Crash Nitro Kart, commonly abbreviated to CNK, is a video game developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Universal Interactive in regions outside of Japan, where it was published by Konami. It is the second racing game in the Crash Bandicoot series, following on the gameplay of Crash Team Racing. It was released on the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox in 2003, along with a Game Boy Advance version in the same year. The Game Boy Advance version received an N-Gage port in 2004 and a separate mobile phone version was released in the same year.
Being a successor to Crash Team Racing, Crash Nitro Kart retains the concepts and mechanics first seen in the former game, such as the Power Sliding mechanic and the platform-oriented design of the racetracks, along with introducing some of its own, namely with the addition of anti-gravity, which lets players drive up certain maglev surfaces of any angle. Alluding to the name of its predecessor, the game also introduces team-based game modes which pit players together with a teammate against several other teams; the Adventure Mode seen in CTR also is expanded to feature a more character-centric story depending on the team of characters the player has chosen.
Content from this game was remade and included in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled.
Gameplay[]
Crash Nitro Kart is a kart racing game in which the player takes control of one of the playable characters from the Crash Bandicoot series, all of whom drive karts of various specifications, on obstacle-based racetracks. Much like in most kart racers, the player can accelerate, brake, steer, and use items obtained from Power-up Crates in order to finish first out of the eight racers found in the game's racing modes. The player can collect Wumpa Fruit to increase their speed. Wumpa Fruit can be found by breaking Wumpa Crates or hitting other drivers with items, from which Wumpa Fruit will drop on the ground. If all ten Wumpa Fruit are collected, the player's items will be Juiced Up, making them more powerful.
As in Crash Team Racing, the game is unique for featuring techniques that allow players to retain continuous speed boosts for an indefinite amount of time in the form of the Power Slide technique, in which players can fill up a bar while steering that will give them up to three speed boosts, which can be chained with other forms of speed boosts in the game. The game also features certain mechanics inspired by platformer games: most of the shortcuts in the game can only be accessed by hopping off of certain parts of a track, much like in a platformer, and the player can also get speed boosts from hopping off of high altitudes in what's known as a Hang Time Boost.
New to this game is anti-gravity, which opens up the general design of racetracks by allowing players to drive on surfaces previously rendered impossible to drive on in CTR. This addition is, for the most part, visual, as its only effect on gameplay is via the presence of seamless sections of track in the form of tubes players can steer indefinitely on or inside; furthermore, there aren't any shortcuts to be accessed in any of the anti-gravity sections players race on. The game also features the addition of two new types of crate that can be found on racetracks: Multiplier Crates contain three of a certain item and are found in hard-to-reach spots of a track, and Activation Crates alter certain elements of a track, such as the activation of ramps or traps.
Crash Nitro Kart features team-based modes, available for both racing and battle, in which players ally themselves with a teammate and compete against teams of two drivers. Teammates are invulnerable to each others' items and can score wins for the entire team regardless of position. Team-based racing modes feature the Team Frenzy mechanic, where the player can fill up a bar present on their screen by driving close to their respective teammate, and once it's full and activated, they will automatically obtain random items one after another for a temporary amount of time. Teammates that are computer-controlled will always correspond to the team of the character that the player chose belongs to.
Boosts[]
Similar to Crash Team Racing, players can obtain temporary speed boosts for their vehicles which can be extended indefinitely by performing certain techniques or driving on certain parts of a track. Obtaining a boost will cause the exhaust smoke of the player's kart to turn into fire for the duration of the boost, outside of anti-gravity segments where no visuals for boosts appear instead. Boosts can be obtained by driving on Boost Pads, which are flashy green arrow pads laid on racetracks, obtaining certain items, or performing certain driving mechanics and techniques.
The amount of boosts a player has obtained consecutively appears on the top center of the screen, with the counter growing larger as more boosts are obtained; this was previously a cheat code in American and European versions of Crash Team Racing, whereas it was made default in the Japanese version. Consecutive boosts are used as unlocking criteria for certain content in the game. The consecutive boost counter will reset once the duration of the current boost is over.
Power Sliding, returning from CTR, allows players to perform tight turns and obtain up to three turbos in a row, referred to by the game as Slide Boosts. The appearance of the Power Slide meter has been updated, sporting a new vertical, curved appearance and located close to the center of the screen, as opposed to Crash Team Racing where it appeared on the bottom right corner of the screen. Power Sliding is performed by jumping and holding one of the two trigger buttons on the controller, after which the player will start to slide and a meter will appear on the left side of the player's character, referred to as the Slide Gauge, which will start to go up. Once the Slide Gauge reaches the top, the exhaust smoke on the player's kart will turn black, and the gauge will be colored red; pressing the other trigger button once this occurs will give the player a Slide Boost, from which they can keep sliding and waiting for the gauge to obtain up to two more additional boosts.
