Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is out now on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
But don’t let the cartoonish visuals fool you, because CTR isn’t as easy as it looks.
You’ll need to get to grips with the weapons, discover the shortcuts and master the boost technique if you’re to stand any chance of winning.
It’s even more challenging when you enter the multiplayer arena, where skilled drivers will leave you in a trail of dust after just one minor mistake.
Fortunately, Beenox creative director and co-studio head Thomas Wilson has provided Express Online with some top tips for victory in Crash Team Racing.
From choosing the right character to mastering those power ups, check out the Nitro-Fueled tips and tricks below.
Choose a character that suits your level
There are three different playstyles in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled – beginner, intermediate and expert. Players should choose their characters based on their skills in the game and the difficulty of the tracks they want play.
Beginner: For newbies to the game or on tracks that have a lot of difficult turns, beginner characters are easier to control but don’t have the highest speeds
Intermediate: For players comfortable with the game but who haven’t quite mastered the mechanics, these characters are faster than beginners but not as fast as experts
Expert: For seasoned pros or risk takers that have mastered the drift and boost mechanic, expert drivers can achieve max speeds
Get a boost at the start of the race
To get a boost at the start of the game, players should pay attention to the lights. Wait for the noise and the final green light – that’s when you should hit the boost.
There is a meter at the bottom of the screen that indicates how the boost is filling up as you hit the gas button – players need to wait for that bar to be in the red zone to get a boost.
Use power-ups to your advantage
There is a load of cool pick-ups in each track but a couple of fun favourites are:
Aku Mask – you become invincible and get an extra boost of speed
Rolling Bombs – involve some time management but if timed correctly you can wipe out other players by throwing forwards or backwards
Tracking Missiles – like the rolling bombs you can use these to get ahead while getting rid of the competition
Lose players who are up your tail
Using power-ups like the beaker, a rolling bomb or a TNT crate will help get rid of players on your tail. These will work even better if you collect Wumpa Fruits along the way – once you hit ten, your power ups become more effective.
Only use shortcuts when you’re comfortable doing so
Shortcuts can be an excellent advantage to help you get ahead in the race – but only if you’re comfortable doing so and you have the right power-ups to manage it. It can be risky if you miss a jump or don’t have the power-ups to make it, so make sure you’re prepared or you could lose precious seconds in the race.
Look out for Easter Eggs!
Be sure to pay attention when you’re racing…every track in the game has a hidden Easter Egg, if you’re able to find them.