Crash Team Rumble: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Crash Team Rumble has been out, what, a week? Yet already its servers are chock-full of crate-smashing, apple-loving brawlers who’d give their entire Wumpa Fruit stockpile to get a whiff of that sweet, sweet leaderboard. And it’s only just beginning, too, with developer Toys for Bob set to roll out another slew of seasonal patches over the next several months. Add the fact that 2024 will also have its own network of updates, and we’ve got ourselves a live-service game that’s not only capable of holding an active player base, but one that also has its own fixed residency in the world of party gaming, no less.

Anyway, seeing as it’s going to be around for a while and the competition is only likely to get tougher with each passing week, perhaps now is the time to get ahead with a few game-changing tips and tricks. If that’s you—a newcomer who’s unsure where to begin or what to do—then be sure to read on. Need Crash Team Rumble tips? We’ve got you covered.

5. Build a Balanced Team

Crash Team Rumble houses a rather small roster of characters, all of whom belong to one of three skill sets: Scorer, Booster, and Blocker. As you begin your journey in the multiplayer universe, you’ll only have access to a small selection of heroes and villains, which means you won’t have all that many options to customize your team. But for when the time does come, you’ll want to do everything you can to keep a balanced group at the forefront of the fight.

Like a lot of MOBA hits, each respective role comes loaded with individual perks and goals. So, for when you’re able to devise your own strategy, you’ll want to have a solid team to help deliver the best possible results. In other words, you’ll want to bag and tag at least one Scorer, Booster, and Blocker, and not opt for a one-sided roster with half the power. There roles are as follows:

Scorer: Nimble and focused, the Scorer is responsible for collecting Wumpa Fruit and attaining the best possible results in a timely fashion.

Booster: The Booster is in charge of collecting Relics—items that can be used to enhance certain abilities.

Blocker: Like a goalie, the Blocker is in charge of fortifying the team base and halting enemy units from disrupting the collection process during the match.

4. Avoid Confrontation

There’s no hiding from it, but if you can help it, have your team avoid confrontation with the other players. Easier said than done, of course, what with Rumble being in the name of the game, but if you’re able to, focus your efforts on collecting both Relics and Wumpa Fruit — and not ticking off the enemy team for the sake of crunching down a few health bars.

While there are perks for temporarily eliminating another player, the amount of time it can often take to remove them from the board can take you away from the primary objective, which is collecting the Fruits. So, rather than searching for unwanted blood, be sure to stay parallel with the objective; a strong head can easily guide you towards a quick win if you’re able to avoid unnecessary conflict.

3. Utilize the Epic Relic Stations

The Epic Relic Station is a gift-giving portal that can be found at the center of each map. Its purpose, much like a generic vendor or loot box, is to provide its users with a selection of gifts that can either influence the outcome of the game, or reverse the tide and add a whole new obstacle for both teams to barrel over. It’s a gamble every time, and it certainly pays to pour Relics into it whenever you have the moment to spare.

As well as stashing Wumpa Fruits, you’ll also want to keep an eye on your Boosters, as they’ll be in charge of harvesting your Relics throughout each match. Collect enough Relics (30, to be precise), and you’ll be able to activate the Epic Relic Station at the precise moment you need to utilize one of of its many, many perks.

2. Learn the Characters & Abilities

As tempting as it might be to dive straight into the boots of your favorite character, it isn’t actually the best idea. In fact, unless you’ve sampled the abilities and knowledge of each of the nine members, you won’t really know what it is you’re up against until it’s too late. So, to avoid mass confusion, aim to run a trial session with each of the characters on the roster before yielding to your competitive nature. In other words, don’t make the assumption that Crash will be the hero capable enough to carry your team to victory.

Of course, they aren’t just pretty faces either. Matter of fact, each character has a selection of abilities to boot, which can make quick work of certain scenarios depending on the situation you’re currently working through. For example, if encumbered by enemy attacks, Cortex’s Transform Shot has the power to strip the opponent of their power and render them completely defenseless, giving you a chance to make a comeback at short notice. Do yourself a favor here and get a feel for each of the nine available arsenals before rallying your final squad.

1. Embrace the Chaos

Finally, learn to embrace the pandemonium that Crash Team Rumble adopts. Although it’s suited for gamers of any age and skill level, the fact is, it certainly isn’t for everyone, and it isn’t for those who are looking to complete simple objectives without the added drama and high-octane chaos, either. And that brings us to another point: patience, whether you have it or you don’t, is key to succeeding out in the arena. Like most MOBAs, Crash Team Rumble is best enjoyed after learning the ropes and playing a few rounds. If you can stick with it for a few hours, then you’ll come to find the joy that Toys for Bob wanted you to experience from the get-go.

To conclude, Crash Team Rumble isn’t the most convoluted of party games. On the contrary, it’s actually rather easy to pick up and play, regardless of how many hours you’ve poured into games of its kind. But to get your foot on the ladder, you’ll definitely need to stick around long enough to see the features align and the benefits of doing so. Do that, and you’ll wipe the floor with your opponents, for sure.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any tips for newcomers to the Crash Team Rumble verse? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.