Once a major icon of the PlayStation brand, Crash Bandicoot fell on hard times for a long while. The remaster of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy brought a lot of life back to the series, however, so much so that a new Crash Bandicoot game is rumored for the PS5, although not much is known about it yet.
Primarily a platformer series, Crash Bandicoot has never been a series afraid to venture into new territory. The Crash Team Racing titles, in particular, are very popular, including the latest entry.
While the rumored PS5 game is still many months away if it is a reality at all, a new Crash Bandicoot game is available right now for anyone with the right hardware: a phone. Announced by a series of leaks earlier this year, the new Crash Bandicoot Mobile has been released, although only in certain regions. The game has not been fully rolled out for all players, which is most likely why its limited release did not come with much fanfare. Players can check the Google Play store to see if the game is currently available where they are, and it will presumably be available across all regions in the near future.
Crash Bandicoot Mobile is an endless runner game, in the style of Temple Run and Jetpack Joyride, where the player controls Crash as he dashes down endless hallways. There is a precedent for this set by some of the greatest levels in the best Crash games, many of which involve the bandicoot running away from danger like a giant boulder or a charging triceratops. The game also features an expandable home base in the form of Coco Bandicoot's lab, where players can build equipment, presumably to help them out of a jam on the levels proper.
On the one hand, Crash Bandicoot has always been a mix of lighthearted fun and tooth grinding frustration, which seems perfect for a mobile game where good reflexes are key. While probably not a major game-changer, Crash Bandicoot Mobile could provide a worthwhile distraction while players wait for a new, fully-fledged Crash game.
On the other hand, the game was developed by King Digital, the same company that created Candy Crush, a series notorious for trying to squeeze money from its players. Recent Crash titles, such as Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled, brought microtransactions into the game after reviews had already completed. Hopefully, this will be a good time waster and not one of the worst Crash games of all time.
Crash Bandicoot Mobile is out now for Android and iOS, but only in certain regions.
Source: IGN