Token

Tokens are special items found in Crash Team Racing and Crash Nitro Kart where you need them to be able to take part in Gem Cups. In CTR, tokens come in 5 colours: red, blue, yellow, green and purple. In CNK, they come in only 4 colours as there is no yellow one.

Ways to get them
Depending on the colour of a token, there are different ways to get one. In CTR, you need to get the letters C, T, and R in a race, and come in first place to win a CTR Token. This applies for red, blue, yellow and green Tokens. In CNK, this is the same, except you need to get the letters C, N, and K instead. However, there is a different way that purple tokens are obtained. After defeating the boss of a planet/area, a new level will be unlocked where you need to collect all of the Crystals in the level before time runs out. Doing so wins you a purple token.

If you win a Gem Cup, you will unlock a new character to race as. Red is Ripper Roo, green is Papu Papu, blue is Komodo Joe, yellow is Pinstripe, and purple is Fake Crash.

When you race in the purple Gem Cup, you must race all the bosses on their home tracks to win the purple Gem. Excluding Oxide and Oxide Station.