If it has been 20 years since you last played Crash Team Racing, probably best you reacquaint yourselves with the game's weapons before diving back in.
Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled is finally here! It feels as if we have been waiting two decades for this remaster, and we guess in some ways we have. As with the N.Sane Trilogy, as soon as we fired up Nitro Fueled we got a big old hit of nostalgia. However, we were also reminded of how much we had forgotten. Picking up weapons and items, not knowing what they do and how best to use them. If you have found yourself in the same boat this past weekend, take a look at our rundown of every weapon in Nitro Fueled.
Projectiles
There are two main types of projectile weapon in Nitro Fueled. Tracking Missiles are the ones you want the most. However, even though they home in on the next opponent in front of you, they aren't as reliable as Mario Kart's red shells. Make sure you can see your opponent before launching these, even if they are way off in the distance.
The other projectile is the Bowling Bomb. There won't hone in on a racer, but we had forgotten a neat little trick about these bombs. After launch, if you hit the fire button a second time, the bomb will explode before making contact with anything. That gives you the opportunity to take out a group of bunched up racers all in one fell swoop. Both the bombs and the missiles come in singles or groups of three.
Shields And Crates
Shields do a lot more than just protect you in Nitro Fueled. The translucent green orbs will protect you from any and all weapons, and disappear once they get hit. However, they will also disappear should you collide with another racer. That will also cause said racer to spin out. Should you decide you don't need the protection, you can press the fire button to turn your shield into a projectile. If you have 10 Wumpa Fruit when you use a shield, its effect will not wear off until its hit or you fire it. Plus, it'll be blue.
The most recognizable item to players of regular Crash games will be the TNT and Nitro crates. Bump into a TNT crate and it will fly into the air and fall on your lap. You then have three seconds to get rid of it before it explodes. Hop like crazy and you might just shake it off in time. If you have a full quota of Wumpa Fruit, your TNT boxes will be Nitro crates. As with any Crash game, you don't get a three-minute warning with those.
The other item you can drop behind you is N. Brio's Beaker. A green potion that will cause opponents to spin out should they collide with it. You can also throw these forward if you push up on the left analog stick when you drop them, but they will explode when they hit the track/another racer. Your beakers will turn from red to green should you be Juiced Up with Wumpa Fruit. Hit a red beaker and you'll have a rain cloud hanging over you, slowing you down for a short period.
Items To Control Time And Space
N. Tropy's Clock is a pretty powerful item to have in your arsenal. It's something that will have an effect on every other racer should you use it. Not only will it spin them out, but it will also slow them down for a short period. This item will give you the perfect chance to move from the back of the pack to the front, especially if everyone is bunched together.
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Extra Turbos are exactly what you think they are. Hit that fire button and you will be propelled forward at an alarming speed. However, what's worth noting is that they can also be used as a weapon. Engage that turbo while behind a rival racer and you'll flatten them, firing yourself into the air in the process. Get enough hang time and you'll be boosted again when you hit the track.
The Warp Orb is Nitro Fueled's take on Mario Kart's deadly blue shell. While it is ultimately gunning for the racer in first place, if others are in its way, it will take them out too. Other than a shield, there's only one way to avoid being battered by the Warp Orb. An Aku-Aku or Uka-Uka. While we would have loved these two iconic Crash characters to be racers themselves, we understand why they are used the way that they are.
If you're a "good" character, Aku-Aku will be your protector. "Bad" characters have the protective services of his evil twin, Uka-Uka. Both masks do the same thing. Make you invincible, boost the speed of your kart, and hurt any other racer that comes into contact with you while it's active. Be wary of the edge of the track, though. The only thing you're not protected from is falling off. Do so, and your protective mask will have disappeared when you return.
Battle Mode Items
The last two items are exclusive to Battle Mode only. Super Engines and Invisibility. Super Engines are like Turbo Boosts but with an extra quirk. That's because the boost of speed will last for as long as you have your finger on the accelerator. The invisibility item isn't as straightforward as it sounds. Yes, it will turn your character and their kart invisible, but you will notice that your wheels will still show. Don't worry, they won't show up when your opponents are looking for you. You will also be cloaked from tracking missiles while using this item.