Alright, here’s the deal. So, there’s something about Sonic games, right? Maybe it’s the nostalgia. I just let my guard down and roll with it. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds? Yeah, I’m in. Played it an hour at Summer Game Fest. It’s one of those kart racers where everything’s fast, chaotic, and you get power-ups that can totally mess with your head—or your rivals’. I was vibing with it. It’s all these characters from the Sonic world, and it just clicks. I mean, what more can you ask? Yet, there’s some fresh stuff here you haven’t seen in your typical Sonic racer.
So, the CrossWorld mechanic, let’s talk. Lap one, you start on a normal track. Then, bam! Whoever’s in the lead picks where you warp for lap two. Could be this icy wonderland with aurora lights (seriously, who thought of that?) or some stormy shipwreck scene—gives you whiplash in all the right ways. Then you zip back to the original track for lap three. It’s like, after a dozen races, you get into it, but it keeps you guessing. Keeps it spicy, you know?
Now, when you warp, you’re not just driving. You’re flying, skimming—doing who knows what else depending on the spot. I adore the flying bits. My brain was like, “Hold up, is this still a kart racer?” So vertical, it’s nuts. Maybe it’s too much going on. Or maybe not enough. But the game’s flashy, no doubt, like, what’s even happening half the time? But I dig that messy spectacle. It’s more about having a blast than being all serious and competitive.
OK, but it’s competitive too, with how you tweak your kart. Outfitting your ride’s a thing—body, tires, the whole shebang. And perks, don’t even get me started. You’ve got six slots, but some eat up a couple of spaces. Like, I used a three-slot booster and a perk that made recovery from hits a joke. I got nailed by a rocket, but because of my setup, I bounced back faster than Sonic chases rings. If you take kart racing seriously, it’s got that depth.
I was only messing with the Grand Prix mode, four races back-to-back, points stack up, and you see who’s top dog. Standard, right? But then they toss in these curve balls. Mid-Grand Prix, someone’s dubbed your rival and gets all up in your grill. Last race’s worth extra points too, so even if you lag, you can surge. I’m curious what other modes there are, because while it all looks and feels lively, it’s about keeping it fresh.
Crossover characters? Oh yeah. Not just Sonic—and it turns out Sega’s got other cool peeps. Like, Kasuga Ichiban from Yakuza, and my heart skipped a beat seeing Hatsune Miku zip around on her board. Seriously, Miku in anything is a win. This isn’t breaking new ground—it’s just fun seeing all these worlds collide. Remember Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing? Wild times. Seems like Sega’s roster got even cooler, and that might juice things up.
In the end, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds isn’t here to blow up the kart racing scene. It’s more like a chill hangout with Sonic and pals, hitting that sweet spot of fun and chaos. I’m all in when it drops this September on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC. See you on the track!
