Sonic Racing: Crossworlds Dials Up the Speed—But Can Anything Beat Sonic Himself?
Get ready to put the pedal to the metal—Sonic Racing: Crossworlds is rolling in later this year and it’s shaping up to be a serious challenger for Mario Kart’s crown. But even with all those turbo-charged cars, one thing’s clear: Sonic himself is still the fastest thing on the track.
- Sonic Racing: Crossworlds brings crazy speed and intense competition
- New gadget system and mid-race map changes keep things fresh
- Super Sonic speed mode for hardcore fans
- Console cross-play and vibrant courses included
- Release date: September 25 on all major platforms
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds – Faster Than Ever
Takashi Iizuka, head of Sega’s Sonic Team, knows a thing or two about speed. When asked about the pace of the new game, he explained that the team started off with a speed they thought was “appropriate,” but playtests revealed Sonic fans wanted even more. So what did they do? They added a Super Sonic speed mode to crank things up for the hardcore crowd. “What regular people felt was a great speed, our Sonic fans wanted to go faster,” Iizuka said. “So the development team put in a Super Sonic speed into the game to really deliver what those hardcore Sonic fans want out of a fast racing experience.”
First Impressions: Speed That Surprises
After 30 minutes of hands-on play as Sonic, Shadow, and Knuckles, it’s clear—this is a racing game first, Sonic nostalgia tour second. The sense of speed is real, and if you’ve spent years playing Mario Kart, you’ll definitely notice the difference. Courses are challenging, drifts are crucial, and each lap pushes you to master the mechanics. One course is even built entirely out of the aircraft carrier from Sonic Adventure 2—how’s that for fan service?
Deep Customization and Wild Gadgets
Iizuka points out that what sets Sonic Racing games apart is their focus on real racing mechanics. There’s something for everyone: slower modes for casual players and loads of customization options for those who want to go deep. The big new feature? A gadget system that works like a skill tree, letting you unlock and slot different upgrades into your car. Want to steal rings by bumping into rivals? Or maybe weaponize your drift? It’s all here, and those tiny choices can be the difference between first and last.
Changing the Game With Travel Rings
Crossworlds throws in a wild twist: the travel ring. This mid-race portal zaps all drivers to a totally different map for one lap. “We don’t think any other game has had it now, and we don’t think any other game is going to have it in the future,” Iizuka said. “But it’s coming out of an idea of how we could change the race dynamic. By having the travel ring be that second course, you’re going to a brand-new location, you’re no longer doing three laps on the same track. We’ve flipped the tables.”
All the Essentials—And More
You’ll find everything you expect from a cartoon racer: crazy weapons, bright tracks, loads of voice-acted taunts, and console cross-play (a feature that wasn’t easy for the team to pull off). But what about Sonic’s pride? Is he worried about losing in a car? “Sonic wants to have a fair competition,” Iizuka explained. “So he’s getting in a car as well. It’s fair because everyone’s got to be in a vehicle.” But could Sonic outrun one of the cars? No hesitation: “Oh yeah.”
Mark Your Calendars
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds launches September 25 on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Whether you’re all about speed, gadgets, or just want to see Sonic in action, this one’s worth keeping an eye on.
