In an attempt to recreate the innovation of the Naughty Dog-developed Crash Team Racing, Vivendi Universal Games has announced today that Crash Nitro Kart is currently in the works. Developed by the New York-based Vicarious Visions, Crash Nitro Kart will be returning to the racing genre in what just may be Crash's fastest-paced adventure yet!



After being kidnapped by the evil Emperor Velo, Crash has been forced to race in a distant galactic coliseum to prevent the destruction of the Earth. With the fate of the Earth in his hands, Crash Bandicoot must race against numerous foes (some old, some new) before putting the pedal to the metal against Emperor Velo himself.



Crash Nitro Kart will take players through four unique worlds, from jungles to volcanoes to space stations, putting them to the test on 17 high-speed raceways. To keep gamers on your toes, single player action will be packed with addicting modes such as adventure, arcade, and time trial. And for when the whole gang is around, up to 8 players will be able to race against each other in the intense multiplayer action of Crash Nitro Kart.



"The release of a Crash Bandicoot kart racing title created specifically for next-generation video game systems has been eagerly anticipated by Crash fans for some time," said Luc Vanhal, VU Games' North American President & COO. "By mixing rich next-generation graphics and incredible gameplay with the playability and fun of classic kart-racing titles, Crash Nitro Kart will lead the pack in 2003."



While this bandicoot on wheels may not be coming to you courtesy of Naughty Dog, Vicarious Visions will hope to deliver a fun and addicting experience when Crash Nitro Kart hits shelves in Q4 2003. If you were a fan of Crash Team Racing, keep an eye out for this action-packed kart racer!