''Crash Bandicoot'' features many shout outs - both visual and aural (some of which are homages or outright pastiches) - to movies and other aspects of popular culture.

* ''VideoGame/{{Crash of the Titans}}'' contains several, beginning with ''Film/{{Clash of the Titans|1981}}'', and including ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968'', ''Film/MinorityReport'', ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', ''Film/BrokebackMountain'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'', ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'', ''Film/LostInSpace'', ''Franchise/StarTrek'', ''Pop Idol''/''Series/AmericanIdol'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', the ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' meme LeeroyJenkins, ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', ''Franchise/SuperMario'', ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'', Website/MySpace and many others. The portable version has a Titan called [[Creator/DavidHasselhoff Jawslehoff.]] and another one called [[VideoGame/MetalGear Psycho-Mandrake]].
* ''VideoGame/CrashMindOverMutant'' continues this trend, with references to ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Music/MichaelJackson, WebOriginal/LOLCats, ''Film/ThreeHundred'', ''Franchise/GIJoe'', ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', and many others.
* The earlier games in the series tend to have shout outs in some of the level titles. Examples include "[[Franchise/TombRaider Tomb Wader]]" "[[Franchise/{{Terminator}} Sphynxinator]]", "[[Literature/WutheringHeights Weathering Heights]]", "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Asphalt Orange Asphalt]]'' and "[[Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit Smokey and the Bandicoot]]".
* ''Crash Nitro Kart'' features Cortex's line "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Tiny]]..."
* One of the promo images for ''Warped'', featuring a [[CoolShades shades-wearing]] Crash and Coco on a motorbike, with one of Crash's eyes glowing red, is a blatant reference to the Franchise/{{Terminator}} franchise.
* The yellow mech that Crash uses in the space station levels of ''Wrath of Cortex'' bears a close resemblance to the one used in ''Film/{{Aliens}}''.
* The cutscene after the BossBattle against Tiny Tiger in ''The Huge Adventure'' has Uka Uka referring to Cortex's minions as [[Film/TheThreeStooges "three of your stooges".]]
* After [[spoiler: Willie's]] plan is exposed in ''Tag Team Racing'':
--> [[spoiler: '''Willie:''']] [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo And I would have succeeded too, if it wasn't for you meddling bandicoots!]]
* The levels in the karting games include "[[Film/AClockworkOrange Clockwork Wumpa]]" and "[[Music/KoolAndTheGang Jungle Boogie]]".
* Several lines in ''Tag Team Racing'' are [[ShoutOut shout outs]] to something:
** One of Von Clutch's racing lines is "[[Music/{{Kraftwerk}} Wir fahr'n fahr'n fahr'n auf der Autobahn!]]"
** Cortex: "[[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow Can you sense the antici... pation?]]"
** More fun with Cortex: "Revenge is a dish best served [[Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs with fava beans]]."
** When starting his vehicle after a full stop, Cortex sometimes says "[[Franchise/BackToTheFuture 1.8 Gigawatts of power]]!"
** Pasadena sometimes says "[[Franchise/StarWars Striking me down will only make me stronger]]."
** Crunch: "[[WebAnimation/HomestarRunner I burninated that chump]]!"
** N. Gin: "[[Music/BlueOysterCult Don't fear the reaper.]] (In a Creator/ChristopherWalken voice) [[Series/SaturdayNightLive I need more cowbell.]] (Back in his normal voice) [[NoIndoorVoice I DON'T HAVE A COWBELL!]]"
* The sledgehammer wielding enemies in "Diggin' it" and "Bee Afraid" wear red clothing, blue jumpers, and wield a brown hammer. Definitely more than a passing resemblance to [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong Mario]]. Especially in the ''N. Sane Trilogy'', where their red clothing is no longer checkered.
* ''Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled'' gave Tawna and the Trophy Girls/Nitro Squad a series of "Motorsport" skins, with victory animations that could be homages to ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' characters:
** Ami performs a series of uppercuts, one adorned with a green energy effect, which could reference the Shoryuken.
** Megumi performs a [[KickChick series of kicks]], and the fact that she already has her hair in buns could be an homage to Chun-Li.
** Motorsport Isabella's victory animation has her perform a small KamehameHadoken.
* The classic games have some music references tucked away inside of their level names.
** [[Music/TheRollingStonesBand Rolling Stones]]
** [[Music/HankWilliamsJr Hog Wild]]
** [[Music/TalkingHeads Road to Nowhere]]
** [[Music/TheRamones Road to Ruin]]
** [[Music/{{Queen}} Under Pressure]]
** [[Music/VanHalen Hang 'em High]]
** [[Music/TheGratefulDead High Time]]
** [[Music/PinkFloyd Drain Damage]]
** [[Music/SavageGarden Crash and Burn]]
** [[Music/JerryLeeLewis Crate Balls of Fire]]
** [[Music/{{Oasis}} Force of Nature]]
** [[Music/FrankSinatra Just in Slime]]
** Music/AirSupply
** [[Music/{{Europe}} Final Countdown]]
** [[Music/AFlockOfSeagulls Flockful of Seagulls]]
** [[Music/TheyMightBeGiants Now It's Istanbul]]
** [[Music/TheClash Rock the Casaba]]
** [[Music/LizPhair Fire Walker]]
** [[Music/NeilYoung Hit the Road]]
** [[Music/{{Pink}} The Crate Escape]]