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Crash Bandicoot races onto PSP

Manic Marsupial handheld-bound.

Crash Bandicoot is to make his PSP debut with the Autumn release of Crash Tag Team Racing, Vivendi Universal Games has confirmed.

The 'crazy' combination of kleptomaniacal platforming and combat racing has already been confirmed for release on the PS2, Xbox, GameCube and DS, completing something of a console clean-sweep for the huge-selling brand. The PSP version will launch alongside the other versions in September.

As with the other versions, the game is being developed by Radical Entertainment - the latest in a long line of major studios to turn their hands to the cash cow series, following in the footsteps of Naughty Dog, Traveller's Tales and Vicarious Visions.

Apparently, players will be able to fuse their car in the game with an opponent's mid-race, to create a super-car equipped with a powerful 360 degree turret gun. At this point players can then choose to take up driving duties or blast the enemies to kingdom come.

Unlike the two previous Mario Kart clones, Tag Team Racing allows players to sample some third person platforming action too, with upgrades available for the taking as well as bonus tracks.

The newly-announced version for the Sony handheld promises to take full advantage of the advanced graphical grunt of the PSP, as well as the wireless multiplayer capabilities. According to VU, players can team up in co-op mode "where two players join and race together in a permanently clashed vehicle to race and combat other players", while Tournament Mode will be a standard race face-off.

Meanwhile, the script for the seventh in the series has been penned by none other than Jordan ' Ren & Stimpy' Reicheck, promising to elevate the 'humor' [their spelling, not ours] to new levels, claimed VU.

"Crash Tag Team Racing on the PSP system will give Crash Bandicoot fans a hilarious and unique racing game that they can take with them wherever they go," said Radical bigwig Ian Wilkinson.

Check back soon for our thoughts on Crash Tag Team Racing when we get a full hands-on playtest very soon.