Crystal

Crystal Crystals (also known as Power Crystals in Crash Twinsanity, Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage, and Crash Tag Team Racing and Purple Crystals in Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!) are seen in many games of the Crash Bandicoot series, as an energy source much like gems. They were introduced in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and then became a staple of the series, as a way of showing a level's completion.

The crystals were mostly used for evil to control all of Dr. Cortex's machines and gadgets, but now they are mostly used for good to help Crash Bandicoot and his friends save the world.

It has been stated that there are 25 Slave Crystals, one Master Crystal, and the Super Big Power Crystal. However, there are 28 Crystals in Crash Bash and 142 in Crash Tag Team Racing.

Overview
It is revealed by Uka Uka in Crash Bandicoot: Warped that he tasked Dr. Cortex from his temple prison with gathering the crystals, along with the gems, to serve their plans to rule the world. According to Uka Uka, the crystals and gems are power sources. Making their debut in Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, Dr. Cortex saw them as remarkably powerful assets to his plans for world domination.

As either demonstrated or explained in the same game and future games afterward, the crystals can harness and absorb planetary energy such as a solar flux, and power machines. In Crash Tag Team Racing, the crystals apparently have the power to change the environment in the stages, in addition to changing their rules. It is also revealed in Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex that the crystals are capable of banishing evil entities as they were used to banish the Elementals when they were released from the state of hibernation.

The extent of the power of the crystals is unknown. However, it is implied by Uka Uka in Crash Bandicoot: Warped that the power of the crystals and gems can be harnessed by others to have influence over the world and possibly the entire universe, as he planned to do so when Crash confronted both him and Dr. Cortex in their final fight. Crystals grant Crash immunity from all damage, excluding hazards, in the handheld versions of Crash of the Titans.

In Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, crystals are vastly abundant, and are treated as currency for purchasing skins and other items from the vending machine, speeding up certain processes at Coco's Base and reviving yourself in certain game modes.

Appearances

 * Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
 * Crash Bandicoot: Dansu! De Jump! Na Daibouken (referred to as Power Stones)
 * Crash Bandicoot: Warped
 * Crash Team Racing
 * Crash Bash
 * Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex
 * Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure
 * Crash Bandicoot 2: N-Tranced
 * Crash Nitro Kart
 * Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage
 * Crash Twinsanity
 * Crash Bandicoot (mobile)
 * Crash Tag Team Racing
 * Crash Boom Bang!
 * Crash of the Titans (GBA and DS only)
 * Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2
 * Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
 * Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
 * Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (cameo)
 * Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!

Trivia

 * The crystals went through various colors during development of Cortex Strikes Back, such as green and red, before the bright purple was decided.
 * During the intro cutscene for Crash Bandicoot: Warped, it is implied by Uka Uka that there was no more crystals and gems to be found on Earth short of time travel. However, Both items still seem abundant on Earth in later games, starting from Crash Team Racing.
 * In Crash Twinsanity, the crystal Cortex finds at the end of Classroom Chaos does not count towards the total.
 * 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.)