Crunch Bandicoot

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Crunch Bandicoot
Crunch in Crash of the Titans
Game series	Crash Bandicoot
First game	Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (2001)
Created by	Traveller's Tales
Designed by	Sean Krankel[1] Craig Whittle[1]
Voiced by (English)	Kevin Michael Richardson (2001-2003)[1][2] Chris Williams (2005-present)
Voiced by (Japanese)	Yūji Kishi (2001-2003) Masafumi Kimura (2005) Shinya Fukumatsu (2006)

Crunch Bandicoot is a fictional video game character from the Crash Bandicoot series, and one of the main antagonists of Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. The character now appears as a secondary protagonist in subsequent installments of the series.

Crunch is a large, muscular bandicoot originally created by Doctor Neo Cortex for the sole purpose of destroying Crash Bandicoot.^[1] After his defeat, Crunch has had a change of heart, and now works alongside the bandicoots, seeing Cortex as the enemy.

Crunch is voiced by Final Flight of the Osiris star Kevin Michael Richardson in The Wrath of Cortex and Crash Nitro Kart,^[1][2] and by Chris Williams (in the style of Mr. T) from Crash Tag Team Racing onwards. In the Japanese dubs of the games, he is voiced by Yūji Kishi in The Wrath of Cortex and Nitro Kart, Masafumi Kimura (who previously dubbed over Tiny Tiger in Nitro Kart) in Crash Tag Team Racing onwards, and by Shinya Fukumatsu in Crash Boom Bang!.

Contents 1 Conception and creation 2 Characteristics 2.1 Personality 2.2 Outward appearance 2.3 Abilities 3 In-game history 3.1 Traveller's Tales era 3.2 Radical Entertainment era 3.3 Other appearances 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Conception and creation

Crunch Bandicoot was originally designed by Sean Krankel and Craig Whittle.^[1] No information on Crunch's original conception has been released.

[edit] Characteristics

[edit] Personality

In Wrath of Cortex, Crunch is first portrayed as being the over-confident type, constantly believing that he can eliminate Crash with ease.^[3] This behavior causes him to become defiant later in the game, insisting that he doesn't even need the Elementals (his power source) to defeat Crash, and becoming generally annoyed with Cortex.^[4] It is not until he is defeated that Crunch snaps out of Cortex's control and lives with the Bandicoots (though he is brainwashed again in Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced).

Because of his time with the Bandicoots, Crunch's personality has gradually changed after his liberation from Cortex's control. In Crash Nitro Kart, Crunch is shown to be an avid weightlifter, living under the philosophy of "eat less and exercise more".^[5] In Crash Tag Team Racing onwards, Crunch seems to model himself after The A-Team star Mr. T, emulating his catchphrases and appearance (through an unlockable costume). His love for exercise is repeated here, though he is also interested in nutrition,^[6] and at one point plans to sell the Crash gang out through future endorsements in hopes of becoming a famous and respected figure.^[7] Despite his rather masculine demeanor, Crunch occasionally shows a soft side; in Crash Tag Team Racing, it is revealed that Crunch sleeps with a pink teddy bear aptly named 'Pinky Bear', and is unable to sleep without it.^[8] Crunch also appears broken up when Von Clutch's Power Gem is supposedly lost (causing Von Clutch to lose his soul). Crunch does not take kindly to rude behavior or bad manners, an example of this occurring in Crash of the Titans, in which he can be heard saying "Hey! Stop that!" upon hearing Crash emit a loud belch.

[edit] Outward appearance

In contrast to Crash and Coco's meager size and build, Crunch is generally depicted as a large, muscular, burgundy-colored bandicoot with a metallic arm, camouflage pants and large boots. In Crash Twinsanity, Crunch is unusually smaller than normal, being shorter than even Tiny Tiger in the same scene. While Crunch's metallic arm usually takes the form of an arm, it can also be turned into a laser cannon-like device, as shown in the boss fight against him in N-Tranced. In the games prior to Crash of the Titans, Crunch's metallic arm only covered his right forearm and hand. In Titans, the cybernetics not only cover his entire arm, but take on a new appearance, bearing a resemblance to that of the television incarnation of the Teen Titans character Cyborg. In addition, two scars can be seen above Crunch's chest. In Crash Tag Team Racing, Crunch is depicted with a metallic ear, a feature that was not carried over to Titans.

