With its September launch approaching, I recently had a second opportunity to play Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. My initial impression from Summer Game Fest remains largely the same: the game appears to be sacrificing the best elements of its predecessors, aiming instead for a style closer to Mario Kart. During this latest session, I explored more tracks and tried out new characters, Hatsune Miku and Ichiban Kasuga, who were previously unavailable.
In CrossWorlds, players race in karts or on hoverboards, competing against a roster of characters from Sega`s Sonic universe, alongside a selection of guest characters from other franchises. The game features 24 distinct tracks. Each race consists of three laps, with a unique twist: the second lap transports all racers to an entirely different world via a travel ring. The leading player at the end of the first lap gets to choose the destination world for the second lap, selecting from two randomly offered options out of a pool of 15 diverse worlds.
This “world-hopping” mechanic is a standout feature, particularly in the Grand Prix mode, which was highlighted in both the SGF preview and my recent playtest. In Grand Prix, players earn points based on their finishing position in each race, accumulating scores across a series of events to crown an ultimate victor. A Grand Prix consists of four races, with the final race uniquely combining the three preceding tracks: lap one uses the first race`s track, lap two uses the second`s, and so forth.
Similar to my experience at SGF, I found myself easily dominating the AI opponents on the highest difficulty available in the preview (though an even tougher setting is apparently planned but hasn`t been accessible yet). While winning is enjoyable, the lack of a real challenge has made it difficult to truly immerse myself in the game. I anticipate the true competitive experience will emerge when playing against other human players; however, for now, CrossWorlds feels somewhat underdeveloped compared to its predecessors.
CrossWorlds incorporates elements from both Team Sonic Racing and Sonic Riders but regrettably omits key features such as Team Sonic Racing`s cooperative relay mechanics and Sonic Riders` fuel management and unique character abilities. These distinguishing aspects gave both earlier titles a strong identity, setting them apart from Mario Kart, and also contributed to a more engaging challenge. Winning in those games felt genuinely rewarding, and I recall investing many hours, especially in Riders, striving to improve. That same sense of gratifying challenge is currently absent in CrossWorlds.
All characters, including Hatsune and Ichiban, possess unique stats that supposedly influence kart handling with subtle adjustments. However, these differences felt negligible; I noticed no significant change compared to my earlier experience with Jet the Hawk and Amy Rose at SGF. The `kart plate system,` which allows players to create customizable loadouts to modify kart behavior, offered a more discernible impact. This time, I experimented more with various plate configurations. For instance, I created setups that enabled a monster truck transformation for an aggressive start, enhanced drafting for easier overtakes by siphoning opponents` rings, or allowed for continuous spinning while drifting to ram rivals and gain speed boosts.
While these plate builds are undoubtedly fun and quirky, I wished they had a more substantial impact on gameplay, which would encourage deeper engagement with the customization options. Despite their variety, I consistently won races regardless of the loadout chosen and rarely needed to adapt my core racing strategy. The fundamental gameplay loop—collecting rings for speed, using items against rivals, evading incoming attacks, and drifting through turns—remained unchanged. Ultimately, these customization features, much like other aspects of the game, fail to establish CrossWorlds as distinct from its kart racing competitors; currently, nothing about the experience feels truly unique to the title.
I remain hopeful that I might be overlooking something essential. Given my general enjoyment of Sonic racing titles, my current lack of connection with CrossWorlds feels almost contradictory. I`m optimistic that the game`s unique appeal will become evident once I`m playing it casually with friends, engaging in the chaotic, fun-filled moments that kart racers are known for. Until I experience that, however, I`m maintaining a cautious outlook on its potential.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is scheduled for release on September 25th for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. A version for Nintendo Switch 2 is planned for the 2025 holiday season.