Hitting a wall or falling off the track will stop a Power Slide. Allowing the Slide Gauge to reach the top will cause the Power Slide to "fail", preventing the player from obtaining any Slide Boosts during the Power Slide, from which the player will have to release the trigger buttons and begin another Power Slide. Hitting the other trigger button while the gauge is not yet at the top and colored red will also cause the Power Slide to "fail". Continuing a "failed" Power Slide will eventually cause the player to spin out and lose speed.
Players can also obtain boosts by jumping from high points on a track, referred to as Hang Time Boosts. The longer a player remains in the air, the faster the boost will be.
Much like in CTR, the duration of the player's current boost can be influenced by consecutively obtaining boosts; this duration is dubbed "Reserves" by players of the game.
Controls[]
PlayStation 2[]
Menu controls[]
/ 
- Select
- Accept
- Back
Race controls[]
- / - Steer
- - Gas
- Brake/Reverse
- Use Power-up/Item- - Toggle Map/Speedometer
- Team Frenzy
- Look Back/Rear View
/ - Hop/Drift/Boost
- Change View
GameCube[]
Menu controls[]
- Analog - Select
- A - Accept
- B - Back
Race controls[]
A[]
- Analog Stick - Steer
- A - Gas
- B - Brake/Reverse
B[]
- Analog Stick - Steer
- A - Gas
- B - Brake/Reverse
Xbox[]
Race controls[]
- Left thumbstick - Steer
- Directional pad - Steer
- A - Gas
- X - Brake/Reverse
- B - Use Power-up/Item
- Y - Toggle Map/Speedometer
- White - Team Frenzy
- Black - Look Back/Rear View
- Left/Right trigger - Hop/Drift/Boost
- BACK - Change View
Story[]
On Earth, Crash Bandicoot is asleep while Coco works on Crash's Kart as Crunch complains to Aku Aku about a diet he's on, while their nemesis, Dr. Neo Cortex, paces across his laboratory floor wondering how he can defeat the Bandicoots and achieve world domination. Suddenly, both groups are abducted by a mysterious white light that takes them to a large coliseum somewhere in another galaxy ruled by Emperor Velo XXVII. Having heard of the groups' racing skills and overall prowess from Nitrous Oxide and N. Trance, Velo plans on having the group race for the entertainment of his subjects. He promises the Earthlings that winning the races will win their freedom, but also threatens them with the destruction of Earth if they refuse to race.
With no other choice, both teams accept Velo's challenge. Velo explains that the racers will compete on four worlds of his choosing, each where they will compete to challenge that world's local champion. After they defeat all four champions, they will then challenge the galactic champion for their freedom. First, they go to Planet Terra, where they race against the champion Krunk, who is furious about Earth's similarities to his homeworld. After defeating him, they go to Barin and challenge Nash, a cybernetic shark that never sleeps. Then they travel to Fenomena and race against Norm, who is able to split himself into two beings. Lastly, they go to Teknee and defeat the clean-freak robot, Geary.
Velo becomes upset after each champion is defeated, but gives credit to the Earth racers. After the last champion is defeated, Velo reveals himself to be galactic champion and agrees to race against the Earth racers. After being defeated, Velo fumes with rage, but then calms down and allows the Earthlings to go free. However, in a shady twist, then states that he will destroy Earth since the racers don't wish to race anymore. When the Earth racers angrily demand a rematch for their planet's fate, Velo readily accepts, on the condition that the Earth racers must first collect all his Time Relics.
After losing once again, Velo literally explodes in a bout of fury, revealing himself to be a small gremlin like his subjects piloting a robot suit. The following events are determined by which of the two teams the player used to win the race.
Team Bandicoot[]
If Team Bandicoot wins, Velo dejectedly relinquishes his empire to the trio since he has lost his influence over his subjects. Crash seriously considers becoming the next emperor of the galaxy (and having Velo's planet carved into the shape of his head), but decides otherwise and gives control back to Velo in exchange for sending the Bandicoot trio (with Polar, who was kidnapped by N. Trance[1]) back to Earth.
Team Cortex[]
If Team Cortex wins the race, Velo struggles with Cortex over the possession of his scepter, only to be stopped by Tiny. Cortex uses the scepter's power in an attempt to return to Earth with his new empire, but the scepter breaks and sends the trio to Terra instead. When they are confronted by the natives, Tiny repairs the scepter and is subsequently revered as a king, much to Cortex's annoyance.
