Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Reviews
CrossWorlds is a brilliant karting game with satisfying handling, a fun portal mechanic and useful customisation options. Its weapons aren't as punchy as we'd like and it's unclear how it's going to keep players' attention long-term but it's a genuine, more traditional alternative to Mario Kart now that Nintendo's pointed its series in new direction.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a solid alternative to other games in the mascot-racer space, offering speedy, stripped-down action, a few clever twists, and perhaps most importantly for some folks, courses that feel more like those in Mario Kart 8 than the less universally-beloved Mario Kart World. A general lack of content and originality keeps CrossWorlds from fully breaking away from the pack, but it’s at least in striking distance of the winner’s circle.
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.
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
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.
In Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, there is no open world, nor does it seek to reinvent what we have been playing for years; instead, it transforms each race into a battlefield, where the most important thing is to never hit the brakes. On the other hand, the lack of content is noticeable: although there are enough tracks and the crossworlds add variety, repeating the same circuits over and over again can become tedious. Hopefully, over time, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will grow with new content and make the most of the licenses it has on its side. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds features fun, challenging gameplay, a diverse number of characters and tracks. There are also plenty of customization options. Multiplayer is the game's strong point, with a variety of modes both online and offline. However, the single-player content leaves something to be desired, becoming monotonous after a few hours. Furthermore, the Donpa Tickets grind is unnecessarily excessive.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Despite certain issues with the progression and presentation of its proposal, Sonic Racing: Crossworlds is the best racing game featuring the hedgehog that Sega has ever made, as well as a new benchmark for the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' strenghts are in its distinctly arcade feel and sense of speed, it's an incredibly fun kart game with a strong personality that clearly sets it apart from the competition. If you're looking for a kart game and don't own a Nintendo console, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the answer, but it's also a solid alternative for everyone else, with cross-play undoubtedly adding value to the package, along with the extensive post-launch support already announced.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds features some of the best track variety in the genre as well as a visceral driving experience that has you seamlessly take to the skies, water, and road. If you love kart racers, it's an absolute must-play. 🏁
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a fast, stylish return to form for Sega’s kart-racing efforts, blending tight controls with deep customization and a surprisingly generous amount of content. While the core gameplay shines and rival interactions add flair, the overuse of its Travel Rings gimmick and a cautious character roster hold it back from true greatness. It’s a solid, replayable racer that’s fun solo or with friends, just don’t expect it to fully reinvent the wheel.
The soundtrack is amazing, as is now Sega tradition, a mix of different sounds and genres that fortunately you can enjoy at your leisure in jukebox mode. Our opinions on the sound effects are mixed. What we weren't convinced by, above all, was the roar of the engines, which was far too monotonous to be anything other than annoying after a while.
Review in Italian | Read full review
This is a brilliant-looking, bright and colourful kart racer that looks and fells very Mario-esque. It’s lots of fun, particularly with pals by your side, and offers plenty of tracks and modes to keep gamers coming back for more.