Crash Nitro Kart [GBA] Review

Super Mario Kart began what’s known as the “character go-kart” genre in the world of videogames. Ever since that game’s release more than a decade ago, it’s almost been like a development creed for a team stuck with a license: “When in doubt, make it a racing game.” We’ve seen these in all shapes and sizes across every videogame system, putting a wide variety of characters like Looney Tunes, Rugrats, Spongebob, Shrek…even videogame heroes from Hudson and Konami went four-wheeling at one time or another.

As the story goes, the one game that came close to being as good as Nintendo’s original kart offering was Naughty Dog’s Crash Team Racing released a half decade ago on the original PlayStation One. Vivendi Universal obviously wants to return to the success of that game design, especially since Crash is a multi-console hero now. In comes Crash Nitro Kart for the Game Boy Advance, a handheld-specific rendition of the racing game released for the Xbox, GameCube and PS2. In portable form, the developers did a great job on racing design with excellent attention to car handling, challenge, track design, and a ton of racing modes to increase replay. But the graphic engine’s habit of continuously slowing down during particularly hectic moments is too prominent to ignore…and is a serious downer to an otherwise great GBA kart racer.

Features

  • Eleven racers
  • Arcade and Adventure modes
  • Link cable support for four players (multiple cartridge)
  • Cartridge save (three slots)
  • Internet rankings at www.vvisions.com
  • Connectivity with GameCube version

Just like the console versions, the Game Boy Advance rendition of Crash Nitro Kart has been handled by Vicarious Visions, the development team that originally brought the bandicoot to the handheld in The Big Adventure and N-Tranced platformers. Though the development studio originally started in the Game Boy market with racing games such as Polaris Snocross and Sea-Doo Hydrocross, this is Vicarious Visions’ first Game Boy Advance racer…and the team’s first GBA design to utilize a Mode-7 engine for the game design.

Crash GBA - SCREEN

The plot of Crash Nitro Kart puts Crash and crew on a remote planet where they’ve been kidnapped by the “evil” Emperor Velo, forced to race against the alien posse as well as Neo Cortex and his crew of cronies. While players can just jump right in and race the game’s circuits in Arcade mode, some tracks and racers aren’t available until they go through the game’s Adventure Mode. Here, players can either choose the good or bad side from the start; Crash is fighting to save the world, while Neo’s got other plans for Earth. Both teams have their own balance of characters and racer abilities, from heavy and fast to light and spry, so there’s a kart suited for your specific style of racing.

Even though we’ve played kart racers of varying quality on the Game Boy Advance, Crash Nitro Kart is definitely the one, apart from Mario Kart: Super Circuit, that had so much attention paid to its game design. The handling of the cars is really spot-on, especially with the powerslide in action. And the weaponry is well-balanced with a nice assortment of offensive and defensive attacks, most of which are inspired from Mario Kart, just retuned to fit the Crash Bandicoot universe.

But it’s the Boost element that really gives Crash Nitro Kart its charm, and makes the game feel more its own than simply a Mario Kart clone. In a powerslide, the racer quickly builds up a boost meter that must be activated at a specific time, and a successful powerslide can give skilled players as many as three linked boosts. This is where the champions are made; without the powerslide technique mastered, there’s no way you’ll be able to become Earth’s champion. This mechanic is mapped extremely well to the GBA’s button limitations: during a powerslide, you actually have to release the accelerator and tap that button to activate the Nitro blasts. It may sound awkward, but once you play it in action you’ll understand just how well it works in Crash Nitro Kart.

The Game Boy Advance game goes further by offering additional incentives to continue playing with extremely challenging tasks; to collect CNK tokens in each track, players will have to collect C, N, and K tokens scattered along the track and come in first. Each world also contains a “Crystal Arena” that challenges players to collect all the scattered crystals in a set amount of time. Other tracks have a Relic Race that requires players to race the track under a certain time, smacking into crates that will freeze the clock for the designated time painted on the box. Of course, there’s link cable support for four players, with a few racing and battle modes in the multiplayer features. And let’s not forget the Time Trial where players can rank their times up on the Vicarious Visions website through a password system.