Adventure[]
The Adventure mode is a single-player game in which the player must race through all of the tracks and arenas in the game, collecting as many Trophies, Relics, Boss Keys, CNK Tokens and Gems as possible. The main objective of the Adventure mode is to win all the races in the five different worlds and win the freedom of the playable characters from the tyrannical Emperor Velo XXVII. The hub world of the game is Velo's Coliseum, otherwise known as Velo's Citadel, from which the player can access any of the five other worlds through special gates. Most of these gates are initially locked; the player must complete the races of one world to gain access to the next world. When inside a world, the player may access a race by driving the selected character onto a "Warp Pad". By winning a race, the player will receive a Trophy. When the player receives all three Trophies in a world, the player will be able to race against that world's champion, who acts as a boss character. If the player manages to defeat the world's champion, the champion will relinquish a World Key, which allows the player to engage in the special modes of that world and enables access to the next world. The player will receive tips on playing the game from Aku Aku or Uka Uka, depending on the team they chose, as they progress through the Adventure mode. The player can check their progress and review their hints through a technological assistant named "Sparky", which carries the functions of a regular pause menu.
New to Crash Nitro Kart's Adventure mode is a more character-focused story incorporating the game's team-based racing mechanics: unlike in Crash Team Racing, where the player could choose one out of eight characters to play as, the player is limited to selecting one of two teams, each with three characters that the player can swap between at any time; selecting a team will affect the cutscenes that play throughout the mode, and feature a different ending once the mode is completed. Teammates in the Adventure mode will correspond to the team the player selected, and can also win trophy races for the player provided they finish in first place.
When the player collects all the Trophies and World Keys, the player will be able to race against Emperor Velo on his personal racing track. If the player manages to defeat Velo in this race, the game is won. If the player collects all of the Relics, CNK Tokens, and Gems, the player will be able to race Velo once more, the game being completed 100% upon winning a second time.
Special modes[]
The special modes consist of the Relic Race, the CNK Challenge, the Crystal Arena and the Gem Cups, all of which return from Crash Team Racing's Adventure mode. These allow the player to collect Relics, CNK Tokens, and Gems, which are used to unlock content in the Adventure mode as well as in other modes outside of it.
Relic Race[]
Relic Races are a variant of the game's Race Time Trial mode, where the player attempts to complete three laps on a track in the fastest time possible, with the inclusion of Time Crates spread throughout each track. When the player drives the character through a Time Crate, the clock will be frozen for the number of seconds indicated on the Crate. If all of the Time Crates on a track are destroyed, the player's final time will be reduced by ten seconds. The player wins a Relic by beating the time indicated on the screen.
CNK Challenge[]
CNK Challenges are played like normal races, except that the player must also collect the letters C, N and K scattered throughout the track. If the player manages to collect all three letters and come in first place, a CNK Token is awarded. These tokens come in four different colors. If the player collects four tokens of the same color, the player will be able to access the Gem Cup of the corresponding color.
Crystal Arena[]
Crystal Arena challenges require the player to collect all the crystals scattered throughout a battle arena under a time limit, and award the player a CNK Token. Nitro Crates will be spread throughout the arenas in this mode, which the player can destroy using weapons from Power-up Crates. All CNK Tokens awarded this way are the same color, meaning that the player can ignore these until they have completed the Gem Cups of the other colors before attempting any of these.
Gem Cups[]
Gem Cups function identically to Cup Tournaments, in that they are racing tournaments held against computer-controlled opponents through three consecutive tracks in a set order. Gem Cups are accessible through a special gate at Velo's Coliseum which leads to Velo's Vault. If one of these cups is won, a Gem is awarded. Gems are also used as unlocking criteria for certain content outside of the Adventure mode.
Events[]
| Hub area | Course | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Terra | Inferno Island | Default |
| Jungle Boogie | ||
| Tiny Temple | 2 trophies | |
| Temple Turmoil (Crystal Arena) | 1 key | |
| Terra Championship | 3 trophies | |
| Barin | Meteor Gorge | 3 trophies and a key |
| Barin Ruins | ||
| Deep Sea Driving | 5 trophies | |
| Frozen Frenzy (Crystal Arena) | 2 keys required | |
| Barin Championship | 6 trophies | |
| Fenomena | Out of Time | 6 trophies and 2 keys |
| Clockwork Wumpa | 7 trophies | |
| Thunder Struck | 8 trophies | |
| Desert Storm (Crystal Arena) | 3 keys required | |
| Fenomena Championship | 9 trophies | |
| Teknee | Assembly Lane | 9 trophies and 3 keys |
| Android Alley | 10 trophies | |
| Electron Avenue | 11 trophies | |
| Magnetic Mayhem (Crystal Arena) | All 4 keys | |
| Teknee Championship | A dozen trophies | |
| Velo's Citadel | Galaxy Championship | All 4 keys |
| Velo's Vault | Red Gem Cup | |
| Purple Gem Cup | ||
| Green Gem Cup | ||
| Blue Gem Cup | ||
| Hyper Spaceway | All 4 gems |
Game modes[]
Outside of the Adventure mode, Crash Nitro Kart features several modes of racing and battle gameplay, a great wealth of which return from Crash Team Racing functioning almost exactly as they did in the latter game. Some modes are free-for-all, while others can be played as a team.
