Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 25
  2. Negative: 0 out of 25
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  1. To jump online and totally beat the crap out of someone else's ride? That doesn't smack of fun to you?
  2. Crash "N' Burn will frustrate the hell out of you since it demands so much more from its competitors than nearly every other arcade-type extreme racer.
  3. Perhaps if "Burnout 3" didn't exist, Crash 'n' Burn might have had a better chance. However, this is still an immensely enjoyable game for all destruction fans out there.
  4. 75
    The gameplay does have its flaws, but I still manage to have a lot of fun in the many types of game modes available.
  5. netjak
    73
    A fairly bare-bones package, but it's a fun one, especially at a $20 price point.
  6. TotalGames.net
    72
    The track design however is where Crash 'N' Burn gets let down. Visually it's a hit and miss affair but the actual track layout is about as basic as you can get.
  7. Edge Magazine
    70
    There's just no accounting for an excruciating wipeout on the final lap when such possibilities are at the mercy of circumstances as much as they are at the player's skill. But, played with a graceful, Zen-like acceptance – shit happens – Crash 'n' Burn is as enjoyable as it is easy to understand. [Jan 2005, p.97]
  8. Game Informer
    70
    If anything, my largest complaint about this game comes from the fact the number of wrecks onscreen sometimes means that winning a race has a s much to do with good luck as skill. [Dec 2004, p.168]
  9. Cheat Code Central
    70
    A fun, if shallow, game that is geared for intermediate gamers that just want to break something and not have to spend half a day learning which button does what.
  10. All of the things in Crash n' Burn we have seen before and the limited racing modes bog the game down even more. At a $20 price point though, what are you expecting?
  11. The game is fun. Frustrating at times, absolutely, but for a budget-priced title, players can't really go wrong with Crash 'N' Burn.
  12. Manages to make itself worth the $20 price tag by offering up an average level of everything -- from gameplay to graphics. It doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but it's a pleasant diversion for the price.
  13. For a budget game this one has plenty of replay value and the extra modes help it from becoming old. You may pop on for an hour one night and the next time play for hours.
  14. Despite its lack of visual polish and dearth of inspiring courses, it remains a viable budget alternative to more expensive games like "Burnout 3" and "RalliSport Challenge 2."
  15. 70
    It really grows on you though and once it does it becomes highly addictive.
  16. Unfortunately, some of Crash 'N' Burn's central ideas--the persistent wrecks being the most obvious example--introduce complexity that, in the end, will leave you more frustrated than thrilled.
  17. The one thing that does however drag the game down is the poor computer AI, which at first can be funny but after a while just becomes a big annoyance.
  18. Online this succeeds as a fast and fun laugh-a-minute racer. But offline, this suffers, especially in comparison to the king: "Burnout 3." [Xbox World]
  19. 60
    This is not a game that will wow players with its graphics or its crash effects, which are more half-cocked than "insane," but aggressive drivers who want to blow off steam will find Crash 'N' Burn to be a smashing success.
  20. The complete insanity that occurs and the hollowed-out wrecks that are left in its wake provide cheap thrills, and the online play extends the game's replay value just a bit. Also, while Crash 'N' Burn's music is positively awful, its graphics, special effects, and car customization options more than make up for it.
  21. The physics and collision detection are adequate for minor collisions, but are cartoony and simply laughable in major ones.
  22. 55
    Gameplay? Contend with the equivalent of RC cars until the track gets so littered with trash you have no choice but to crash and burn. Joy!
  23. Official Xbox Magazine
    51
    With better graphics and better (read: more fun) controls, Crash 'n Burn could be a standout racer. [Holiday 2004, p.87]
  24. Xbox Nation Magazine
    50
    You're not going to get a much plainer-looking Xbox game. [Jan 2005, p.99]
  25. While the cars in other games fold and dent realistically, depending on the speed and direction of the impact, damage to Crash 'n' Burn's cars seems artificial, with entire panels suddenly replaced with scratched versions at the merest hint of a high-speed nudge.

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2004
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Negative: 2 out of 7
  1. BenH.
    Jul 16, 2007
    9
    I think its a really good game to get and real cheap to start with.
  2. RakeshC.
    Jun 29, 2006
    10
    This Game is so FUN! I realy enyoed this game.
  3. Xboxrulesitall
    Jan 14, 2005
    3
    Not very interesting, compelling or fun. Even at bargain price save your money for a real racing game.