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For those new to the series or for those returning after many years away from Crash’s games, It’s About Time provides players with a refined and nuanced 3d platforming experience. Don’t expect this game to hold your hand in any meaningful way. There are many common gameplay mistakes players make while playing Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. Here are the best ones to avoid.
7 Not Using The Shadow For Jumps
One reason the original Crash games were so darn hard is that it wasn’t easy to tell where Crash and friends would land when jumping. Enter Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time and the game gives players a fancy yellow circle shadow thing that denotes where players will land during various jumps.
While this might sound like an altogether simple addition, it makes all the difference in the world. Being able to tell where Crash and friends will land, especially during the trickier stages, makes timing jumps much more effective. Be sure to use this feature and get used to what it looks like when platforming across the diverse stages in the game.
6 Missing The Nitro Box At The End Of Stages
All throughout the stages in Crash Bandicoot 4 are various noxious green nitro boxes that explore upon contact, ensuring Crash and friends meet their demise and head back to the most recent checkpoint. While it might seem obvious to just avoid touching them, this isn’t always so easy to do since they can often be placed right next to other boxes such as ones that contain wumpa fruits.
For those that find themselves confused as to how to get the 100% completion for all of the boxes in each stage, worry not, since there is a box at the end of stages that, once hit, smashes all nitro boxes. It’s easy to miss doing this after an arduous stage.
5 Don’t Simply Break The Big Wumpa Fruit Box
One of the game’s main collectibles are the famous wumpa fruits, apple/mango-looking fruits that are found all throughout each stage with each 100 of them giving Crash and friends a much-needed extra life. Wumpa fruits can be found lying on the ground, floating in the air, or even in regular, breakable boxes.
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However, there is one special type of box that holds a plethora of wumpa fruits but needs to be broken in a specific way, otherwise the many will be replaced with one or none. Players that encounter these boxes will immediately notice that they look different given that they look more like a cage. Instead of breaking it outright, simply jump on them over and over until all wumpa fruits have been obtained.
4 Forgetting About Each Character’s Unique And Special Moves
Crash Bandicoot 4 allows players to play as different characters from the Crash universe, namely, Crash, Coco, Tawna, Dingodile, and Neo Cortex. It’s a really surprising and nice gameplay addition since each of the characters handles differently and each has their own unique moveset and abilities.
For example, Tawna is a larger, stronger character and can punch and kick baddies but she can also use a hookshot and can jump between certain walls similar to that of Mario. Tawna’s levels almost feel like they are taken from a different game given her unique abilities. When starting up a stage with a new character, don’t forget to get to grips with each of their abilities.
3 The Trusty Belly Slam And Slide Attack
In terms of who most players will be spending a good chunk of time playing as in Crash 4 (Crash Bandicoot), it’s easy to forget Crash’s secondary moves, namely, the belly slam and the slide attack. These two moves specifically are generally underutilized by players which can make certain stages much more challenging.
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Crash is able to perform a belly slam by jumping or double jumping and then hitten a certain button which allows him to slam back to the ground. This move is typically used for breaking the steel-lined cage crates, however, it can also be used as an attack. Similarly, the slide attack is so forgotten that many players might not even realize it exists in the game. This slide move shouldn’t be avoided since it’s great for navigating through and around certain stage hazards or enemy attacks.
2 Skipping The Secret Areas On Purpose
Crash 4 features a bevy of secret areas that act as mini standalone platfomring stages. These secret areas are denoted by their question mark platforms that take Crash and friends away to another part of the stage. These hidden areas are downright punishing but reward players with gems, wumpa fruits, and plenty of other goodies.
However, many players likely avoid these areas since they can prove too punishing from time to time. Doing so will not only ensure players miss out on some great collectibles but also ensures that certain platforming mechanics aren’t mastered how they should be. Take on the challenge of these secret areas to truly up your platofrming skills in Crash 4.
1 Yes, The Water Look Pretty; No, Don’t Swim In It
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is a downright gorgeous game, offering up meaty visuals, a vibrant presentation, and plenty of charm to carry over into future games, should that come to fruition. Many players love water graphics and water physics in their favorite video games and Crash 4 is no execption.
The water in this game looks so lush, refreshing, and enticing. Unfortunately, jumping into the beautiful waters leads Crash and friends to their demise, making them restart at the nearest checkpoint. Simply put, avoid jumping into the water and just enjoy from a safe, dry distance.
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