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Much like the franchise’s mainline entries, the Sonic racing games vary wildly in quality and design philosophy. There’s always an itch to try something new, even if the Blue Blur’s last go around the racetrack was a successful lap. 2012’s Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is widely regarded as one of the best kart racers out there, thanks to varied tracks, a novel transformation mechanic, and a deep reverence for SEGA’s history and numerous intellectual properties. A sequel to Transformed should’ve been a slam-dunk, but the result was an undisputed step back.
Where Team Sonic Racing failed to capitalise on the momentum already established by Transformed, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds feels like the sequel that game always deserved. It takes so much of what makes Transformed click and iterates on it, rocketing this formula to new heights, making for not just the best Sonic racing game yet, but one of the best kart racers in recent years.
Much like Transformed, CrossWorlds features tracks that combine land, air, and sea for diverse and fresh course designs. Vehicles effortlessly transform into boats and planes at key points in courses, changing the way they control and drift as you try to navigate through obstacles, collect rings, and eventually come out on top. The marquis feature that shakes this idea up in CrossWorlds comes from its interdimensional antics, transporting you to an entirely different course called a CrossWorld for the second lap of every race.
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It may seem like a gimmick, but there are a few design choices here that really amplify what the CrossWorlds achieve. Upon completion of lap one, whoever is in first place gets to choose which CrossWorld the race will spill into. There’s always a choice between a set track and going completely random. It means every single track has countless variations in how it can unfold, making each replay feel different from the last.
CrossWorlds will also infrequently introduce Frenzy modifiers, which drastically alter the way in which the lap is raced. One such modifier dramatically increases the rate at which drifting charges, incentivising you to hit a fully charged drift boost at every opportunity. Another gives every racer a recharging boost Wisp, prompting you to hammer the item button every few seconds. Additionally, the third lap of every race continues Transformed’s tradition of expanding on the original course, providing new shortcuts and routes to take for the keenly aware.
If racing through one of the game’s many Grand Prix, the fourth and final course of each cup combines the previous three – one lap for each as you race through a trio of distinct environments with their own transformation portions, music, and track design. It means that no Grand Prix run is ever the same; there is always going to be variation in which CrossWorld you crossover to in your other races. You also eventually unlock regular tracks as CrossWorld laps, further expanding the variety on offer as you play the game.
Much like Transformed, these courses are all a joy to race on. They are filled with shortcuts, drifting opportunities, ramps to launch and trick off of for a speed boost when you hit the ground, and more. They build on themselves with each subsequent lap, evolving as the stakes grow ever higher as you race towards the finish line. They’re also a fantastic celebration of Sonic’s history, drawing from games both new and old, popular and unpopular, while also featuring some original settings built for CrossWorlds.
The other reason so much of this works so well is thanks to the level of customisation on offer here. You have a whopping 23 characters at launch, pulling from all corners of the Sonic universe, each with their own archetype. Vehicles can be tailored to your needs, with interchangeable parts that allow you to curate your dream machine, from standard karts to hoverboards similar to what you’d find in Sonic Riders. The most game-changing addition of all, though, is Gadgets.
Gadgets are abilities that fundamentally alter your playstyle and options in races. You start with only a couple of slots available to you, but you will continue to unlock spaces on your Gadget Plate as you play. It cannot be understated how much of an impact Gadgets have on the game. From improving raw stats or increasing the rate at which drift charges, to gaining an extra item slot or starting with a boost Wisp. The more powerful ones take up more slots on your Gadget Plate, so you often need to make sacrifices if you want to take advantage of some of the more powerful Gadgets.
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The amount of depth Gadgets provide is further heightened by the ability to swap Gadget Plate between races in a Grand Prix. While you might want faster drift charging or even the ability to reach a level four drift on tracks with long turns, other courses may be better suited to Gadgets that allow you to perform tricks faster, or get a speed boost when colliding with other racers. It’s the kind of system that provides an immense level of depth for those who want it, without alienating those who don’t want to think too hard about what they bring into each race.
If you don’t want to race in the standard Grand Prix, you can head over to the Race Park, which offers party-style modes that are all still rooted in racing. Many of them are team-focused, grouping you up with other racers to compete against other teams. Triple Team Ring Grab, for example, splits racers into three teams of four as you race to the finish line. The catch is that you want to grab as many Rings as you can, with each pickup contributing towards a boost meter that provides a dramatic increase in speed for a good chunk of time.
Double Team Dash Panel is similar, but sees two teams of six looking to use as many dash panels as they can to fill up the same boost meter. The other modes are equally as engaging, and there’s even Custom Matches allowing you to curate your own ruleset. It means that CrossWorlds has so much worthwhile content and modes of play to offer, especially in a social or party setting when playing with friends.
All of this is supported by extensive and multifaceted progression. Completing races earns you Donpa Tickets that can be spent on new vehicle parts and customisation options. Completing races earns you more slots on your Gadget Plate and then brand-new Gadgets. Every activity has a rival racer or rival team that unlocks new vehicles or progression towards a new character if you manage to top them. Anything and everything you do in CrossWorlds leads to some kind of tangible progression, especially in its early hours.
My only real complaint with CrossWorlds is that much of its depth isn’t sufficiently tutorialised. On its higher difficulties, this is an unforgiving kart racer, and while the game explains this, more should be done to onboard those looking to engage with its deeper mechanics. I suspect those who are less seasoned in the genre or look to CrossWorlds as a party game might bounce off of it before it fully clicks or without someone to explain its underlying intricacies that help it sing.
As is standard for Sonic games, the soundtrack is absolutely banging here. There’s a collection of so many great tracks, some remixed from Sonic’s past, and others wholly original and purpose-built for CrossWorlds. It’s so cool to listen to a remixed version of Rooftop Run that segues into a high-octane version of Dragon Road as you pass through a Travel Ring, and then go back to even more amped up version of Rooftop Run for the final lap of the race. What’s better is that you can unlock new tracks through Time Trials and create your own playlist!
Production values on PlayStation 5 are also a home run here. CrossWorlds combines countless aesthetics and art directions from Sonic’s history, each feeling tonally distinct from one another. From the bright and vibrant worlds of Sweet Mountain and Starlight Carnival to the more muted colour palettes of White Space and Kronos Island, CrossWorlds sports a diverse array of environments from Sonic’s history. Performance is also fantastic and runs just as smoothly in split-screen modes.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the sequel to Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed that we’ve been waiting for. It effortlessly carries on the design philosophies established in that game, building on them with fresh ideas, genuine depth, and endless customisation that’ll keep fans coming back for more well after you’ve completed every Grand Prix. It’s a kart racer I have no doubt I’ll continue to revisit solo and with friends and has cemented itself as the best Sonic racing game thus far.
