The announcement for Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time left fans scrambling to find out more. While the trailer confirms the return of a few classic characters such as Crash, Coco, and Cortex, viewers are still left wondering who else will be coming back for this game and who won't. With less than four months left until the game's release, there's still a lot of guessing going on within the Crash Bandicoot community.
There aren't many universally hated characters in the Crash franchise. There are many beloved characters, both good and evil. With that said, there are also some annoying critters that most fans would rather not see again. This list looks at five characters fans want to see in Crash 4, and five that are best left in the past. Let's dive in!
10 FANS WANT TO SEE: Pura
Pura is a staple character in the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy. His first appearance is in Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped where he appears as Coco's right-hand man. Or, right-hand tiger, to be more specific. This adorable cat helps Coco speed past enemies by acting as a horse, jumping over barrels and carrying Coco through specific levels.
This feature is too adorable to remove. Now that it has been introduced, there's no going back. If Crash 4 is truly going to follow up on the original trilogy, Pura is an essential character.
9 FANS NEVER WANT TO SEE: Willie Wumpa Cheeks
Ah, yes, Willie Wumpa Cheeks. This odd fella from Crash Tag Team Racing gives most players the heebie-jeebies. The dude is annoying at best. While Willie's obnoxious persona is intentional, he's still not a character that fans want to see again.
On top of being annoying, Willie is a thief, which led to his untimely demise. However, Crash 4's timeline isn't looking to be linear, hence the new title's name and its references to multiple dimensions. So Willie's reappearance is not impossible, but it's just not desirable, either.
8 FANS WANT TO SEE: Tawna
Tawna deserves the treatment that she never had before. She appears in the series' first installment Crash Bandicoot as a damsel in distress. Her original purpose in the game emphasizes sexist stereotypes, which led to a conflict that promoted her unfortunate removal from future titles. Thankfully, she does reclaim some autonomy in the N. Sane trilogy, and she now appears in Crash Team Racing: Nitro-fueled.
Toys For Bob is missing an opportunity if they don't include Tawna in the new game. It's time for her to show that she's more than just Crash's girlfriend. Fans want to learn more about Tawna as an individual, as well as her relationship with Crash.
7 FANS NEVER WANT TO SEE: Nash
It's not that there's anything wrong with this robotic shark, other than the fact that he never sleeps. In this case, it's more that he doesn't bring anything to the series outside of racing. There's no point in bringing this guy into Crash life outside the racetrack. Nash is originally from Crash Nitro Kart, so his reappearance in Crash Team Racing: Nitro-fueled is ideal. This is not as relevant regarding Crash 4.
A cameo appearance by Nash would not be the worst thing. He's not the worst character out there. However, he's still on the bottom of the "characters that need to show up in the new Crash game" list.
6 FANS WANT TO SEE: Crunch Bandicoot
Crunch Bandicoot is an absolute shoo-in for the new Crash game. He appears in multiple different titles, but he isn't as popular as his siblings. No pun intended here, but it's about time that Crunch gets some more attention! Like his siblings, Crunch occasionally suffers from mutations and Cortex's awful schemes, but all-in-all he's a stand-up guy.
It looks like Crunch's strength could really add to another level of gameplay. But even if Crunch isn't a playable character, he should still be part of the storyline somehow. He's been sitting on the sidelines for far too long.
5 FANS NEVER WANT TO SEE: Pinstripe
Again, it's not that all the unwanted characters are universally hated or anything. It's just that there are some who should stay in the past. In Pinstripe's case, he just isn't as interesting as Crash's other friends and foes are. Pinstripe is a boss enemy in Crash Bandicoot and he also appears as a boss in both Crash Team Racing games.
This guy is a total crook, which is why the fact that he's a used car salesman comes as no surprise. As a result, he's not the most likable character. His personality just isn't very appealing. He's a decent baddie, but not one fans are rushing to meet again.
4 FANS WANT TO SEE: Nina Cortex
Nina Cortex's high demand by Nitro-Fueled fans shows how popular she is. While Nina isn't in the original Playstation Crash trilogy, she still has a large fanbase among Crash fans. Since Neo Cortex is a playable character in Crash 4, it would be neat to switch between playing as him and playing as Nina, just like players switch between Coco and Crash.
Another possibility for Nina lies in exploring her lighter side. The Bandicoots could easily be just as evil as the Cortexes are, had they not escaped Dr. Neo's disturbing plans for them. What if Nina could escape his control, too? It'd be interesting to see her as an ally this time around.
3 FANS DON'T WANT TO SEE: Megamix
The most disturbing character in the entire Crash Bandicoot series is undoubtedly Megamix. This monster contains body parts from multiple enemies. Of course, the developers just had to give it Cortex's hideous head. Any other enemy face would look better than that, but most monsters aren't too visually appealing, so maybe that's the point.
This creature is a boss in the less-than-amazing Crash's Huge Adventure. Unfortunately, Megamix reappears in Nitro-Fueled remaster is a playable racer. Sure, this fits in with the Rustland Grand Prix, but that doesn't make it any less unsettling. Here's to hoping that Megamix's most recent appearance in the series is also his last.
2 FANS WANT TO SEE: Polar
Just like his counterpart Pura, Polar is absolutely essential to Crash 4. Coco and Crash both need their furry friends to help carry them through fast-paced levels. The Bandicoots can't just drive a motorcycle or fly a jetpack when they're exploring prehistoric levels.
This adorable bear makes his first appearance on the Playstation 1 in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, likely giving way to the creation of Pura. The hope is that Toys For Bob will bring back these boys rather than creating new animal companions for Crash and Coco. These classic characters are just too cute to ditch!
1 FANS DON'T WANT TO SEE: Von Clutch
Not to sound harsh, but this guy has already served his purpose and has no business showing up as a mainline character again. Sure, this cyborg is tolerable, but he doesn't display any traits that make him worth bringing back. There are some characters that only belong in Crash racing games, and Von Clutch is one of them.
In Crash Tag Team Racing, Von Clutch needs everyone to find the Black Power Gem that keeps him alive. So unless he loses his gem again, there's really no reason to revisit him in the upcoming game. He's a little over-the-top and quite creepy, to say the least.