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Crash Bandicoot
Video game franchise From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Crash Bandicoot is a video game franchise created by Naughty Dog as a flagship title for Sony's PlayStation console. The series began with the development of the first game in 1994, inspired by the emerging capabilities of 3D consoles and games like Donkey Kong Country (1994). The protagonist, initially conceived as "Willy the Wombat", evolved into Crash Bandicoot, a goofy, genetically mutated eastern barred bandicoot who escapes the clutches of the mad scientist Doctor Neo Cortex. The original trilogy—Crash Bandicoot (1996), Cortex Strikes Back (1997), and Warped (1998)—along with the kart racing game Crash Team Racing (1999), established the series' reputation for challenging platforming, vibrant visuals, and polished gameplay, achieving commercial success and positioning Crash as the PlayStation's unofficial mascot.
 | It has been suggested that List of Crash Bandicoot characters be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2025. |
After Naughty Dog's departure following Crash Team Racing due to creative exhaustion and ownership issues, the franchise transitioned through multiple developers and publishers, including Universal Interactive, Vivendi Games, and eventually Activision after a 2008 merger. The 2000s saw a shift to multiplatform releases with titles like Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (2001), Crash Twinsanity (2004), and a redesigned era starting with Crash of the Titans (2007), which introduced combat-focused mechanics but received mixed reviews. The series entered a hiatus in the early 2010s before a successful revival beginning with the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (2017), a remastered collection of the original trilogy, followed by the remaster Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (2019) and the new entry Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (2020).
Gameplay centers on third-person platforming in linear levels filled with obstacles, enemies, and collectibles like Wumpa fruit, crates, crystals, and gems, emphasizing precise jumping, spinning attacks, and abilities granted by defeating bosses. Set in a fictional archipelago with diverse biomes, and including time-traveling and multiversal elements in later games, the series features a cast including Crash, his sister Coco, allies like Aku Aku, and villains led by Cortex and Uka Uka. Critically acclaimed in its Naughty Dog era and revival phase for its technical excellence and challenge, while facing criticism during transitional periods, Crash Bandicoot established Naughty Dog as a major video game developer, and inspired merchandise, media adaptations, and scientific nomenclature.
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History
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1994–1996: Origins
Naughty Dog was founded as JAM Software in 1984 by childhood friends Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin, their first project being the educational game Math Jam (1985).[3][4][5] Their following titles were Ski Crazed (1987), Dream Zone (1988), Keef the Thief (1989), and Rings of Power (1992).[5] After completing Way of the Warrior (1994), Gavin and Rubin relocated from Boston to Los Angeles to work with publisher Universal Interactive. During the trip, they decided to create a 3D platformer to capitalize on emerging console capabilities, drawing inspiration from the pre-rendered visuals of Donkey Kong Country (1994).[5][6]
Production of the new project began in October 1994.[7] To create the characters and setting, Naughty Dog contracted cartoonists Charles Zembillas and Joe Pearson.[3] The game's lead character was tentatively named "Willy the Wombat" and was envisioned as a goofy, Zorro-like Tasmanian marsupial.[8] The character would ultimately become a bandicoot for the species' appeal and relative obscurity.[9] During the game's alpha phase, Naughty Dog demonstrated the game to Sony Computer Entertainment to secure a publishing deal with them.[5]
1996–2000: PlayStation exclusivity
Crash Bandicoot was unveiled at E3 1996, where it quickly gained attention for its vibrant visuals.[8] The game was released on September 9, 1996,[10] and by the end of the year it sold over 1 million units worldwide.[11] The game's sequel, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, was released on November 6, 1997 and also performed strongly, selling 1 million units in the United States by February 1998.[12][13][14] The third game, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, was released on November 3, 1998,[15] and sold over 5.7 million units worldwide by 2002.[16] Crash Team Racing, a kart racing game, was released on October 19, 1999,[17] and sold 1.9 million units in the United States.[18]
