The History of Crash & Spyro Crossovers

For fans of a certain era of gaming, the names Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon evoke a potent wave of nostalgia. Both franchises started in the late 90s on the Playstation 1 and were standouts on the console. Now let’s take a trip down memory lane and explore the history of Crash and Spyro crossover games!

Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto’s Rampage and Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy (2004)

The first official crossover between the two iconic characters occurred in 2004 the release of two interconnected Game Boy Advance titles: Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto’s Rampage and Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy.

Each game featured its respective protagonist as the main character, but the narrative intertwined, with both Crash and Spyro facing off against a combined threat from their respective nemeses, Neo Cortex and Ripto.

While not incredible games by any means, these titles were fun enough, the time and experience of Crash and Spyro coming together made them worth it.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (2019)

In 2019, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, a remake of Crash Team Racing was released. It was not just a remake though. Several new tracks and characters were added to the game, and some of those new characters happened to be from the Spyro franchise.

Spyro, Hunter, and Gnasty Gnorc were all added into the chaotic kart racing action, as well as a track based on the world of Spyro: “Spyro’s Circuit”.

Crash Team Rumble (2023)

The most recent crossover experience arrived with Crash Team Rumble. This 4v4 online multiplayer game takes characters from the Crash Bandicoot universe and pits them against each other. Like in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, Spyro once again crossed over into Crash’s world as a playable character.

The Future

While we’ve seen some exciting collaborations, the ultimate dream for many fans remains a full-fledged, story-driven adventure featuring both Crash and Spyro as central characters, exploring their respective worlds and facing a common threat. With both franchises seeing a resurgence in recent years, the possibility of a more substantial crossover feels more likely than ever before.

What are your favorite Crash and Spyro crossover moments? What kind of crossover game would you love to see in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments below!