But with all this implemented, the one factor that brings it all down is a sluggish game engine. As great as the track, character and weapon graphics are, the game is meant to move at a speedy and smooth clip…and when characters group together on-screen, it’s almost too much for the system to handle. The game chugs noticeably, and it’s not just occasionally, either. Any time there’s multiple characters boosting or activating a specific power-up, the engine just slows down. It doesn’t happen much, if at all, in time trials or during “boss battles,” but when most of the game takes place in an eight-character race, it’s just unforgivable to have such a fast-paced game slow down to a crawl in patches during the gameplay. And it definitely affects play during a race, especially when players are used to the timing of the Nitro meter during regular, non-sluggish play and must adjust their button presses where the engine bogs down.

Dexter Revival Casts Paralympian Actor Katy Sullivan

We’re not sure if we’re ready for a revival of Showtime’s Dexter series, but it’s coming whether we like it or not. As the show begins to ramp up production, it’s also adding new cast members. Actor Katy Sullivan, a former Paralympian and Paralympic analyst, has joined the cast according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sullivan will play the part of Esther, a dispatcher at the Iron Lake Police Station. As an actor, Sullivan has also appeared in shows like NCIS: New Orleans, My Name is Earl, and Last Man Standing. As an athlete, Sullivan is a four-time U.S. champion in the 100-meter dash, who set a U.S. record in the event at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, where she came in sixth in the world. Afterward, she worked as an analyst for NBC during the 2016 Brazil Paralympic Games.

The Dexter revival is set 10 years after the much-maligned ending of the original series. Dexter Morgan, once again played by Michael C. Hall, now lives under a different name in upstate New York. Cast members include Clancy Brown as the antagonist, as well as Jamie Chung, Oscar Wahlberg, Michal Cyril Creighton, Julia Jones, Alano Miller, Johnny Sequoyah, Jack Alcott, and more. Original showrunner Clyde Phillips returns to run the revival and produce alongside Hall. The show is currently set to run for 10 episodes as a closed-ended revival.

Hall addressed the ending of the original series in an interview with the The Daily Beast, saying that “people found the way the show left things pretty unsatisfying, and that there’s always been a hope that a story would emerge that would be worth telling. I include myself in the group of people that wondered, ‘What the hell happened to that guy?’ The revival acts as a sequel to the series that acknowledges the original ending.

Coming 2 America Director Explains Amazon Prime Movie’s PG-13 Rating

Coming to America released 33 years ago–in 1988. A lot has changed in that time, and that’s partly what Coming 2 America is about. But that also means that the original R rating didn’t make as much sense for the sequel, according to director Craig Brewer.

“If an R-rated movie would work, then we would do an R-rated movie,” Brewer said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. “I think we still have a really hilarious movie, and we do push the boundaries on a PG-13 movie here and there. If you look at the first movie, other than the gratuitous nudity of the bathers and some swearing, it is actually rather wholesome; it’s got a fairytale feel to it.”

Brewer continued, “My job on set was to be the guardian of what from the original movie can be celebrated, and then what’s going overboard, because we did want this movie to be its own thing.”

“We didn’t want to ignore the fact that Prince Akeem in the first movie left the wife that he was betrothed to through his king hopping and barking like a dog,” Brewer said. “I can guarantee you that would not make it through the third draft of a script that would come through the Hollywood system today. There was always this line to judge with how far we’d go with the comedy.”

“We found as we started testing it with fans of the original, we were testing it when there were Black Lives Matter protests happening in the streets, the conscience of the country was beginning to shift, and so we asked, ‘How can we still be relevant to this movie, to be funny but at the same time be sensitive to racial and gender issues?’”

Coming 2 America releases on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, March 5, and stars Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, and follows Murphy’s character Prince Akeem as he returns to America to find and connect with his long-lost son. Also featured are Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, James Earl Jones, and Tracy Morgan.

Netflix Exec Thinks Exclusive Theatrical Release Windows Will Go Away

Netflix product chief Greg Peters, who also became the streaming service’s chief operating officer in 2020, says the company is poised to help lead the charge for further eroding theatrical windows preceding streaming debuts for content. Speaking with Deadline, Peters predicted, “It’s what consumers want. It’s hard to buck that trend for too long and I think that’s eventually where things go.”