Crash Team Racing was the final Crash Bandicoot game developed by Naughty Dog; the developers, creatively exhausted and disenchanted with their lack of control over the Crash Bandicoot intellectual property, began development on Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001); during the game's production, Sony acquired Naughty Dog, with Universal retaining the Crash Bandicoot property.[5][19] Crash Bash, a party video game developed by Eurocom, was the first game in the series made without Naughty Dog's involvement.[20] It was released on November 8, 2000, and was the final Crash Bandicoot game to be released exclusively for a Sony console.[21]
2001–2006: Multiplatform transition
Following the end of Sony and Universal's partnership, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex was developed by Traveller's Tales and released on October 30, 2001.[22][23] Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure, developed by Vicarious Visions, was released for the Game Boy Advance on March 13, 2002, the first Crash Bandicoot game made for a handheld console.[24][25] The game was followed by Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced, which was released on January 7, 2003.[26] For home consoles, Vicarious Visions released Crash Nitro Kart on November 11, 2003;[27] a handheld version by the same developer was released simultaneously.[28] Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage, a crossover with Spyro, was released on June 1, 2004.[29] Traveller's Tales's second Crash Bandicoot entry, Crash Twinsanity, was released on September 28, 2004.[30][31]
On March 23, 2005, Universal Interactive, now Vivendi Universal Games, acquired developer Radical Entertainment,[32] who released Crash Tag Team Racing on October 21.[33] Japanese developer Dimps released Crash Boom Bang! (titled Crash Bandicoot Festival in Japan) for the Nintendo DS in Japan on July 20, 2006, with a North American release in October.[34][35]
2007–2015: Redesign and hiatus
Radical Entertainment's next Crash Bandicoot title, Crash of the Titans, was released on October 2, 2007.[36] Crash of the Titans marked a departure from traditional platforming by introducing an emphasis on combat and a "jacking" mechanic in which Crash defeats and controls large mutants called Titans.[37] The characters were also redesigned with a "punk" edge to realign the characters into a unified style as well as make them more modern and distinct from other cartoon characters.[38] Handheld versions of the game for the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance were developed by Amaze Entertainment and released on the same date.[39][40][41]
In December 2007, Activision announced its acquisition of Vivendi Games, including the Crash Bandicoot intellectual property, and the merger was finalized on July 10, 2008.[42][43] The mobile kart racing game Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D was released by Polarbit on April 29, 2008,[44][45] and Crash: Mind over Mutant was released by Radical Entertainment on October 7; a Nintendo DS version of the latter game was developed by Tose and released on the same date.[46][47] In February 2010, Activision laid off around 90 employees at Radical Entertainment, roughly half the studio's workforce, amid cost-cutting measures and project reevaluations.[48][49] Following the release of Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 on May 27, 2010,[50] the series went into dormancy.[51]
2016–present: Revival
The revival of the Crash Bandicoot series began with the announcement of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy at Sony's E3 2016 press conference.[52][53] The title was developed by Vicarious Visions as a remastered compilation of the original three PlayStation games with updated graphics, recreated controls, and new content.[54][55] The compilation launched exclusively on PlayStation 4 on June 30, 2017,[56] before expanding to the Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows in 2018.[57] By June 2024, the N. Sane Trilogy had sold over 20 million units worldwide.[58] Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, a remastered version of Crash Team Racing, was developed by Beenox and released on June 19, 2019.[59] The game sold 10 million copies by June 2025.[60]
