Line #11 VideoGame/CrashOfTheTitans


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/crash_of_the_titans_cover_6.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''[[TagLine Bring on the Titans!]]'']]
3
4	''Crash Of The Titans'' is a BeatEmUp/[[PlatformGame platformer]] hybrid, developed by Creator/RadicalEntertainment, as part of the ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' series, released for the Platform/PlayStation2, Platform/XBox360, Platform/PlayStationPortable and Nintendo Platform/{{Wii}} in the fall of 2007. It was Radical's second game for the series following ''VideoGame/CrashTagTeamRacing''.
5
6	The game was the first of a light reboot of the series, with massive aesthetic and gameplay changes. The characters received their most radically different redesigns yet, both in terms of appearance and personality, occasionally to the point of bearing only a passing resemblance to their older selves. The gameplay, while still having a focus on platforming, put in a much greater deal of combat by allowing Crash to punch and kick enemies, block, and more. The game's main gimmick is the use of "Titans", large mutants that are far more powerful than Crash himself and often must be taken control of by Crash by "jacking" them.
7
8	The game's story centers on the discovery of a substance known as "Mojo", which Doctor Neo Cortex plans to use to turn the inhabitants of the Wumpa Islands into an army of loyal mutants known as "Titans". Crash must stop Cortex by using the technique of "jacking" to take control of and destroy Cortex's Titans while collecting the mojo.
9
10	Versions of the game for the Platform/NintendoDS and UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance were also released, but differ quite a bit from the console versions both in terms of gameplay and plot. The former put in a greater emphasis on platforming and a generally greater number of cues from the Creator/NaughtyDog installments of the series, while the GBA version is more of a straight BeatEmUp.
11
12	A direct sequel was released a year later, called ''VideoGame/CrashMindOverMutant''. Like this game, there are console and Nintendo DS versions and each one is slightly different from the other.
13
14	------------------
15	!!This game contains examples of:
16
17	* HundredPercentCompletion: Getting 100% requires obtaining a Gold Idol in all 20 levels (for which you must beat a level by killing a certain number of minions, performing a certain amount of combos, and destroying all 3 Spybots), killing enough of every minion type and jacking enough of every Titan type to unlock their respective costumes, obtaining the Hidden Dolls (which unlock concept art) hidden in every level, and beating every level's Mojo Room Challenge.
18	* AbilityRequiredToProceed: Certain blockades can only be destroyed by a specific Titan's attack; acid walls need to be destroyed by a Sludge's vomit, remote switches must be shot by a Snipe, etc.
19	* AllThereInTheManual:
20	** One of the promotional cartoons played as an origin story for [[PaletteSwap Carbon Crash]], who Cortex cloned from Crash to defeat the original. Being identical to Crash, [[GoneHorriblyRight it went as well as could be expected.]]
21	** Before time constraints got in the way, WordOfGod stated the game also originally intended to have a backstory concerning Mojo and how it effected some of the new character depictions. Tiny's design and intellect upgrade would be due to being experimented on by Mojo, while Crash's tattoos fabricated from interacting with it.
22	* AnimatedAdaptation: Sort of. A handful of 3D shorts were released online to promote the game.
23	* BatOutOfHell: Battlers, giant, anthropomorphic bats with seriously nasty combo attacks and [[BlowYouAway whirlwind specials]].
24	* BearsAreBadNews: The Goar is giant bear with huge boar tusks, and the first "heavy" Titan you meet. [[SuperScream It can paralyse enemies with its roar.]]
25	* BigBad: [[spoiler: Nina [[TheStarscream usurps her uncle]] to become the main villain for this game.]]
26	* BigBrotherInstinct: Crash is adamant to save his sister Coco. Uka Uka even gets a cheap shot from this, threatening to off her the moment she's no longer a use to him. [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness You rarely ever get]] [[OhCrap the resulting look]] [[BerserkButton from Crash.]]
27	* BlindIdiotTranslation: Several translations in other languages seemed to have missed the [[PunnyName puns in the Titans's names]], going with literal translations instead. Most notable is the Yuktopus, as no translations seems to have picked up that the "yuk" in its name is a combination of "yak" and "duck", and not an expression of disgust.
