| Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | |||
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| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | DLC & Pre-Order | Review |
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds was announced at the PlayStation State of Play for February 2025! Read on to learn how it plays, what it's about, and everything else we know so far.
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Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Gameplay
Customize Your Vehicle!
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds expands the Sonic Racing universe with a blend of familiar mechanics and new features. A core element of the game is its vehicle customization system. Unlike previous titles, characters are not locked to specific vehicles; players can experiment with different combinations of characters and rides. Each character and vehicle has unique stats in categories like Speed, Acceleration, and Handling.
Customization goes beyond these, however, as players can freely mix and match parts from different vehicles to create personalized designs. The game offers granular control over vehicle appearance, which includes options for colors, decals, textures, and even interior detailing.
This extensive customization system is further amplified by the diverse range of vehicles available, totaling 35 unique options, including the return of a fan-favorite vehicle type: Extreme Gear boards.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds marks the return of Extreme Gear, the hoverboards originally featured in the Sonic Riders series. These boards focus on gaining boosts and aerial maneuvers.
Travel Rings, CrossWorlds, and Gadgets
Key to this entry, however, is the integration of Travel Rings, which serve as portals to the game’s namesake CrossWorlds. During races, the leading racer chooses the CrossWorld for the second lap. These shift the environment and track designs. As terrains change, so too must players adapt to the different areas, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. The game boasts a substantial track list, featuring 24 main tracks and 15 CrossWorlds.
Complementing these is the new Gadget System, which introduces RPG-like elements to the game. Before each race, players can equip multiple gadgets onto their Gadget Plate, which can be upgraded to hold a maximum of 6 slots. Since more powerful gadgets require multiple slots to equip, players must strategically balance their loadout.
In addition to returning and reimagined mechanics, the game features 23 power-up items, including familiar favorites and new additions like the Monster Truck power-up. Players can use these items to gain an advantage over their opponents during races.
Game Modes
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds offers three main game modes: Grand Prix, Race Park, and Time Attack. These modes can be enjoyed by 1-4 players locally and up to 12 players online.
Grand Prix mode likely consists of a series of races culminating in an overall championship. Race Park may offer a more casual environment for players to practice and experiment. Time Attack may focus on setting the fastest possible lap times on each track.
Beyond these core modes, the game will also feature additional content, such as Challenges and a Frenzy mode. Details about these features, however, remain limited.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Story Plot
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Story
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds follows a similar structure to other kart racing games like Mario Kart, pitting characters from the Sonic franchise against each other in competitive races. The game also includes characters from other Sega franchises, similar to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, which featured characters like AiAi from Super Monkey Ball, Billy Hatcher, and even Amigo from Samba de Amigo.
The game does not feature a traditional campaign or story mode, as King Dodonpa from Team Sonic Racing merely returns to sponsor the new tournament to set up the races. Pre-race interactions between the Sonic cast, such as those between Sonic and Tails or Knuckles and Big the Cat, are determined by pre-existing rivalries and relationships that are more fleshed out in the mainline Sonic games.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Setting
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' many tracks are set across some of the more iconic locations in the Sonic universe, such as Kronos Island from Sonic Frontiers and Radical Highway from Sonic Adventure 2 with some guest characters also bringing over a piece of their home universes to their signature tracks, such as Dr. Wily's Castle from the Mega Man games and Bikini Bottom from Spongebob Squarepants.
A major feature of the game's racing is switching between tracks during a race, allowing players tol experience different worlds and explore the Sonic universe for each race they play through.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Characters
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has 23 playable characters available in its base roster, with more joining the roster post-launch through free updates. The game features iconic mainstays like Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Dr. Eggman, each sporting their signature race cars.
During Summer Game Fest 2025, SEGA unveiled several exciting additions coming after launch, including Joker from Persona 5, Kasuga Ichiban from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and even vocaloid superstar Hatsune Miku—all available for free in future updates.
Players who opt for the Digital Deluxe Edition can expand their roster even further with racers from the Sonic Prime Netflix series and unlock a Season Pass that includes crossover content with other major entertainment properties such as Minecraft and Pac-Man.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Similar Games
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Tokyo Xtreme Racer Racing, Fighting |
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Assetto Corsa EVO Racing, Sports, Simulation |
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F1 24 Sim Racing |
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Mario Kart World Kart Racing |