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, developed by Toys for Bob, was revealed on June 22, 2020 as a sequel to the original trilogy that returned to 3D platforming and featured new mechanics provided by the Quantum Masks.[61] The game was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 2,[62] and for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and Windows in 2021.[63][64] Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, an endless runner developed by King, launched globally in March 2021 for Android and iOS,[65][66] and was discontinued on February 16, 2023.[67] Toys for Bob's Crash Team Rumble, a 4v4 multiplayer game, was released on June 20, 2023.[68] Following Toys for Bob's announcement of its impending spin-off from Activision,[69] content updates ceased after March 4, 2024.[70] A planned Crash Bandicoot 5 by Toys for Bob was canceled in favor of focus on live service games.[71]
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Gameplay
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The Crash Bandicoot series centers on third-person 3D platforming gameplay, where players control the protagonist Crash in linear levels filled with obstacles, enemies, and environmental hazards.[72] Crash can move in all directions, with maneuvers including jumping and sliding.[73][74] Crash's defining ability is the spin attack, a cyclone-like whirlwind motion which can defeat enemies by launching them off-screen; knocked enemies can strike other enemies in their path.[75] In games starting with Crash Bandicoot: Warped, Crash can earn new abilities by defeating bosses.[76][77][78]
Wumpa fruit is the primary collectible throughout the franchise, with 100 fruits granting an extra life.[79][80][81] Crash can be protected from enemies and hazards by collecting Aku Aku masks; collecting one grants a single-hit shield, two offer double protection, and three grant temporary invincibility.[79][82][83] Gems are rewarded if the player clears a level after breaking all the crates or by finding them in secret areas.[80][84][85] Much of these gems are clear and colorless, while a small amount of colored gems can be found in special levels and can transport Crash to hidden areas.[80][85][86] Several colored gems are featured in Crash Twinsanity, and unlock bonus content when collected.[87] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time increases the amount of objectives that can reward gems, which include collecting a certain amount of Wumpa fruit and clearing a level without losing more than three lives.[88] Crystals, introduced in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, are often an essential collectible, with one needing to be collected in each level to complete a game.[80][85][89] Crash Bandicoot: Warped introduces Relics, which are earned through completing time trials. Relics are obtained by touching a stopwatch near the beginning of a previously completed level and speeding through the level as quickly as possible; sapphire, gold, and platinum relics are rewarded based on the player's performance.[80][90][91] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time features N. Sanely Perfect Relics, which are obtained by collecting all of a level's gems without losing a life.[92]
Crates have served as a foundational element since the original game. Basic wooden crates require a single spin attack to destroy and often contain Wumpa fruit. Arrow crates augment Crash's jumping ability when bounced on. Crates with Aku Aku or Crash printed on them respectively grant an Aku Aku mask and an extra life. Metallic crates marked with an exclamation point change an element of the surrounding environment of they are struck. Checkpoint crates allow Crash to return to that point in a level upon losing a life. TNT crates detonate upon being spun into, but can be safely destroyed by bouncing on them, which triggers a three second fuse.[79][82][83] Nitro crates explode immediately upon contact, requiring Crash to trigger a special crate to detonate them all simultaneously.[79][83][93] Crash Bandicoot: Warped introduces "slot crates" that shift between crate types at an increasingly rapid pace and must be broken before they turn to unbreakable steel.[83][93][94] Time trials feature "time crates", which freeze the stopwatch for the amount of seconds printed on their sides.[90][93][94] Some crates are reinforced, requiring Crash to use a stronger technique to break them.[93][94]
The original Crash Bandicoot uses a fairly linear structure in which Crash clears through levels on a map, with some areas accessible by locating gems. Beginning with Cortex Strikes Back, the game usually takes place in a hub world called a Warp Room, with levels divided up into sets of five. To progress, the player must find and collect a Crystal within each of the stages, which can be played in any order, before facing the boss of each room. From Twinsanity onwards, the games took a more free-roaming approach, with Crash traveling various areas on foot.
