When SEGA first teased Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, I wasn’t sure if it would just be another fun-but-forgettable kart racer. But after diving deep into its tracks, mechanics, and customization, I can confidently say this isn’t just a pit stop in the genre—it’s aiming for the podium. Whether you’ve been racing with Sonic since Sonic R or you’re new to the blue blur’s spin on kart racing, there’s a lot here to get excited about.
What Makes CrossWorlds Different?
Let’s talk about the mechanic that’s already turning heads: the CrossWorlds system. Instead of repeating the same track for three laps like most kart racers, CrossWorlds throws a twist mid-race. Once you hit lap two, the game transports you to a different course entirely. Imagine starting on Metal Harbor, only to suddenly find yourself dodging dinosaurs in Dinosaur Jungle or drifting through the sharp turns of Dragon’s Road.
It’s not just a flashy gimmick either. The mechanic forces you to think beyond a single track. For example, if you’re tuning a speed-focused vehicle, you’ll crush straight-line heavy maps—but the second lap could throw you onto a course filled with hairpin turns where handling builds dominate. That unpredictability adds a layer of strategy and replay value that even long-time kart racers will find refreshing.
Tracks, Characters & Modes
At launch, you’re looking at 24 main courses plus 15 CrossWorld-only tracks, which makes for an impressive rotation. Some of these are pure nostalgia trips like Radical Highway (yes, straight out of Sonic Adventure 2), while others, like Coral Town, feel completely fresh thanks to their branching paths and verticality.
And then there’s the roster: 24 playable characters covering nearly every Sonic era. From classic teams like Team Sonic (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles) and Team Dark (Shadow, Rouge, Omega), to fan-favorites like Blaze and the Babylon Rogues, there’s someone here for every kind of racer. I’ve personally been tearing up the circuits with Shadow in a modified Speed-type setup, but the diversity of builds really encourages experimentation.
Modes are equally robust. Grand Prix gives you the standard tournament flow, while Race Park mixes things up with team challenges and custom rulesets. If you love shaving milliseconds off your best times, the Time Trial mode is going to eat hours of your life—you’ll need at least an A rank across 79 trials to unlock certain rewards, including music like the legendary “Escape From the City.”
Customization & Gadgets
Customization is where CrossWorlds really flexes. Instead of just swapping karts or skins, you’re managing a Gadget Panel—a six-slot system where each gadget changes how your ride behaves. Some tweak your stats (like drift performance or ring capacity), others give you special items, like a Warp Ring that teleports you ahead of a rival.
You can build five pre-set panels and swap them depending on the race. This is crucial, because a panel built for tight turns won’t serve you as well on wide-open tracks. It scratches that min-maxing itch in the best way possible, and honestly, I spent nearly as much time tweaking gadgets as I did racing.
And yes, there’s cosmetic customization too. Alternate costumes, decals, and titles can be unlocked through the friendship system, which rewards you for investing Donpa tickets into specific characters. Be warned, though: unlocking everything is a grind. For Shadow alone, I dropped over 3,000 tickets just for the first four rewards.
Items, Chaos & That “One More Race” Feel
Of course, no kart racer is complete without chaos. Here, CrossWorlds brings in 24 items, including returning Wisps from Sonic Colors. Boosts, lasers, drills—they’re all here. Some are clever twists, like the Monster Truck, which transforms your kart into a giant off-road bruiser that flattens enemies and ignores obstacles. My personal favorite? The Tornado, which not only defends against incoming attacks but also sends rivals flying if you make contact.
The balance feels fair, too. Even when I got blasted by a nasty slime trap or took a rocket to the face, the game’s frequent boost panels and item capsules meant I was never out of contention for long. That “just one more race” loop is alive and well here.
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The Ticket Economy: Smart or Stingy?
Here’s where things get tricky. Every race earns you Donpa tickets, usually between 10–40 depending on performance. You can use them for retries in the middle of a Grand Prix (a lifesaver when RNG hits you with three items in a row), or to unlock parts, gadgets, and cosmetics.
On paper, it’s great—you’re always earning something. But in practice, the ticket costs can feel steep. Unlocking costumes and friendship rewards will take hundreds, if not thousands, of races. SEGA clearly designed this as a long-term hook, but casual players might find the grind overwhelming.
The DLC Roadmap — Leaks, Confirmations & Surprises
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room—or should I say, the blue bomber. SEGA has already laid out a two-season DLC plan that makes CrossWorlds feel like more than just a one-and-done release.
Season 1 is free and packed with fan service: you’ll see crossover characters like Hatsune Miku, Joker from Persona 5, and even Ichiban Kasuga from Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Each comes with a unique ride and themed course, which is rare for DLC drops in kart racers.
Season 2 (the premium pass) is where things get spicy. Expect wild picks like SpongeBob SquarePants, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Honestly, it feels like SEGA is testing the waters for Smash Bros-level crossovers in kart form.
And then there’s the leak: Mega Man. Dataminers spotted his name, logo, and an unfinished track file buried in the code. If this pans out, it won’t just be a big get for SEGA—it’ll open the door for even more cross-franchise racing madness.
As someone who’s been covering gaming for years, I can tell you: this kind of aggressive, creative DLC strategy is exactly how you keep a racer alive long-term.
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Online & Multiplayer Experience
If you’re wondering how the online races actually feel, I put in plenty of laps to find out—and to my surprise, the experience turned out far smoother than I expected.
CrossWorlds supports 12-player online races with a mix of ranked and casual matchmaking. Cross-play works well between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. On Switch, you’ll notice some frame dips, but performance is stable enough to stay competitive.
Local multiplayer still shines too. Four-player split-screen is here, which is a blessing in today’s online-first world. There’s no online splitscreen support yet, which feels like a missed opportunity, but fingers crossed SEGA patches it in.
The netcode impressed me most. Even in chaotic races filled with Tornados, Rockets, and Drill Wisps, I rarely noticed desyncs. If SEGA can keep the servers stable, this game could become a serious esport contender—especially with its time trial depth.
Where CrossWorlds Shines (and Where It Trips)
Here’s my honest breakdown after dozens of hours:
Strengths:
- CrossWorlds mechanic keeps races unpredictable and replayable.
- Deep customization through gadgets gives hardcore players something to sink into.
- Track design is varied, blending nostalgia with innovation.
- DLC roadmap adds massive long-term value.
- Online play is smoother than expected for a launch title.
Weaknesses:
- Donpa ticket grind feels punishing for casual players.
- Water and Flight transformations are fun but lack polish compared to Speed or Power builds.
- Lack of online splitscreen holds back social play.
- Cosmetic unlocks lean too heavily on grind-heavy mechanics.
Final Verdict: Should You Play Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds?
If you’re a kart racing fan, the answer is a loud yes. CrossWorlds isn’t just another Sonic spin-off—it’s SEGA swinging for the fences with bold mechanics, smart crossovers, and a long-tail content plan.
Is it perfect? No. The grind will frustrate some players, and a few rough edges keep it from dethroning the king of kart racers just yet. But make no mistake—Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the strongest Sonic racer we’ve seen, and with its DLC pipeline, it could easily dominate the kart racing scene in 2025 and beyond.
And let’s be real—when you’re racing through a neon-soaked Radical Highway, gadgets firing, Wisps swirling, and “Live & Learn” blasting in the background? It’s hard not to think: this is exactly what kart racing needed.
