Crash Team Rumble Tested: wumpa inside the bank | Ruetir.com

In these last years Crash has returned steadily to travel at a fast pace in the great world of video games. From the remake of the first three Naughty Dog gamespassing through the new Crash Team Racing, up to It’s About Team, fourth main episode of the series released 22 years after Warped. And now Toys For Bob returns with a new spin-off, which adapts to a more modern taste, such as that of multiplayer with heroes, but which maintains some key points that have distinguished the series with the nice marsupial over the course of these (almost) thirty years. It has something of a Bash to it, but more of a person-versus-world approach than a couch party game. After all, a few years have passed. In these days Activision it gave those who pre-ordered the game the opportunity to test it in a closed beta, and we also got to try it. Now that these days of testing have ended, let’s see what we understand Crash Team Rumble.

Crash Team Rumble: lots of apples, and gems to get even more

First thing I have to say. After the chance to play, I was a little sad, because I still wanted to jump between the gems of the calamitous canyon or the last resort. And this is definitely a plus point. The game has potential to become additive over time, if it will be properly supported: and the premises are all there. What amused me these days? I’ll try starting by saying what Crash Team Rumble is: a 4v4 where characters from the marsupial series collide, hitting each other and jumping from one part of the map to another to bring you to your base (here called a bank) the most apples. The basic idea, may have already been seen in other games, but CTRumble carries some typical platforming characteristics in a genuine way in this multiplayer universe made primarily of competition. It has its own identity: it’s not just jumping from one side to another and fighting, it’s also knowing how to jump well over platforms, as the genre to which it refers claims.

This can be seen above all with one of the characteristics that distinguish the title, i.e. gems. We said that the main focus is to score points with apples (later we’ll tell you how in more detail), but there’s a way to increase your score considerably thanks to gems. In the map there are in fact three (or two depending on the map) positions in which there are columns with a white gem on them. They are basically areas to be captured, but to capture them you have to jump on them to make them the color of your team. Obviously both teams want to take control of these positions, and therefore it creates some good battles in these areas, between belly and tails and people who accidentally fall off the map (yes, I could often be one of them). Once a team manages to get the upper hand, for a certain period they will have a bonus percentage on deposited apples. Being able to make good use of the bonus percentages with the apple deposit turns out to be decisive in most cases: better to score two hundred points with one trip than with two, after all.

Scorers, enhancers and defenders, to each his own role

Apples are scattered throughout the map and can be found both individually and inside the classic breakable crates that Crash fans are familiar with. The fundamental thing therefore is to collect as much as possible and then go to your bank and deposit them. But the life of the Wumpa depositor is not easy. Players will also be able to hit each other and if you get hit, you will lose some of the apples you are carrying (as well as losing life). In CTRumble the characters are distinguished in three roles: scorer, enhancer and defender. In the beta there was the possibility to choose between Crash e Tawna (markers), Coco e Dr.Cortex (enhancers) e I’m sorry (defender). For those who have played these days, especially those who preferred markers, have felt a tad bit of hatred for the half dingo/half crocodile. The role of defender it could make one think that they have to defend their bank: in this case no, more than anything else they are continuous (not to be vulgar) professional mentors, who are positioned near the opposing bank waiting to beat, in order not to let the opponents deposit apples, and to annoy them so much. If played well, they can easily fight against the whole enemy team (here we are talking specifically about Dingodile only, as only he was present in the beta).

But that’s where it comes in too tactical component of the title of Toys for Bob. Going headlong without exploiting the team and the map itself doesn’t get you far. If on the one hand it will therefore be important to be able to coordinate with the team, especially in difficult situations (even through the simple system ping who warns his companions), on the other hand it will be necessary to know how to exploit i different power ups which can be found on the map. In the beta there were three maps, distinguished by breadth, verticality and general difficulty, each of which with its own specific characteristics. In addition to apples, apples are also scattered throughout the levels relics (again, an element well known to fans of the saga), which act as a sort of currency in games for unlock power-ups. Unlike apples which have a carrying limit (depending on the character), relics have no limit and can be accumulated until they are deposited in the appropriate platforms/stations. Some will require a lot of relics, but they can have a dramatic impact on the match. There bank doubling apples in the Last Beach, the annoying Oxide UFO in the Calamitoso Canyon or the near-apocalyptic Uka Uka in Tiki Towers are objectives to always keep in mind. It is the task of a good enhancer is to be able to understand when and how to use these relics. Since some upgrades are “in competition” between the two teams, and is won by whoever reaches the required amount first, there is in fact the risk that many relics go to waste. Another thing to keep in mind: if you die you lose both apples and relics!

It goes on with the pass

The characters of the universe of Crash, between good and bad, are many. In this beta there was just a taste with five of them, but they already show a good division into roles. Each of them basically plays a different game: being a defender you may not collect even an apple for the whole game, while being a scorer could lead you to not have unnecessary clashes due to the risk of not losing Wumpa on the street. And each specific character works well with unique and different moves. Coco and Cortex are, for example, two very different enhancers. The first has greater mobility thanks to the quantum leap that also allows you to push away the enemies that follow her, while the doctor is more annoying with the ranged attacks of his gun (and with the falling pianos!) The abilities of the character are then added to those of the Power, to be selected at the beginning of the game and which can be more effective depending on the way you plan to play. It is useless to take Wumpa’s stash if you don’t go often to deposit apples in the bank, as well as the trap-spitting plant it can be decisive in the conquest of the gems. Also in this case, the powers available were just four (the two mentioned plus the Fridge Refrigerantwho cares and the Gasmoxian Guardian, a large summoned being that keeps opponents at bay). Here too, good functioning can be seen.

As a self-respecting online multiplayer title, it cannot be missing un pass as an element that pushes you to move forward, unlocking cosmetics. In the beta there was a chance to reach ben 40 levels, with skins, celebrations, banners, frames, music to put on if you are the best player in the game, and all those surrounding elements which are the “seasonal” engine in a game of this kind. Experience points from the pass are then added to those of specific characters, (in this beta locked at 6 levels) with other elements to go and embellish a particular character. We emphasize again that, whether the developers will consistently support the gamecan only benefit from it in longevity.

Piattaforme: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Sviluppatore:  Toys for Bob

Publisher: Activision

Release date: June 20, 2023

The Crash Team Rumble beta first of all amused me. And this is the first of the things that a game should be able to do. Even if limited in content (if you think about what multiplayer with heroes are), it still managed to have a constant drive to want to play over and over again, with a gameplay that draws a lot from what is its reference genre , the platformer. Let’s wait for June 20 and then the months to come to understand how it will work in the long term. If it will be well supported with constant updates, we can make a small bet that it will find its success.