"Crash Team Racing" is a racing game in which the player controls characters from the "Crash Bandicoot" universe. The characters compete in karts. While racing, the player can accelerate, steer, reverse, brake, hop or use weapons and power-ups with the game controller's analog stick and buttons. There are two different crates that are scattered throughout the tracks and arenas of "Crash Team Racing". Crates with question marks (?) on them have power-ups and weapons. Players must drive through and break the crate. When a player collects a weapon or power-up, it will appear in a box at the top of the screen. Once the player has this, they can destroy other racers with the weapon. The power-ups can help the player's performance. "Fruit Crates" carry "Wumpa Fruit" that increase the speed of the player's kart. This strengthens the player's weapons and power-ups if ten of them are collected.