Crash of the Titans is a platformer that emphasizes beat 'em up combat over traditional exploration. The player controls Crash Bandicoot as he navigates linear levels (known as "episodes") on Wumpa Island, divided into themed environments such as jungles and lava fields. Episodes proceed along narrow paths hemmed in on each side, interspersing arena-style battles against groups of mutant enemies, known as Titans, with brief platforming sequences. The camera is fixed and non-adjustable, centered primarily on Crash.
Combat forms the primary focus, shifting from Crash's earlier spin-based attacks to a beat 'em up system featuring punches, kicks, blocking, dodging, and charged heavy attacks. Light attacks enable quick combos to build damage, while heavy attacks break enemy guards or stun Titans. Titans display a star meter above their heads that fills with sustained attacks; if uninterrupted, the meter depletes, and the Titan regains health. Filling the meter stuns the Titan, allowing Crash to "jack" it by mounting and placing Aku Aku, his protective mask companion, over its face, granting full control. There are fifteen distinct Titans with unique abilities, combos, and special moves, enabling players to destroy obstacles, defeat stronger enemies, or solve simple environmental challenges like activating switches. Players can chain jacks, using a smaller Titan to stun and control a larger one, particularly in boss encounters. Jacked Titans possess a Titan Meter that enables a special attack when fully charged. Defeating enemies or destroying objects yields orbs of "Mojo", which accumulate to unlock ability upgrades for Crash such as extended spins, headbutts, or combo chains. Platforming incorporates double jumps, ledge grabs, wall jumps, and a spinning maneuver for gliding over gaps. Aku Aku doubles as a hoverboard for grinding rails or speeding through sections.
Crash starts the game with four lives. The length of each of Crash's lives is tied to his health meter, which decreases whenever Crash is damaged from enemy attacks or falls down a bottomless pit. The player can replenish Crash's health meter by collecting Wumpa Fruit. Each time the health meter is fully depleted, Crash loses a life. However, the player can gain an additional life for Crash by accumulating a certain amount of Mojo or by collecting a rare type of Golden Wumpa Fruit. After the last life is lost, the player can continue playing by restarting the current episode.
Episodes conclude with a ranking (represented by a bronze, silver, or gold voodoo doll) based on secondary goals: defeating a quota of enemies, destroying three surveillance robots per level, and achieving a minimum combo length. Gold rankings require fulfilling all three tasks in one run. Hidden voodoo dolls unlock concept art packages when collected. Each episode contains a portal leading to a simple mini-game arena, where the player must accomplish a task in a set time. Generally the task involves collecting a specified quantity of Mojo, jacking a titan and using its abilities, or simply defeating a select number of enemies.