In December when competitor Warner Bros. announced it intended to put its entire theatrical line-up onto streaming services such as HBO Max, production companies, directors, and actors were predictably not pleased. It was also not exactly a shock to learn that Warner was reportedly trying to offset that surprising move by offering bonuses to stars impacted by the move to streaming-only releases–one report had Denzel Washington receiving $20 million plus a backend fee, for example. In an interview, veteran director Christopher Nolan summed his feelings up bluntly, calling the move a “real bait and switch” and “very, very, very messy” and that there is “such controversy” because Warner Bros. “didn’t tell anyone… [filmmakers are] being used as a loss-leader for the streaming service.”

Noticeably absent from the complaints, Peters says, were the audiences. “We have created the most compelling collection of entertainment available at the click of a button that’s ever existed. That’s incredible for consumers and for our members. For us, as user experience designers and builders, it creates a challenge because across that wide range of choice, our job is to distill that down into something that makes it easy and fun and exciting to pick what you want to watch next.”

Or to put it another way, the coronavirus forced a reassessment in the film industry when the reality quickly became–and still is–that audiences cannot safely get to the theater. As more and more streaming services emerge, and more exclusive content populates each ecosystem, it’s clear the only direction we can go for watching movies, and for the time being it isn’t to how things were before COVID-19.

What Is A VPN And How Does It Give You A Gaming Advantage?

The benefits of a VPN when using Netflix, Amazon Prime, or any other streaming service are well-known, but the positives a VPN can bring to gaming aren’t as obvious. While a VPN is never going to be able to improve your K/D ratio or help you reach Diamond, there are still some benefits to turning on a VPN before you jump into your favorite game. These benefits can be a bit opaque, so we’ve broken down exactly what you can gain from using a VPN as well as some of the disadvantages.

What is a VPN?

First, let’s take a step back and break down exactly what a VPN is. VPNs, or virtual private networks, offer a secure private connection for you to send and receive data safely. This means you can browse and use the internet without being tracked, whether by websites, applications, or people trying to access your network remotely. Of course, VPNs are largely focused on security, but they’re not typically used by people looking to increase their safety measures. VPNs are most commonly used for entertainment purposes.

VPNs allow people to mask their IP address and trick websites and applications into thinking they’re browsing from a different country. Each region has its own library of content on the vast majority of streaming services, and with a VPN, you aren’t limited by your own country’s selection. For example, if a movie isn’t available on Netflix in the US, a VPN will disguise your real location so that you’re able to watch it, even if you’re not in the country where it’s streaming.

While most people use VPNs for accessing entertainment from around the world, they can also be used for gaming as there are some key advantages that can improve your experience. These advantages are a bit niche, but they’re advantages nonetheless.

Advantages of a VPN for gaming

A VPN won’t be beneficial for every gamer. But for some, the advantages of a VPN for gaming can be quite substantial, especially if you’re interested in games from other countries or peer-to-peer multiplayer games.

Access region-locked games

Similar to how people use VPNs with Netflix, you can use your VPN to access games that haven’t been released in your country. Some platforms, such as Steam, prohibit the use of VPNs to access restricted content, but there are a number of games only available in Asian regions that can be played through the use of a VPN. For example, Phantasy Star Online 2 was only available in Japan for nearly eight years before it was released in the west. Call of Duty Online is another game that’s only available in China and playable through the use of a VPN.

Access game servers in other regions

Accessing games in other regions can be a spotty affair, but VPNs also give you the opportunity to access and join game servers in other regions. This can make it possible for US gamers to play with their friends in the UK, Japan, or any other country. Keep in mind, however, that playing in servers not allocated specifically for your region can result in a less-than-stellar connection.

Can VPNs improve your multiplayer connection?

The answer to this question is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no. VPNs don’t replace your internet provider, so you won’t see much improvement in your connection speed or quality. It can, however, relieve strain on your connection in specific settings, such as online peer-to-peer multiplayer games.

