E3 06: Crash Boom Bang! Preshow Hands-On

It may seem odd, but in 10 years of Crash Bandicoot platformers, racing games, and spin-offs, there has never been a Japanese-developed Crash game. That's all about to change, because longtime Dragon Ball Z developer Dimps is working on a new collection of minigames for the DS called Crash Boom Bang! We recently had a chance to go hands-on with the game at a Vivendi Universal pre-E3 press event.

Crash Boom Bang! is a party game with more than 40 minigames that you can compete in against up to three other players. There are eight characters to choose from, including Crash (of course), Cortex, Fake Crash, Tawna, Coco, and Pinstripe. Once you choose your character, you can play one of three game modes. There's an adventure mode where you can play minigames to unlock new items, games, and maps, as well as a "my room" mode where you can check out all the stuff you've unlocked.

Festival mode is the main competitive mode, where you and up to three other players roll dice and move around on one of eight different maps. Players roll and move simultaneously, and when two players land on the same type of square, a minigame is initiated. We saw about half a dozen different games, but according to the developer, there will be more than 40 in the final version of the game. We played a card shuffling game that was basically three-card monte with four cards; a hammer throw game where we had to spin around using the stylus and hurl a hammer as far as possible; a pizza shop game where we had to roll out dough, place toppings, and toss it in the oven as quickly as possible; a pony race where we had to tap on the screen to make the pony run faster; and a king-of-the-hill-type game where we had to knock our opponents off a sinking iceberg. Each minigame lasts for three rounds, with points being awarded each round depending on how fast you completed the objective.

The basic gameplay is simple enough, and none of the minigames we played were especially difficult or complex. However, the most distinct mechanic in Crash Boom Bang! is the one that allows you not to play the game. You can enter a game as a spectator and spend points to bet on who the winner will be. It's a good way to earn some extra points while you let your friends do all the work. To make things more interesting, you can use items on players to give them a little help and hedge your bet. For example, in the card shuffling minigame we used a power crystal on a player, and it made sparkles appear on the correct card, which made it much easier to pick out.

Another tactic involves communicating directly with other players by sending them images and text messages during the minigame. Using the special motion panel, you can draw an image or write a word and send it to the player or players of your choice. So in the card shuffling game we were able to write the number of the position of the correct card and send it to the player we bet on. You can also use the motion panel to interrupt other players to increase your chances of winning. In the horse racing minigame, we sent a disruptive message to an opponent using the motion panel, which prevented him from spurring his pony on. By blowing on the screen he was able to clear the message and continue playing. You aren't limited to crude drawings either, because there are dozens of premade symbols and pictures you can send to your opponents. The motion panel adds an interesting twist to the party-game theme, and it seems like it will allow for a lot of creative, frantic, and funny moments.

With a good number of minigames, the betting mechanic, and the motion-panel communication, Crash Boom Bang! should have plenty to offer. But there's still more, because you can unlock 80 different items in the game. About 40 of those items directly affect gameplay, such as wumpa fruit that gives you bonus points, and other items that influence your dice rolls and such. There are also about 40 different costume items that you can collect to play dress-up with your character. The costumes can be used by anyone, so if you always wanted to see Cortex in a pink miniskirt, you'll finally get your chance. You can also trade any of your items with your friends.

Crash Boom Bang! supports up to four players via an ad hoc connection, but if you don't have a full four players, you can play against artificial intelligence opponents. To access all of the minigames, each player needs a copy of the game, but according to the developer, the game will support some form of download play with a limited selection of minigames.

Based on what we saw, it looks like Crash Boom Bang! will bring the wacky Crash sense of humor and colorful personality to the DS in a simple but fun collection of minigames. The graphics are sharp and bright, and the 3D characters all look right at home on the screens of the DS. We'll bring you more details on the game before it ships this October, so be sure to check back soon.