Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Reviews
By doubling down on some seriously in-depth customisation, finding a way to celebrate Sonic in nearly all his incarnations, and embedding new mechanical gimmicks like Travel Rings and the simple yet genius Rivals system into what is already an excellent arcade racer, CrossWorlds has leapt ahead of the competition to provide a racing foundation I can’t wait to see get expanded upon. In almost every regard, this is about as fully formed a kart racing game can get!
Despite my initial trepidation, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds defies the odds and managed to hook me. Strong fundamental gameplay is paired with genuinely cool customisation options and fantastic track design to make for a compelling and addicting racer that I've had to tear myself away from to even write this review. We'll see how online balance plays out in a realistic sample size, but so far, I'm massively impressed.
Some small gripes aside, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a rock solid kart racer that carves its own path. The dimension-hopping races are fun, varied, and fast, and the robust customisation allows players to really tinker with how the game feels. With energetic action, a good range of race types, and plenty of post-launch content on the way, this is an entertaining entry for casual players and hardcore Sonic fans alike.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a fast-paced, energetic racer that captures the speed and spirit of the Blue Blur. Each course delivers unexpected twists thanks to the impressive CrossWorld mechanic, which lets you speed through iconic areas from the franchise’s history. The tight and responsive controls with the Gadget system make each race a thrill as you always know that there’s a chance to reach the podium. While a few more modes would have better catered to solo players, the game makes up for it with a wealth of multiplayer options. And with the mustachioed rival locked to the Switch, this stands as the best kart racer available on other consoles.
It's true that it has its flaws, as all games do, but its positive aspects are so many that the bad ones are easily overlooked. This is a title for all types of players, and you can enjoy it alone, with your family, or with others online. It's a highly recommended game that you shouldn't miss if you like the character and this type of experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
In conclusion, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a pretty fun game, but there are some details to consider, as it's not as party-oriented as the Mario Kart franchise . It's not just about choosing a character and going racing, but also choosing your appropriate car setup and also the perks that give you a level of support, but not to the point of being broken.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Faster and more hectic than Mario Kart, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds provides a more volatile and, at times, exciting experience for fans of racing survival games. The dynamic stages make stages less predictable while the series’ trademark customization gives players a lot to sink their teeth into. Item use can admittedly be a bit too much, with AI racers being especially aggressive in throwing stuff your way. The game can also be more challenging to get into for casual players. All in all, though, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds provides a unique experience for folks who want something different than the Mario Kart experience.
Fluid, nervous and wildly addictive, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds has something to delight fans of the genre on all platforms. The only regrets are a rather meager launch roster, as well as a too limited number of Grand Prix circuits, not to mention the Competition Area which will not excite everyone. But, with its promise of hosting regular content over the long term, it has everything to become a new must-have in the racing game landscape.
Review in French | Read full review
Sonic Racing CrossWorlds takes the series a significant step forward from the last installment, offering layered and fun gameplay, complemented by a portal system that adds a fresh twist to every race. While it shines on the gameplay front, however, SEGA's offering stumbles with its lackluster extra modes and a technical package that isn't always up to current standards.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Since Sonic Drift came to the Game Gear, in 1994, Sonic the Hedgehog has been zipping about the place in a vehicle of some sort, racing with his pals...
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds does what any arcade racer should do: provide the player with an absurd sense of speed on smartly designed courses. A clever world-shifting thrill and tight controls trump any shortcomings in this surprising genre heavy-hitter.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds far exceeded the expectations I had for it. After feeling like Team Sonic Racing was taking Sonic racing games in the wrong direction, CrossWorlds is a confident showcase of what makes these games so appealing to begin with.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds combines blistering pace, smart systems, and ever-evolving, celebratory track design to deliver the most confident, complete Sonic racer to date.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a pure kart racer that feels like a return to form for the series and a fun racing experience regardless of your affinity with the blue hedgehog.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a return to form for the Sonic kart-racing series, while adding exciting mechanics like portals that shift your race mid-race. The plentiful roster, the tracks are creative and colorful, the visuals shine and the racing and fast and fun. On the downside, handling can feel loose in tighter turns, rubber-banding and item chaos sometimes detract from competitive racing. Still, if you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced kart racing, then Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds delivers.
Nudging into pole position for this generation of the kart racing genre, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is all gas, great gimmicks and most importantly, great fun.
I'm pretty franchise agnostic with karting… I'm not fussed about who the characters are as long as it's fun and I can certainly say that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a lot of fun… even when I wasn't winning I was still enjoying the experience. The moments you pick up a power that can either help you take out the opponent in front or possibly blast past everyone ahead of you really add a lot of fun to the game. The ability to adjust many of the different aspects of the game (including the racing speed) means you can adapt it to the sort of mood you are in, or the skill level you want. The only drawback I would say is the price which does seem a bit steep… but there is a lot of fun to be had here either in solo play or in multiplayer and who doesn't like a bit of split screen racing. Either grab a copy now and get racing or wait for a sale and then grab a copy… but if you like karting games… this is pretty close to a must have!
Sega takes the kart racing crown with variety, chaos, and charm.
Despite a few minor setbacks, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is Sonic Team’s valiant effort to compete in the arcade racer market; when your game contains an abundance of characters, maps, game-modes and mechanics all of the same calibre, it can easily go toe-to-toe with even the Mario Karts of the genre.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a real triumph when it comes to kart racing and more than holds its own against the hedgehog’s main rival from Nintendo. The CrossWorlds mechanic introduces a strategic play that keeps things fresh, and the dozens of tracks do a sterling job in really providing a challenge, which also looks and sounds great. While there is maybe a bit too much grinding in order to unlock the many rewards on offer for dedicated players, even those who only want to casually commit to Sonic Racing will still get plenty of fun playing in both single-player and online, especially with a whole roadmap of additional tracks and racers being rolled out in the months ahead. Mario Kart World is an excellent game, but so too is Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.