Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds’ new ad is gaining attention not for any gameplay showcase or cinematics but for its apparent Mario Kart call-out. Continue reading to learn more about the video’s sly references and the Sonic racer’s upcoming release!
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Calls Mario Kart Out in New Ad
Sonic Racing Wants Fans to "Race on Our Level"
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds recently released a new promotional video on the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter (X) account, and fans are enjoying the thinly veiled shots it took at the Mario Kart franchise.
The 30-second video starts with an old flat-screen TV featuring heavily pixelated gameplay accompanied by narration uninterestedly stating, "We all know that kart racing game. It’s great; we don’t need to show it to you."
It then continues with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds gameplay and cinematics stitched together with footage of a real-life racecar with a newer display showcasing the game attached to its rear. In a series of rhetorical what-if questions, the voiceover lists down some of the upcoming kart racer’s features, such as interdimensional travel and full vehicle customization, and calls on players to "race on a whole other level."
This is immediately followed by footage of a tortoise walking next to a run-down RV with the older TV, seemingly featuring Mario Kart, shoddily strapped to its rear bumper. Here, the narrator’s energy takes a nosedive and asks, "What if you want to roam around on the open road?" in an obvious dig at Mario Kart World’s new open-world mechanics.
Whether or not this was meant as a light-hearted punching up at Sonic Racing's well-established competitor or a legitimate declaration of supremacy, the new ad seems to have done its job, as gamers came to the thread in droves to back Sonic up and express how the video has gotten them hyped for the release. Even those seemingly uninterested in the game itself couldn’t help but respond, praising the ad and celebrating the return of bold and competitive old-school marketing.
Sonic Racing vs. Mario Kart
The Mario Kart franchise has long held the title of gaming’s premiere kart racer, so fans have been hungry for a title to come along and truly contend with the Nintendo giant. Come the September 25 release, fans are hoping that the latest Sonic Racing installment can truly contend and present some competition within the subgenre.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will launch with 24 main tracks and 15 CrossWorlds, alternate track segments that players can warp into mid-race. In comparison, Mario Kart World, which was released back in June, currently has 30 tracks.
In terms of playable characters, Mario Kart World has a whopping 50 playable racers while the forthcoming Sonic racer will launch with 23. While the gap is formidable on paper, it may be less significant than it seems as only 24 of Mario’s accompanying racers are main characters, with the other 26 being in-universe creatures and common enemies like Monty Moles and Goombas.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, on the other hand, will feature mostly named members of the Sonic cast at launch, with the lone exception being the Egg Pawn. Additionally, SEGA has announced collaborations with external IPs, with Hatsune Miku, PAC-MAN, Spongebob Squarepants, Minecraft’s Steve, and more set to join as playable racers in future DLC. In contrast, Mario Kart World producer Kosuke Yabuki has previously called the potential addition of external characters to their racing franchise "incongruous" and "unnecessary."
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will be released on September 25, 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2. For all the latest news on the upcoming SEGA kart racer, check out our article below!
Source:
Sonic the Hedgehog on X