28	* BlowYouAway: The Battler's special attack consists of it gathering wind with its wings and releasing it in the form of several small whirlwinds that are shot large distances and linger for a while.
29	* BodySurf: "Jacking" Titans mostly amounts to this.
30	* CharacterDevelopment: Both Crash and Nina get a huge personality boost in this game, having only been silent vessels for Cortex in ''Twinsanity'':
31	** Crash is noticeably [[DumbassNoMore less moronic than the previous titles, and is more attentive and serious about stopping Uka Uka's plans than before]]. He's also gained a huge BigBrotherInstinct on top of it.
32	** Also Nina, who spent her previous roles as a BrattyHalfPint cohort of Cortex, is conveyed as far more ambitious and devious, willing to usurp her uncle to lead the conquest on Wumpa Island herself.
33	* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Cortex comes off a lot more LaughablyEvil and less put upon than in previous instalments, delighting in his rivalry with Crash instead of his usual honest hatred. He is also more willing to talk back to Uka Uka, foreshadowing usurping him outright in the following game (even if Uka becomes wary of this here and tries to replace him for it).
34	* ChekhovsGun: Coco's Transpalooper (aka. "the purple thingy"). When Cortex first invades, Crash stashes it in his pants. [[spoiler: After the final boss, he hands it to Coco to disarm the Doominator, which Cortex immediately [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]].]]
35	-->'''Cortex:''' How long have you had that thing in your pants?
36	* {{Combos}}: Getting big combos in the stages are one of the requirements for Gold Idols, which are required for HundredPercentCompletion.
37	* ContinuitySnarl: This game introduces Mojo as the main power source that Cortex intends to harvest, completely disregarding the Crystals and Gems from the previous titles as a result. It also retcons the characters' personalities and appearances so much they might as well be entirely different individuals. It would qualify as an entire ContinuityReboot if it wasn't for the fact that Tiny breaks the fourth wall to reference how he wasn't in the previous game.
38	** A smaller one is the Bandicoots suddenly living on Wumpa Island instead of N. Sanity Island like in previous games.
39	* CosmeticAward: The Halloween (complete 50% of the game) and Valentine (get all 20 Gold Idols) costumes give no gameplay benefits unlike the others.
40	* DamselInDistress: Crash is left to rescue Coco and [[spoiler: Cortex]] of all people.
41	* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to Radical's [[VideoGame/CrashTagTeamRacing previous installment]] anyway, with a more climatic story and the menacing Titans. Being Crash of course, it's still thoroughly humorous and quirky.
42	* DropInDropOutMultiplayer: A series first, the game lets a second Crash join in with the ability to leave at any time.
43	* EasyExp: Mojo is effectively forced onto Crash, thanks to many places where you need to destroy objects in order to progress, or fight off a large number of titans in a somewhat cramped arena. If you play the game normally, without any deliberate grinding, you can easily acquire all 27 upgrades before unlocking the Doominator episodes.
44	* EnemyChatter: The minor enemies in this game love to talk, and they [[ShoutOut love cheesy references]]. Indeed, if the player remains unseen long enough in certain areas, nearby enemies will engage in surprisingly long dialogue that [[{{Exposition}} may]] or [[SeinfeldianConversation may not]] be relevant to the plot.
45	* EssenceDrop: Defeated enemies drop Mojo, as do crates and most destructible props. There are Mojo orbs that double the Mojo you get for a limited time, and large orbs that drop big Mojo orbs by sacrificing a Titan to them.
46	* ExperiencePoints: Mojo functions as this, as Crash gets new attacks and various boosts by collecting more of it over the course of the game.
47	* {{Fartillery}}: The Stench. This is perhaps best exemplified in the [[MookDebutCutscene cutscene introducing it]], where it knocks out a baby fox with its noxious gas.
48	* ForcedToWatch: [[spoiler:[[InvertedTrope Inverted]]; when Nina usurps Cortex and takes him hostage, she tells him that she ''won't'' let him watch the destruction of Wumpa Island, which greatly upsets him.]]
49	* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Nina in her Arachnina.]]
50	* FrickinLaserBeams: Displayed by the boss Titans as their special attacks: Yuktopus shoots a WaveMotionGun from its cannon-arm, Uka Uka shoots a barrage of highly letal EyeBeams, and the Arachnina turns into a spider and shoots a long laser from its eyes.
