Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time - What We Know So Far

Over 10 years have passed since the last Crash Bandicoot game released — making it about time for the original Sony mascot to come back and redeem himself after his franchise pushed out a few lackluster offerings.

Some fans think there hasn't been a good game in the series since Naughty Dog stopped creating Crash games following the third installment. There have been a number of follow-ups since then, but publisher Activision seemed to have given up on Crash. Then, the re-release of the first three games in the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy in 2017 brought new life and more fans to the franchise, possibly convincing Activision to give it another try. 

Toys for Bob, known for the Skylanders games, has taken on development for Crash Bandicoot 4. As you can see, the title doesn't hark back to the most recent installments, but the Naughty Dog-developed versions. This seems to indicate Toys for Bob is chasing the playability and success of the original trilogy. 

Here's what we know about Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time so far.

Unlike many titles, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time has enjoyed a solid release date of Oct. 2, 2020 since its June 2020 reveal. You can preorder the title for $59.99, and digital preorders come with Totally Tubular Skins for both Crash and Coco.

The next Crash game will launch on both PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Now, you'll note the release date falls pretty close to the launch window of the next-generation consoles coming out from Sony and Microsoft, but there's no word yet on whether Crash Bandicoot 4 will get ported to PS5 and Xbox Series X. 

Also, there's been no announcement about whether the title will eventually come to PCs or even the Nintendo Switch — but the N. Sane Trilogy was available on both those platforms, so there's hope! 

According to the official Crash Bandicoot 4 website, the plot has Crash and Coco chasing after the villains Neo Cortex and Dr. N. Tropy, who have escaped their interdimensional prison and are trying to conquer the universe. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time takes players to the place where Crash's first adventure started, N. Sanity Beach — but the setting is changed.

This will be a linear platform-style game with 2D and 3D areas and plenty of jumping and dodging. Gameplay is similar to that of Naughty Dog's games, according to VentureBeat, but the playable characters — including Neo, Dingodile and Coco (whom you can play for the entire game if you want) — will have some abilities they did not have before. Locations are set to include a zombie fishing village and prehistoric era with dinosaurs.

At August 2020's Gamescom, Lou Studdert from Toys for Bob revealed Crash 4 will have "flashback tape" levels, which explore a time in the '90s when Neo Cortex was testing on the protagonists prior to the events of the first game. They are basically difficult puzzle rooms that he called "super creative" and "devious." Players can collect the tapes in different levels as long as they have made it to that point without dying. 

Toys for Bob has released two trailers for Crash Bandicoot 4 to-date: the Announcement Trailer and a Gameplay Trailer on Aug. 6. 

The gameplay trailer notes that the title is intended to re-introduce players to Crash and his friends while retaining the perspective-shifting platforming of the originals. The art style was inspired by previous games, as well as the animated cartoons that inspired the first titles. Crash gets new skins to earn as well. 

Players now have the ability to wall-run, rope-swing, rail-grind, and zipline. Additionally, the characters will encounter quantum masks, protectors of time and space, which alter reality to help them progress. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time also introduces a new style of play: inverted mode. Once you unlock it, you'll be able to play through the levels again — only the look and feel will be different, and each level may require some creative solutions, such as paint-slinging. Now that's an intriguing way of guaranteeing replayability!