Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds review: There’s method in this chaos

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At the start of this console generation, one exciting promise was the ability to instantly jump between different game worlds. The new consoles’ fast storage drives were expected to load levels quickly, letting players seamlessly switch between realities – imagine starting in a Western, then instantly being in a sci-fi world or underwater kingdom. Unfortunately, this hasn’t really happened. While *Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart* showed off the potential with impressive dimension-hopping, and *Marvel’s Spider-Man 2* had fast travel, most games haven’t gone beyond what previous consoles could do. It seems developers either didn’t know how to use this feature effectively, lacked the funds to implement it, or both. Now, Sega has surprisingly brought this idea back, making instant travel between dimensions a key feature of the newest *Sonic the Hedgehog* kart racing game.

Between Worlds

In *Sonic Racing*, races typically consist of three tracks. You race the first and third tracks on a chosen map, but the second track takes you to a special dimension called a “crossworld.” These crossworlds are unique tracks that add variety to the races. The player in first place usually gets to choose which crossworld to visit, or they can select a random one. While most races follow this pattern, the game also lets you play every round on a different track. Crossworlds can also include extra challenges, and you can even switch between the main tracks during a race.

Because of this, every race feels unique – different racers can perform drastically differently. Even knowing a track inside and out doesn’t guarantee success, as you might end up on a layout that doesn’t suit your style. Conversely, a slow start isn’t a disaster, because you could get lucky with a track that plays to your strengths and lets you really shine. The system runs flawlessly, which is what I love most about *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds*. It’s a great game, and even if you’re still enjoying the latest *Mario Kart*, it’s definitely worth checking out.

The game features both standard and ‘crossworld’ tracks, and both are beautifully designed and fun to play. You’ll encounter familiar elements from *All-Stars Racing Transformed*, like tracks that change to accommodate boats and planes, along with plenty of alternate routes, challenges, and surprises. There are over 20 main tracks and 15 crossworlds available at launch, with more planned for the future – it’s currently unclear whether these additions will be available to all players or only those with the season pass. The game really shines in its variety; you’ll race through jungles, canyons, shopping malls, cities, and ancient ruins inspired by *Sonic Frontiers*. Expect exciting moments like escaping a kraken’s tentacles on a pirate ship, weaving between dinosaurs, and dodging futuristic trains. Everything is vibrant and colorful, even the darker environments – like the ruins and Halloween-themed races – maintain a lively, arcade-style feel.

Honestly, the track design is still great, even when you’re playing split-screen where it’s harder to see everything. I never really got totally lost or went the wrong way, unless I was purposely trying to fall off the edge to find a sneaky shortcut, of course!

Transformed races

Beyond its unique “crossworlds” mode, *Sonic Racing* plays like a standard kart racer, but adds enjoyable features from past *Sonic* games. The controls are very responsive, and winning requires both good driving and mastering the art of drifting. Drifting lets you take corners quickly without slowing down, and also builds up a boost for a burst of speed. You can also gain speed by performing tricks while airborne, making every jump a chance to accelerate. Throughout the race, you’ll collect Sonic’s rings to increase your top speed, and grab weapons to hinder opponents or protect yourself.

As I said before, *All-Stars Racing Transformed* brings back the swimming and flying sections, but with improvements. Now you can control your movement side-to-side in the air, and the focus is on performing jumps and tricks rather than drifting on the water. All of this combines to create incredibly unpredictable races – the lead can change hands constantly, comebacks are frequent, and the speed is intense even in the easiest races. It’s so exciting and immersive that after playing for a while, I found myself feeling overwhelmed and needing a break. Despite all the craziness, winning isn’t just about luck. While you might occasionally lose the lead right before the finish line due to an unexpected attack, it doesn’t happen often. Generally, the winner is the player who knows the tracks well, uses their weapons effectively, and, crucially, is a skilled drifter.

Team battles are back in *Sonic Team Racing*, and this time, you’ll race as a team, working together to earn points. You can help each other out by bumping into opponents or collecting rings for the team, which builds up a powerful team boost. This feature was controversial in the last game, but now it’s optional – you can choose to play with team mechanics in separate modes without it affecting the main racing experience. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the team racing in the previous game, so I think this is a good solution.

