History VideoGame / CrashBandicootTheWrathOfCortex

* BewareTheSillyOnes: The Elementals are goofy pun-spouting masks, but as both Aku Aku and Uka Uka know, their power is nothing to be scoffed at. Levels such as "Tsunami", "Avalanche", and "Crash and Burn" show how their weather inducing magic can lay waste to the world the bandicoots inhabit.

** Uka Uka's VillainDecay really sets in during this game. Rather than being the menacing force of evil he was in ''Warped'' and ''Crash Bash'', he comes across as a petty, loud-mouthed jerk who [[OrcusOnHisThrone contributes next to nothing to Cortex's schemes]]. Even when he finally loses his patience with Cortex and attacks him, he fails to hurt him in any real capacity. He recovers from this decay somewhat in ''Crash of the Titans'', only to go through it again in ''Mind Over Mutant''.

* UnexplainedRecovery: [[spoiler: Despite spending most of the final boss attacking Cortex, the final ending shows Crunch knocked out and freed from mind control. This is a result of leftover development, the original storyboard had Crash fight Crunch directly and Cortex smash his control panel in a rage beforehand.]]

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: The developpers sure had fun with the levels’ names. "Wizards and Lizards", "Void Droid", "Solar Bowler", "Jungle Rumble", "Farenheit Frenzy"… The pattern helps to make them more memorable.

* GuideDangIt: Getting the platinum relic on "Gold Rush" requires you to use the MercyInvincibility you get from taking damage with an Aku Aku mask to run along a BottomlessPit instead of wasting time climbing along the monkey bars. This is the only time in the game that this happens, every other level's bottomless pits kill you if you fall into them, no matter what.

* NumberedSequels: In Japan only, the game was titled ''Crash Bandicoot 4: Sakuretsu! Majin Power''. This ended up creating a case of SimilarlyNamedWorks when in 2020, they announced ''Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time!''

* NumberedSequels: In Japan only, the game was titled ''Crash Bandicoot 4: Sakuretsu! Majin Power''.

* ReReleaseSoundtrack: For some reason, the {{Xbox}} and GC versions play the music from "The Gauntlet" on the "Medieval Madness" level, whereas the [=PS2=] had a unique tune on the "Medieval Madness" level.

* CatAndMouseBoss: The third boss, a molten lava mutation of Crunch chases after you. The tables turn after you make your way to a mech with a freeze projectile.

The sixth installment in the ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' series and the fourth platformer title. ''Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex'' was also the first title in the series to make a leap to a sixth generation console. It was developed by Creator/TravellersTales' Knutsford division and originally released on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and later ported to the UsefulNotes/XBox and UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube.

* CreativeClosingCredits: A rather odd one, with Crash and a disco-styled Cortex Commando jiving to some techno music.

* FailuresOnIce: Coco is barely able to stay up on ice platforms. Ironically, ''[[IronButtMonkey Crash]]'' seems more adept.

* PointyHairedBoss: Uka Uka seems to have converted into one since the previous title, even frequently managing a [[WesternAnimation/TheJetsons Mr. Spacely]]-style bellow of Cortex's name.

** In the intro cutscene, Uka Uka lampshades this trope regarding the other villains. He scolds them for their inability to actually win even once and shows them a diagram that displays their VillainCred, which is initially quite respectable, but plummets down like a rock to the point where it's just pitiful.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The Elementals disappear after the final boss battle, their fate never explained. While it is assumed the crystals are used to imprison the Elementals once again as Aku Aku implied, it is never shown or even referenced.

* ReReleaseSoundtrack: For some reason, the [=XBox=] and GC versions play the "Gauntlet" music on the "Medieval Madness" level, whereas the [=PS2=] had a unique tune on the "Medieval Madness" level.

* StoppedNumberingSequels: Outside of Japan, the game is the first non-numbered main entry in the series. In Japan, the main series continued to be numbered until ''Videogame/CrashTwinsanity'', with ''Wrath of Cortex'' becoming ''Crash 4'' in the region.

!!''The Wrath of Cortex provides examples of:

! Due to its nature as a sequel, spoilers for the first three ''Crash Bandicoot'' games are unmarked.

!Tropes Used In This Game:

* AccidentalMisnaming: The developers didn't get N. Tropy's name right, calling him "N. Trophy". Cortex refers to him as "N. Trophy" in the opening cutscene and the credits even spell his name as such.

