When Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled was revealed at the 2018 Game Awards, it was originally thought to be a timed PlayStation exclusive. Not long after, Activision confirmed the game would be simultaneously released on all platforms - including the Switch - on 21st June 2019. At this point, there was a collective sigh of relief by Nintendo fans.
While everything appeared to be in order with the Switch version of the game, it appears this may not actually be the case. A few days ago, GoNintendo reported multiple retailers had removed pre-order options for the Switch version of CTR - with some even going as far as cancelling customer pre-orders. In the latest update, the official website for the game is now displaying a 'Coming Soon' message under the digital and standard Switch pre-order section. When selecting the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One version of the game, the original 21st June 2019 release date is still on display.
This has fueled speculation that CTR on the Switch will not be released on this date. If this is the case, it wouldn't be all that surprising considering past events. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy was a timed-exclusive and first released on the PlayStation 4 in 2017. One year later, it arrived on the Switch and multiple other platforms. As for the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, after a series of rumours it's yet to make its away across to Nintendo's hybrid platform. Once again, the most recent date provided by Activision for CTR on Switch aligns with the release on other platforms.
What do you make of this? Tell us below.
[source gonintendo.com]
Comments 84
A poor mans Mario Kart only celebrated because the PS1 has nothing close to MK64. I wish Sony woould let Nintendo publish WipEout 64 instead.
Ah, that's fine.
Better delayed rather than rush released.
A lot of people seem to rank the PS1 game over the MK64 - I can't help thinking that must be due to the single player adventure addition. I'd be interested if anyone can shed light in wherever the core racing mechanics are better than MK64?
Why do people call this a "poor man's Mario Kart"? I haven't played CTR but surely it's not that bad? Every cartoony racer I see that's not Mario Kart is labelled a "poor man's Mario Kart".
Pretty good game, mainly due to the single player adventure mode, which is what it has to set itself apart from Mario Kart. That being said, not too fussed about if/when it makes it to the Switch. Plenty of games that are much higher priority for me than a remake of a PS1 game.
@andykara2003 Tracks are vastly more fun than MK64's mostly flat and empty tracks, and there are 20 of them instead of 16. Controls aren't as slidey as MK64. CTR introduced the "jump at the edge of the ramp to get a speed boost when you land" thing that later MK games would incorporate. There's a meter that appears when you drift that tells you when to release it for the best speed boost. Items riff off of MK but have their own nuances, like a proximity meter if an item is coming for you, and powered up items when you've maxed out your fruit (coins). Overall the game has a lot of character to it, which MK64 always lacked. And then there's the aforementioned Adventure mode.
I'd rank this and Diddy Kong Racing over MK64 any day.
while im waiting for this remake on the Switch. i guess i'll pick up the PS1 version for now.
Not surprised, the Switch version being on time would mean less sales of the PS4 version (and XB1 to a lesser extent). 3rd parties benefit the most from Sony and Microsoft's vision of the future.
If it's as good as Wacky Races on Dreamcast, I'll love it. Up until Mario Kart Wii with its online racing, Diddy Kong Racing and Wacky Races were my favourite Kart racers. They both had quality single player story modes unlike every home console Mario Kart ever made.
@Matthew010 Mario Kart set a standard for Kart racing games since the 1990's and it's been that way for a long time. It's the same thing as comparing current platformers to mainline Mario games.
There may be a cult following for Crash Team Racing, however if you compare it side to side, it's very visible that Mario Kart is just a much more polished and better franchise.
Same goes to any Kart racer, really. When you set such a high standard for your genre, comparisons of the same type of game are going to be very common.
Ehhhh...It's a bit too early to tell. Anything can happen to preorders this early.
I can't imagine them delaying a game that's still seven months away when they only announced a solid date a week ago.
I imagine it might be a precautionary thing should the Switch port be delayed, but it's not an outright delay.
Basically they know if you buy it on the Switch you won’t buy it again on the PS4 or XB1, but you might the other way around.
Theory made from evidence on all the other 3rd party multiplatorm releases on Switch.
