Crystal

Crystals (known as Power Crystals in Twinsanity and CTTR, and Power Stones in the Japanese versions of Crash Bandicoot games) are seen in almost all Crash games as an energy source, a lot like gems. They have been used in the series since Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. In state of fact there are 25 slave crystals, one Master Crystal and the Super Big Power crystal, these Crystals were mostly used for evil to control all of Dr. Cortex's machines and gadgets but now mostly used for good to help Crash Bandicoot save the world from the Time Twister Machine and stopping the Elementals. However, there are 28 Crystals in Crash Bash, and 142 in Crash Tag Team Racing. In that game, the Crystals apparently have the power to change the environment in the stages, in addition to changing their rules. After Crash Twinsanity the Crystals were replaced with the Mojo that was used to power Cortex's machines and to create his mutant army.

Trivia

 * The Crystals are most likely based off the Amethyst Crystal, a type of quartz mineral, due to their shape and complexity of color only being in the violet variety.
 * In the early version of Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, the crystals were going to be red, but they were changed to purple.
 * In Crash Bash, all the crystal challenge arenas are changed from the original arena design. (e.g. Space Bash is a futuristic type arena, while its crystal challenge is more of an Egyptian type arena.)
 * Gems are much stronger than the crystals, but 25 crystals make up 1 gem, which is why Cortex needed all 25 in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back.