Peer-to-peer (or P2P) is when players connect to each other as opposed to a dedicated server. This results in laggy, unstable experiences if you or other players experience network issues or have poor internet connections. A reliable VPN can help smooth this out, reducing ping and improving your experience overall. One particularly noteworthy game that uses peer-to-peer is Grand Theft Auto Online, though most games these days use a mix of dedicated servers and peer-to-peer technology.

VPNs can help prevent DDoS attacks

DDoS attacks happen when someone identifies a user or server’s IP address and essentially overloads it, bringing it down and rendering it unusable. This is a big problem for any game, and while we wish a VPN could help prevent large-scale DDoS events on some of the more popular servers, a VPN can only protect the person using it. VPNs can prevent any potential attacker from getting your personal IP address.

You may wonder why someone would pick you out of a crowd and try to ruin your fun, but there are a lot of well-documented cases of this happening in Grand Theft Auto Online. Because of its peer-to-peer connection, it’s not unusual to see your bank account flooded with money, be set on fire seemingly randomly, or see any number of hijinks and shenanigans happen on a minute-by-minute basis. Players are capable of causing a whole lot of mischief in Grand Theft Auto Online, and if someone had a grudge against you for any reason (or just wanted to cause trouble for you), they could hit you with a DDoS attack and bring your session to an end.

Disadvantages of a VPN for gaming

While most people only think of the positive benefits to be gained from a VPN, they do have their downsides. For one, despite the fact that VPNs are completely legal, they can violate the terms of service of some websites and applications. For example, Steam’s user agreement is strict about the use of VPNs. It states, “You will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, Valve may terminate your access to your account.”

Because of this, you should practice caution when using a VPN. Make sure the games you play, the platforms you use, and anything else you access through your VPN are okay with you doing so. Otherwise, you could lose access to your accounts and services.

Good VPNs also cost money. You can use free VPNs, but we advise against doing so as you can never know what they’re doing with your data or browsing history. They could also be gateways for malicious software entering your network and computer.

Are VPNs worth it for gaming?

Ultimately, that depends on the type of gaming you’re doing and the level of security you like to have. For the vast majority of people, having a VPN for gaming isn’t necessary. However, if you’re playing a lot of peer-to-peer multiplayer games like Grand Theft Auto Online or just want to access region-specific games, a VPN definitely worth considering. Of course, the yearly cost of a good VPN is nothing to sneeze at, so these services are most worth it if you’re interested in their other benefits as well, such as streaming content from other countries or using it for greater web security.

Read more: The best VPNs for streaming region-locked TV shows and movies

Best VPN deals and offers

So what are your options? For our top VPN picks, the best deal is usually to pay in yearly chunks. ExpressVPN offers 12 months for $6.67 per month and gives you three additional months for free. That means you pay about $80 for 15 months of coverage. Another excellent option: You can get 24 months for $60 at Surfshark, one of the best VPNs for speed and features. And for those who need a VPN for a limited time, PureVPN has a 7-day trial for $1, which renews at $70 for 12 months. Any of these VPNs are great choices, and they all have a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can check out more of our top picks below as well as CNET’s 2021 VPN guide for details on specific services.

WandaVision’s Randall Park Talks About Getting Into Fighting Shape For The Disney+ Series

On a recent appearance on TBS’ Conan, Randall Park (Fresh off the Boat, Ant-Man and the Wasp) told host Conan O’Brien about his experiences doing a rare fight scene in WandaVision. In meticulous, self-deprecating style, Park told the host about the even more meticulous work Marvel’s fight choreographers had to do with him on turning in the performance you can see in the clip below.

“It was thrilling,” Park said. “I rarely get to do choreographed fight scenes… so the fact I got the chance to do that was so great.” But while the clip above whizzes by in a few seconds and after some heavy hits land, Park noted that the process was anything but smooth.

Park said the preparation for the scene began “weeks before we shot that fight scene” and entailed daily work training and getting the staging correct. And before even that began, the actor explained, the fight coordinator asked Park to show their team how he sees the fight scene playing out. Park didn’t give the details on what he pitched, but he cut to the chase: “I remember the coordinator, he was trying to be nice [but saying], ‘Yeah, no, that’s all wrong. That’s not how one fights… you gotta make a fist. There’s no slapping.'”

