The OG Crash Bandicoot Game Is Now Available On Your Phone, & You Can Play With Friends

As the Crash Bandicoot franchise prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in September 2021, King Games is bringing the iconic PlayStation game to your phone. Featuring many of the same characters and lands you recognize from the original games, Crash Bandicoot: On The Run! makes it easier to game on-the-go and get your friends in on the fun. Here's how to play the Crash Bandicoot: On The Run! mobile game, which officially launched on iOS and Android on March 25.

Inspired by some of the most fan-loved aspects of the franchise, players can expect to encounter familiar music and backgrounds like Temple Ruins, Bear It, and Turtle Woods as Crash and Coco fight against Dr. Neo Cortex and his mutagens. The premise of Crash Bandicoot: On The Run! centers on Dr. Neo Cortex, who is plotting to take over the multiverse with the help of his henchman. That's where you come in.

Fans can download it for free on both Android and iOS devices. Players can game solo or, if you want to make it a social experience, you can play with a team to get unique seasonal rewards and collective trophies. The mobile game also makes it easy to communicate with your teammates on the Team Chat Feature, which allows you to coordinate your moves.

Before playing, you'll have a test run while you learn how to navigate Crash. You'll double tap to spin Crash, swipe up to get over obstacles, and swipe down to go under them. You can also swipe left and right to change Crash's course of direction.

While Crash Bandicoot: On The Run! is a whole new game, there are a number of features you might remember from earlier Crash Bandicoot games such as Skins and Trophies. Trophies, which you will earn by reaching a milestone within your season (there are different seasons throughout the game), can get you closer to scoring Skins, which will protect you during the game.

The mobile game offers plenty of nods to the franchise's 25-year history while also bringing in plenty of new elements. While you'll recognize the Temple Ruins and Turtle Woods from other Crash Bandicoot games, there are plenty of new lands and obstacles that you'll need to master when playing on your phone. Your mobile experience will also be slightly different, with 50 new music tracks and a cleaner, more simplified animation style that pays tribute to the rest of the franchise.

Whether you've never played the OG game or this mobile app is giving you major nostalgia, Crash Bandicoot: On The Run! is super simple to pick up and master while you're on the go. And, since it's free right on your own phone, you don't have to worry about shelling out any cash for a console or a gaming device like a Nintendo Switch.

As of March 25, Crash Bandicoot: On The Run! is the most-downloaded app in the action category on the App Store, so don't wait on downloading it onto your mobile device and getting in on the fun.