Race modes[]
In race modes, players drive around obstacle-based racetracks using weapons in order to finish first out of eight racers. There are six racing modes in Crash Nitro Kart. Some modes can be played by one to four players, while others can only be played by one player.
Quick[]
In Quick Race, the player competes against computer-controlled drivers in any track of their choosing. The player can also select the difficulty of the computer opponents and the number of laps in the track. This mode can only be played by one player.
Team[]
Team Race functions identically to Quick Race, except the player allies with a computer teammate against other teams. This mode can only be played by one player.
Single[]
Single Race is the multiplayer equivalent of both Quick Race and Team Race, where players can adjust enabled weapons, toggle computer racers, and set teams. This mode can be played by two to four players.
Cup Tournament[]
In Cup Tournament, racers compete through tournaments of three consecutive tracks in a set order. After finishing a race, the top four racers receive points based on their ranking: first place earns the racer nine points, second earns six, third earns three, and fourth earns one, while fifth and below get zero points. The racer with the most points wins the cup. Players can select the difficulty of the computer racers. Teams are not available in this mode. This mode can be played by one to four players.
Unlike Crash Team Racing, cups in this game only feature 3 tracks; additionally, the tracks featured in the 4 Cups are exactly the same as in all 4 Gem Cups, respectively. Completing cups won't unlock new content.
| Wumpa | Uka | Aku | Nitro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno Island | Jungle Boogie | Android Alley | Barin Ruins |
| Meteor Gorge | Deep Sea Driving | Tiny Temple | Clockwork Wumpa |
| Assembly Lane | Out of Time | Thunder Struck | Electron Avenue |
Time Trial[]
Race[]
In Race Time Trial, the player attempts to complete three laps in the fastest time possible on any of the tracks in the game. In this mode, opposing drivers and Power-up Crates won't appear. After finishing a track, the player can save a "ghost" of their attempt, which they can race against. Setting certain times will allow the player to go against the best times of N. Tropy, represented by a ghost version of himself; beating all of his times will unlock him for use as a playable character and unlock Velo's best times, which there is no reward from beating. This mode can only be played by one player.
Lap[]
Lap Time Trial has a similar concept to Race Time Trial, altered to be more specific to lap times. The player attempts to set their best time for a single lap of any track; after setting a new record on a lap, a ghost of the player's newest record appears for the player to race, which will be replaced with a newer ghost as the player beats it. As laps are infinite in this mode, it can be played indefinitely; the player is able to quit anytime by exiting the game from the pause menu. This mode can only be played by one player.
Battle modes[]
In battle modes, instead of racing on tracks, players speed around battle arenas collecting weapons and attacking opponents. There are five battle modes in Crash Nitro Kart. Each mode can be played by two to four players.
Limit Battle[]
In Limit Battle, the objective is to attack opponents with weapons and traps while avoiding attacks unleashed by the opponents. Offensive and defensive weapons can be collected by smashing through Weapons Crates. A point and time limit can be set by the player preceding gameplay. Whoever earns enough points or has enough points when time runs out is the winner. This mode can be played free-for-all or with teams.
Last Kart Driving[]
In Last Kart Driving, players take turns attacking each other until they run out of lives, after which they are eliminated from the match, much like the title suggests. A player loses a life every time they are hit by a weapon or hazard or fall into a pit. This mode can be played free-for-all or with teams.
Crystal Grab[]
This is a multiplayer version of the Crystal Arena mode seen in the Adventure modes of this game and its predecessor. Players must fight to collect all the Crystals in the arena. When a player is hit by a weapon or hazard, they will drop any Crystals they've gathered, allowing opponents to steal them. This mode can be played free-for-all or with teams.
Capture the Flag[]
In Capture the Flag, Two teams attempt to capture each others' flag and bring it back to their respective flags. Players must race to their opponents' side of the map and drive over their flag to grab it. They must then drive over their own flag's base to score a point from the flag they have captured. A flag that has been stolen can be dropped if the thief is hit with any weapon. Stolen flags that have been dropped can be returned back to their respective bases. Due to the weight of the flags, any kart carrying one will be slowed down. The game ends when time runs out or when one of the teams has gotten enough points. This mode can only be played in teams.
Steal the Bacon[]
Steal the Bacon plays identically to Capture the Flag, with a few exceptions: instead of each team having a flag, the game mode is played with one flag that is situated in the middle of the arena. Both teams must attempt to take the flag and bring it to their base. This mode can only be played in teams.
Courses[]
Crash Nitro Kart features a total of 13 racetracks and 5 battle arenas, of which 1 racetrack and 1 battle arena must be unlocked (denoted with an *). All the racetracks in the game feature in-race minimaps, except for Hyper Spaceway which does not display any whatsoever.
