The original concept for the game was helmed by Mark Cerny and was meant to feature open levels.
This is one of very few games to sport major enhancements in its PlayStation 2 Platinum/Greatest Hits re-release. The re-release has much shorter loading times.
Py-Ro was originally intended to be fought after Lo-Lo. Uka Uka's dialog wasn't changed to reflect the switch.
Polar was planned to be in the game. He can be seen in concept art.
Coincidentally, there is a song called Elements by a production trio called Neo Cortex.
Music
The main theme and the music in the bonus segments is remixed from Crash 3.
References
The Mech that Crash uses in the space station levels bears a striking resemblance to the mech from the movie Aliens.
There is a book called Tornado Alley.
Smokey and the Bandicoot is a reference to the movie Smokey and the Bandit.
Weathering Heights refers to the book called Wuthering Heights.
Ice Station Bandicoot is a reference to a novel named Ice Station Zebra.
Crashes to Ashes is a pun on the biblical metaphor, "ashes to ashes".
