Crash Team Rumble beta: dates, how to play, and rewards

By Jesse Lennox April 20, 2023

Crash Bandicoot was once thought long dead and buried, however, after a fantastic remake of his original trilogy, plus a new fourth entry that brought the classic platformer into the modern day, everyone was curious as to where the orange shorts-wearing marsupial would go next. What no one could’ve predicted is Crash Team Rumble, a competitive multiplayer game where two teams of four attempt to capture the most Wumpa fruit. While the game’s official release date is set for June 20, those interested will be able to get in on the action early during the closed beta. As this isn’t an open beta, we’ll let you know how to get in, when the beta will run, and what rewards (if any) you can earn.

How to access the Crash Team Rumble closed beta

Activision

The only way to secure your spot in the Crash Team Rumble closed beta is to preorder the full game. This can either be the Standard Edition ($30) or the Deluxe Edition ($40).

Once you’ve got your copy preordered, the closed beta test will run from April 20 through April 24. During this time you will be able to play as five characters: Crash, Coco, Tawna, Neo Cortex, and Dingodile, each of which fit into the roles of Scorers, Blockers, and Boosters. Each character will have their own skills and abilities to master. Of course, there will be more classic Crash Bandicoot characters available in the full version of the game.

The beta will feature three maps called Just Beachy, Calamity Canyon, and Tiki Towers.

The beta gives an early look at the game and learn how some of the characters and maps play, but unfortunately, you won’t be able to carry anything earned during the beta into the full release. The only way to earn any rewards early would be to preorder the Deluxe Edition that comes with the following bonuses when the game fully launches in June:

Premium Battle Pass for seasons 1 and 2
25-tier instant unlock for season 1 Premium Battle Pass
Digital Proto Pack:
- 8 “Blocky” hero skins
- Pixelated shadow
- “Blocky” hat
- “Get on my level” victory music
- “Blocky” Score FX
- Unique banner
- “Blocky” backpack

Editors' Recommendations

Jesse Lennox loves writing, games, and complaining about not having time to write and play games. He knows the names of more…

Gaming

Fortnite’s Rocket Racing is so fun, it could have been its own game

rocket racing hands on impressions jumping through air

Yesterday, Fortnite began its biggest expansion yet by dropping Lego Fortnite, a full survival crafting game that's playable for free within Fortnite. It was a pleasant surprise, but it isn’t the best piece of new content coming to the live-service juggernaut this week. That honor goes to Rocket Racing, an arcade racing game from the developers of Rocket League that’s available in Fortnite today.

This isn’t a simple kart racer that anyone could have put together in Fortnite’s creative mode. It’s a full-throated, free-to-play game that features 26 tracks at launch and some surprisingly deep driving systems. While Lego Fortnite may have had trouble standing on its own two feet outside of the Fortnite client, Rocket Racing could very well have launched as its own game -- and it still would be the best racing game of its type this year.

Gaming

How to get planks in Lego Fortnite

lego fortnite hands on impressions village

Collecting resources and building isn't a foreign concept to Fortnite players. A major part of the game, unless you're in zero build, is smacking trees, walls, rocks, and basically everything with your pickaxe to get materials to build basic walls and structures to give you an edge in battle. Lego Fortnite has its own crafting and building system, but doesn't work in quite the same way. Planks in particular are the most essential building material in the game, but you can't get them by simply whacking a tree. Here's a quick rundown on how to collect planks to build your dream world in Lego Fortnite.
How to get planks in Lego Fortnite

Gaming

Where to find knotroot in Lego Fortnite

Brite Bomber in Lego Fortnite.

Crafting is at the heart of Lego Fortnite. Without the right materials, you will never be able to get new gear, build new structures, or do any upgrades. And knotroot is a key ingredient in a ton of recipes. While not the rarest of items in the game, it is at the uncommon rarity level, meaning you won't just stumble upon it very often, and certainly not enough to satisfy your need for it. Let's narrow down your search so you can collect as much knotroot as you need in Lego Fortnite.
Where to find Knotroot

Despite being a type of wood, knotroot isn't found in a tree like normal wood. Instead, you will need to head to underground caves to get your hands on some. But before you go spelunking, you will need the right tool to collect knotroot , namely an Uncommon Forest Axe, as the base-level version won't cut it (literally). You can upgrade your axe to the Uncommon level using your Uncommon Crafting Bench with three bones and three wooden rods.