I really enjoy it. I like the large variety of characters, karts, customizable aspects, the grand prix "battle pass" style challenge list that rotates, online has seemed to be good(even though I'm not) which makes the experience very rewarding, even if you lose. The challenge is there too and feels fair at tougher levels.

That being said it gives less joy at purely controlling it vs. Mario Kart for example, and doesn't include the kind of rubberbanding that makes MK exhilarating and feel fairer. For some, this will be a plus as they generally care for the overwhelming challenge. The power ups also are a little less exciting. The mechanic for drifting is similar to MK but does not feel nearly as tight. And the downside of the unlockables is that it also has a fortnite-style unlockable shop that you have to keep burning through and buying to get the unlockable you want(in my case, Pasadena O'Possum :( ). You also don't collect wumpa coins quick enough to get substantial rewards from it, and some of the unlockables are needed for certain challenges with the shop being the only way to obtain it. Classic activision also means that because it's too little of a trickle, you can just microtransact yourself some. Which is bullshit.

That being said, seeing as it's unlikely we're getting a full continuing series out of it, it did way more than enough to earn a home alongside MK8, with plenty to do even after the standard racing loses its shine via challenges and bonus modes. I'm having fun with it solo, even though logic would state it would be more enjoyable as a MP experience.

Rule 1

Near perfection: slick driving; creative tracks; hidden nuance; practically a remake of two games; hilarious skins; and a fun character selection that's clearly the result of the some super deep dives into the recesses of the Crash Wiki.

My main problem is how the unlocks are handled - only cosmetic things being unlockable is very good, and the special unlocks are all fair but challenging, but the Pit Stop system is tedious and there's no gaurantee that future players will be able to legitimately access the DLC characters. Some other minor complains are some iffy 90s stereotyping that only got semi-addressed, kart engine balancing being non-existant, and a small few dud tracks.

A fun racing game with wacky characters. It has more depth than Mario Kart but I find that the characters have less charm than they did in the PS1/PS2 era. I'm not as interested in these characters as compared to Mario Kart and the items in this game are less interesting too. The story mode in terms of narrative is nothing to write home about, essentially the bare minimum to justify the Kart theme of the game. Overall though it is a very competent kart racing game and if you're looking for a more skill-based, more in-depth kart racer than Mario Kart I would suggest this game. (The people who play online are really good.)

I always felt that CTR was the best and the most mechanically satisfying game to come out of the 1990s kart racing boom. What Beenox have done with Nitro-Fueled is not just a straight remake of an already fantastic game but a massive expansion that elevates Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled to the lofty position of CaptainKuro's favourite racing game of all time.

In this remake, everything you know and love about CTR makes a valiant return; all of the characters, courses, multiplayer and single-player modes have made the jump. Of course, everything has been given a significant lick of paint. The soundtrack has been redone and it sounds great but the graphical upgrade is what really makes the game shine. CTR:NF successfully recaptures the cartoony visuals of CTR but the characters and tracks all look significantly more detailed, luscious and beaming with life while also retaining most of their original charm. It's a really amazing game to look at and Beenox did an excellent job modernising the game without destroying the original 'look & feel' of CTR. Sidenote: There is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to graphical fidelity in racing games. The more gorgeous and detailed the tracks are, the harder it can be to parse the actual boundaries of a given racetrack. This does crop up once or twice here (and in Mario Kart 8, I might add) but you get over it the more you play.

The core mechanics of CTR were always great. The heart of the game is the fairly challenging drift system. It's a little tricky to master but it's immensely satisfying when you do and gives the game a level of depth that's lacking in the Mario Kart series, for example. Some of the courses in CTR:NF take CTR's drift system to a whole new level, treating the player to immense speed boosts (moments where your exhaust turns into a blue flame) and challenges the player to keep the boost for as long as possible. Retaining the blue flame boost is a necessity to best the game's time trials but it makes grand prix mode even more chaotic. Trying to see how long you can retain your boost while dodging obstacles, enemies and miscellaneous weapons is a joy.

The really wonderful thing is though, Beenox have stuffed the game with a massive amount of both new characters and new tracks, some of them from other Crash racing games and some of them entirely original. There's just so much content to sink your teeth into here and it feels like the game really goes above and beyond to deliver an experience which is both nostalgically familiar and amazingly fresh. This is fairly rare for remakes. Between the time trials, offline grands prix with buddies and online races, CTR:NF kept me entertained for countless hours.

The only negative thing I have to say is that I've docked half a star because of the game's gross micro-transactions. Despite snagging the game's platinum trophy (which means I've sunk a TON of time into it) I've not even nearly bought everything available in the game's storefront. I don't think I could realistically unlock everything without buying some in-game currency and that feels predatory but it's a practice that is par for the course in the modern gaming landscape. I'm happy to report that I didn't spend a penny on the game's currency but still, it irked me a tiny bit.