Crash Team Rumble Pre-Orders

Crash Bandicoot has returned and this time, it's in a multiplayer arena game called Crash Team Rumble! Even more exciting, the pre-order is now available, giving access to the closed beta taking place between 20th-24th April 2023. Here's the pre-order trailer:

Developers Toys For Bob announced their new online battle arena game a while back, with information having been trickled out through March. The title sees Crash Bandicoot, Dr. Neo Cortex, Coco Bandicoot, alternate dimension Tawna, Dr. Nitrus Brio, alternate dimension N.Tropy, Dingodile and new character CatBat throw their hats into an arena to collect Wumpa fruit.

New cat bat character, CatBat, rumbles into action

As you can see, the game is a mass online battler. The developers and journalists are pretty insistent it isn't a Mass Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game, but... uh, it is. The genre is almost synonymous with first person shooters, but the actual definition of a MOBA fits very much what this new Crash game is doing. Only, this time, it's using the cast's platforming skills around the arena, collecting fruit, banking them in goals and keeping one another away in a 4v4 romp.

There are three 'classes' to select from in the starting roster (due to be expanded in 'battle passes'). These are 'scorer', to focus on scoring points, 'blocker', to prevent other players from scoring, and 'booster', to help your team gain multipliers so the scoring skyrockets. The PlayStation blog goes into more detail with Toys For Bob Associate Creative Director, Lou Studdert, if you want to find out a bit more on how the roles work, specifically.

Crash Team Rumble sees teams hunt for Wumpa fruit to score points

Other characters look like they get a look in too, with Uka Uka and Oxide both providing mass arena threats when one team collects enough Relics, scattered around the arena, and spending them on their temporary ally. Failing that, these Relics can be spent on smaller boons to each team, such as encasing one another protective (but threatening!) beach balls to knock the opposition on the ground. Resident Crash fan, Canadian Guy, Eh? shows off even more gameplay in his player showcase:

The game also features a whole host of music from the series' history, with well-known tunes playing during maps, victories and elsewhere. All are wonderful and welcome, just like Crash Team Rumble's main theme. In fact, take a listen:

Pre-orders for the game are separated into specific editions. First, you have the Standard Edition, which includes access to the closed beta and Premium Battle Pass for 'Season 1' (MOBAs are often separated into 'seasons', which will cycle new content around every few months). The Deluxe Edition will give these, the Premium Battle Pass for 'Season 2', as well as more content including 'blocky' hero skins, a new in-game victory music, a unique banner and a pixelated shadow. Oh, and 25 tiers unlocked for season 1... because pay to advance is greeeeeeat.

Dr. Nitrus Brio wails on female Dr. Nefarious Tropy whilst... Dr... Nitrus Brio runs away from Dr. Neo Cortex. Huh.

That being said, journalist impressions have been positive after playing the game, so there's a lot of hope for this admittedly left-field title. I'm currently excited for more Crash, but am wary over the online multiplayer aspect of it, as that generally is the kind of game I avoid. Being so integrated with the Crash community, it would be very tough for me not to jump on and have some fun for a bit with at least some people I know, however.

Crash Team Rumble will be available for play with cross-platform support on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on 20th June 2023.