Further into the prep, Park added, the trainer pulled him aside and asked, “Why are you screaming so much? This is Marvel. There’s no screaming during a fight.”

Park appears in both the 2018 film Ant-Man and the Wasp and the soon to be concluded Season 1 of WandaVision as Agent Jimmy Woo, an FBI agent working with S.W.O.R.D. The finale will air on March 5, and then on March 12 will be followed by the premiere of Assembled, a new documentary series of specials that will go behind the scenes of Marvel Cinematic Universe television shows and movies. The first episode of the latter series will take a deep dive on WandaVision.

Cody Rhodes Thinks Paul Wight Has Some AEW Matches In Him

Paul Wight–formerly known as the Big Show in WWE–made waves in the world of wrestling last week when it was announced he would be signing with All Elite Wrestling. Cody Rhodes believes he could be doing more for the company in the future, outside of his commentary duties.

During a media call for the AEW Revolution PPV, which takes place on Sunday, March 7, Rhodes discussed Wight’s signing on with the company. “I do think there’s a match, or two, or three or four and that’s just me personally because I know he’s able to still go at a high level,” explained Rhodes. “But from a management standpoint, I’m most excited about him just being in our locker room.”

Wight will be doing commentary for the upcoming show AEW: Elevation, which debuts on March 15 on AEW’s YouTube channel. Getting Wight to sign on wasn’t difficult. “There wasn’t a long negotiation process simply because he wants to be here,” Rhodes said. “Very much so. And he wants to be here in a different capacity, as far as announcing and commentary goes with Elevation.”

However, Wight comes to AEW with more than his voice and insight. He can be very helpful backstage with his decades of experience. “We have so many young people who are now all of a sudden famous,” explained Rhodes. “Nobody knew who Britt Baker, Sammy Guevara, MJF, or Ricky Starks really were a few years ago, and now they’re emerging on cable and across WarnerMedia, and they’re the future of wrestling. They’re all very important to me, and someone like Paul–not unlike how Sting has been–someone like that is really good to keep people grounded. To keep things in perspective, Paul Wight has has more to give. And he’s going to give it, and he’s going to give it to AEW.”

Wight will kick off his new role on AEW Elevation. As for Rhodes, he’ll be appearing at the Revolution PPV in a match vs. Scorpio Sky, Pénta El Zero M (Pentagón Jr.), Lance Archer, Dark Order’s 10 or Max Caster (depending on who wins a match on the March 3 episode of Dynamite), and one more unannounced wrestler. The winner of this ladder match will get a TNT Championship bout in the future.

Fortnite Could Get Around Apple And Google’s Payment Systems, If Proposed Arizona Bill Is Passed

A proposed bill before the Arizona House of Representatives could have big implications for Epic Games’ legal battle against Apple and Google over Fortnite. If it is ultimately passed into law, it could create another facet for the ongoing litigation between the software giants.

The Verge reports that an amendment to Arizona’s HB2005 prevents app stores in the state from forcing developers to use their preferred payment system. In practice, that would mean that Apple and Google can’t require Epic Games or other software developers to go through their own proprietary payment systems for in-app purchases.

The legislation places the restriction on stores exceeding 1 million downloads, which would include Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store, and bars those companies from retaliating against developers who use third-party payment systems. It also applies to state residents, keeping them from being required to use exclusive payment methods. It carves out an exemption for game consoles and other “special-purpose devices.”

The amendment made its way through the Arizona House Appropriations Committee last week before going to a full House vote this week. Arizona Democrats have argued that the state legislature shouldn’t insert itself into the middle of a legal battle between the software companies. Now that it has passed the House, it will go to the state senate and then, if passed there, to Governor Doug Ducey.

If successfully passed into law, it will represent another wrinkle in the legal feud between Apple and Google. It could very well impact both companies’ business in the state, though it may also lead to further legal action.

The bill was endorsed by the Coalition for App Fairness, an industry group started by Epic Games and other tech companies impacted by Apple and Google’s practices.

