Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Neo Cortex and N. Tropy tear open the barriers between dimensions, turning Crash and Coco’s latest rescue mission into a fast, colorful tour through reality-bending worlds. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time keeps the series’ slapstick energy intact, but its challenge is far sharper than its cartoon presentation suggests. Familiar beaches, jungles, labs, and alien locations return in reinvented form, packed with collapsing platforms, explosive hazards, and absurdly determined enemies. The mood stays playful, yet every level carries the tense rhythm of a precision platformer where one mistimed jump can send you back to the last checkpoint.

Most stages ask you to run, spin-attack, slide, jump, bounce, and belly-flop through dense obstacle courses while smashing crates and collecting Wumpa fruit. Crash and Coco play identically, while other playable characters such as Tawna, Dingodile, and Cortex bring alternate routes and distinct mechanics, including grappling, vacuum attacks, and weapon-based platforming. The major new addition is the Quantum Mask system: masks can slow time, flip gravity, phase objects in and out of existence, or trigger a wild spinning dash, constantly changing how you read the terrain. Straight completion is approachable thanks to frequent checkpoints and a modern lives-free option, but earning every gem, relic, hidden crate, and time-trial reward demands serious patience and near-perfect execution.

What makes it stand apart is how confidently it builds on old-school Crash fundamentals without treating them as museum pieces. Levels often hide secondary paths, mirrored character runs, and optional challenge modes, giving completionists plenty to master long after the credits. Its bright animated visuals and expressive character work make each dimension memorable, while the level design steadily introduces ideas before combining them into punishing late-game tests. Fans of the original trilogy, Super Meat Boy-style precision platforming, or demanding collectathons will find a great deal to love, though newcomers should expect a tougher ride than the cheerful art style initially suggests.