Crash Bash™ Brings Pure Adrenaline Excitement to the PlayStation® Game Console

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced the nationwide release of Crash Bash™, a 3D arena-based battle game created exclusively for the PS one™ console and the PlayStation® game console. Crash and his friends (and those nasty foes) are back, and they're ready to ride, race, jump and battle it out to the finish in the fifth installment of the popular, multi-million-unit selling Crash Bandicoot™ series.

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Crash Bash features signature Crash-style gameplay with animated characters, humorous antics, boisterous actions, brilliant and vivid worlds, frantic battles, heart-pumping chases, adventure and puzzles. With seven, four-player competitive events and gameplay that varies between fast-paced, intense, head-to-head battles and adrenaline-rushing races for points, players will be tested on their skills, agility and perseverance.

"The Crash Bandicoot series has been one of the most successful franchises to date for PlayStation with over 16 million units sold worldwide," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Delivering signature Crash-style gameplay with an intense, whole new action-packed twist, Crash Bash is sure to be another favorite among consumers this holiday season."

The storyline revolves around the rivalry between Uka Uka, evil twin of Aku Aku, both ancient witch doctor spirits. Uka Uka calls for a final challenge: A competition of various arena-based battles to determine whether the forces of light or dark are more powerful. Each spirit will send his greatest champions into battle. Once again, Crash Bandicoot and his team must save the planet, as the fate of the world depends on the outcome of the game.

Players can battle as one of eight different characters including Crash Bandicoot, Coco, Dingodile, Tiny, Dr. Neo Cortex, N. Brio, Koala Kong and newcomer Rilla Roo, in either Adventure Mode or Battle Mode. Adventure Mode is playable with one or two players and similar in structure to the signature platform-style Crash Bandicoot games. It features 28 competitive "events" in which gamers battle computer opponents and four bosses.

Battle Mode is playable with up to four players going head-to-head in an arena setting. In the short version of Battle Mode, the game is played until one player wins three times in a single arena. The tournament version of Battle Mode is a succession of short battles where players accumulate rank points based on their performance.

  Key features in Crash Bash include:
  -- An action extravaganza -- the gameplay ranges from fast-paced, intense,
     head-to-head battles to adrenaline-pumping races for points.  You'll
     have to think fast and play even faster
  -- All-time favorite characters -- get ready to rumble!  Select from
     Crash, Coco, Dingodile, Tiny, Dr. Neo Cortex, N. Brio, Koala Kong and
     new baddie, Rilla Roo
  -- Variety of Play Modes -- Adventure, Battle and Tournament modes deliver
     fast, frenetic fun! Take on the computer A.I. in Solo or Team play, or
     plug in the Multi tap and show your friends who's really top bandicoot
  -- More than 28 competitive events will keep you playing for days
  -- Tons of moves -- walk, run, kick, spin, pick-up and throw, jump, ride,
     slide and shoot
  -- Wild rides -- saddle up on polar cubs, bounce on pogo sticks, pilot
     hover ships and drive tanks in a smackdown, beat 'em up, push 'em out
     battle
  -- Enjoy signature Crash-style gameplay with a well-known cast of
     characters, humorous antics, animated actions, brilliant and vivid
     worlds, frantic battles, heart-pumping chases, exploration, adventure
     and puzzles -- a game that's fun for the entire family
  -- Innovative new 2-player cooperative mode.  Get ready for a brandicoot
     brawl-fest!

Crash Bash features a variety of competitive events including: Last Man Standing, where the surviving player wins the round of play; Points Play, where the player with the highest or lowest score at the end of the competition is the winner, depending on the object of the particular battle; and Pick Up Play, which requires players to nab a number of goodies from the playing arena in order to take first place.

All competitions and events will require players to negotiate obstacles, hazards, pitfalls and puzzles using their arsenal of moves, including walking, running, kicking, spinning, picking up and throwing, jumping, shooting, and riding vehicles or animals. Power-ups offer speed, strength, stamina and weapons, while hidden bonus levels add another whole new dimension to the game.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates Crash Bash "E" for "Everyone." For more information about the ESRB visit http://www.esrb.org/.

The Crash Bandicoot franchise started with the original Crash Bandicoot game over four years ago and with three additional hit sequels, has sold over 16 million units worldwide to date. The highly acclaimed and best-selling character-based franchise was developed exclusively for the PlayStation game console.

A complete collection of Crash Bandicoot consumer products is available at a variety of mass-market retailers, specialty outlets, on-line channels and the Universal theme parks.

Crash Bash is developed by Eurocom in association with Cerny Games. Cerny Games is a consulting company providing production, game design and programming services to the videogame development community.

The Crash Bandicoot characters and likenesses thereof are licensed from Universal Interactive Studios, Inc. Universal Interactive Studios, Inc., (UIS), a part of the Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, develops, produces and licenses original and existing Universal Studios movie and television brands across multiple gaming platforms.

UIS is most noted for producing the best-selling Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon franchises for the PlayStation game console. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a division of Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com/), a diversified entertainment company and a worldwide leader in motion pictures, television, home and location based entertainment. Universal Studios is a unit of The Seagram Company Ltd., a global entertainment and beverage company.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® game console and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation game console and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PlayStation game console and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000121/SONYPLAY

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SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Contact: Charlotte Panther, 650-655-3542, or
charlotte_panther@playstation.sony.com, or Ryan Bowling, 650-655-3657, or
ryan_bowling@playstation.sony.com, both of Sony Computer Entertainment America
Inc.

Website: http://www.playstation.com/