Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is an action platformer in which players guide Crash, Coco, and additional characters through levels set across multiple dimensions. The story follows the duo as they collect Quantum Masks to counter threats from Neo Cortex and N. Tropy across the multiverse.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on side-scrolling and occasional 3D platforming sections. Players jump, double jump, spin to attack enemies, slide, slam the ground, run along walls, grind rails, and navigate hazards such as spikes, treadmills, and explosive crates. Crates scattered through levels hold Wumpa Fruit or trigger effects like timers and explosions. Four Quantum Masks introduce distinct mechanics: one phases platforms and objects in and out of existence, another enables a powerful spin that glides and deflects projectiles, one slows time, and the last reverses gravity on surfaces.
Two play styles affect progression. Modern style returns the player to the most recent checkpoint after any death. Retro style limits lives, with each hit or hazard reducing the count and requiring collection of extra lives within levels. Players switch between Crash and Coco freely on the level select screen. Certain levels feature Tawna, Dingodile, or Cortex, each with tailored movement and abilities that alter how sections play out.
Collectibles include multiple gems per level earned through fruit totals, full box destruction, hidden gems, and time or life constraints. N. Verted versions add alternate paths and visuals once unlocked.
Game Modes
Normal mode follows the main story path through dimensions and boss encounters. Time Trial mode removes checkpoints and requires completing a level as quickly as possible after collecting a stopwatch icon. N. Verted mode presents inverted or visually altered versions of completed levels, often with new obstacles and six additional gems to pursue.
Local multiplayer options include Pass N. Play, where two players alternate control upon death to finish stages cooperatively. Bandicoot Battle supports two to four players in competitive formats on story levels: Checkpoint Race emphasizes fastest times between checkpoints, while Crate Combo rewards breaking crates in sequence to build point multipliers before a meter depletes.
Characters and Progression
Crash and Coco serve as the primary playable pair, with identical base movesets that expand through mask powers. Later sections introduce three additional characters whose unique traversal tools create distinct challenges. Levels progress across themed dimensions, each introducing new environmental hazards and enemy types that test timing and mask usage. Boss fights require adapting to patterns that incorporate the same abilities and crate interactions found in regular stages.
Is It Worth Playing?
The game delivers a focused single-player platforming experience with optional local multiplayer. Its combination of precise controls, mask-driven variety, and multiple replay modes suits players who enjoy mastering challenging levels and hunting collectibles. Positive reception highlights the level design and character additions, while the absence of ongoing seasons or live-service elements means the full package remains unchanged since launch. Those seeking tight platforming with creative mechanics will find consistent depth across its dimensions and modes.
