Many believe that the Crash Bandicoot series of platform games lost basically all of its original charm and quality when creator Naughty Dog sold off the rights of the franchise. Now, the character that was once seen as a stalwart Sony mascot graces every platform available on quite a regular basis, with the Bandicoot’s reputation being tarnished considerably by some under-par performances in recent years. However, Vivendi and Sierra are hoping that with ‘Crash Bandicoot: Mind Over Mutant’, the furry creature will regain his some of his former glory.

Originally thought to be nothing more than an elaborate hoax floating around the Internet, the ‘rumour’ of ‘Crash Bandicoot: Mind Over Mutant’ has actually today been confirmed as being the truth. It was always an inevitability that Crash would turn up again for another adventure, but the question had to be just when would Vivendi lift the lid on the new title (and, most likely, the new Spyro outing). Well, not the lid has firmly been lifted for the company as the official Press Release has been leaked and screenshots have appeared on the Crash Bandicoot web page.

“In Crash Bandicoot: Mind over Mutant, a rejuvenated Neo Cortex is taking over the world one brain at a time! Cortex and N. Brio devise a new kind of evil; a text-messaging, do-anything device which controls both mutant and bandicoot minds. Armed with his quick-wits and lightning agility, Crash must free his friends, the titans and save the day!”

• Monsters on Demand! - Not only does Crash keep the ability to control his enemies when he jacks them – now he can store his favorite monsters in his pocket, upgrade them and utilize their powers when they are most advantageous;
• “Free-Romping” World Design - Wumpa Island is fully realized as a real location, with a “free-romping” design that allows players to travel and explore through intersecting worlds, with different gameplay options available depending on what creature you’ve brought along for the ride;
• Girl Power! - Your co-op partner is Crash’s sister, Coco, playable for the first time in the cooperative mode. Not only does Coco make the game that much more inviting for girls to pick up and play, she also brings with her a new tactile “treasure hunt” ability;
• New Abilities - Roll-and Counter Combat System: Crash will have a fun, agile dodge move and “counter” move which will inflict extra damage on his enemies; Digging: Crash can now dig underground as real-life bandicoots really do; this will allow for Crash to unlock bonus items; Climbing: Crash can climb vertical surfaces and jump side-to-side to connected areas and dodge hazards.

The game is due to launch across PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS and Xbox 360, but somewhat surprisingly NOT the PlayStation 3. The first screenshots and concept art can be seen in the main body of the article above. Stick around for further updates…