content in the title. While this may be a disappointment for some, the successful launch of this title may motivate a new story in the future for Crash and the crew.
7Free-For-All
While there isn’t an “i” in “team”, some players are at their best as lone wolves (or bandicoots). While it may not be in the spirit of the “Team” aspect ofCrash Team Rumble, the chaos that would ensue from a Free-For-All, winner-takes-all type game mode would certainly suit the anarchic reputation that theCrash Bandicootfranchise has carefully built over the last 20+ years.
While a solo game mode may warrant some changes to how Wumpa is stored, there is certainly space forCrash Team Rumbleto have a game modethat does not require relying on team membersto come out victorious. Given the success of solo arena-style games likeFortnite, the blueprint is very much there to be adapted into the game.
6Varying Team Sizes
While all the marketing surroundingCrash Team Rumblehas been focussed on the promotion of the game as a 4v4 arena battle, players are hoping that this particular detail comes with some flexibility. While a 4 character team is a sound default option for the game, offering options where the size of the team can be adjusted would appeal to a greater audience.
For many gamers,party games such as thisare an opportunity for friends to bond and share a new gaming experience together. By offering team sizes as low as 2 and as high as 6 or more, the Toys For Bob team are opening the door for friend-pairings and party gamers alike to tailor the game to their preferences, whether that be a more intimate or a more open playing experience.
5Multiple Powers At Once
One big take from the beta ofCrash Team Rumblewas the inclusion of character powers, which could be chosen prior to the start of a match. These powers do not appear to be restricted to any particular character or class, however, players are only able to select one power at a time.
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To further the appeal of the game, players are hoping to see the power allocation adjusted to allow for up to 2 to be selected at a time. This would open up a realm of possibilities for players toexperiment with power combinationsin order to get the best out of their character. The appeal to allowing multiple powers to be equipped at one time would be dependent on the number of skills that are to be included in the game, so this would very much rely on a variety at the player’s disposal.
4Greater Emphasis On Speed
The concept behindCrash Team Rumblepresents itself as a fast-paced, chaotic arena battle where both teams of 4 struggle to claim the majority share of Wumpa fruit. Given the plethora of powers and traps at the player’s disposal, the game certainly lives up to the chaotic reputation, however, the speed of the game leaves a little to be desired.
In a game where the objective is to be the quickest to grab resources, the running speed inCrash Team Rumbleis a little slower than expected, particularly for the character classes that would beexpected to move faster. Before the game’s full release, players would like to see an adjustment to the speed of the game, which would only enhance the overall experience. The maps may also benefit from relic pads that offered a speed boost as an advantage over the opposition.
3Arena Variety
While the beta ofCrash Team Rumblehas given players a taste of what is to come as far as the available arenas are concerned, the team behind Crash’s latest big title would benefit from taking a look back into the storied history of the franchise. Over the course of the series, players have been immersed in a variety of different environments, and the latest party game is a perfect opportunityto pay homage to its history.
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Throughout the many popularCrash Bandicoottitles, gamers have been transported to Ancient Egyptian tombs, prehistoric forests riddled with dinosaurs and volcanoes, and futuristic civilizations to name a few. The future arenas inCrash Team Rumblecould heavily incorporate these memorable backdrops to bring about a dose of nostalgia that would enhance the game’s replayability.
2More Character Classes
Each character in theCrash Team Rumbleroster is assigned a class between Scorer, Booster, and Blocker, which generally reflects the particular strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits of each character in the game. For players deciding on their character of choice for the next match, they need to consider their strategy for the upcoming bout and have an awareness of the characters chosen by their teammates.
While the characters in theCrash Bandicootseries don’t have the depth that some other story-telling games on the market do, there is room in the game to add moreclasses to broaden the playing experience. While it is not clear what they would look like exactly, there is potential to explore a class that is centered around science/technology, given the likes of Cortex and Coco are very intelligent in that regard, or for a class of ranged attackers, as some characters make use of longer ranged weaponry.
1Different Game Modes
The objective inCrash Team Rumbleis abundantly clear, which is great in the sense that it enables anyone to pick up the game and within a round or two have an understanding of what they are meant to do. While this has its perks, a game with limited variety can very quickly lose its appeal.
The foundation upon which the game is built is solid in that it includes fan-favorite characters from an iconic franchise, however, players are hoping to see some variety in game modes when the full launch happens in June. The Toys For Bob team should look to take a leaf out of the book of games likeCall of DutyorRocket League,and take the solid concept they have and tweak it just enough to give players a point of difference to keep the experience fresh and varied.
Crash Team Rumblewill launch on June 17, 2025, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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