Battle Arenas[]
 Temple Turmoil |
 Frozen Frenzy |
 Desert Storm |
 Magnetic Mayhem |
 Terra Drome * |
Unlock criteria[]
| Course | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Hyper Spaceway | Win the Teknee Championship in Adventure. |
| Terra Drome | Collect all the purple CNK tokens in Adventure. |
In the GameCube version, these courses can be unlocked immediately by connecting to the Game Boy Advance version.
Course times[]
Ghosts[]
Listed below are the times represented by N. Tropy and Velo, as well as the times needed to unlock the former:
| Track | Time required to unlock N. Tropy's ghost | N. Tropy's ghost | Velo's ghost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno Island | 2:01:00 | 1:51:59 | 1:38:44 |
| Jungle Boogie | 2:08:00 | 1:56:91 | 1:35:00 |
| Tiny Temple | 2:49:00 | 2:39:67 | 2:24:62 |
| Meteor Gorge | 2:20:00 | 2:10:17 | 1:59:94 |
| Barin Ruins | 2:46:00 | 2:35:55 | 2:08:71 |
| Deep Sea Driving | 3:09:00 | 2:59:31 | 2:39:46 |
| Out of Time | 3:14:00 | 3:04:22 | 2:35:19 |
| Clockwork Wumpa | 3:09:00 | 2:59:11 | 2:37:15 |
| Thunder Struck | 3:48:00 | 3:34:49 | 3:21:05 |
| Assembly Lane | 3:08:00 | 2:58:34 | 2:32:76 |
| Android Alley | 3:42:00 | 3:32:47 | 3:05:71 |
| Electron Avenue | 4:28:00 | 4:14:22 | 3:55:52 |
| Hyper Spaceway | 5:06:00 | 4:58:93 | 4:29:41 |
Relic[]
Listed below are the times needed to obtain each Sapphire, Gold, or Platinum Relic:
| Track | Sapphire | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno Island | 1:35:00 | 1:15:00 | 0:55:00 |
| Jungle Boogie | 1:40:00 | 1:18:00 | 0:55:00 |
| Tiny Temple | 2:05:00 | 2:00:00 | 1:40:00 |
| Meteor Gorge | 2:00:00 | 1:53:00 | 1:25:00 |
| Barin Ruins | 2:10:00 | 1:58:00 | 1:45:00 |
| Deep Sea Driving | 2:20:00 | 2:05:00 | 1:50:00 |
| Out of Time | 2:35:00 | 2:15:00 | 1:55:00 |
| Clockwork Wumpa | 2:30:00 | 2:15:00 | 2:20:00 |
| Thunder Struck | 3:00:00 | 2:38:00 | 2:15:00 |
| Assembly Lane | 2:35:00 | 2:10:00 | 1:45:00 |
| Android Alley | 2:35:00 | 2:23:00 | 2:10:00 |
| Electron Avenue | 3:15:00 | 3:03:00 | 2:50:00 |
| Hyper Spaceway | 4:00:00 | 3:45:00 | 3:30:00 |
Characters[]
Crash Nitro Kart features a total of 16 playable characters: 8 available by starting the game and 8 that can be unlocked through the game's various modes. The 16 characters are split in teams of 4: Team Bandicoot, headed by the titular protagonist Crash Bandicoot, Team Cortex, headed by the evil scientist Dr. Neo Cortex, Team Oxide, headed by the villain of Crash Team Racing, Nitrous Oxide, who makes his debut as a playable character in the game, and Team Trance, headed by master of hypnotism N. Trance who makes his debut as a playable character in the series of Crash Bandicoot racing games. Each team features a unique kart which all members of the team drive, and each team is protected by a certain mask: Team Bandicoot and Team Cortex are protected by Aku Aku and Uka Uka respectively, while Team Oxide and Team Trance are protected by the newly-introduced Velo Mask.
The game features the return of Crash Team Racing's starting roster of 8 characters, with Dingodile, Polar, and Pura being moved to unlockables, as well as Dr. N. Tropy and Fake Crash, who remain unlockable characters. For the game's new additions to the roster, it introduces 2 characters that have appeared in Crash Bandicoot games following Crash Team Racing to the series of Crash racing games: Crunch Bandicoot from Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, who forms part of Team Bandicoot, and N. Trance from Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced, who heads his own team with characters that he hypnotized; as previously stated, Nitrous Oxide also makes a playable appearance after remaining a boss character in Crash Team Racing, heading his own team with characters that are new to the Crash Bandicoot series overall.
