Doritos Crash Course

{{Infobox video game

|title = Doritos Crash Course

|image = Dorito crash course cover.jpg

|developer = Wanako Games
Behaviour Interactive

|publisher = Microsoft Game Studios

|released = December 8, 2010

|genre = Platform

|modes = Single-player, multiplayer

|platforms = Xbox 360 (XBLA)

}}

Doritos Crash Course (formerly titled as Avatar Crash Course) is a 3D sidescrolling platforming advergame developed by Wanako Games for the Xbox 360. It was released for free as one of the finalists of the "Unlock Xbox" competition sponsored by Doritos, alongside Harms Way.{{Cite web|last=Fahey|first=Mike|date=December 8, 2010|title=Which Free Doritos Xbox Game Is The Cheesiest?|url=https://kotaku.com/which-free-doritos-xbox-game-is-the-cheesiest-452571536|website=Kotaku|publisher=G/O Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804225800/https://kotaku.com/which-free-doritos-xbox-game-is-the-cheesiest-452571536|archive-date=August 4, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}} The concept for the game was designed by Jill Robertson from Raleigh, North Carolina, inspired by Japanese game shows such as Sasuke. On December 29, 2010, the game was announced the winner of the second "Unlock Xbox" competition.{{cite press release|date=December 30, 2010|title=Fans Select 'Doritos Crash Course' as Winner of Doritos Unlock Xbox Challenge|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fans-select-doritos-crash-course-as-winner-of-doritos-unlock-xbox-challenge-112654804.html|website=PR Newswire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327103305/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fans-select-doritos-crash-course-as-winner-of-doritos-unlock-xbox-challenge-112654804.html|archive-date=March 27, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}}

A Windows 8 version of the game, Doritos Crash Course Go!, was briefly available on the Microsoft Store, but has since been delisted.

Gameplay

In Doritos Crash Course, the players have to get their Xbox 360 avatars through increasingly difficult obstacle courses before the time runs out.{{Cite web|last1=Mastrocola|first1=Vicente Martin|last2=Berimbau|first2=Mauro Miguel Rodrigues|title=Doritos Crash Course: using a game as a platform for advertising and branding|url=https://vincevader.net/articles/doritos.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813182215/https://vincevader.net/articles/doritos.pdf|archive-date=August 13, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}} Each course has a various number of checkpoints scattered throughout. If the avatar falls off the course, the game will begin from the last passed checkpoint.{{Cite journal|last1=Powell|first1=Joanne|last2=Kaye|first2=Linda|title=The Effect of Physical Co-Location on Social Competence, Gaming Engagement and Gamer Identity within a Competitive Multiplayer Game|url=https://osf.io/preprints/osf/672dz|journal=Open Science Journal of Psychology|issue=5|date=February 26, 2019|page=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925093908/https://osf.io/672dz|archive-date=September 25, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}} The game is composed of three locations (United States, Europe, and Japan), each having five levels. Some of the obstacles include collapsing floors, swinging ropes, chains, and water balloons.{{Cite book|last=Kelso|first=Tony|date=September 14, 2018|title=The Social Impact of Advertising|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ow5pDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA222|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|page=222|isbn=9781538101155|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805215838/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ow5pDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA222|archive-date=August 5, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| align = left

| MC = 74/100{{Cite web|title=Doritos Crash Course|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/doritos-crash-course/|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926225030/https://www.metacritic.com/game/doritos-crash-course/|archive-date=September 26, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}}

| HC = 72%{{Cite magazine|last=Diaz|first=Oscar|date=December 14, 2010|title=Review de Dorito's Crash Course [sic]|url=https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reviews/review-de-doritos-crash-course-10079|magazine=HobbyConsolas|publisher=Axel Springer SE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204151355/https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reviews/review-de-doritos-crash-course-10079|archive-date=December 4, 2022|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}}

| JXV = 16/20{{Cite web|author=Natsu|date=January 5, 2011|title=Test : Doritos Crash Course|url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00014115-doritos-crash-course-test.htm|language=fr|website=Jeuxvideo.com|publisher=Webedia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126191950/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00014115-doritos-crash-course-test.htm|archive-date=November 26, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=September 25, 2019}}

| OXMUK = 8/10{{Cite magazine|author=OXMUK staff|date=January 30, 2011|title=Doritos: Crash Course|url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=25479|magazine=Official Xbox Magazine UK|publisher=Future plc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202071401/http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=25479|archive-date=February 2, 2011|access-date=September 25, 2019}}

| VB = 7/10{{Cite web|last=Conway|first=Ryan|date=December 29, 2010|title=Corporate Sponsorship 101: Harm's Way [sic] & Doritos Crash Course|url=https://venturebeat.com/community/2010/12/29/corporate-sponsorship-101-harms-way-doritos-crash-course/|website=VentureBeat|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308193318/https://venturebeat.com/community/2010/12/29/corporate-sponsorship-101-harms-way-doritos-crash-course/|archive-date=March 8, 2024|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}}

| VG = 8/10{{Cite web|last=Orry|first=Tom|date=December 13, 2010|title=Doritos Crash Course Review|url=https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/doritos-crash-course-review|website=VideoGamer.com|publisher=Resero Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925091804/https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/doritos-crash-course-review|archive-date=September 25, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}}

}}

The game received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.

