Crash of the Titans

Developer: Sierra
Format: Multi
Genre: Arcade

Crash Bandicoot is back - but does anybody care?

Remember Crash Bandicoot? You'd be forgiven if you had to take a long walk down memory lane to place the name. In recent years the Tasmanian Devil has been somewhat overshadowed by Sonic, Mario, Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Daxter. That's a lot of heavyweight characters stealing the spotlight. The reason? Frankly the Bandicoot games hit the kind of drop in quality that happens to many franchises that have been passed between development studios like a ticking bomb - each outfit trying to do their bit and pass it on before the series crashes - if you pardon the pun.

But now Crash is back - and if what we're seeing and hearing is true, he's on better form than ever. The latest outing in the almost cinematically titled Crash of the Titans involves our furry friend noticing how the other creatures on his island are starting to act increasingly weirdly so much so they've become monsters hell bent on wrecking everything in their path.

Rather than battle the big guys, Crash can Jack them - whereby he takes control of them and also their special abilities. There's 15 Titans to conquer meaning there's access to a whole array of new weaponry and abilities such as fire breathing and earth rumbling. If the going gets tough you can now also use the help of a friend via the all-new co-operative mode. Not that you'll need the additional help thanks to the new aerial combat system that supports all manner of kicks, punches and special moves.

Crash can now also interact with his world in a whole host of different ways. Swinging from ropes and flipping off springboards is just the normal stuff, he can even toss his sidekick Aku Aku on the ground and surf, skate, grind and shred. Think of him as a furry Tony Hawk, with big teeth.

A release is scheduled for later in the autumn - we'll find out more then.

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