Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
PlayStation 4 cover
Developer(s)	Toys for Bob
Publisher	Activision
Release date(s)	PlayStation 4 / Xbox One: Worldwide: October 2, 2020 PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X/S / Nintendo Switch: Worldwide: March 12, 2021 Microsoft Windows: Worldwide: March 26, 2021
Genre(s)	Platformer
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone 10+
Console(s)	PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

"Crash Bandicoot 4" redirects here. For the fourth game released as a part of the main Crash Bandicoot series, see Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is a platformer title that serves as a retcon of the games that initially succeeded Crash Bandicoot: Warped. It was developed by Toys for Bob (with help from Beenox) and published by Activision. Despite its name, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is the eighth installment of the main Crash Bandicoot series. The game was first released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2020, and was later released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, the Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows in 2021.

Story

Following their defeat at the hands of Crash Bandicoot in Crash Bandicoot: Warped, Uka Uka attempts to bust himself, Dr. Neo Cortex, and Dr. N. Tropy from their prison in the past. His latest effort tears open a hole in the fabric of space and time and puts him in a deep sleep due to exhaustion. Cortex and N. Tropy swiftly escape, leaving Uka Uka, and discover that the rift they use links their universe to the rest of the multiverse, leading them deciding to make use of it to conquer all dimensions. To ensure success, the pair creates a generator capable of opening other space-time rifts and recruit aid from Dr. N. Gin and Dr. N. Brio to provide an army in anticipation of their enemies' interference. Meanwhile, Aku Aku, Uka Uka's older twin brother, senses the disturbance in space and time emanating from N. Sanity Peak and enjoins Crash to investigate. Upon arriving, he comes across Lani-Loli, whom Aku Aku recognizes as one of the Quantum Masks – four ancient witch doctor masks that have great power over space and time, and who would only appear if something has opened up the multiverse. Lani spots a rift and suspects there is suspense, leading to Crash and his sister Coco agreeing to follow him across the multiverse and find the other Quantum Masks, while dealing with the anarchy Cortex is creating.

During their adventures, the pair meet an alternate version of Tawna, Crash's old girlfriend, who offers her help while undertaking an adventure of her own. At the same time, Dingodile, who was recently retired from villainy to run his own restaurant, finds himself caught up in the chaos when his business is burned down by a rival restaurant and he is sucked into another dimension by a spacial disruption. While Dingodile does not interact with Crash's adventure at first, his actions inadvertently assist Crash and Coco at various points in space and time. Crash and Coco find two more of the Quantum Masks, named 'Akano and Kupuna-Wa, and defeat N. Gin and N. Brio. Following their confrontation against Cortex, N. Tropy betrays him and reveals that he and his new partner (eventually revealed to be an alternate version of himself from Tawna's universe) are seeking to reset the timeline in all dimensions as gods. They put all existence in turmoil and plan to subsequently erase Cortex, the bandicoots, and the Masks from existence. A mad Cortex agrees to team up with the bandicoots and the three rescue the last Quantum Mask, Ika-Ika, and eventually meet up with Dingodile and Tawna. Together, the team successfully tracks down and defeat the two doctors and the Quantum Masks destroy the Rift Generator, sealing all the space-time disruptions.

However, when the group takes a celebratory trip to Neon City, Cortex accidentally kidnaps Kupuna-Wa and uses her powers to travel back in time to 1996—the year of his original bid for world domination—in an attempt to preclude Crash's creation. In the end, he is unsuccessful in both convincing his past self to cancel the experiment and killing the present Crash, Coco and Aku Aku, who followed him from the future. When the Quantum Masks banish him to the end of the universe, the past Cortex proceeds with the experiment, preparing to brainwash the past Crash with the Cortex Vortex; the present Crash inadvertently destroys the Vortex's power source, causing it to malfunction and fail to brainwash his past self, thereby ensuring his own creation thanks to a casual loop. Dingodile rebuilds and reopens his diner, Cortex relaxes on a beach and enjoys the peace and quiet, and Crash, Coco, Tawna, Aku Aku and the Quantum Masks play video games at their home on N. Sanity Island. Following an epilogue narrated by Crash detailing the fates and whereabouts of the game's characters, Cortex's relaxation is interrupted by the sudden appearance of Uka Uka.

