2. Getting Started/Playing the game

Master Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time with our comprehensive guide covering controls, gameplay mechanics, box types, and essential tips for navigating levels and collecting items.

This section of the guide covers the basic controls and gameplay mechanics for Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, including how to start a new game, navigate menus, and understand the different types of boxes you'll encounter.

Controls

Here are the default controls for the game:

• Up: Move forward (Away from screen)
• Down: Move back (Towards screen)
• Left: Move left
• Right: Move right
• X: Jump
• O: Crouch (While standing) / Slide (While running)
• Triangle: Inventory
• Square: Spin
• R1: Same function as O
• Start: Pause
• O/R1 + Directional Buttons: Slide and then jump (When running) / Crouch and jump (When standing)

Getting Started

On the title screen, you can choose to start a new game or load a previously saved game. Loading a game will display four save slots, showing the player's name, completion percentage, lives, crystals, and gems. You can also choose to cancel and create a new save file.

Starting a new game will show the intro sequence (which can be skipped) followed by an introductory level. Your goal is to reach the Warp Room.

In the Warp Room, you can access five levels. Collecting a crystal from each level allows you to face the boss via the central platform, progressing to the next Warp Room. To save your game, approach the 'Load/Save' wall. The first save will prompt you to enter a name.

Pressing Start pauses the game, offering options to view your status, quit, or change settings. The crystal count shows your progress towards the total of 25, while gem counts track the 42 available gems. Your overall completion percentage is also displayed.

The pause menu allows you to Resume the game, adjust Options, or Quit. If in a level, the Quit option will take you back to the Warp Room; if in the Warp Room, it returns you to the title screen.

Playing the Game

Introduction to Gameplay

Gameplay involves progressing through levels, defeating enemies, and collecting items. The primary collectibles are Wumpa Fruit (which grant an extra life for every 100 collected) and various types of boxes.

Box Types

• Normal Box: Contains a Wumpa Fruit.
• ? Box: Can contain extra lives or Wumpa Fruit.
• Bounce Box: Bounces Crash higher when jumped on. Each bounce yields a Wumpa Fruit. They break after multiple bounces. Jumping as you land on one increases bounce height.
• Aku Aku Box: Contains an Aku Aku mask, which acts as health. Collecting a second mask grants two hits of protection, and a third provides temporary invincibility. Masks do not protect against instant-kill hazards.
• C Box: Creates a checkpoint when broken, allowing you to restart from that point upon death.
• Crash Box: Contains an extra life.
• Arrow Box: Bounces Crash upwards. Jumping as you land increases height. Can be broken by spinning.
• Reinforced Box: Requires a body slam to break.
• TNT Box: Explodes after a 3-second timer starts when jumped on. Spinning into it also causes an explosion.
• Nitro Box: Explodes on contact, causing damage. Cannot be broken by Crash directly.
• Green ! Box: When activated (by breaking), destroys all Nitro Boxes in the level.
• ! Box: When activated, reveals hidden platforms and boxes that were previously outlined in white.
• Metal Box: Cannot be broken and can crush Crash.