The Adventure mode also features boss characters with attributes identical to that of playable characters, in the form of Velo's champions and a version of himself. These characters are, however, not available for use.
| Character | Stats | Unlock Condition | Team | Mask |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Crash Bandicoot |
Speed: 4/7 Accel: 5/7 Turn: 3/7 |
Unlocked by default | Bandicoot | Aku Aku |
 Coco Bandicoot |
Speed: 2/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 6/7 | |||
 Crunch Bandicoot |
Speed: 6/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 2/7 | |||
 Dr. Neo Cortex |
Speed: 4/7 Accel: 5/7 Turn: 3/7 |
Cortex | Uka Uka | |
 N. Gin |
Speed: 2/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 6/7 | |||
 Tiny Tiger |
Speed: 6/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 2/7 | |||
 Nitrous Oxide |
Speed: 4/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 4/7 |
Oxide | Velo Mask | |
 N. Trance |
Speed: 4/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 4/7 |
Trance | ||
 Polar |
Speed: 2/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 7/7 |
Win the Blue Gem Cup in Adventure or connect to the Game Boy Advance version (GameCube only) | ||
 Dingodile |
Speed: 7/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 2/7 |
Win the Red Gem Cup in Adventure or connect to the Game Boy Advance version (GameCube only) | ||
 Zem |
Speed: 7/7 Accel: 2/7 Turn: 4/7 |
Win the Green Gem Cup in Adventure or connect to the Game Boy Advance version (GameCube only) | Oxide | |
 Zam |
Speed: 2/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 7/7 |
Win the Purple Gem Cup in Adventure or connect to the Game Boy Advance version (GameCube only) | ||
 Pura |
Speed: 2/7 Accel: 4/7 Turn: 7/7 |
Perform 50 consecutive boosts as Team Bandicoot in Adventure or connect to the Game Boy Advance version (GameCube only) | Trance | |
 Fake Crash |
Speed: 2/7 Accel: 2/7 Turn: 2/7 |
Perform 50 consecutive boosts as Team Cortex in Adventure or connect to the Game Boy Advance version (GameCube only) | Bandicoot | Aku Aku |
 N. Tropy |
Speed: 6/7 Accel: 6/7 Turn: 4/7 |
Beat all of N. Tropy's times in Time Trial | Cortex | Uka Uka |
 Velo |
Speed: 7/7 Accel: 7/7 Turn: 4/7 |
Complete Adventure 100% with both Teams Bandicoot and Cortex | Oxide | Velo Mask |
 Krunk |
N/A | Not playable | Velo | |
 Nash | ||||
 Norm | ||||
 Big Norm | ||||
 Geary | ||||
 Emperor Velo |
Weapons[]
Like in Crash Team Racing, players can receive Weapons by driving through a Power-up Crate, which can be Juiced Up by collecting ten Wumpa Fruit. However, the weapon roster has been altered a bit, with some weapons being replaced by new ones. Additionally, Crash Nitro Kart introduces Multiplier Crates, which will exclusively give the player three of a certain weapon, and are generally placed in hard-to-reach locations.
| Weapon | Description |
|---|---|
  Ice Mine |
A blue mine that can be dropped onto the track similarly to N. Brio's Beaker from CTR. It will freeze anyone upon impact, causing the victim to spin out. When Juiced Up, the mine becomes purple. Anyone hit by the purple Ice Mine will take longer to thaw out and have reduced traction. Can be found in threes in a Multiplier Crate. |
  TNT Crate |
Dropped onto the track behind the user. When someone hits it, it lands on their head and starts counting down. The victim can try to shake it off by jumping repeatedly, but if they fail to do so before the end of the countdown, it will explode, knocking over anyone in the blast radius. When Juiced Up, it becomes a Nitro Crate, which explodes immediately upon physical contact. Can be found in threes in a Multiplier Crate. |
 Bowling Bomb |
Thrown in a straight line either in front of or behind the user, and detonates either when it hits something, or when the player presses the "Fire" button again. Anyone caught in the blast radius will tumble and crash. Blast radius is bigger when Juiced Up. Can be found in threes in a Multiplier Crate. |
 Homing Missile |
Targets the nearest opponent in front of the racer that used the item, knocking them over if it hits. If a racer is targeted, a crosshair appears on their kart. Faster and more accurate when Juiced Up. Can be found in threes in a Multiplier Crate. |
  Static Orb |
A magenta, spiky sphere that emits purple electricity, which can be dropped behind the user on the track. Anyone running into it will not only spin out, but they will also be slowed down temporarily and get their weapon changed, not unlike CTR's Red Beakers. When Juiced Up, the Static Orb will emit red electricity, causing anyone running into it to additionally get their controls reversed for a short time. It also gains the ability to home in on players within proximity. |
 Turbo Boost |
Gives the player a quick speed boost to zip past or squash opponents. Gives an even bigger and longer speed boost when Juiced Up. Can be found in threes in a Multiplier Crate. |
  Power Shield |
A green, temporary shield that prevents damage from a single weapon or obstacle (other than N. Tropy Clocks). Drivers under the shield can also touch another driver to knock them over, but can't be fired (contrary to CTR). Becomes blue when juiced up. The blue version is not restricted by time. |
   Invincibility Mask |
