It may have been a direct response to the roaring success of Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing on the N64, but Crash Team Racing was far more than just an easy cash-in on the kart-racing video game trend of the time. Naughty Dog's last ever Crash game brought together the wacky, colourful characters they'd created throughout the Crash Bandicoot series in a zany, charming kart racer that was a worthy - if under-appreciated - rival to its N64 peers. The xylophone-heavy soundtrack, the eclectic courses spanning from ancient ruins to techy science labs, and that trademark visual style with echoes of Tom Ruegger cartoons like Tazmanian Devil and Pinky and the Brain all combined for an awesomely playable package celebrating a franchise that was a mere three years old. Pay no heed to N64 fanboys who claim that the N64 ruled on the kart racing front. CTR's environments made Mario Kart look bleak by comparison, and its pace felt far more dynamic than anything Diddy Kong could come up with. Crash's wacky racing was up there with the best of 'em.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