51	* GottaCatchThemAll: There is a red Voodoo Doll hidden on each level, which unlocks concept art of that level. There is also the Mojo Room voodoo dolls which allow you to replay the corresponding Mojo Room, and the enemy costumes which perform a OneHitKill on the corresponding enemy and are unlocked by killing enough of those enemies (in the case of minions) or jacking enough (for Titans).
52	* HumongousMecha: Nina's Arachnina, a robot armed with a circular saw which can [[TransformingMecha switch between bipedal and spider form]]. The plot also revolves around Nina forcing Coco to complete an even more humonguous Mojo-powered mecha called the Doominator, which is crashed on Wumpa Island at the end, barely missing the Bandicoot home.
53	* AnIcePerson: Ratcicles, whose Special attack consists of hitting their claws against the ground, creating a stream of ice that freezes anyone caught into it, leaving them open to attacks.
54	* ImprobableWeaponUser: In addition to the [[{{Fartillery}} fart attacks]] noted previously:
55	** Koo-alas, Tiny's pack of koala hillbillies, will try to whack Crash with [[EdibleBludgeon chicken drumsticks]]. They'll sometimes take a big bite of the chicken and burp at Crash for heavy damage.
56	** Brat Girls, Nina's mutant rat minions, will sometimes whip out megaphones and start [[MotorMouth prattling]] at Crash. [[SuperScream This does hefty damage]] '' and'' temporarily stuns the bandicoot.
57	* KillEnemiesToOpen: At several points there will barriers with Uka-Uka's face floating in them. requiring you kill all enemies in the room (or hijack the last survivor).
58	* LargeHam: Creator/NolanNorth clearly had a lot of fun voicing N-Gin.
59	* LongRangeFighter: While the vast majority of the titans are built for close combat, a few of them instead fight with projectiles while being miserable up close. Also worth mentioning is the titan Sludge, which is the disjointed variety of this trope; although a Melee fighter, it has much longer-ranged attacks than the others.
60	* LoopholeAbuse: When Uka Uka threatens to replace Cortex, the latter defiantly claims he can't; his initials are on the company stationary, [[FelonyMisdemeanor and he'd have to pay to replace it all.]]
61	-->'''Uka Uka:''' Cortex, you couldn't be more wrong. Allow me to introduce your replacement; '''N'''ina '''C'''ortex!
62	* MagmaMan: The Magmadon is bipedal turtle which lives in lava, being the only enemy able to withstand it without being damaged. Its Special attack consists of [[DishingOutDirt stomping on the ground to create a moving wave of rocks]].
63	* ManiacMonkeys: The Scorporilla, a gigantic gorilla with a scorpion tail and the strongest Titan in regular levels. Oddly enough, it's refered to as female in its data page.
64	* MixAndMatchCritters: Goar (bear+boar), Snipe (fox+bird), Stench (skunk+vulture), Rhinoroller (rhino+armadillo), Shellephant (elephant+crab), Scorporilla (gorilla+scorpion), and Yuktopus (yak+duck+octopus) for a really weird one.
65	* MookDebutCutscene: Several Titans in the game have one.
66	* MightyGlacier: The Goar, Rhinoroller, Shellephant, and Scorporilla Titans are all very large and slow but very powerful. The Scorporilla in particular is the strongest non-boss Titan, and its punch+tail swipe combo can knock out any enemy with its two hits, with its wide range allowing it to hold its own even against large hordes.
67	* MovesetClone: The Stench is just a slightly faster, slightly stronger Snipe. Subverted with the Ee-Lectric, whose Special targets 5 targets instead of 4, and attacks from above, making it much harder to avoid.
68	* MusicalAssassin: The Yuktopus can play a bagpipe tune that stuns all enemies in range.
69	* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Aku Aku now has the power to control other's bodies by setting himself as a mask on their faces. He can even control robots and his brother Uka Uka, who is also a mask. Granted this power was already implied via Uka Uka in previous games, who recurrently took over Cortex's body for gags.
70	* NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom: After a [[VideoGame/CrashTwinsanity couple of games]] [[VideoGame/CrashTagTeamRacing toying around]] with this concept, this title returns to the series' staple linearity. The main layout itself is rather wide open, though.
