History VideoGame / CrashBandicootTheWrathOfCortex

* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: If you complete all the levels without collecting all the gems, Uka Uka will resurrect the Elementals, and you have to re-do the levels where you missed the gems with a time limit for full completion.

* DivergentCharacterEvolution: In ''Videogame/CrashBash'', Coco was an alternate for Crash in terms of gameplay, having an identical spin attack. Here Coco has obtained kick attacks in their place. Granted it could be taken with a grain of salt since her abilities overall still work to the same effect as Crash's (albeit with a lower number of abilities). Arguably keeping her with identical moves as Crash would have actually been more productive.

** Crunch himself lacks most of the LaughablyEvil traits of Cortex's other minions, the creepy transformations caused by the Elemental masks doesn't help. [[spoiler: This however, proved to be a result of being BrainwashedAndCrazy, as later games show, the normal, good-natured Crunch isn't serious or intimidating, at all.]]
* LateArrivalSpoiler: If you played ''Crash Nitro Kart'' (particularly if you read its manual, which outright gives it away), you would know of [[spoiler:Crunch's HeelFaceTurn in the 100% ending]]. If you played other games past that it could also count, but seeing how [[VideoGame/CrashTagTeamRacing one of those games]] qualifies as GoKartingWithBowser...

* TheCameo: [[Videogame/CrashTeamRacing Nitrous Oxide]] flies through title screen before Traveller's Tales logo shows up.

* TheCameo: [[Videogame/CrashTeamRacing Nitros Oxide]] flies through title screen before Traveller's Tales logo shows up.

* SlapstickKnowsNoGender: Zigzagged; Coco suffers a few AmusingInjuries, but not ''nearly'' to the same extent as [[IronButtMonkey her brother]]. Such cases are punctuated a bit by her being less adept to it however (see her [[FailuresOnIce on ice]] or her angel attempting to ascend).

* OffModel: The large majority of the cast seem a little "different" from previous titles, the game's designs seem to base themselves more on the early CG promo art for the series rather than the actual in game graphics of the earlier games.

* 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 even shown or referenced.

* 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 ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot4ItsAboutTime''

* NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom: Though there are ''slightly'' more frequent use of widened pathways or secret areas than the previous titles, it loyally follows their very linear structure. Apparently the game was originally planned to subvert this and act as a free roamer. {{Subverted|Trope}} with Atlasphere Levels where it is easy to get lost sometimes and sometimes you can even put a shortcut in the level.

* NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom: Though there are ''slightly'' more frequent use of widened pathways or secret areas than the previous titles, it loyally follows their very linear structure. Apparently the game was originally planned to subvert this and act as a free roamer. Subverted with Atlasphere Levels where it is easy to get lost sometimes and sometimes you can even put a shortcut in the level.

** 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.

* CoresAndTurretsBoss: It's very cleverly hidden because he only has a single combined health bar, but the Atmospheric Pressure (Air Crunch) boss is this. He has 4 attacks from different body parts that he uses in sequence. Damaging one enough will cause Crunch to stop using it for the remainder of the fight. This is why the last attack remaining is often his ball hurl or the energy beam, since his hands are the hardest to hit (with the ball hurl, he uses his right arm to cover himself, and for the energy beam you have to put yourself in the line of fire to get a clear shot).

* TookALevelInBadass: Coco has this compared to the original trilogy, having her own levels and platforming abilities, though not as good as Crash's.

* AbsenteeActor: This is one of the few games in the series where Polar is completely absent, although a similar-looking polar bear appears as Crash's opponent in "Ice Station Bandicoot".

* PublicDomainSountrack: The music during Atmospheric Pressure is a remix of In The Hall of the Mountain King.

* DancingMookCredits: The credits sequence has Crash dancing with a DiscoDan version of the game's garden variety enemy.

* DummiedOut: The game uses a few areas from early development and planted new levels on top of them. Ice Station Bandicoot for example uses a small platforming area as a background under the helicopter racetrack. An unused [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brXCe8gUL34 racing]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS-Ky4_RRW4&feature=related dogfight]] level have also been found inside the game, as well as some extra Coco animations suggesting she was meant to be more fully playable.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading: The original [=PS2=] version suffered from very long loading times. You could be waiting up to a minute just to play each level. The "Greatest Hits"/"Platinum" versions fixed this to a more reasonable fifteen or so seconds. The Xbox and [=GameCube=] ports speed it up to only five or so seconds. Supposedly, through WordOfGod, the reason this happened was because there was supposed to be a mini-game during the loading screen (a case of AntiFrustrationFeatures) where you would guide Crash through hyperspace. Due to a [[ScrewedByTheLawyers patent that Namco had towards loading screen mini-games though]], this had to be scrapped and the loading times couldn't be fixed in time for release.

* TheArtifact: The expanding ability set seems to have only been thrown in out of obligation for it having been in the last game, as half of the abilities see a lot less proper justification for being included when the level design is considered (though several tricky jumps as well as Time Trial mode still make the Double Jump, Death Tornado Spin and Turbo Run abilities relevant). The game's one new extra ability is particularly circumstantial.

* TheArtifact: The expanding ability set seems to have only been thrown in out of obligation for it having been in the last game, as half of the abilities see a lot less proper justification for being included when the level design is considered. The game's one new extra ability is particularly circumstantial.

* HumanSacrifice: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Early footage of the game]] depict a more story-centric level in which Coco is captured by gorilla tribesmen and placed in a cage hovering dangerously over a pit of lava.

* TheArtifact: The expanding ability set seems to have only been thrown in out of obligation for it having been in the last game, as the abilities see a lot less proper justification for being included when the level design is considered.