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Characters and setting
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The Crash Bandicoot series is primarily set in a secluded archipelago 300 miles (480 km) west of Tasmania. The islands encompass diverse biomes such as sandy beaches and snowy terrains, and are littered with the remnants of the lost continent of Lemuria. The largest island is the lair of the villainous mad scientist Doctor Neo Cortex.[95] Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back establishes that the islands' ancient civilization built a series of "Warp Rooms" providing instant access to areas all over the world.[96] The time traveling premise of Crash Bandicoot: Warped introduces prehistoric, medieval, and futuristic locales.[97] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time explores branches of the multiverse, depicting parallel dimensions and alternate timelines.[98]
Crash Bandicoot is the central protagonist throughout the series. He is depicted as an anthropomorphic eastern barred bandicoot genetically engineered by Cortex in an attempt to create a general who would lead his minions to world domination, only to escape his creator's laboratory.[99][100] Crash is characterized as a goofy and non-verbal "accidental hero";[8][9] Josh Nadelberg, art director of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, described Crash as "this dude who's always in the wrong place at the wrong time" who "just manages to get himself out of all these crazy situations in a heroic way, but he's not your classic hero".[101] Coco Bandicoot, Crash's tech-savvy younger sister, is a key ally and occasional playable character. Introduced in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back as a supporting character who uncovers Cortex's scheme,[102] her role expanded in subsequent entries, becoming playable in select levels of Crash Bandicoot: Warped and fully integrated across all games in the remastered trilogy.[56] Crash is protected and guided by Aku Aku, a floating wooden mask inhabited by the spirit of an ancient witch doctor.[103] Tawna, Crash's girlfriend and fellow lab subject, was the damsel in distress of the original game;[104] Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time features an alternate-universe variant of Tawna as a playable character.[105][106] Crunch Bandicoot, introduced in Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, is a muscular, genetically engineered bandicoot created by Cortex to destroy Crash,[107] but after his defeat, he defects to join the protagonists as an ally and playable character in subsequent titles.[108][109] The Quantum Masks − consisting of Lani-Loli, Akano, Kupuna-Wa and Ika-Ika − are a group of extra-dimensional masks who appear in Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time and can grant Crash and Coco special powers.[110]
Doctor Neo Cortex, the main antagonist of the series, is a mad scientist who seeks to achieve world domination through genetically enhanced soldiers.[104] He initially collaborated with Doctor Nitrus Brio, the inventor of the Evolvo-Ray used to mutate animals, but their partnership eventually soured.[102][104] Uka Uka, the evil twin brother of Aku Aku, is the malevolent overseer of Cortex's schemes. He was imprisoned underground by Aku Aku for his destructive pursuits until the wreckage of Cortex's space station inadvertently freed him.[107][111] Cortex's loyal henchman is Doctor N. Gin, an unhinged cyborg engineer who survived an accident that has left an unexploded missile in his head. Other minions of Cortex include Tiny Tiger, a hulking, savage thylacine, and Dingodile, a dingo-crocodile hybrid who wields a flamethrower.[102][107][112] Doctor Nefarious Tropy, a time-manipulating scientist, was introduced in Crash Bandicoot: Warped as a co-conspirator of Uka Uka and Cortex who created the Time Twister, enabling temporal excursions.[111] He returned as a primary antagonist in Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, partnering with Cortex to exploit space-time rifts for multiversal domination before teaming up with his female alternate-universe counterpart.[105] Crash Twinsanity introduced Cortex's niece Nina to the villain roster. She is equipped with bionic hands implanted by her uncle that can extend to grab faraway ledges.[113] She later appeared as a primary antagonist in Crash of the Titans.[114]
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Other media
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A short comic promoting Crash Team Racing was published in the Winter 2000 issue of Disney Adventures, written by Glenn Herdling and drawn by Neal Sternecky.[115] Strategy guides have been published by Dimension Publishing, Prima Games and BradyGames, some containing interviews and lore expansions.[116][117][118] In 2018, Dark Horse Books released the original developer's bible for Crash Bandicoot as a hardcover publication titled The Crash Bandicoot Files: How Willy the Wombat Sparked Marsupial Mania.[119] An official art book for Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, titled The Art of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, was published on October 26, 2020.[120]
