Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2
iOS kart racer with online multiplayer and 12 themed tracks.
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2, a kart racing game for iOS, came out in 2010. Developed by Polarbit and published by Activision, it is the seventeenth Crash Bandicoot title and follows Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D. Unlike that earlier game, this one lets players race online against others. It was the last series entry before a hiatus that ended with the 2016 announcement of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Polarbit
- Publisher
- Activision
- Series
- Crash Bandicoot
- Platforms
- iOS
- Released
- May 27, 2010
- Genre
- Racing
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Composer
- Gabriel Mann, Rebecca Kneubuhl
Facts from the source article.
Release
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 debuted on the App Store in May 2010, developed by Polarbit and published by Activision. Gabriel Mann and Rebecca Kneubuhl, members of the a cappella group Spiralmouth who had worked on Crash Twinsanity, composed its soundtrack. The game saw price cuts through 2012. After this release, the series lay dormant until the 2016 announcement of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. By 2021, the game was no longer available on the App Store.
Reception
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 earned generally favorable scores on Metacritic. On Kotaku's list of the best racing game apps, it came in second for iOS, trailing Firemint's Real Racing but beating Fishlabs' Rally Master Pro. Pocket Gamer placed it third in its top ten racing games for iPhone and iPad, behind RedLynx's DrawRace 2 and Firemint's Real Racing 2. Critics often pointed to the tracks as a strong point, praising their variety of themes and steadily increasing challenge. Jim Squires of Gamezebo liked the gentle difficulty curve, the lively and distinct track settings, and the catchy music. Andrew Nesvadba of AppSpy found the tracks varied and enjoyable to learn, though he noted that tournaments lacked practice options for individual courses. Jared Nelson of TouchArcade appreciated the clever level design, which included multiple routes, changes in elevation, and hidden shortcuts. Levi Buchanan of IGN said the track design was good, with shortcuts for players willing to take risks. Mitch Dyer of GamesRadar+ called the tracks surprisingly well-made, balancing simple layouts for fast racing with enough complexity for strategic play. The visuals were seen as a big step up from the first game, with colorful, detailed environments and character models. Squires praised the better graphics and vibrant themes that made each track feel unique and alive. Nesvadba noted the improved visuals, a cleaner interface, and more detailed characters that fit the Crash Bandicoot style. Nelson highlighted the bright, detailed scenery, better character and kart models, and no draw distance problems, though he mentioned the frame rate could drop during busy moments. Buchanan said the game fixed the original's choppy graphics and offered plenty of bright colors. The addition of online multiplayer was widely considered a major upgrade. Squires called it the biggest improvement, with smooth performance and no lag across dozens of races, though matchmaking sometimes dropped players into races already in progress. Nelson found online play incredibly easy and lag-free, with varied modes that boosted replay value. Buchanan described the multiplayer as pretty good, while Dyer noted that even with it, the game didn't break new ground for the genre.
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