Help your team achieve victory in this competitive multiplayer game.
Activision recently released Crash Team Rumble on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The multiplayer game is the latest title in the Crash Bandicoot video game franchise.
We had the chance to check out the Deluxe Edition of Crash Team Rumble on PlayStation 5.
Crash Team Rumble is an online multiplayer game that challenges two teams of four players to be the first to collect the required number of Wumpa fruit to win each match. The game features multiple playable characters that were first seen in other Crash Bandicoot games, including Crash, Coco, Dingodile, and Catbat, among others (Catbat is the first non-binary character in the Crash Bandicoot franchise).
Crash Team Rumble features multiple gameplay modes. Competitive matches allow players to play with strangers, while private matches can be played with friends. Players can also practice against computer-controlled opponents in practice matches, as well as learn to play the game through an interactive tutorial.
In each match of Crash Team Rumble, two teams of four players compete to be the first to bring the required number of Wumpa fruit to their team’s “Bank.” Some Wumpa fruit can be found out in the open in each arena, and even more can be found inside breakable crates.
Players can also collect Relics that are scattered throughout each arena and deposit them at special stations around the battlefield to activate temporary bonuses for their team. Some of these Relic bonuses are more powerful than others, and players can use strategic thinking to decide which ones to activate and when.
Finally, players can attack the opposing team to try and prevent them from collecting the Wumpa fruit they need to win. When a player attacks another person, they’ll make their opponent drop some of the Wumpa fruit they’re carrying.
Rather than being timed, each match lasts until one team collects the required number of Wumpa fruit to achieve victory.
Each of the game’s playable characters has one of three different “roles,” or specialties: Scorer, Blocker, or Booster. Scorers are designed to focus on collecting Wumpa fruit, Blockers are designed to focus on preventing the opposing team from scoring Wumpa fruit to their Bank, and Boosters are designed to focus on collecting Relics. Players start with only a handful of characters available to choose from, but they can unlock more across all three roles as they play.
While each character is assigned one of the game’s three roles, players technically have the freedom to play the game however they’d like. For instance, Scorer characters aren’t prevented from collecting Relics or attacking other players – these characters have simply been designed to specialize at collecting Wumpa fruit. Each character also has their own moves and abilities that players can experiment with until they find a character that best suits their personal play style. In addition, each player can bring one “Power” into each match with them, which can help their team offensively or defensively, depending on the Power.
Crash Team Rumble has a variety of in-game maps, or arenas, where matches will take place. Each map has a different layout with lots of platforms to jump on. Maps may also feature gaps to jump across and/or obstacles to avoid.
In addition, each map features special groups of platforms, called Gem Clusters, that teams can battle to capture in order to temporarily boost the number of Wumpa fruit their team collects each time Wumpa fruit are “banked.”
Each character has a limited amount of health, and when players are knocked out (or if they fall into a bottomless pit), they’ll need to wait a few seconds before they can respawn and get back into the action. While this means characters can technically “die” and “kill” each other, the combat here isn’t realistic or gorey. Crash Team Rumble has been rated E10+ for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB, meaning the game has been deemed appropriate for players aged 10 and up.
After each match, players will earn experience points based on their performance. For instance, players can earn experience points for banking Wumpa fruit during a match, for attacking other players during a match to make them drop their Wumpa fruit, and more. While players will receive extra experience points for winning matches, players will still gain some experience points even if their team loses. These experience points are applied toward the player’s overall profile and the character they used during the previous match (like Crash or Coco).
As players earn enough experience points over time, their overall profile and their characters will level up and they can earn in-game rewards. The game’s rewards include items like backpacks that characters can wear, emblems that can be used to customize the player’s in-game profile, and more.
Players can also complete in-game quests to receive additional rewards. For example, one quest may ask players to complete a single match as a Blocker, while another asks them to win two matches.
In addition to these standard rewards that are available to everyone, Crash Team Rumble also features in-game Seasons and premium Battle Passes that allow players to earn even more items. At the game’s launch, the Season 1 Battle Pass is available to all players for free, while future Battle Passes will require real money to purchase. The Season 1 Battle Pass features rewards like accessories and costumes for characters to wear, emblems for the player’s profile, and more.
Crash Team Rumble has a gameplay setup that’s easy to understand, and players can jump right into matches even if they’ve never played this kind of game before. At the same time, the game’s fast-paced, sometimes chaotic gameplay likely won’t appeal to everyone.
On a personal level, Crash Team Rumble isn’t the kind of game I would normally play – I’m not very fond of competitive multiplayer gameplay in most cases. That means my opinion of Crash Team Rumble will likely be more negative than that of someone who is more experienced with (and more fond of) these kinds of games.
As it stands, I enjoyed the basic gameplay setup in Crash Team Rumble – I really like the concept of collecting and banking Wumpa fruit in arenas – but I found the competitive gameplay to be too frustrating for my personal tastes.
Overall, if your family already enjoys competitive multiplayer games like Fortnite and Fall Guys (among others), you may also enjoy Crash Team Rumble. On the other hand, if you typically prefer slower, more casual experiences, this may not be the game for you.
Since Crash Team Rumble is an online multiplayer game, it can’t be played offline. This means PlayStation owners will need a PlayStation Plus subscription in order to play the game online, while Xbox owners will need an Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription in order to play the game online. You can learn more about these premium online services in our guides to PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
In addition, parents should know that while players can practice their skills in practice matches against computer-controlled opponents, players won’t earn experience points or in-game rewards when completing these practice matches. This means practice matches aren’t a true replacement for playing against other real people.
Crash Team Rumble has a fun basic premise, but the competitive gameplay likely won’t appeal to everyone.
This isn’t an “easy” game, since players are competing against other real people – some of whom may be very skilled at these kinds of games. However, the see-saw of winning and losing here may present families with a good opportunity to teach their kids how to win and lose with grace.
Before making a purchase, we recommend families do some extra research, in addition to reading reviews, in order to ensure this is a game they would enjoy.
Crash Team Rumble is now available on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The game is available to purchase in two editions.
The Standard Edition is priced at $29.99. It gives players access to the Battle Pass for the game’s first Season.
The Deluxe Edition, meanwhile, is priced at $39.99. It gives players access to the Battle Passes for Seasons 1 and 2, and it also instantly completes 25 tiers in the game’s Season 1 Battle Pass. Finally, the Deluxe Edition includes the “Digital Proto Pack,” which features eight character costumes, a “Pixelated” shadow, and more.
Crash Team Rumble is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+ by the ESRB.
Disclosure: SuperParent received a code for the Deluxe Edition of Crash Team Rumble for coverage purposes.
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