“The Coalition for App Fairness is pleased to see the House passage of HB 2005, which will encourage business innovation in Arizona and protect consumer choice,” the CAF said in a statement. “While this is cause for celebration, it is only a first step toward achieving a truly level playing field for all.” We look forward to working with the Arizona State Senate to move a solution forward that builds on this momentum to provide consumer freedom, lower costs, and increase developers’ ability to thrive and innovate.”

Other similar bills have been proposed in Georgia, Hawaii, and Minnesota, due to lobbying from the CAF. One such proposed bill failed to pass in North Dakota.

The legal battle began when Epic Games updated its Fortnite app on mobile devices in such a way that circumvented Apple and Google’s in-app payment systems, with a discount offered for using the alternative method. The app was quickly pulled, and Epic responded with an apparently ready-to-go PR blitz featuring in-game Fortnite events and a short film. The Epic vs Apple trial is set to begin on May 3.

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American Horror Stories Spinoff Predictions: Scream Queens Crossover, Rubberman

AHS Season 10 is coming in the near future, but we’re also getting a spinoff show called American Horror Stories. According to Ryan Murphy there will be 16 one-hour standalone episodes delving into horror myths, legends and lore, adding that many of the episodes will feature AHS stars that we know and love.

In Part One of our AHS spinoff predictions, Ryan and Greg break down what we absolutely need to see in this new spinoff series, giving you nine theories about possible storylines, including aliens, a Scream Queens crossover, and the return of Rubberman.

Oculus Quest 2 And More Deals Available At Newegg Right Now

Newegg has just kicked off two new sales, one called Home Court Madness and another 72-hour flash sale. The Home Court Madness sale discounts a number of 4K TVs, gaming laptops, and PC components, while the 72-hour sale has deals on gaming peripherals and other products. Home Court Madness lasts until Sunday, March 7, while the 72-hour sale runs through Friday, March 5. One of the most notable deals is for the 256GB Oculus Quest 2, which comes with a $20 gift card. While that’s not exactly a discount, this is the first deal we’ve seen for new VR headset.

We’ve selected some of the best deals and compiled them below. In addition to keyboards, mice, and controllers, there are also a number of discounts on PC gaming components, such as cooling systems, processors, and SSDs.

$399

Ends March 5

The Oculus Quest 2 is the best VR headset you can buy right now, and while you’re not saving any money on this particular deal (and you have to buy the more expensive 256GB model), you do get a $20 gift card with purchase. On top of that, 256GB is enough space that you’re unlikely to run out any time soon, making it a great option for those who like to play a large number of VR games and experiences.

$200 (was $230)

Ends March 5

The K100 is Corsair’s best gaming keyboard thanks to its excellent key switches, wrist rest, and dial. It’s completely customizable with the company’s iCUE software, allowing you to set macros, tweak the RGB lighting, and assign the dial to different actions, such as scrolling, controlling volume, or even scrubbing through videos.

$60 (was $83)

Ends March 5

If you’re a fan of MMOs, MOBAs, or RTS games, the Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite gaming mouse is worth checking out. It features 17 programmable buttons, an adjustable 18K DPI optical sensor, and customizable RGB lighting.

$159 w/ code 35ACFLHSL34

Ends March 5

Thanks to the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator, flight sticks and controllers were hard to find last year, but now many are back in stock. Newegg has a nice little deal that takes $10 off the Logitech G Saitek Pro flight yoke system with promo code 35ACFLHSL34. It features a stainless steel yoke shaft and two-position clamp as well as 14 buttons and a three-position mode switch.

$300 (was $320)

Ends March 5

The Gigabyte G27QC monitor is an excellent gaming display, boasting a 165Hz refresh rate, 1440p resolution, and 1ms response time. It also features support for HDR, FreeSync Premium, and G-Sync compatibility.

$648 (was $700)

Ends March 7

The Samsung Q60T is a great budget 4K TV that features a QLED panel, HDR10+ support, and various smart features. It comes with three HDMI inputs, so you have plenty of room for multiple consoles and a streaming box.