71	* NotActuallyCosmeticAward: The costumes you unlock for defeating smaller mooks and for jacking titans allow Crash to one-hit kill/stun them.
72	* OneHitKill: The Free Jack Mask serves as this. While it's active, Crash's regular attack changes into a kick that makes minions fly into the distance, and stuns Titans in one-hit (being spent at that point). Wearing a enemy's costume gives the same permanent effect against that type of enemy only. Finally, beating the game on Hard Mode unlocks the Free Kick attack with the same effect but works against every enemy and it's permanent.
73	* PityTheKidnapper: Coco won't stop bantering with Nina throughout the duration she is captured. Nina makes a point of venting her distain for putting up with her before facing Crash.
74	-->'''Nina:''' And you, just shut up, because you're annoying! ''AND STOP TALKING ABOUT PANCAKES!!!''
75	-->''Coco rasps at her''
76	* PoisonousPerson: The Sludge is a pig-like Titan with a body made out of an unspecified toxic sludge. It can hide under the ground to attack by surprise, and its Special is [[ZombiePukeAttack vomiting toxic waste all over]].
77	* RhinoRampage: The Rhinoroller is a rhino Titan which can roll into a ball like an armadillo for 10 seconds, destroying everything it touches.
78	* ShockAndAwe: The Ee-lectric is a bipedal electric eel that can shoot blasts of electricity or call lightning from the sky to attack distant targets.
79	* SoProudOfYou: [[spoiler:During the ending, Cortex expresses to Nina that he's proud of her for betraying him, as it's the most evil thing she's ever done.]]
80	* SpikesOfDoom: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Spike]] is a giant hedhehog/porcupine covered inspikes whose Special attack consists in making giant spikes raise from the ground.
81	* SpinAttack: Of course, but unlike in past ''Crash'' games, you don't start the game with it, and Crash goes dizzy after spinning for a while. As you collect more Mojo, it's upgraded to last longer, and on its last upgrade, Crash can now reamin spinning indefinitely, making it trivial to obtain high combos against large hordes of minions.
82	* TheStarscream: [[spoiler:Nina overthrows her uncle, Neo Cortex, as Uka Uka's [[TheDragon Dragon]]. He was very proud.]]
83	* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: [[spoiler:The game's trailers completely spoiled the fact that Nina overthrows Cortex as the BigBad for this game.]]
84	* UndyingLoyalty: [[spoiler: N Gin wavers over sticking with Nina, though decides he cares about Cortex too much, and willingly gives Crash and Aku Aku information so they can stop Nina and rescue him.]]
85	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Uka Uka threatens to do this to Coco once the Doominator is finished [[KickTheDog just to rile up Crash]].
86
87	------------------
88	!!The portable version contains examples of:
89
90	* AcademyOfEvil: If the game is beaten a second time '''without''' achieving OneHundredPercentCompletion, it's revealed that [[spoiler:the entire plot of the game was part of Nina's evaluation by the Evil University]].
91	* BodySurf: Players are encouraged to swap mutants constantly, as each additional jacking gives a bonus to the mojo multiplier.
92	* BossInMookClothing: There is exactly one Piganna in the game, and it's faced in the room right before the final boss. It's a large-sized mutant that hits like a truck and can tank most of Crash's hits. To make matters worse, the only Titans nearby that can be possessed are Plugs and Blow Joes, which are just as frail as Crash himself.
93	* BreakingTheFourthWall:
94	** Cortex does so at the beginning of the game to guide players through the tutorial.
95	---> '''Cortex''': "Oh, brother... Not another tutorial!"
96	** In [[spoiler:Nina's take-home exam]], one of the criteria she had to meet was "escape at the last second in order to set up the sequel".
97	* TheBusCameBack: Dingodile was brought back for the DS and GBA versions after being unexplainably absent in ''VideoGame/CrashTagTeamRacing''.
98	* CallBack: The opening is a throwback to ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996'', with Crash ducking to avoid the game's title as it flies into the screen.
99	* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Nina decides to turn against her uncle at the beginning of the game on the basis that he "has gone soft". Before the final level, [[EnemyMine she strikes a truce with Crash]] to stop Cortex's HumongousMecha, only to [[spoiler:betray the hero as well and attempt to mutate him into a baby once they have her uncle cornered]].