@MrGawain If that's the reasoning for delaying it though, they would have been much better off not announcing the Switch version to begin with until after it was released to minimise the number of people who just hold out for the Switch release.
@RadioHedgeFund This game was certainly more fun than mario 64 to me and it looked better too.
It's like sonic and allstar team racing one of the greatest weapon based racers out there that isn't Mario kart
@MrGawain
"Basically they know if you buy it on the Switch you won’t buy it again on the PS4 or XB1, but you might the other way around."
Great comment, and the above sentence pretty much nails a really interesting facet of all of this. This issue comes up a lot... people multi-dipping on a title for the Switch due to the additional benefits which it brings that the other consoles lack (such as the ability to game on the go). Third party publishers must be noticing this. But will this damage the Switch itself in a business sense, or work in its favour? Personally, I fear that it will be damaging... can it ever be good if a title is purposefully delayed?
The original game was class. I would rank it better than Mario kart 64. Multiplayer is as fun as Mario but the driving and drifting was better in CTR I think.
Also liked the idea that the more apples you collected would mean the weapons you picked up would be more powerful.
I suppose Crash Bash is 2020?
Very good game. Dont talk s about it until you have played it. Cant wait for the release
@Matthew010 this is more like diddy Kong racing. Both are superb and have single player modes that feel similar. Nothing wrong with this game at all
I’ll still get this on my switch rather than my Xbox. Can play it anywhere that way.
all Mario Karts just pale in comparison to Crash Team Racing
Thing people seem to forget Mario Kart 64 was a launch game for the N64, and while it's awesome for 4 Player matches and some classic tracks.
Crash Team Racing came out 3 years later near the end of the PS1 era and was the last project Naughty Dog did on that system before moving to the PS2/Jak and Dexter
It has more modes/unlockable characters who are actually 3D models rather then sprites like MK64 used and a whole story/adventure mode for 1 single player to me it's kind like the real Crash 4
So honestly your getting alot with Crash only bad thing I could say the PS1 original needs a modern update, and here it is. the closest Mario Kart has come to this game is Mario Kart DS thanks to all those Missions/boss battles
Mario Kart should try and have a story mode in the next game. *or at least do the Missions again, oddly Mario Kart Wii was meant to have them before it got removed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9xP56_V0M8 *
Never played it, but always wanted to give it a try. Even though I was never a Crash fan. I didn't mind trying Kart racers of a different sort. Sonic ones years back were pretty good.
This sucks what on earth be a problem for a major publisher
@Anti-Matter
Agreed ! A delayed game is a better game in the end.
@Matthew010
I’m not sure, really. The PS1 original is an excellent game and one that (in my entirely subjective opinion) is superior to some of the Mario Karts-certainly the N64, Gamecube and Wi iterations. Possibly Super Circuit too.
Assuming the remake is of good quality this will be very welcome on the Switch.
Wisest to wait for official clarifications, especially if someone in the fan press has already bothered to request some.
Never played it but it looks like fun.
MK64 < CTR <<< Diddy Kong Racing
I'm willing to give this game a chance if it means I won't be getting pelted by red shells non-stop. Shoots Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a nasty glare
Ha! I'm not interested in this game, like someone put above, it's the poor man's Mario Kart. MUA3 and MK11, those are the games I'm looking forward to!
@RadioHedgeFund lol but Mario Kart 64 was mediocre at best.
@Edu23XWiiU nah.
Mario Kart 8 is all you need in this arena. Will probably pass on this altogether, which is a shame because I really enjoy the Crash Trilogy and was hoping for a new game along those lines.
I don't care if it's delay but it better not be cancel for Switch. My nephew want this game for Switch and I already promised him I'll get this for him.
I don't really care about this game, I don't like any of the Crash or Spyro games, so it's not for me.
I accept the delay for a better Switch product though in this case I suspect Sony buying a timed exclusivity. Still coming to Xbone too but they don't care about that.
With CTR getting online play it truly becomes even better than it was before. I've played trough every Mario Kart (ok, only one of the arcade ones if you count those too) and none of them can compete with CTR or Sonic Racing Transformed.