[edit] Abilities

Crunch's most notable ability is his enormous strength, reflected in his large muscles. Although he is not as graceful as Crash or Coco, he balances this with his power, and is a very experienced fighter, being able to break through almost anything with his bare hands.

Crunch's original power sources were the Elementals, elemental masks awoken from hibernation by Uka Uka. Each Elemental gave Crunch a different elemental power for each of his struggles against Crash. Rok-Ko, the Earth Elemental, gave Crunch the ability to encase himself in numerous nearby pebbles, transforming himself into a sentient boulder. Wa-Wa, the Water Elemental, gave Crunch the ability to transform into a being of water twice his original size. In this form, Crunch can launch blue and green waves of energy from his hands and could shake the seas in an attempt to throw Crash off. Py-Ro, the Fire Elemental, turned Crunch into a figure of molten rock capable of throwing burning rocks, some of which would split in two upon impact with the ground. Finally, Lo-Lo, the Air Elemental, transformed Crunch into a gigantic genie-like entity capable of numerous lightning attacks. These elemental powers apparently disappeared when Crunch was freed from Cortex's control.

As mentioned before, Crunch's metallic arm can be turned into a laser cannon-like device, as shown in Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced. This ability isn't shown anywhere else in the series.

[edit] In-game history

[edit] Traveller's Tales era

Crunch was created by Doctor Cortex in private as a superweapon that would be capable of frightening power. Doctor N. Gin and Doctor Nefarious Tropy (who only had a slight understanding of the project) were the only other individuals who knew about the weapon. During a bad guy convention held by Uka Uka, Tropy and N. Gin reveal the weapon in desperation for one good plan to defeat Crash Bandicoot, who Uka Uka wants eliminated.^[9] Doctor Cortex formally announces the superweapon, but reveals that it is still missing a power source.^[10] Hearing the word "element", Uka Uka brings up the Elementals, a group of destructive masks that could create enough energy to bring the secret weapon to life. The weapon, who is Crunch Bandicoot, attempts to defeat Crash with the aid of the Elemental masks, but when Crunch is defeated in Cortex's space station, he snaps out of Doctor Cortex's control. Although his first instinct is to introduce his fist to Cortex's face, Aku Aku informs Crunch of the space station's imminent destruction, and the group decides to flee back to Earth.^[11] Back on Earth, Crunch shows his gratitude toward the Bandicoots, and becomes part of the Bandicoot family.^[12]

In Crash Twinsanity, Crunch has a cameo in Crash's "birthday party", which is a gathering of past Crash villains. While Crunch is in the gathering, he actually believes that it is really Crash's birthday, donning a green paper crown and holding a slice of cake.

[edit] Radical Entertainment era

In Crash of the Titans, Crunch is ambushed by Doctor Cortex during the beginning of the first episode, leaving him frozen from the neck down. He stays this way until the end of the game, in which the Doominator's collapse is able to set Crunch free. Crunch does not appear in the DS version of the game. In the Game Boy Advance version, Crunch is taken prisoner by Tiny Tiger by order of Neo Cortex. He is freed upon Tiny's defeat.

It is unknown if Crunch will appear in the upcoming Crash: Mind Over Mutant, but it is likely.

[edit] Other appearances

In Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced, Crunch is abducted by N. Trance and is brainwashed alongside Coco and Fake Crash. Crash battles Crunch on a flying carpet over the skies of Saudi Arabia, with Crash firing shots of energy at Crunch whenever the latter is stunned by exploding Nitro crates. Upon snapping out of N. Trance's control, Crunch becomes a playable character in some of the Atlasphere levels.

In Crash Nitro Kart and Crash Tag Team Racing, Crunch serves as a playable character, usually driving heavy vehicles high on speed.^[2]

Crunch aids Crash in the "Weighlift" segments of Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage.

Crunch appears as a playable character in the party game Crash Boom Bang!.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

v • d • e Crash Bandicoot characters Protagonists Crash Bandicoot | Aku Aku | Coco Bandicoot | Crunch Bandicoot Antagonists Doctor Neo Cortex | Doctor N. Gin | Tiny Tiger | Uka Uka | Dingodile Other characters List of Crash Bandicoot characters | Titans