During the development of Crash Bandicoot, a pair of traditionally animated cutscenes were produced by Universal Animation Studios to serve as the game's intro and outro, as well as act as source material for a potential animated series if the game was well-received and commercially successful. The cutscenes were dropped after Sony Computer Entertainment picked up Crash Bandicoot for publication, as Sony desired to push the PlayStation's 3D polygonal graphics. The cutscenes were uploaded to YouTube by producer David Siller in 2015.[121][122] Crash is a recurring character in the animated series Skylanders Academy (2016–18), being transported from his own world into the world of Skylands. Unlike any of his other appearances, he speaks fluent English with an Australian accent, provided by showrunner Eric Rogers in the first season and by Rhys Darby in the third season.[123][124] In January 2021, alleged test footage of a canceled Crash Bandicoot animated series produced with Amazon Studios leaked online.[125] On October 27, 2025, Netflix was reported to be developing an animated series. WildBrain was initially reported to be involved with the project, but the statement was later debunked.[126]
Merchandise generated by the Crash Bandicoot franchise includes a line of action figures produced by Resaurus tying into Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot: Warped.[127] The N. Sane Trilogy was promoted with various shirts, keychains, and other types of merchandise officially licensed from Activision with Numskull Product Design.[128] Also tied to the N. Sane Trilogy was a series of vinyl figures by Funko, including retailer-specific variants of Crash and Cortex.[129] In June 2023, a Crash Bandicoot-themed cosmetics bundle promoting the release of Crash Team Rumble was added to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Warzone.[130]
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Reception and impact
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Critical commentary
The original Crash Bandicoot trilogy developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation was positively received, with aggregate review scores ranging between the 80s and 90s.[131][132][133] The first Crash Bandicoot title was praised for its graphics (said to be the fifth generation's best yet) and challenge, while its gameplay was regarded as standard if enjoyable and polished.[176][177][178][179] Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back was lauded for its gameplay improvements and vibrant graphics, which were described as among the console's best,[180][181][182][183] and Crash Bandicoot: Warped received acclaim for its gameplay variety and polished presentation.[184][185][186][187] The kart racing game Crash Team Racing, Naughty Dog's final game in the series, was regarded as a highly polished entry in the genre that surpassed its inspirations Mario Kart and Diddy Kong Racing.[188][189][190][191]
In the following era of differing developers, the series saw declining critical reception, with aggregate scores typically in the 60s.[192] Eurocom's Crash Bash, a party game, was said to lack depth or originality, but was considered an enjoyable multiplayer experience.[193][194][195][196] Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, the first post-Naughty Dog mainline game, was regarded as a rehash of the formula established by the original trilogy, and was criticized for its fixed camera angles and long loading times.[197][198][199][200] The Game Boy Advance games by Vicarious Visions were positively received for their hardware-pushing graphics, though were also deemed lacking in innovation.[201] Likewise, their racing game Crash Nitro Kart was commended for its visuals but faulted for its failure to sufficiently expand on the design of Crash Team Racing.[202][203][204][205] The crossover title Crash Bandicoot Purple was praised for its variety of minigames but criticized for its weak platforming, short length and underwhelming trading card feature.[206][207][208] Traveller's Tales's second game, Crash Twinsanity, was commended for its humor and gameplay variety, though its uncooperative camera and formulaic platforming sections were criticized.[209][210][211]
Commercial performance
The Crash Bandicoot series has been a commercial success. As of 2007, the series altogether has sold over 40 million units worldwide[212] and grossed over $1 billion.[213] According to Gamasutra, the first Crash Bandicoot game had sold 6.8 million units as of November 2003,[214] making it the tenth-best-selling PlayStation game of all time. Cortex Strikes Back sold 3.85 million units in the U.S.,[215] while Warped sold 3.74 million.[215] The last 2 games on the PlayStation console, Crash Team Racing and Crash Bash, sold 1.9 and 1.1 million units in the U.S., respectively.[215] According to a Sony press release, the first four titles had sold over 20 million units altogether worldwide by July 2000.[216] Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex has sold 1.56 million units in the U.S.[215]
On February 12, 2019, Activision announced in a press release for its "4th quarter and 2018 Financial Results", that N. Sane Trilogy has sold-in over 10 million units since its initial release in 2017.[217]
The Crash Bandicoot series is one of the few Western video game series to find blockbuster success in Japan. Cortex Strikes Back and Warped sold 1.3 and 1.4 million units in the country, respectively,[218] while the PlayStation 2 version of Wrath of Cortex sold 212,000 units.[219]
Cultural legacy
The original Crash Bandicoot was a flagship title for the PlayStation, and the character became the console's unofficial mascot.[8][220] The series established Naughty Dog's reputation in the video game industry, and they achieved further success with the Jak and Daxter, Uncharted and The Last of Us series.[8]
In 2014, paleontologists formally described an extinct Miocene-era bandicoot species from fossils at Australia's Riversleigh World Heritage Area, naming it Crash bandicoot in homage to the game's character.[221][222] In 2017, the character's signature "whoa!" exclamation inspired internet memes incorporating his yelp into songs and video game music.[223]
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References
Further reading
External links
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