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‘CTR’ Goes Mad with New Apocalyptic “Rustland” Grand Prix

Looks like Crash might have watched a little too much Mad Max, because this season’s Grand Prix is positively metal! It’s the end of the Crash world as we know it as we descend into the first Grand Prix of the new year: “Rustland”. As usual, check out the announcement trailer below and then let’s go into the big attractions of this season.

What a Lovely Track – Mega-Mix Mania:

The crowning achievement of every Grand Prix is always the new track, and Mega-Mix Mania is no exception. At first glance, it seems like your run of the mill post-apocalyptic track – with LOADS of Easter Eggs to other Crash games/ characters hidden within. Although as you start to race through it more, it starts to feel a little familiar at times. That is because ‘Mega-Mix Mania’ isn’t just a random post-apocalyptic track; but actually a post-apocalyptic version of the track Roo’s Tubes.

That is not to say the track is Roo’s Tubes with a new paint job. The glass tubing has shattered; the ocean has dried up; and there is wreckage as far as the eye can see. So don’t let the opening stretch of track fool you as you’ll quickly find new paths with some of the sharpest turns I have ever seen in this game along with a brand new hazard – jumping graffiti landmines.

Go a Little Mad – New Rustland Character Skins & More:

It’s not a Grand Prix without some totally insane new characters and skins, and Rustland brings out ALL the crazy. There are a plethora of skins that outfit our favorite characters with everything from piercings and spray-paint to mutations and cybernetic enhancements. Even Chick ‘n Stew are looking a little extra crispy in their new skins. It’s incredible how each skin – and even kart – is a pop-culture reference to some form of post-apocalyptic series, ie: Mad Max, Far Cry, etc. Heck, there’s even a kart that looks like Luke’s ride on Tatooine in Star Wars: A New Hope.

Dingodile's Rustland Skin
Credit: Beenox/ Activision

Though the most frightening of these transformations comes in the form of this season’s newest racer: Mega-Mix. Mega-Mix is the fusion of some of the series most infamous Ne’er-do-wells: Dr. Neo Cortex, N. Gin, Tiny Tiger, and Dingodile. The character was originally from the Gameboy Advance game Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure and Beenox once again did a great job of bringing him back – and giving him an incredibly ‘metal’ bonus skin should you choose to fill your season’s Nitro gauge.

Final Notes – Pit Stop & New Game Mode:

Like in some former seasons, you’ll actually have a chance to get items from previous Grand Prix in the Pit Stop. This season, you’ll have a chance to pick up any items from the “Spooky Grand Prix” you might have missed. Similarly, if you never got to pick up decals of your country’s flag from the first Grand Prix, you’ll be able to upon download of the new Grand Prix. With it, you can rep your country as you race!

The final item of note is that the Rustland Grand Prix will actually come with a new game mode called ‘Golden Wumpa Hunt’, which in one regard seems to function similarly to the ghost hunt from the “Spooky Grand Prix”. You’ll occasionally race through glowing golden crates which will release Golden Wumpa Fruit. Claiming these will reward you with a stash of Wumpa coins at the end of the race. Though I’m curious if there’s anything more to it. Dataminers found a racer named ‘Who Am I” a while back. This could have been a placeholder for a racer we know about – ie: Mega-Mix since he is a fusion – OR a secret character tied to this new game mode similar to how King Chicken was unlocked after collecting all of the eggs in “Neon Circus”.

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