Provides temporary invulnerability and increased speed. Anyone the driver touches will be knocked over. Unlike in Crash Team Racing, the mask does not protect the driver against the N. Tropy Clock. Players will get a different mask depending on which team their racer belongs to. Team Bandicoot gets Aku Aku, Team Cortex gets Uka Uka, and Team Trance and Team Oxide get the Velo Mask. Lasts longer when Juiced Up. |
 N. Tropy Clock |
Makes every kart except the user spin out and be slowed down for a few seconds, during which time they cannot collect or use weapons. Will also affect those who are using a Power Shield or Invincibility Mask. Lasts longer when Juiced Up. Exclusive to races. |
 Tornado Top |
Much like the Warp Orb in Crash Team Racing, it chases down the driver in first place, making them, along with anyone else who gets in its way, tumble and crash. When Juiced Up, it will target every driver ahead of the user one by one. Exclusive to races. |
 Super Engine |
Temporarily provides a constant turbo boost for as long as the driver is accelerating. Faster and longer-lasting when Juiced Up. Exclusive to battles. |
 Invisibility |
Makes the user invisible to both their opponents' eyes and their Homing Missiles. Lasts longer when Juiced Up. Exclusive to battles. |
 Red Eye Missile |
Transforms the user into a giant missile that they can steer towards other opponents. Explodes on impact, knocking over anyone in the blast radius. Has better handling when Juiced Up. Exclusive to battles. |
Extras[]
Arena Editor[]
The Arena Editor is an extra mode that allows you to edit the object placements of the game's Battle Arenas, for use in multiplayer Battle matches.
Selecting the editor allows the player to choose any of the game's Battle Arenas, after which they will be placed in the Arena they selected with Crash Bandicoot as their driver. The player can perform every driving technique in the editor, while the Arena won't play its background music.
The editor allows the player to place several kinds of crates in all of the locations they can reach with their driver, as well as crystals and flags for the game's Crystal Grab, Capture the Flag, and Steal the Bacon modes. In order to save their custom object placements, a certain quota of objects needs to be reached. A total amount of 50 objects can be placed in the editor.
| Object | Availability | Amount required | Limited to one? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wumpa Crate | All modes | Not required | No |
| Power-Up Crate | x3 | ||
| Multiplier Crate | x1 | ||
| TNT Crate | Not required | ||
| NITRO Crate | |||
| Crystal | Crystal Grab only | x1 | |
| Red Team Flag | Capture the Flag only | Yes | |
| Blue Team Flag | |||
| White Flag | Steal the Bacon only |
Battle Arenas with custom objects placements are known as Custom Arenas, and can be accessed separately from regular Battle Arenas in the game's multiplayer Battle mode. Only one Custom Arena can be saved to a Battle Arena. Trying to load a Custom Arena with no prior Custom Arena data will send the players to the regular version of the Battle Arena.
Controls[]
- [Toggle Map/Speedometer] - Change object/Enable destroy mode
- [Use Power-up] button - Place object
Cutscenes[]
All of the game's full-motion video cinematics can be viewed numerous times through this option. Cutscenes are split into two categories, Team Bandicoot and Team Cortex, each for the cutscenes involving the respective team in the game's Adventure mode. A cutscene is only available once the player has viewed it for the first time.
Nintendo GameCube – Game Boy Advance cross-connectivity[]
The Nintendo GameCube version of Crash Nitro Kart allows owners of the Game Boy Advance version of the game to use the Nintendo GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable in order to unlock content for both versions of the game. Players can do this through the GBA Link option in the Extras menu.
Connecting to the Game Boy Advance version will unlock Hyper Spaceway, Terra Drome, and all playable characters excluding N. Tropy and Velo for the GameCube version with no prior game requirements needed in either version.
Crash Party[]
- Main article: Crash Party USA
The GameCube version of Crash Nitro Kart can also be connected to a Game Boy Advance in order to play Crash Party, a simple rhythm-based game, without the need of a copy of Crash Nitro Kart for the Game Boy Advance. Players can do this through the Crash Party option in the Extras menu.
Reception[]
Overall, Crash Nitro Kart has received mixed reviews, being dismissed as a generic kart racer while commented positively on its Power Slide system.
Manny LaMancha of GamePro concluded that the gameplay of Crash Nitro Kart was addictive though not innovative. Playstation: The Official Magazine said that Crash Nitro Kart was "satisfying and challenging at the same time" and "a great way to fill that need for speed." Nintendo Power praised the karts as "fast" and the power-ups as "creative". Official Playstation Magazine concluded that "Vicarious Visions did all it could to emulate the Naughty Dog classic (Crash Team Racing) and just added a PS2 coat of paint." Play magazine said that the game was "a little generic and heavily recycled, but the powerslide system from CTR pulls it together." Matt Helgeson of Game Informer dismissed the game as "probably one of the least exciting racing titles I've played recently." Demian Linn of Electronic Gaming Monthly noted that the gameplay was "nearly identical to Crash Team Racing's, even down to the speed-boosting wumpa fruits, so if you loved it before, you'll still love it, and if not... not."