@IHateTombs deluxe edition for a ps1 remake? i shouldn't be surprised because resident evil 2 remake is doing the same, it's kinda getting out of hand, a remake should include all the content, it's not a AAA game but they treat it the same.
@Erchitu i didn't really care for it so much back then so i don't have a lot of interest now i may pick this up on a sale or something, i need more local co-op games, we just don't have enough these days.
i'm a avid mario kart fan so maybe that will help a bit with the interest for this.
I missed out on mk64, but my bro had CTR. Looking back I honestly think ctr was the better one as I compare them visually and when I finally got to try out both at a friend's house. It was the kart racer for those who 'felt' like they had out grown MK. Missiles instead of koopa shells. Refreshing at the time. If I had the choice like now , I'd go for both
Not surprised that it won’t be day n date with other systems .
Disappointing but in all honesty I'd have probably bought the Ps4 version anyway so no big deal on a personal level
So many Switch game delays. I was really miffed that Dark souls remastered came out on PS4 and XB1 nearly 6 months before the Switch version. However, the Switch version ran super smooth and I loved it. If you have to delay, make it a solid port.
@IHateTombs i know the contents and what it contains for both games yes, but the point still stands, both games originally were ps1 games, imagine if both original releases came out today with season passes and character skins locked away in deluxe editions, my childhood would have been certainly ruined but i'm glad i experienced a piece of gaming history back then and not now tbh.
this is why i have a dislike for remakes today with the season pass/deluxe trend we have now.
@IHateTombs it is how it is yes but i grew up in a time before that and i'm glad i did.
@RadioHedgeFund
I played all 3 (diddy, mk64 and CTR.)
CTR definitely was the one I had the most fun with. I think diddy kong racing was the objective best.
The original CTR was miles ahead of Mario Kart for quite some time, but at this moment its remake is unlikely to beat MK8 Deluxe - not without an extensive overhauling of game modes and tracks (and most likely with imperfectly remade driving mechanics).
All I can say is, this better not be the case
@IHateTombs i'll give you a hint, the profits of the season passes and deluxe edition and all that doesn't go to the devs themselves, it goes to the investors and publishers and certainly doesn't improve any game whatsoever, the games release buggy and glitchy because they want it out of the door asap "patch it now" attitude is the main cause of it and profit margins, profits from the games will never improve that situation but funding the cost of their special golden yacht will.
so yeah... you keep on believing that....
Part of me thinks they are intentionally holding back the Switch version because there is a chance we might get a new Mario Kart next year if they release too close to it MK will probably eat CTR alive
They are worried CTR will sell great on Switch and want it to fail.
Don’t really care tbh 😑
I'm not sure how it'll stack up against the lastest version of Mario Kart but for those who only own a PS4/Xbox One this is no poor man's MK. That is just outright ignorant BS. Anyone who has played at least a few races of either MK64 or CTR knows CTR is the more polished and better overall game in pretty much every way (driving, controls, races, single player campaign, number of tracks, graphics). Now to be fair CTR came a couple of years after MK64 and clearly ripped off most good things from it ... but it was still clearly a better game overall.
@garfreek I would love a remake of diddy kong racing next after this!!!
Could care less about another cartoony Kart game on Switch anyway.
Announce Dirt Rally 2.0 or F-ZERO for Switch, and that will be news.
Did PS1 CTR have 4 player? 4 player MK64, goldeneye, PD64 and DKR are still played today in my house!!
I’d love Ninty to do an adventure mode DLC for MK8 that comes with a set of new tracks and maybe a couple new characters
@RadioHedgeFund I personally love the sense of speed this title has compared to MK64. This is definitely my favorite Kart Racer of this era.
Switch games have a habit of being delayed, so you think maybe it's the retailer protecting itself given the trend ?
And if only someone wasn't holding a gun to their heads when they announced an obviously unfinished game they knew wasn't going to be ready to ship when they announced the official "ship date", so please do feel all the sympathy in the world for these people and rush right out and buy their game when it finally does come out after yet another delay, and a umpteen GB patch on day one..
@Agramonte someone sounds salty.
Don't care if the Switch comes out later than other versions, at least we're getting it, that what matters to me.