Since its release, the game sold 1,449,359 units worldwide by January 2011.{{Cite web|last=Langley|first=Ryan|date=January 27, 2011|title=In-depth: Xbox Live Arcade's 2010 Sales Revealed|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/in-depth-xbox-live-arcade-s-2010-sales-revealed|website=Game Developer|publisher=Informa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727003213/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/in-depth-xbox-live-arcade-s-2010-sales-revealed|archive-date=July 27, 2024|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}} Sales of the game moved up to 4,222,820 units by the end of 2011.{{Cite web|last=Langley|first=Ryan|date=January 20, 2012|title=Xbox Live Arcade by the numbers - the 2011 year in review|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/xbox-live-arcade-by-the-numbers---the-2011-year-in-review|website=Game Developer|publisher=Informa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325034553/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39713/Xbox_Live_Arcde_by_the_numbers__the_2011_year_in_review.php|archive-date=March 25, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 12, 2025}}

Downloadable content

On January 2, 2013, the "City Lights" DLC was made available for $1.99 (USD). The pack contains fifteen levels spanning Las Vegas and London, along with the new versions of the levels set in Japan from the original game.{{Cite web|last=Hinkle|first=David|date=January 2, 2013|title=Doritos Crash Course 'City Lights' DLC stumbles onto Xbox Live|url=https://www.engadget.com/2013-01-02-doritos-crash-course-city-lights-dlc-stumbles-onto-xbox-live.html|website=Engadget (Joystiq)|publisher=Yahoo! Ine.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105023726/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/doritos-crash-course-city-lights-dlc-stumbles-onto-xbox-live/|archive-date=January 5, 2013|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}}

Sequel

On May 8, 2013, the sequel named Doritos Crash Course 2 was released for free on Xbox Live Arcade.{{Cite web|last=Orry|first=James|date=May 8, 2013|title=Doritos Crash Course 2 is free on Xbox LIVE Arcade|url=https://www.videogamer.com/news/doritos-crash-course-2-is-free-on-xbox-live-arcade/|website=VideoGamer.com|publisher=Resero Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813035711/https://www.videogamer.com/news/doritos-crash-course-2-is-free-on-xbox-live-arcade/|archive-date=August 13, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}} Similar to the first game, avatars controlled by the players will participate in obstacle courses. Leaderboards allow competitions with friends online, where up to four players can in local multiplayer.{{Cite web|last=Hatfield|first=Don|date=May 6, 2013|title=FREE 'DORITOS CRASH COURSE 2' HITS XBOX LIVE THIS WEEK|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/155xq6/doritos-crash-course-2-xbla|website=MTV|publisher=Paramount Media Networks|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804225808/https://www.mtv.com/news/155xq6/doritos-crash-course-2-xbla|archive-date=August 4, 2023|access-date=January 13, 2025}} The game brings out 4 new worlds (Amazon, Antarctic, Egypt, and Pirate Island) with five courses each. Unlike in Doritos Crash Course, players must collect stars, which are used to unlock levels, buy power-ups and effects that change avatars' appearance in-game.{{Cite web|last=Donato|first=Joe|date=May 13, 2013|title=Review: Doritos Crash Course 2 isn't a great ad for chips, but it's a fun platformer|url=https://gamezone.com/reviews/review-doritos-crash-course-2-isn-t-a-great-ad-for-chips-but-it-s-a-fun-platformer/|website=GameZone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607143658/http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/2013/05/13/review-doritos-crash-course-2-isn-t-a-great-ad-for-chips-but-it-s-a-fun-platformer|archive-date=June 7, 2013|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}}

On April 24, 2014, the game was removed from Xbox Live Arcade{{Cite web|last=Gray|first=Keith|date=April 24, 2014|title=Doritos Crash Course 2 Gets Delisted|url=https://www.trueachievements.com/n16714/doritos-crash-course-2-gets-delisted|website=TrueAchievements|publisher=TrueGaming Network Ltd.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804225810/https://www.trueachievements.com/n16714/doritos-crash-course-2-gets-delisted|archive-date=August 4, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}} following an announcement of closure one week prior, on April 17.{{Cite web|last=Gray|first=Keith|date=April 17, 2014|title=Doritos Crash Course 2 Closing Down Soon|url=https://www.trueachievements.com/n16654/doritos-crash-course-2-closing-down-soon|website=TrueAchievements|publisher=TrueGaming Network Ltd.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804225802/https://www.trueachievements.com/n16654/doritos-crash-course-2-closing-down-soon|archive-date=August 4, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2025}}

The game is still downloadable for free on the Xbox's Microsoft Store, through Xbox 360 backwards compatibility on Xbox One and newer.