When a game has a title as long as Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, you know the franchise has been around for a while. Don’t let that put you off – this Crash lands just as developers are getting the hang of the N-gage platform, and its graphics look amazing.

The eight cartoony tracks fly past as smooth and sweetly as a double chocolate malted milkshake – and are aimed at about the same audience. Animated animals, crazy cars and wacky weapons: this racer has everything pre-teen kids will love. And if it still feels a little bit like a Mario Kart rip-off, who’s even going to tell them?

There’s nothing sophisticated about the gaming. You jump in a kart and let auto-acceleration whip you around. The controls do have some subtlety, though, letting you drift through corners with a touch of style, at least until a cartoon TNT chest sends you flying. The crashes are the only disappointing moment, suffering jerks and jags that interrupt the flow of the race.

Well, not quite the only disappointing moment. There’s also the moment you realise this Crash is a one-player game, depriving you of the satisfaction of laying an oil slick right in front of your mates or challenging strangers online. (A Time Trial mode, where you race your previous best performance, is a poor substitute).

But for carefree thrills, some genuinely tricky courses and a healthy dose of fun, Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D is on the right track.

Details
Price: £8
Rating: 3+
Size: 4MB

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