@andykara2003 well, I dunno about the mechanics of mk64, but ctr did have its own additions. Firstly, powerslides had a meter which fills up. When it hits red, push a button to get a quick boost. Leave it too long and you burn out. You could do three of these in quick succession.
Second, jumping. If you managed to jump off a ramp with hang time, you got a boost when you land. The bigger the hang time, the bigger the boost. Jumping like this also allowed for tons of shortcuts, a lot of which blow the one from koopa beach out of the water.
As regards which game is better, well, it’s impossible to say. Whichever game you grew up with will clearly be the best (which probably means they are of similar quality)
Also I have a ps4, so if the switch version is delayed, I’ll get that one instead.
If a delay means it runs better than the Trilogy did on the Switch at launch than it’s worth it.
This is one remake I'm not sure about, not until closer to release at least. I'd say it was better than MK64 in its time, but I don't know how well it holds up now. Kart racers have come a long way, even if there aren't many contemporaries out on the market right now.
Eh, the game is a good ways out yet. Can’t judge based on retailer preorders for a game 7 months away, especially with regard to Activision and Switch versions.
That said, all that really matters is that it’s coming. It’s a heads up so people know not to waste their money on half a version. Be it in June or shortly thereafter, the game IS coming to Switch. That’s everyone’s cue to hold onto their wallets. Otherwise you’re flushing a free HD handheld version with cross save down the toilet. Usually they don’t tell you the game is coming to Switch until after they’ve tricked people into buying a version they wouldn’t have chosen otherwise. So I can definitely respect the multiplatform announcement.
Not a big loss in my book. Nintendo has the Kart racer down to a science at this point, and any Kart racer on a Nintendo platform would have to really bend over backward to compete.
Such a competitor would have to either try to out Mario Kart Mario Kart or would have to offer something significantly different than Mario Kart's offering.
Not impossible, but requiring more effort than I expect Activision to put into a Crash game.
@RadioHedgeFund CTR is better than MK64. Get your head out of your ass.
@MrMetroid next you’ll be telling me F-Zero is buyer than WipEout!
CTR had it's own pro as compared to MK (story mode with boss races and the battle mode in arenas was just on another level compared to MK balloons mode).
Characters in MK are much better IMO, the feeling of driving I'd say it's close (personally I'll give it to MK, it's just personal preference).
So, MK64 and CTR were close games, maybe I preferred CTR back in the days... But now we have MK8 on Switch, this game has to do better than MK8 and not MK64 and, in my opinion, will not even get close to being as good as MK8 is.
Of course it won't. It will be a further three months after release whilst they tweak it and try and get it to run.
Huh. Weren't they going to finally do simultaneous releases? Was this game developed before the knowledge of the Switch's existence too?
CTR was a fun game, one of the 1st PSX games i played.
I never really was that much of a fan of Mario Kart anyways at that time but CTR isnt a poor mans mario kart.
Nintendo IP's are great and i love them but they aren't holy.
I never played but always heard it is a good game. However I don't need more than one party kart racer and I already have mk8 so not for me anyways...
@IBeAGamer Mario Kart 64 Mediocre? I'm sorry you only had a PS and played the worst kart games around, and frankly, that South Park kart game was 10 times better than CTR.
Ah nuts. I was goin to pre-order this one...
@Edu23XWiiU actually I grew up with a SEGA Saturn and N64. Diddy Kong Racing trounced Mario Kart 64.
May be it's coming out on the qame day but only digital and that's why you can't preordered a retail version. That will be bad but it's already happened for other switch games
@IBeAGamer Diddy Kong Racing was awful in my opinion, and I thought it was too cutie back then, and I was a kid! Mario Kart 64's quality was too big. sincerely.
@Edu23XWiiU lol k bro.
@IBeAGamer :v
As long as we get it in 2019 I am happy.
@Grumblevolcano
mainly it's because they can crap out ps4/xb/pc games with little to no effort.
downgrading the show to ps3 levels is harder than many seem to think if the devs want to fight it at all.
N needs to update the switch with a 2 year cadence. that's the only way an old phone proc will compete in the home console market.
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