The game's controls were well received. Manny LaMancha of GamePro concluded that the controls were easy to pick up, but hard to master. Official Xbox Magazine praised the game's "solid control" and "innovative boost system". Michael Laffery of GameZone said that the interface was "simple to use" and that the game requires no learning curve. Tony Guidi of TeamXbox noted that the "simplistic" controls allowed the game to be played by anyone and that due to the different boosting and sliding techniques, "mastering the control will separate the great racers from the newbs." Ryan Davis of GameSpot stated that while the powerslide system "can give you a serious advantage in the race ... [it] is also very difficult to pull off, requiring flawless timing." Steven Rodriquez of Nintendo World Report said that the karts "control pretty nicely, but can be hard to handle consistently at top speed," and added that power sliding was "easy to do".
The graphics of the game were positively received. Manny LaMancha of GamePro said that the visuals were brightly colored and smoothly animated and noted that the Xbox version's graphics were slightly cleaner than the PlayStation 2 version. Michael Lafferty of GameZone praised the environments as "lush and richly textured" and the cutscenes as "very well done". Tony Guidi of TeamXbox commended the graphics as "clean and crisp" and added that the cutscenes were "beautifully polished". Ryan Davis of GameSpot noted that "Crash Nitro Kart maintains the brightly colored, cartoony look that has been the hallmark of past Crash Bandicoot games, though with slightly upgraded graphics. Ed Lewis of IGN said that the graphics for the single-player modes were "bright and cheery and smooth", but decreased in quality in the multiplayer modes. Kristan Reed of EuroGamer concluded that "CNK stays in exactly the cutesy ballpark you'd expect from the Day-Glo series, neither straying in any way from the generic cartoon worlds of old nor providing any graphical trickery that surprises hardened gamers looking for a splash of eye candy with their cartoon frippery." Steven Rodriquez of Nintendo World Report noted that "if you've played any of the other Crash Bandicoot games out there, then you have a pretty good idea what this one looks like." Russ Fischer of GameSpy said that the game "some nice graphics, which use a solid framerate and loads of color to capture the old Crash magic."
The audio received mixed reception. Manny LaMancha of GamePro said that the in-game voice acting (provided by such stars as Debi Derryberry and Billy West) was "clear and entertaining". Tony Guidi of TeamXbox also noted that the character voices were "done well" and that the music "isn't annoying". However, Michael Lafferty of GameZone stated that the music can become "a little tiring" and "annoying" after a while. Ryan Davis of GameSpot concluded that the sound was "respectable", but added that the "attitude" of the character sounds bites seemed "forced". Ed Lewis of IGN said that the "saving grace" of the "Looney Toons-style repartee and sound effects" is that "it was done professionally and while it's pretty silly if you listen to it, it doesn't grate and get under the skin as other games can." He added that the music was "bouncy and peppy and, once again, cartoony". Steven Rodriguez of Nintendo World Report described the music and sound effects as "generic" and "plain" respectively, and noted that the best part of the game's audio was "that sexy talking mask that gives you advice between races, but even he gets rather annoying."
Script[]
Gallery[]
Names in other languages[]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Japanese | クラッシュ・バンディクー 爆走! ニトロカート Kurasshu Bandikū Bakusō! Nitoro Kāto |
The game was developed in English, and the console and GBA versions were officially localized into Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish.
The N-Gage version of CNK did not receive Dutch or Japanese localizations.
Voice cast[]
Trivia[]
- This is the final game in which Clancy Brown voices Dr. Neo Cortex and Uka Uka, having voiced the former since Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. Brown would be replaced by Lex Lang as the voice of Cortex from Crash Twinsanity onwards.
- This title marks the last time Coco's laptop is seen until Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and the only time it's a color other than pink (the character select screen in Adventure mode and the Team Bandicoot cutscene following Nash's defeat portray it as the same sky blue as her jeans).
- This is the final game to give Crash a different voice between the Western and Japanese versions.
- Despite wearing red gloves during gameplay, Cortex is depicted wearing his traditional yellow gloves on the cover of the American and PAL versions. This could indicate that the cover was created prior to the animators redesigning Cortex's appearance for this installment.
- Interestingly, this contradiction is not present in the Japanese version of the game.
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ Crash Nitro Kart Xbox manual, pg 21
- ↑ https://youtu.be/vllOwIr8V24?t=345 "Everybody seems to love the Aku Aku [sound]. It was actually one of the guys that I work with. He had a deeper voice than me so he did that one. It was Andy Dawson." - Mike Gollom, Crash Bandicoot sound designer. Uploaded April 20th, 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "Crash Nitro Kart". Antonio Genna. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023