PROS:

  1. Jumps between worlds wonderfully diversify the fun and make each race unique;
  2. a large variety of well-designed tracks;
  3. races are an unpredictable spectacle of chaos;
  4. good, skill-based driving model;
  5. well-developed local multiplayer, allowing up to four people to have fun in every variant of the game.

CONS:

  1. Modest number of local gameplay modes – lacks a full-fledged campaign/career;
  2. game’s sound design is one big cacophony.

Everyone is here! Well, they will be someday

When *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* launches, it will feature 24 playable characters, with one needing to be unlocked. The roster includes favorites like Sonic, Knuckles, Amy, and Tails, as well as some less common faces like Vector, Espio, and Rouge. While each character has unique stats, the differences are fairly minor. You can further customize your experience by choosing a vehicle and perks, which have a more significant effect on how you perform. This means you can simply pick the character you like best without worrying too much about optimization.

I usually like when characters feel really distinct from each other, but I get why Sega did things this way with this game. They’ve got big plans for adding tons of characters after launch! We’re going to get heroes from other Sega games for free, and if you get the online pass, even more characters and tracks from totally different franchises will be added. We already know Ichiban from *Like a Dragon*, Joker from *Persona*, and Hatsune Miku are coming soon as free additions. And the season pass includes characters from *Minecraft*, *SpongeBob*, *Pac-Man*, *Avatar*, and even the *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*! As a massive *Like a Dragon* fan, I’m already hyped for Ichiban, and I really hope he plays well – it would be so disappointing if his stats didn’t fit my style and he wasn’t a good character to race with.

Online worlds

The biggest drawback of *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* is its limited selection of single-player options. While there’s no dedicated story or career mode, the main solo experience revolves around the Grand Prix, which consists of four races – three on specific tracks, followed by a final race combining all tracks with a single lap each. There’s also a traditional time trial mode and a free play mode where you can race with preset or custom rules (including team races). However, even with unlockable vehicles, mirrored tracks, perks, and customization options, this feels a little sparse. After a few hours, you’ll likely experience everything the game has to offer, and the initial excitement can turn into repetitive gameplay. Fortunately, most modes (excluding time trials) support local multiplayer, letting up to four players compete on a single console. I found the two-player co-op mode particularly enjoyable and preferred it over playing alone.

I’m really excited about this game because it doesn’t just have a single-player mode and local versus play – they’ve put a lot of effort into online multiplayer too! It looks like they’re treating the online mode as a major part of the game, judging by how prominent it is in the menu. Sadly, I couldn’t test it out in the review version because the servers were down. That’s got me a little worried, honestly. They’ve promised a bunch of free characters, but I’m hoping Sega doesn’t lock them behind battle passes or make them really difficult to unlock. I can’t say for sure yet, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed they don’t get too greedy. If the online play is good, though, that could keep this game alive for a long time – even though the split-screen action is already fantastic!

Spell of arcade salons

The game looks good overall. As I noted earlier, *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* really goes for that classic arcade feel – it’s bright, fast-paced, and full of action with lots of explosions and effects. While the game is visually busy, the character and level designs are actually fairly simple. This is a good thing, actually – too much detail would likely make the fast-paced action confusing. Still, it feels like the graphics could have been improved; newer *Mario Kart* games or even the *Crash Team Racing* remake look more polished.

The sound design in this game is… unique. A friend who tried the demo told me to play with the sound off, and I quickly realized why. While the main theme is catchy, it gets lost in a constant barrage of noises during races. There’s always something making a sound – explosions, collecting rings, crashes, or weapons firing. Everything seems to have a sound effect, and when twelve racers are all using them at once, it becomes really overwhelming. My friend said it felt like being in a casino, but I think it’s more like the sound of a busy arcade – it’s easy to feel overloaded.

Breaking news: A hedgehog attacked a hydraulics specialist

I initially questioned the timing of *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds*, launching so soon after the new *Mario Kart*. However, after playing it, I realize there’s a good reason for its release. Simply being a good game wouldn’t be enough to stand out next to *Mario Kart*, but *CrossWorlds* offers something different. Its unique concept, combined with fast-paced action and strong gameplay, makes it a real contender. It can successfully coexist alongside Nintendo’s kart racing leader, offering players a fresh alternative. As history shows – think of the Spartans – there’s room for more than one champion.

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2025-09-18 16:04