* {{BFG}}: Crash can unlock the Fruit Bazooka power up from ''Warped''. Incidentally the mech's target fire works exactly the same.

* CallBack: One of Crash's deaths features the screen going black, save for Crash, who twirls and falls on his back. [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996 Sounds familiar?]]

* CantCatchUp: Coco, as a result of being able to use only two of the unlockable special moves, slowly becomes more inferior to play as than Crash. Amusingly, it's subverted literally, as one of them is the Crash Dash move, making her equally efficient for time trial missions.

* ConvectionSchmonvection: On par with other games. Metal floor over river of lava inside a volcano doesn't melt at all and bamboo in later volcanic level doesn't catch fire at all. The latter is especially weird, because trees in the very same level are actually on fire.
* CrateExpectations: [[{{Pun}} Expected]], but really ridiculous even by series' standards. Only a few of non-gimmick levels have less than 100 crates. Granted, quite a few of them are TNT or Nitro crates.
* CreativeClosingCredits: A rather odd one, with Crash and a disco styled Cortex Commando jiving to some techno music.

* DeathFromAbove: Many, but notably fourth boss summons a starfall as one of his attacks that hits for quite a lot of damage and first time you might even wondering what's happening until you see stars falling on you.

%% * TheDragon: Crunch to Dr. Cortex. Cortex himself is this to Uka Uka.

%% ** Rok-ko: DishingOutDirt
%% ** Lo-lo: BlowYouAway
%% ** Py-ro: PlayingWithFire
%% ** Wa-wa: MakingASplash

%% * EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: It's a ''Crash'' game, what do you expect?

%% * GimmickLevel: The gimmick levels outnumber the standard ones.

** Though Creator/MarkHamill's hammy acting ensures he is still somewhat entertaining, Py-Ro comes off as much more sinister and manic than [[LaughablyEvil his brethren]], even referred to as the strongest and most evil mask in the manual. He was in fact meant to be the final Elemental boss, though was switched with Lo-Lo for unknown reasons.

* LethalLavaLand: Crash and Burn is an island in the middle of a volcanic eruption. The same island also seems to appear in "That Sinking Feeling", but you fly over it instead. "Fahrenheit Frenzy" is also this with EternalEngine mixed in.

** Gold Rush is really long by Crash standards, with over 200 crates to smash, which makes getting both the gem and the platinum relic quite a challenge. The only level to come close to this prior is "Cold Hard Crash" from ''Cortex Strikes Back'', which had 155 boxes.

%% * SiblingYinYang: As usual, Crash and Coco, and Aku Aku and Uka Uka.
%% * SicklyGreenGlow: The lasers in the EternalEngine levels.

%% * SlippySlideyIceWorld: "Arctic Antics" and "Avalanche"; made especially difficult in the latter due to the sloped pathway and cluttered path of Nitro crates ahead. "Eskimo Roll" plays with this, as its done in the Atlasphere and not on foot.
%% * SphereFactor: Four Atlasphere levels. First boss has you ''and'' Crunch have Sphere Factor ''Battle''.

%% * TitleScream: A lot less in your face than the previous game.

%% * UnexpectedShmupLevel: Not surprising, given the amount of {{Gimmick Level}}s in this game. The level ''2'' and fourth boss specifically come to mind.

* YouHaveResearchedBreathing: Aside from the dash ability (which you have to obtain ''[[BagOfSpilling again]]''), this game also introduces the ability for...Crash to be able to tiptoe. It's the first power you get and although one could argue the use for it might not be considered "breathing" (that is, walking on lines of nitro crates), it's still pretty silly that supposedly Crash never knew how to tiptoe until he got it.
* YourSizeMayVary: Coco is noticeably teeny in this game. Strangely her hit box and level design is even tailor made to befit her smaller size from Crash.

Within their secret lair in deep space, Dr. Cortex and his cronies are sour over their previous defeats by Crash Bandicoot. [[BigBad Uka Uka]] is giving them an intense chewing out, they still haven't conquered the world, and [[CardCarryingVillain their current evil productivity]] is pathetic. During their conversation over how to eliminate their nemesis, N. Gin brainlessly mentions Dr. Cortex's super secret project, Crunch Bandicoot, a super mutant with unbelievable strength. However, he requires a completing element. Uka Uka immediately devises upon releasing The Elementals, a destructive band of element controlling elder masks that had previously been imprisoned by Aku Aku, that can be used to power Crunch as well as bring chaos and destruction to the entire planet. Once again it is up to Crash and his sister Coco to save the day.

