Hard to tell if CTR is over or underrated. You compare it to Mario Kart and it's got worse multiplayer. Between this and Diddy Kong Racing it's a toss up as to who has the better single player. What I like about Crash Team Racing is that the drifting system is easy to understand with room to improve and the overall balance of everything is solid. This game you can beat in an afternoon or two so really I recommend it to anybody.
It's also a good alternative to Mario Kart in terms of multiplayer. But when you have party games you need to take into account that many people won't be as down to experiment. Crash Team Racing multiplayer doesn't have a ton to offer that Mario Kart 64 doesn't so they're more alternatives than competitors. But since Mario Kart has the superior brand recognition, it's always the go to at gatherings.
It's also a good alternative to Mario Kart in terms of multiplayer. But when you have party games you need to take into account that many people won't be as down to experiment. Crash Team Racing multiplayer doesn't have a ton to offer that Mario Kart 64 doesn't so they're more alternatives than competitors. But since Mario Kart has the superior brand recognition, it's always the go to at gatherings.