On paper, Crash Team Rumble doesn\u2019t seem like it should work. It\u2019s a team-based, strategic platformer that breaks a lot of the rules we associate with other multiplayer games like it. Instead of getting ahead by KOing members of the enemy team, you\u2019re racing to collect 2,000 Wumpa Fruit before them. But while this concoction may seem strange at a glance, it comes together in surprisingly fun fashion. The three hours I was able to spend with Crash Team Rumble as part of a pre-release review session (plus a few more on live servers since launch) isn\u2019t enough to get a full sense of what\u2019s here or how it might hold up over time, but I did come away with a much better understanding of what developer Toys For Bob is going for and a hunger to collect even more Wumpa Fruit.<\/p>\n
Rumble\u2019s 4-on-4 matches pit teams of iconic Crash Bandicoot characters against each other. There are currently eight to choose from, each broken into one of three archetypes: Scorers: Crash, Tawna, and Catbat; Blockers: Dingodile, Dr. N. Brio, and Dr. N. Tropy; and Boosters: Coco and Dr. Neo Cortex. It\u2019s a good starting roster \u2013 so far I\u2019ve enjoyed playing as any character, and they all feel very different even if they come from the same archetype.<\/p>\n
Scorers are, naturally, the best at scoring. They can hold more Wumpa Fruit at one time than the other archetypes, tend to be pretty good at fighting off enemies trying to stop you, and usually have special movement abilities that make them tough to corner. Blockers are good at blocking scorers from scoring. They can sit on the other team\u2019s bank for a long time if played well, with strong offensive capabilities and knack for controlling the space around them. Boosters are a little less straightforward; their job is to support their team, but they do so in a couple of interesting ways.<\/p>\n
Boosters are custom-built for capturing fights, which can be won and lost in an instant.<\/p>\n
The first is by capturing Gems by simply jumping on them, which is essential because they provide a significant scoring boost. There\u2019s a big difference between turning in Wumpa Fruit normally and turning them in when you control every group of Gems on the map because that means you\u2019re doubling your score. Even capturing at an additional 30% makes a huge difference, and Boosters are custom-built for capturing fights, which can be won and lost in an instant. They excel at keeping other players away from them (or their location), but they\u2019re not just there to capture Gems. <\/p>\n
The real game-changer is when you take your Booster \u2013 who can collect Relics more quickly than Scorers or Blockers \u2013 to the stage-specific ultimate Relic Stations and cash them in for power-ups. There\u2019s only one of these on each of the 10 launch maps, and they\u2019re more expensive than standard Relic Station upgrades that only affect your character, but the rewards are enormous. Just Beachy\u2019s is a Bonus Bank that doubles your Wumpa turn-ins as long as it\u2019s up. City Scrape\u2019s summons TNT drones that chase your enemies. Serenity Gardens\u2019 gets you a Big Bonsai, a tree full of Wumpa Fruit. Others summon dragons, spaceships, sandstorms\u2026 there\u2019s a lot. Best of all, each one is specifically tailored to its map\u2019s themes and design, which has helped each and every one I\u2019ve played so far feel unique. <\/p>\n
Locking in a character doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re stuck doing one thing.<\/p>\n
All of this adds up to a game that asks you to make a lot of important decisions on the fly during the action, but picking your team composition beforehand matters just as much because you can\u2019t change your mind once the match starts. I love Dingodile; his vacuum sucks up Wumpas and enemies from afar; his spin attack hits hard, can be charged, and holds an area well; and he\u2019s pretty tanky. That said, a team of four Dongodiles is probably not a good idea because his mobility is limited and he can\u2019t keep up with the Scorers in sheer Wumpa collection. <\/p>\n
Locking in a character doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re stuck doing one thing, though. Sure, Dingodile is a Blocker, but his vacuum lets him suck up Wumpa Fruit quickly and he can hold more of them than the average Blocker or Booster, so he can still score in a pinch. Crash\u2019s speed and ability to carry a lot of Wumpa is core to being a Scorer, but he\u2019s also handy in a fight and his Slam and Super Slam attacks work great if you\u2019re trying to control space or KO another player \u2013 ideal for double-duty as a Booster or a Blocker. Each character is different: Tawna has a grappling hook for zooming around the map and pulling enemies to her, Dr. N. Tropy can hover and create energy balls that knock opponents away, Coco\u2019s shields can keep other players off of platforms, and so on. I haven\u2019t gotten a chance to really dig into everyone yet, but what\u2019s here is promising, and it\u2019s nice that a character\u2019s specializations don\u2019t stop you from going where you\u2019re most needed. Crash Team Rumble is about adaptation as much as it is filling your role.<\/p>\n
Every character also gets a Power that charges up throughout the match. They\u2019re not character specific \u2013 you can choose from a list \u2013 but they can make all the difference in a close game. The Wumpa Stash builds up over time once you activate it, letting you score big when you turn in Wumpa if you can stay alive long enough. There\u2019s also a refrigerator that will heal any allies within range, the Gasmoxian Guard, whose lightning pulses are great for holding areas or playing keep away, and the Flytrap Spitter, which attacks enemies from range. Matches can be won and lost based on what abilities you choose and when you deploy them. My team stole the final match of our review session because I saved my Gasmoxian Guard until the last second \u2013 it knocked the entire enemy team off our bank, allowing us to score for the win. <\/p>\n
What I like most about Crash Team Rumble so far, though, is its map design and how it forces you to use your character’s skills. The maps here remind me of arena FPSes like Quake or Unreal. There\u2019s a lot of height to them, and being able to get to where you want to be quickly \u2013 and developing routes that maximize your Wumpa pickups, Relic collection, Gem activation, and drop-offs along the way \u2013 is crucial to winning. I really enjoyed maximizing my routes through maps, and I can\u2019t wait to perfect them as I spend more time in the full version.<\/p>\n
I still have a lot more Crash Team Rumble to play, but I\u2019ve really enjoyed what I\u2019ve seen so far. It\u2019s already clear how much its unique multiplayer structure rewards map knowledge, teamwork, and smart play. I still need to play around with more of the cast, put the unlock systems through their paces, and master the maps, but I\u2019m excited to see what else I discover as I get more comfortable with it. I\u2019ll be back with a final, scored review next week, but until then I\u2019ll be happily scoring Wumpas. <\/p>\n