Crash Team Rumble: Everything We Know

The Game Awards 2022 was a night that stoked almost one too many fires—the ever-evolving 26-year-old Bandicootverse being just one of them. In a bid to round off the end of a pretty mobile-heavy year, developer Toys for Bob has brought something a little unusual to light—something that quite clearly leans from the backbone of the likes of Crash Bash, Crash Team Racing and other local co-op classics, which is Crash Team Rumble, an all-new 4v4 competitive multiplayer game for modern hardware.

So, what is it? Well, there's where the trail goes a little cold. As it turns out, there isn't a whole lot of juicy content to delve into at the time of writing, what with it being one of the most recent announcements to ignite the global stage. After conducting something of a fishing expedition, though, we were able to compile a list sturdy enough to whet your appetite for what's to come. So, if Crash Team Rumble has piqued your interest, then here's everything you need to know about it.

What Is Crash Team Rumble?

Crash Team Rumble is a 4v4 online and local multiplayer brawler-type game that sees players compete for Wumpa Fruits, an in-game token that amounts to points, XP, and other juicy perks. As one of the series' familiar faces, you will learn to wage war with your opponents and compete in a wide variety of charming locales for prizes, unlockables, and above all, a place at the apex of the podium.

It hasn't been referenced by Toys for Bob, per se, but there's quite clearly a loose connection between the upcoming brawler and 2000's Crash Bash, another local multiplayer party game that rocked the market during the height of the PlayStation One era. Therefore, for old school fans of the saga, it's probably safe to presume that Crash Team Rumble is, in essence, a spiritual successor to the Crash Bash remaster that we never actually received.

From the horse's mouth: “CRASH TEAM RUMBLE IS A 4V4 TEAM-BASED COMPETITION WHERE THE ICONIC HEROES AND VILLAINS OF THE CRASH UNIVERSE BATTLE TO CAPTURE MORE WUMPA FRUIT THAN THE OTHER TO CLAIM VICTORY. EACH HERO HAS UNIQUE SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO STRATEGICALLY USE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BATTLE THE OPPOSING TEAM, DEFEND THEIR OWN WUMPA BANK, AND CAPTURE KEY POINTS AROUND THE MAP TO HELP THEIR TEAM.”

Story

It isn't overly common to have a deeply immersive story with these sorts of brawler games—especially ones that revolve around Wumpa Fruits and comprehensive stages. That said, we can't say for certain what Crash Team Rumble will entail, as anything could happen in this case. Take Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, for example; that was a rhythm-based spin-off of the main series—and yet it was unexpectedly integral to the overall plotline, weirdly enough.

The point is, Crash Team Rumble could very well feature an in-depth story of sorts to go alongside its textbook platform-brawler blueprint. Going by the series' history, though, I wouldn't count on it being anything revolutionary. It's a run-of-the-mill heroes vs villains scenario, and it assembles all the pieces to be just that—and we're all for it.

Gameplay

Little has been given away as far as gameplay details go, yet there has been enough to get a general gist of what to expect come launch day. Think along the lines of Crash Bash, and you've got yourself the basic outline of Toys for Bob's spiritual successor: vibrant, chaotic, and absurdly entertaining, to say the least.

From what we've seen of the game so far, players can expect a plethora of nostalgic backdrops, in which teams will utilize as a battleground to fight, strategize, and harvest Wumpa Fruits for the chance to tilt the balance of power in either one of two directions. This will, of course, come smothered in the series' signature platforming mechanics, with which combatants will need to learn to master to be able to snag the upper hand and jolt for the win. To add, each character will also have “unique skills and abilities,” which will no doubt play a huge role during the planning phases of the aforementioned battles.

Trailer

So, has Crash Team Rumble received a trailer yet? The answer to that is yes, yes, and yes. Thanks to The Game Awards, fans and streamers were given the opportunity to get a subtle glimpse of the upcoming multiplayer brawler. You can check it out for yourself above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

According to Toys for Bob, Crash Team Rumble will launch “sometime in 2023” for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. As for Switch of PC ports, now that's another question, and one that, quite frankly, probably won't get an answer until much closer to the release window. And the same goes for the launch editions, too, which means, for the time being, all we can do is speculate.

In this day and age, most triple-A games tend to come preloaded with both physical and digital deluxe editions, with perhaps a third or fourth special version that comes bundled with either a resin statue, cloth map, or another flashy keepsake for those willing to pay the highest dollar for only the best perks. But of course, it's still far too early to tell, so maybe don't take our word for it.

For more updates on the upcoming Crash Team Rumble, you can follow the official social feed here. We'll be sure to drop any noteworthy details on the project should they come to pass right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up the next chapter in the Crash Bandicoot anthology? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.