"Crash Nitro Kart" received mixed reviews, with reviews varying from version to version. The home console version was met with generally fair reviews, which dismissed the game as a generic kart racer, but commented positively on its "power slide" mechanic. The Game Boy Advance version earned slightly better reviews than the console version, while reviews for the N-Gage version were middling, with much of the criticism going to the game's "tunnel vision". Content from the game was remastered as a part of "Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled" on June 21, 2019.