Characters

Playable

Character	Description
Crash Bandicoot	The evolved marsupial from down under and the game's main protagonist. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time has Crash and Coco going on an interdimensional voyage to stop Dr. Neo Cortex and Dr. N. Tropy from taking over the multiverse. Considered a return to form, Crash's advanced movement options from Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot: Warped return alongside completely new abilities. Many of these involve the Quantum Masks.
Coco Bandicoot	Crash's genius younger sister. Coco's advanced movement options from Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy return alongside completely new abilities. Many of these involve the Quantum Masks.
Tawna Bandicoot	An alternate version of Tawna, Crash's old girlfriend, who offers her help while undertaking an adventure of her own. She can kick enemies and objects perform wall jumps and use hooks to not only defeat enemies and destroy any crate whether reachable, but also access areas she is unable to reach.
Dingodile	The owner of Dingo's Diner. Dingodile attacks using his tail, and he can use his vacuum cannon to destroy crates, carry and fire TNT Barrels, collect Wumpa Fruit and Bumpa Berries, and reach high places; however, if Dingodile vacuums a TNT Crate, he must fire it before it explodes in order to avoid taking damage. Also, vacuuming Nitro Crates will hurt Dingodile, but can be destroyed using TNT Barrels (as well as TNT Crates if fired in time).
Dr. Neo Cortex	A scientist who is responsible for capturing and evolving his creation: Crash Bandicoot. Dr. Neo Cortex can perform his dash attack to reach places and use his blaster to destroy crates and blockify and gelatinize enemies. Cortex can stand on blockified enemies, whilst he always bounces up and down infinitely while on top of gelatinized enemies.

Bosses

Boss	Description	Fought in
Dr. N. Gin	Dr. N. Gin operates a giant mech known as the Weapon of Mass Percussion. There are four phases. To defeat weaken the mech, Crash or Coco must spin three Ramblers caught on fire in each phase. If done so, the speakers explode, and after entering the stage, the bandicoot must spin the Weapon of Mass Percussion's glass dome within fifteen seconds for N. Gin to be defeated. The player can use Lani-Loli to defeat him with ease.	Stage Dive
Louise	Louise guards 'Akano, acting as a lone mini-boss. She lashes out at Crash or Coco with her tentacles. The bandicoot must guide pi-rats giving chase through the water by to her tentacles. After six hits, she sinks back down into the water and is defeated.	Jetboard Jetty
Dr. N. Brio	Dr. N. Brio attacks Crash or Coco by tossing beakers that create rings of toxic clouds that he or she must avoid. Following that, he throws beakers containing one or more blobs that Crash or Coco must defeat to hit him. After one hit on the first phase, two one the second phase, and three on the third phase, he transforms into a hulking monster. He or she must use 'Akano to spin N. Brio off the edge of the platform three times to defeat him.	Trouble Brewing
Dr. Neo Cortex	Dr. Neo Cortex is the sworn creator of Crash Bandicoot, Crash's longtime archenemy, and the true main antagonist of the game. In The 11th Dimension, Cortex attacks Crash or Coco by using missiles, discs of light, and purple energy trombies that can be safely avoided using Kupuna-Wa. In each phase, he summons Punchbot Mark 2 punch the bandicoot, and he or she must use Kupuna-Wa to defeat it, causing it to bump into the doctor. After four hits, the doctor is defeated for the first time in the game. In Cortex Island, it was eventually revealed that Cortex is the true final boss; here, he kidnaps the Quantum Masks and uses not only the Shoot-o-Matics to fire rings of electricity that electrocute Crash or Coco, but also the effects of each Quantum Mask. After defeating all the Shoot-o-Matics in each phase, Cortex summons one or more Lab Assistants that attack the bandicoot, which he or she must defeat, causing them to fly towards him. After eight hits (one for each of the first four phases and four for the fifth and final one), he is defeated a second time.	4th Time's a Charm The Past Unmasked
Dr. N. Tropy	Dr. N. Tropy is the main antagonist and the final boss of the game. Upon returning to Bermugula's Orbit, Crash or Coco should reach the space station by through floating and fast moving platforms with the help of Akano and Kupuna-Wa while avoiding a laser beam sent by the doctors. Upon reaching the space station, the bandicoot is assisted by Ika-Ika and must avoid energy balls and destroy power sources. After destroying some of the energy sources, The male N. Tropy eventually starts to give chase, and Crash or Coco must destroy more power sources until the male N. Tropy gets hurt. Then, the player must to do the same thing with the female N. Tropy to win the boss fight, and then the two doctors crash right into the Rift Generator.	A Hole in Space
Dr. N. Tropy (female)

Levels

• N. Sanity Island, Present Day
• The Hazardous Wastes, 2084
• Salty Wharf, 1717
• Tranquility Falls, 1402
• Mosquito Marsh, A Few Days Ago
• The 11th Dimension, 1954
• Eggipus Dimension, 88 Million B.C.B
• Bermugula's Orbit, ???
• The Sn@xx Dimension, 3023
• Cortex Island, 1996

Chronology placement

It's About Time is set in alternate timeline following the events of the first three games, while all other mainline titles, including a couple of Crash GBA spin-off games, are retconned in its place. Despite its placement, some characters who do not appear physically, like Crunch Bandicoot and Nina Cortex, have a visual cameos.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time.

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  Xbox One cover

References

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