100	* CoversAlwaysLie: The DS version shares the same cover with the Console versions, even though the Titan that is prominently featured in it, the Ratcicle, is not playable.
101	* DenserAndWackier: The ''Crash'' games got progressively goofier with time upon being handled by different developers, culminating into the jokefest that is the console version of this game. Even then, the DS game manages to upstage its Console cousin by removing Uka Uka from the narrative and giving every Titan comedic one-liners. Additionally, Cortex's final weapon is changed from a fairly generic mecha into a giant disco robot.
102	* EarnYourBadEnding: The any% ending of the DS version is light, with [[spoiler:Nina turning herself into a baby]] and Crash beating Cortex, then returning to the island to tell Coco about what happened. The OneHundredPercentCompletion ending, on the other hand, ends far differently. [[spoiler:Nina turns Crash into a baby due to the latter's slow reaction timing, and Nina proceeds to [[TheStarscream beat Cortex herself]]. She then tells Cortex's minions to [[TheBadGuyWins take over the islands for her]].]]
103	* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Neo Cortex, unlike the mainstream version, is never deposed by Nina and remains the main villain for the whole game.]]
104	* GuideDangIt: The power crystals necessary to beat the game are placed in some pretty asinine locations depending on the level. In N. Gin's Factory, for example, it's hidden out of view [[spoiler:in a platform behind the level's end goal, with the only hint being the easily missable climbable ledges above the final door]]. The masks can also be a pain to collect, but thankfully they are only required if the player wishes to [[EarnYourBadEnding unlock]] the BadEnding.
105	* InconsistentSpelling: The Titan Piganna obviously had its name mispelled while the game was being developed. It resembles a cross between a pig and a piran'''h'''a.
106	* LaughTrack: The cutscenes feature synthesized laughter whenever the characters quip or get injured.
107	* LighterAndSofter: The Titans are smaller and goofier, and [[SuddenlyVoiced make quips at you]].
108	* MixAndMatchCritters: The enemies are mutated animals who have human-level intellect. Some of them also feature the combined physical traits of different animals, such as Polartooth (Sabretooth cat+polar bear), Whalephant, Spot (hippo+jaguar), Porcurilla, Phoenix (actually [[CallAPegasusAHippogriff a griffin]] with [[PlayingWithFire fire powers]]), Brat (bat+rat), Pandebra, Piganna (pig+piranha), Spider Monkey and Rhinostrich.
109	* MovesetClone: All small and medium-sized Titans share the same basic X and Y attacks. A few of them also have identical special moves, such as Spider-Monkey and Plug, or Whalephant and K. Modo.
110	* {{Nerf}}: Zig-zagged with Crash's trademark spin attack. It no longer one-shots enemies and is pretty much only useful when dealing with groups of the smaller titans, as the larger ones don't flinch when hit by it. On the other hand, it covers much more distance when performed in the air, making it invaluable in some of the tighter platforming sections.
111	* PromotedToPlayable:
112	** Nina has a few levels devoted to her own arc in the DS version. Her gameplay revolves around shooting at little animals to turn them into mutants.
113	** While the console games only allow you to jack the titans, the DS version allows you to jack every enemy, including [[spoiler:Nina, which you can use to turn mutants back into animals to damage her]].
114	* ShoutOut:
115	** The Titan Jawslehoff is a simultaneous reference to both ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' and Creator/DavidHasselhoff, and even sings the first few notes of the former's theme occasionally.
116	** Spider-Monkey will sometimes say that his "senses are tingling", which is a reference to one of ComicBook/SpiderMan's catchphrases.
117	** In [[spoiler:Nina's take-home examination]], one of the questions asks what has been responsible for thwarting her evil plans. Among the options, one can spot "[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros a plumber]]".
118	* TheStarscream: Nina, like in the mainstream version, tries to betray Cortex, [[spoiler:though is less successful ([[EarnYourBadEnding in the any% ending, at least]])]].
119	* SuddenDownerEnding: The OneHundredPercentCompletion ending for the DS version, where [[spoiler:Nina turns Crash into a baby. After beating Cortex, she returns and orders Cortex's goonies to take over the island for her]].
120	* ToiletHumour: The sound effect for Crash's DoubleJump is occasionally replaced by a loud fart noise.

Context VideoGame / CrashOfTheTitans