Crash Bash is a party game in which four people can play several mini-games as characters from the Crash Bandicoot series. The gameplay consists of 28 different mini-games and three distinct modes of play: Adventure, Battle, and Tournament. Crash Bash includes multiplayer compatibility for up to four human players with the use of the PlayStation Multitap. The games are organized from a central hub world from which spokes lead to different levels.

The Adventure campaign features a frame story centering on Aku Aku and Uka Uka, who seek to resolve their feud via a contest between teams who battle in their stead, as the brothers are forbidden from fighting each other directly.