Fans of the Crash Bandicoot series can currently play the 2000 spin-off party game Crash Bash for free in a browser. Crash Bash was a first for the franchise in several ways. For example, it was the first party game featuring the Crash Bandicoot characters and the first entry developed by a studio other than Naughty Dog.
While Crash Bash was not as successful as some other mainline releases in the franchise, its unique take on the series has helped it develop a cult following over the years. And many see Crash Bash as an installment worthy of a remake, especially since the game has been locked on its PlayStation 1 disc for decades. A remake might not be on the horizon right now, but there is another way to play Crash Bash on modern devices: a browser port.
Crash Bash Online Revives the 2000 Game
A fan project titled Crash Bash Online has turned the original title into a free-to-play multiplayer browser game that supports up to four players in each match. Players can join a public server or create their own lobbies with other players or CPU characters. As of this writing, the project features eight playable arenas, including Jungle Bash, Space Bash, Snow Bash, Polar Panic, Tilt Panic, and Melt Panic.
Crash Bash Online is an unofficial fan project and could be subject to copyright infringement or DMCA takedown requests in the future.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Unlike the original game, Crash Bash Online does not feature Adventure Mode, instead focusing solely on PvP minigames inspired by Crash Bandicoot games without the boss fights. Beyond this change, the fan project recreates the 2000 game closely, including its original character roster. According to the developer, Crash Bash Online will also receive future updates that add more arenas.
-
Image via Activision -
Image via Activision -
Image via Activision
Regarding the project’s purpose, the developer said, “Sony never re-released [Crash Bash], there is no remaster, and the four-player mode the whole game is built around needed a Multitap and three people on one couch. That is why this port exists.” Little has been shared about the development process and challenges behind reviving a 26-year-old classic PS1 game into a browser-friendly online title. However, the people behind the project have disclosed that Crash Bash Online “is not an emulator, a ROM, or a disc image.”
Crash Bash was released at the pinnacle of the classic party game era, alongside famous titles like Mario Party and Sonic Shuffle. Despite its cult following, however, the game has remained difficult to access, with fans largely limited to playing it on original hardware or resorting to emulators. The current fan project offers another way to experience Crash Bash for free in a browser and may provide one of the few remaining opportunities for fans to revisit the game before it is buried among forgotten PS1 titles. Perhaps Microsoft and Activision will eventually revisit Crash Bash with a remake, but until then, fans will have to make do with the limited options available.
- Released
-
November 7, 2000
- Developer(s)
-
Eurocom Entertainment Software
- Publisher(s)
-
Sony Computer Entertainment
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
