Template:Infobox Crash Nitro Kart is a 2003 racing game developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Universal Interactive for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance and N-Gage. The game is the ninth installment in the Crash Bandicoot series. It is an indirect sequel to Crash Team Racing and the first full motion video based game in the series. The game's story centers on the abduction of Crash Bandicoot, along with other characters in the series, by the ruthless dictator Emperor Velo XXVII. Threatening to destroy the Earth if they refuse, he forces them all to race in his gigantic coliseum for the entertainment of his subjects.
On Earth, Crash Bandicoot and his friends are relaxing while their nemesis, Doctor Neo Cortex, ponders his next course of action in regards to defeating the Bandicoots and achieving world domination.[19] Suddenly, both groups are abducted by a mysterious white light that takes them to a large coliseum somewhere in another galaxy. This galaxy is ruled by Emperor Velo XXVII, who plans on having the group race for the entertainment of his subjects. He promises the Earthlings that winning the races will win their freedom, and threatens them with the destruction of Earth if they refuse to race.[20] After both teams accept the challenge, Velo explains that the racers will compete on four worlds of his choosing, and promises a race against the galactic champion if the champions of those worlds are defeated.