Crash Tag Team Racing is a 2005 kart racing and platform game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) for the PlayStation 2 (PS2), Xbox, GameCube, and PlayStation Portable (PSP). A version for the Nintendo DS by Sensory Sweep Studios was cancelled near its completion. It is the third racing game in the Crash Bandicoot video game series, following Crash Nitro Kart (2003). The game's story takes place in a racing-based theme park, in which Crash Bandicoot must recover its missing Power Gems to claim the park's ownership.
Crash Tag Team Racing was the first Crash Bandicoot title developed by Radical Entertainment, which was acquired by VU Games during the game's development; Radical would subsequently develop Crash of the Titans (2007) and Crash: Mind over Mutant (2008). The game received mixed reviews upon release. Praise went to its clashing mechanic, genre-blending approach, visuals, voice acting, and humor, while criticism went to its lack of depth, low difficulty, the execution of its platforming elements, and technical issues on the PSP version. Characters from the game later appeared in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled in 2019.
Gameplay
thumb|left|In Crash Tag Team Racing, two racers can "clash" their vehicles into one (top). The racetracks are linked by platforming segments in the single-player campaign (bottom). Reviewers in Electronic Gaming Monthly described Crash Tag Team Racing as a hybrid of kart racing game and platformer game.
The races feature common kart racing elements such as power-sliding to make tight turns and picking up power-ups from icons on the track to use against other racers. During a race, players can "clash" their vehicle with an opponent's by pressing a button, forming a merged vehicle with a turret. Players can choose to drive or control the turret, which fires character-specific weapons (such as Crash's Wumpa Gun and Von Clutch's Radioactive Bomblets). Disengaging from a clash grants a temporary speed boost. The PSP version supports wireless play for up to eight players. The PS2 version can connect with the PSP version via a Mini-USB cable, which unlocks two new battle arenas and five unique PSP version cars.
Plot
Von Clutch's MotorWorld, a perilous auto-racing theme park owned by the cyborg Ebenezer Von Clutch, faces closure due to the theft of its Power Gems, including the Black Heart Power Gem that keeps Von Clutch active. To recover them, Von Clutch announces a race across the park's five lands, with the winner gaining ownership of the park. Appearing at the park in the midst of a chaotic car chase are the Bandicoots Crash, Coco, and Crunch, along with their foes Doctor Neo Cortex, his niece Nina, and Doctor N. Gin. Both teams are summoned to Von Clutch's office, where he pleads for their help to recover the stolen Gems. Cortex is initially dismissive, but sees an opportunity to seize the park as a new evil base and agrees to race, plotting to sabotage the Bandicoots. Pasadena O'Possum, a loyal racer for Von Clutch, vows to outrace Cortex, while Willie Wumpa Cheeks, the park's peculiar mascot and producer of the beverage Wumpa Whip, offers cryptic riddles about the Gems' locations.
As Crash recovers the Power Gems, Cortex, frustrated by his team's struggles, suspects someone else is rigging the race, though he continues his own schemes to undermine the Bandicoots. Coco and Pasadena notice a pattern: each Gem's hiding spot is marked by Wumpa Whip. When Coco presents her deduction, the cornered Willie confesses to stealing the Gems, including the Black Heart Power Gem, intending to sabotage Von Clutch and seize control. He flees with the Black Heart Power Gem, prompting a chase to Astro Land, while Von Clutch finally runs out of power and shuts down. Crash thwarts Willie's escape by aborting the launch of his rocket, but before Willie can be made to surrender the Black Heart Power Gem, Cortex's team attacks in a spacecraft, liquefying Willie and preparing to eliminate the Bandicoots. Crash throws a chicken into the ship's rotor, causing it to malfunction, and Cortex vows revenge as he retreats. The Bandicoots are presented the park's deed but choose to return it to Von Clutch, though due to the loss of the Black Heart Power Gem, Pasadena laments that Von Clutch will remain deactivated. Crash accidentally finds the Black Heart Power Gem in Willie's nozzle nose while drinking from it. He revives Von Clutch, who grants the Bandicoots free lifetime passes to the park in gratitude.
Development and release
Crash Tag Team Racing was developed by Radical Entertainment at the time of its acquisition by Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) on March 23, 2005. VU Games announced the game's development on April 7, with planned fall releases for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube by Radical Entertainment, and for the Nintendo DS by Sensory Sweep Studios. The PlayStation Portable version was announced on July 19.
The game was produced by Joel DeYoung, Tim Bennison, and Vlad Ceraldi. Radical Entertainment's Cary Brisebois and VU Games's Kathy Carte-Humphreys were the game's respective technical and creative directors. Darren Woo was the art director, with Željko Duvnjak serving as the conceptual artist. The game was designed by Joe McGinn. Chris Mitchell was the game's writer, with Crash Twinsanity writer Jordan Reichek serving as a creative consultant. The environments of the game were built by Sarah Meagher and Vincent Chin, while the vehicles were built by Kevin Fink. The game's voice actors were cast and directed by Chris Borders at Technicolor Interactive Services. Lex Lang and Debi Derryberry reprised their respective roles as Dr. Cortex and Coco, while the roles of Crash, Crunch, N. Gin and Nina were respectively inherited by Jess Harnell, Chris Williams, Nolan North and Amy Gross. The new characters Von Clutch, Pasadena and Willie were respectively voiced by Danny Mann, Shanelle Workman and Roger L. Jackson. The full-motion videos were created by Red Eye Studios, who had previously animated the cutscenes for Crash Nitro Kart and Crash Twinsanity. The Nintendo DS version was cancelled near its completion due to concerns about competing with the upcoming Mario Kart DS. The console version was shipped in North America on October 21, 2005, in Australia on November 3, and in Europe on November 4. The PSP version was released in North America on November 9, in Europe on November 25, and in Australia on December 9.
Reception
Crash Tag Team Racing received "mixed or average" reviews across all platforms according to review aggregator Metacritic. Ebenezer Von Clutch, Pasadena O'Possum, and the commentators Chick and Stew appeared as playable characters in the 2019 Crash Team Racing remaster Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled.