The wait for a new entry in the Crash Bandicoot franchise is finally over! Crash Team Rumble is an all-new take on the Crash formula, pitting players against epic 4v4 competitions, where each team aims to collect and hold more Wumpa Fruit than the other. Between the many unique and varied heroes, equipable powers to alter your loadout, and specific relic stations that can wreak havoc on the enemy team, there’s a lot to unbox and experience in Crash Team Rumble. With all the goofy mayhem you’ve come to expect from the heroes and villains of Crash, the first step to understanding how Rumble is to learn your character’s role: Scorer, Blocker, or Booster.
Scorer characters
The name of the game is Mark Wumpa! Scorers like Crash are fast heroes who can easily roam the map, collecting fruit and Wumpa relics to aid their team. Markers provide the bulk of your team’s scoring potential, so protecting your markers will be crucial to victory!
Blocking characters
The best offense is a good defense! Blockers are excellent for eliminating opponents or defending your team’s Wumpa bank. They are extremely powerful combat characters who can easily take on multiple enemies at once, while defending themselves.
Add-on characters
Support your team by increasing your score! Boosters are specialists who aim to capture the various gem pads scattered across each map to boost their team’s score. Taking control of a cluster of Gem Pads increases the number of points scored for each Wumpa Fruit delivered to your Wumpa Bank, allowing them to turn the tide in a flash.
To give a better idea of what the developers themselves think of each hero role, we spoke to Toys For Bob’s Associate Creative Director, Lou Studdert, about the impact each role has on the game:
What role do you tend to play?
Lou Studdert: While every role brings something new to the table, Scorer’s characters tend to be our top picks. They’re well-balanced and give you the tools to play the way you want, whether it’s collecting Wumpa or harassing the other team.
Is there a most difficult role to face?
Blockers might give new players a bit of a headache. If you’re playing a Booster or Scorer and are having trouble fighting a Blocker head-on, remember you’re not alone! Count on your teammates to take them down and don’t be afraid to retreat to fight another day. Heroes with more mobility will have an easier time collecting Relics on each map, which can be spent at Relic Stations to give you the upper hand.
Do you play the same role every time or do you change y our strategy?
Generally, we gravitate towards Boosters, but it depends on our mood! Sometimes you just want to wreak havoc with Dingodile or drop pianos with Cortex. Luckily, there’s always the option to switch characters between matches, so if you feel the need to shake things up, it’s easy to try out a different playstyle at any time.
Do you have any tips for playing the Closed Beta from April 20-24?
Be sure to experience the powers and characters available in beta! Any power can be equipped to any hero, so there’s plenty of room for experimentation to see what playstyle works best for you. There’s even more planned for the game’s final launch, so while this is just a small taste of what’s to come, it’s a great chance to see which strategy is the most fun. We can’t wait to rumble with you when our beta launches on April 20!
With the closed beta fast approaching, which characters are you most looking forward to trying out? Crash Team Rumble is available for pre-order today for PS4 and PS5.
