Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!
A mobile endless runner set in the Crash Bandicoot universe.
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! was a mobile endless runner developed and published by King, soft-launched in Malaysia in 2020 and released worldwide in 2021. It brought the Crash Bandicoot series' characters and universe into a runner format, with players controlling Crash or Coco through levels while crafting weapons from collectible ingredients. The game was a commercial success, topping download charts and becoming the fastest downloaded mobile game on the App and Google Play stores within four days, though it was discontinued in 2023.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- King
- Series
- Crash Bandicoot
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Android, iOS
- Genre
- Endless runner
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Director
- Stephen Jarrett
- Designer
- Gigi Chui
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! was an endless runner where players controlled Crash or Coco, who ran automatically through three-lane levels. Players swiped left or right to switch lanes, up to jump, down to slide, or tapped to spin attack and destroy crates and enemies. Levels had defined starts and ends with linear corridor designs, occasional alternative paths for bonuses, and checkpoints to retain progress after death. Wumpa Fruit and materials collected during runs were used in a hub world to craft weapons like vials and bombs, which were required to access boss fights and progress. Collection runs were separate finite daily modes for gathering resources. Boss encounters involved dodging attacks, collecting items, and tapping to throw weapons, with timing affecting bonuses. Progression required crafted items, with long wait times or microtransactions via purple crystals to bypass delays, revive, or unlock resources. Asynchronous multiplayer let three players compete in survival runs through procedurally generated levels. Time Trials allowed players to finish a level as fast as possible, breaking special crates that froze the timer, earning sapphire, gold, or platinum relics based on completion time, with best times shareable with other players.
Development
In February 2020, King acquired a license from Activision to develop a Crash Bandicoot mobile game, after its existence was leaked through Brazilian Facebook advertisements and highlighted by a Twitter user. The game was built using Unity under creative director Stephen Jarrett, with Nana Li as lead conceptual artist and Gigi Chui as principal designer. Jarrett aimed to emphasize exploration more than typical runner games, influencing level variety and detail. The team sought to make the Crashiest Crash game ever by studying the franchise's 25-year history and incorporating both classic and obscure characters. King stated the game would feature over a hundred cosmetic skins and no loot boxes, instead using a battle pass and seasonal content with special challenges, storylines, and unique bosses. The soundtrack, composed by a team led by Sebastian Aav, included over 50 tracks spanning disco, metal, and funk, created with both real and virtual instruments.
Release and updates
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! first appeared on Android in Malaysia on April 22, 2020, under the working name Crash Bandicoot Mobile. King announced a full release for iOS and Android three months later, opening pre-registration on both platforms. The global launch was set for March 25, 2021, but the iOS version arrived two days early. Monthly updates began in May 2021, adding new levels, survival runs, skins, and bosses. On May 7, the 1980s Domino's Pizza mascot The Noid showed up as a limited-time miniboss, with pizza-themed skins for players who beat it. The last update landed on September 23, 2021, bringing Halloween-themed skins and battle runs. On October 27, 2021, the team paused major updates to work on improvements and new features. On December 19, 2022, King announced the servers would shut down on February 16, 2023, making the game unplayable. In-app purchases were disabled that same day, and players were told to spend their in-game currency before the shutdown. The game had been quietly removed from app stores earlier that month, though customer support initially called it a temporary glitch.
Reception
Critics were split on Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, with Metacritic placing it in the "mixed or average" range. Eurogamer's Daniele Cucchiarelli felt it stood out among mobile games but was let down by its pricing. Multiplayer.it's Tommaso Pugliese called it fun but simple, while Gamezebo's Harry Slater described it as a "perfectly pleasant" time-waster. Pocket Tactics' Glen Fox was hopeful at launch that updates would bring more variety, but Gamereactor's Kieran Harris was the harshest, criticizing the repetitive grind and shallow experience compared to console Crash games. Reviewers agreed the game was a polished endless runner with smooth touch controls, built for phones and often compared to Subway Surfers and Temple Run. Cucchiarelli liked how quickly it clicked, noting it fit Crash's original "corridor" style. Pugliese appreciated the steady pace and streamlined boss fights, though Fox found it too easy and lacking the series' usual challenge. Harris admitted it was addictive at first but grew stale from reused bosses and missing classic modes like boulder chases or jet ski levels, with no side-scrolling sections to break things up.
More in Platformers of the 2020s
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