Crash Team Racing Reserves/Speed Technical Analysis

Ever wonder exactly how much reserves you get from a drift boost, or how fast the different fire levels are? This is a detailed look at the technical aspects of CTR: Nitro-Fueled's gameplay. Watch the video for all the answers, or check down in this description for easy reference!

This video was partly inspired by TheRedhotbr's video on the same subject for the original CTR:

All testing was done on the Switch version of the game, version 1.0.15 (the update that added dev times and changed collision).

All questions and answers (reserves are listed in seconds and speed is a percentage increase over your normal (base) speed):

1. How much reserves does a drift boost give you?
For non-drift classes, 0.405s (minimum boost) to 1.77s (maximum boost). For drift, 0.458s to 1.867s. There are 15 frames on which you can boost. The equation for non-drift is R = 0.105x + 0.3, and drift is R = 0.10833x + 0.35 (where R is reserves gained in seconds, and x is the frame on which you boost).

2. Should you do more small boosts, or fewer big ones?
Always do fewer, larger boosts and boost when the meter is as high as possible! This gets you the most reserves.

3. How much reserves do you get from jump boosts?
For a jump of 66-146 (on the classic speedometer-style boost gauge), you get 1.1s of reserves. 150 or above gives 1.43s.

4. How much reserves do you get from turbo pads?
Every track is different, and even pads within the same track give different amounts of reserves. They generally range from 0.5-1.5s.

5. How do turbo strips affect reserves?
The long blue turbo pads on Electron Avenue and the blue tunnel in N. Gin Labs are turbo "strips". While you're touching them, your reserves stop going down.

6. Does u-turning or going off-road affect reserves?
Both will slow you down, but don't affect your reserves. Reserves always go down at a constant rate.

7. What speed does drift-boosting give you?
+17.7% for one boost, +20.7% for two, and +23.7% for three.

8. What speed do turbo pads give you?
Yellow fire pads are all +33% speed. Blue fire speed is different on every track and many tracks have multiple levels of blue fire. The typical range is +40% to +80%.

9. What speed and reserves do items give you?
The unjuiced turbo gives 2.9s of reserves and +22% speed. The juiced turbo gives 2.9s of reserves and +32% speed. The super engine (normally) doesn't give reserves, but instead stops your reserves from dropping while it's active. The unjuiced one lasts for 8 seconds and gives +19% speed, and the juiced one lasts 11 seconds and gives +37% speed.

10. What speed and reserves do start boosts give you?
For one rev, +1% and 0.87s, two revs +2% and 1.17s, and three revs +3% and 1.57s.

11. Does revving a lot at the start make any difference?
Nope, all that matters is how high the boost gauge is when the light turns green (only three revs are needed).

12. What speed do you get from jump boosts?
Approximately +16% for the minimum jump boost (66) up to about +26% for 186 or above. Equation: speed(%) = ((jump - 66) * 0.08333) + 16

13. How much faster is it to have 10 wumpa fruit?
1% faster. Also, you must have all 10, you don't go any faster if you have 1-9 wumpa fruit.

14. Is time trial speed equivalent to having 10 wumpa fruit?
No, speed in time trials is as if you had no wumpa fruit.

15: How much slower is it to not hold the gas button?
As long as you have reserves, you go 1% slower when not holding the gas.

[TheRedhotbr]

Very informative video, easy and fun to follow! I only have a comment at 5:10 : normal turbo pads can give you different speeds as well. A classic example is in Cortex Castle, where the second turbo pad gives you more speed than the first.

[Zonby]

This video should be pinned everywhere, GOOD JOB!!!

[brosrdumb]

To think reserves have been easier than intended due to a bug is pretty crazy. Nice video

[runneypo]

Thank you for this technical analysis on the reserve system. I've just recently got into playing this game and this video has helped me to understand the reserve system more intuitively as i have a technical mind and technical training

[salmon-stan]

Incredibly informative. Thank you so much!

[chunzprocessor]

Nice comparisons! I wish the reserve gauge could've been excited in the game as an option xD

[TroboTicTac]

1:56 while this is true, I do sometimes do more smaller boosts because it helps me turn tighter

[oliveriojunior]

Thank you for making me faster, great job.

[brendanmcglynn]

Hey Mario nice video nice statistics and guidance so cool

[x_n_only_jtm_]

I just found this video. Great analysis!

[strikereureka]

Great video, this is be very valuable information

To complete this information there's also a video o peruian youtuber TDYU who tested the speeds of every turbo pad in the game and made a chart of every level of fire You get, the only caviar is that he speaks in spanish

[salvadora.l.]

Great video. It did clarify lots of questions I had about this game.

[darkwoork]

Great video, such a shame that he doesn't make content anymore, a series of Crash Car techniques explanation would've been great.

[neildelaguila]

Great job my friend, I've been playing since launch and there were things I didn't know, I'd like to see a video analysis on every type of engine because the stats shown are not accurate.

[Garma]

Huge research. Very good and informative video. I will make sure to recommend it to others. :thumbsup:

[serbiancrusader]

Mario: "Revving your engine a lot doesn't give extra reserves."

Tryhard Pro players: "Impossible😤"

[Peppins]

Top video, have you tested also with cheat of 99 wumpa? And have you tested with balanced drive style vs drift (about reserve)?

[Youtubeviewerwhoiscool]

Wait.. how did you get the engine one in a race

[Leniovias]

Great Video!
I'm Admin/Dev of the CTR:NF Time Trial page CrashTeamRanking. Would you mind if I extract the info and include your video in some kind of "Wiki" page on our site?

On a side note: Your explanation of the engine is slightly off. The engine doesn't *kill* your reserves is your fire level is too low, it merely doesn't stop your reserves. If you have enough reserves, you can use the juiced engine without losing Sacred Fire afterwards.

[Opre]

Nice video. How can I save more reserves beeing at the ground? Is it releasing X and holding down only, or is it releasing X and holding down + square (I play on PS4 with classic gameplay style)? Or is it different? I always forget it. Regardless the way it is, can I hold the X buttom?