* YourSizeMayVary: Coco is noticeably teeny in this game. She even has a smaller hit box and stunted running and jumping because of it.

* DoubleUnlock: The only condition to get the final ending is to have all gems. Of course, some of them are in secret levels that have to be unlocked first by getting relics, meaning you need to do time trials as well, though you might omit (some of) [[ThatOneLevel more annoying levels]].

** Uka Uka's VillainDecay really sets in during this game. Rather than being the menacing force of evil he was in ''Warped'' and ''Crash Bash'', he comes across as a petty, loud-mouthed jerk who [[OrcusOnHisThrone contributes next to nothing to Cortex's schemes]]. Even when he finally loses his patience with Cortex and attacks him, he fails to hurt him in any real capacity. He [[CharacterRerailment recovers from this decay somewhat]] in ''Crash of the Titans'', only to go through it again in ''Mind Over Mutant''.

* BadassDecay: With the [[VideoGame/CrashBandicootNSaneTrilogy remakes of the original trilogy]] making her just as capable as Crash, you could say Coco, chronologically, gets worse.

* TheDragon: Crunch to Dr. Cortex. Cortex himself is this to Uka Uka.
* DullSurprise: Coco and Crunch noticeably never change facial expressions no matter how they're supposed to be feeling at that moment.

** Rok-ko: DishingOutDirt
** Lo-lo: BlowYouAway
** Py-ro: PlayingWithFire
** Wa-wa: MakingASplash

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: It's a ''Crash'' game, what do you expect?

* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: Why, exactly, are you racing a polar bear riding a magic carpet in "Ice Station Bandicoot"?
** It makes ''mildly'' more sense upon researching the games development, the original level was an on foot area with the bear as an enemy.
* GimmickLevel: The gimmick levels outnumber the standard ones.

* MarathonLevel: Gold Rush is really long by Crash standards, with over 200 crates to smash, which makes getting both the gem and the platinum relic quite a challenge. The only level to come close to this prior is "Cold Hard Crash" from ''Cortex Strikes Back'', which had 155 boxes.

* SiblingYinYang: As usual, Crash and Coco, and Aku Aku and Uka Uka.
* SicklyGreenGlow: The lasers in the EternalEngine levels.

* SlippySlideyIceWorld: "Arctic Antics" and "Avalanche"; made especially difficult in the latter due to the sloped pathway and cluttered path of Nitro crates ahead. "Eskimo Roll" plays with this, as its done in the Atlasphere and not on foot.
* SphereFactor: Four Atlasphere levels. First boss has you ''and'' Crunch have Sphere Factor ''Battle''.

* SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity: In "Tsunami", the level's ''last box'' is a checkpoint. It is impossible to die on the path between the checkpoint and the exit portal. And said portal is literally on the other side of the screen. This setup is because the blue gem platform in front of the checkpoint is the hardest in the game - and you have to play as Coco.[[spoiler:...with the possibility you could activate the Nitro detonator at the end of the level before stepping on the blue gem and completely destroy the path, making it impossible.]]
** Unlike ''Warped'', you are allowed to keep Aku Aku masks when activating time trials, which is just as well since some levels are longer and more challenging, and a lot of the vehicles are a OneHitPointWonder without.
*** Plus, unlike in ''Warped'', time trials sometimes swap Nitro crates for regular or even time freezing boxes, making certain segments easier (especially in Atlasphere levels), likely for this reason.

*** On the topic of ceiling grids, levels that have them also tend to have very lenient Platinum times on top of the generous time crate placement to account for the slower movement speed. In "Gold Rush", for example, it's possible to beat the Platinum Relic time by ''over 20 seconds'' despite there being no less than ''five'' ceiling grid areas.
* TitleScream: A lot less in your face than the previous game.

** BadassDecay: That said, with the [[VideoGame/CrashBandicootNSaneTrilogy remakes of the original trilogy]] making her just as capable as Crash, you could say it's chronologically this.
* UnexpectedShmupLevel: Not surprising, given the amount of {{Gimmick Level}}s in this game. The level ''2'' and fourth boss specifically come to mind.