What animal species is Crash Bandicoot?

Crash Bandicoot is a bandicoot, specifically a genetically enhanced eastern barred bandicoot.

Crash is the protagonist of the Crash Bandicoot franchise, which began with the 1996 PlayStation game developed by Naughty Dog. In the story, Doctor Neo Cortex captures Crash and uses the Evolvo-Ray in an attempt to transform him into a soldier for the Cortex Commandos. The experiment does not go as planned, and Crash escapes Cortex's castle.

The word “bandicoot” refers to several small Australian marsupials, not rodents. That explains why “rat” is a tempting but incorrect choice. Crash's cartoon design is also highly stylized, so his orange fur, oversized sneakers and expressive face do not closely resemble a real eastern barred bandicoot.

During development, Crash was temporarily called Willie the Wombat, even though the character had become a bandicoot by 1994. The final name combined his species with his signature habit of smashing crates.