Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds review: There's method in this chaos

One of the promises made to players at the beginning of this generation was the ability to smoothly travel between worlds. Thanks to the new consoles being equipped with fast SSD drives, games were supposed to load different levels on the fly, allowing us to jump quickly between different realities. For instance, we were supposed to start playing in a world straight out of the Wild West, jump into a science-fiction reality with one leap, and then immediately end up in underwater kingdoms. As it often happens with such promises, in the end, not much came out of them. Apart from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which showcased this technology by taking us on incredibly impressive jumps between different dimensions, and perhaps the lightning-fast fast travel in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, I don't recall a wider application of such high-speed disc capabilities on a scale beyond what we've already seen in previous generations. Developers either had no idea how to sensibly use this gimmick, or they didn't have the budget to implement it, and most often, probably both. However, Sega unexpectedly returned to this idea, making seamless interdimensional travel the main theme of the latest installment of its kart racing series starring Sonic the Hedgehog.

Between Worlds

The eponymous "crossworlds" are special tracks that we jump into between laps played on more traditional routes for the series. A standard race in the latest Sonic Racing consists of three tracks. We play the first and third rounds on a chosen map, but for the second round, we "jump" to a different dimension. The player, in the first place, gets to decide where exactly, usually choosing a specific world or opting for a random one. That's usually how it goes, but the game also allows for playing each round in a different location. "Crossworlds" can have additional modifiers affecting the race, and we can also jump between the main tracks.

As a result, there's a crazy variety - every race can go completely differently, and even if we know a map perfectly, it doesn't guarantee an advantage, as we might end up somewhere where we struggle a lot more. Or vice versa - a poor start can be made up for, thanks to the fact that we draw our favorite track, where we can show off our karting skills to the fullest. The whole system works very smoothly and without technical issues. I'm really impressed by it - that's the best thing about Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and a good reason to check out the game even if you haven't gotten bored of the latest Mario Kart yet.

Even though the game distinguishes between "normal" worlds and "crossworlds," both are equally high-quality and artistically impressive. You'll find plenty of alternative paths, shortcuts, dangers, and sequences from All-Stars Racing Transformed on land and in the air, where cards transform into boats and planes. In total, there are over 20 main tracks and 15 "crossworlds" prepared, with more to be added after the release. I'm not sure if they will be available to everyone or just to season pass holders. Their great advantage is diversity - we drive through jungles, canyons, a shopping center, cities, and fields with mysterious ruins known from Sonic Frontiers . Sometimes we avoid getting crushed by the tentacles of a raging kraken while drifting on the deck of a pirate ship, other times we zip between the legs of dinosaurs or dodge cyberpunk trains. Everything is very colorful, even the maps that are supposed to have a darker atmosphere, like the mentioned fields in Sonic Frontiers or the Halloween races through the pumpkin patch, have a lively color palette and a very arcade-style vibe.

The track design itself also holds up well, even when playing in split-screen mode with limited visibility. I never found myself completely lost or going in the wrong direction—unless I was deliberately jumping into the abyss, hoping to find a shortcut.

Transformed races

Apart from the "crossworlds," the new Sonic Racing is a pretty typical kart racing game that spices up the fun with mechanics from previous games in the series. The driving system is very agile, and the key to winning is not just driving skills and knowing the tracks, but also skillful drifting. It allows for smoother cornering without braking and also charges the nitro bar, giving us a significant speed boost when released. We also charge the booster by performing tricks in the air, so every ramp becomes an opportunity to increase speed. During the game, we collect classic Sonic rings that increase our maximum speed, as well as weapons that can slow down enemies or defend us from their attacks.

As I mentioned, in All-Stars Racing Transformed, the swimming and flying sequences have returned, with some changes - we can now control horizontally in the air, and focus on jumps and tricks instead of drifts on the boats. All of this put together creates total chaos on the track – the composition of the peloton can change every few seconds, comebacks from last place to first place happen very often, the pace is killer even when racing in the slowest classes of the competition, and the whole thing is so absorbing and engaging that after a few hours of session I felt overstimulated and needed a walk to cool down. Despite all the chaos, it doesn't feel like the results are solely determined by luck. Sometimes we might get hit with a series of attacks right before the finish line and lose the victory, but these situations are relatively rare. Usually, at the end of the day, the one who really knew the routes, managed their weapons wisely, and, most importantly, drifted well, was the winner.

Team battles have also returned in Sonic Team Racing. In this mode, we not only race against each other, but also play for the overall team score and perform joint actions, like bumping into each other or collecting rings for the team. These actions allow you to activate a special, much more powerful booster. This new feature didn't go down well with the fans in the previous game, even though it was a big part of the fun. Here, it has been limited only to additional, optional game modes - the game in no way forces us to play this variant, and it is just a curiosity. I myself wasn't a big fan of co-op races, so I'm fine with this compromise.

Everyone is here! Well, they will be someday

At the release of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, we will get 25 characters (one of them needs to be unlocked first), almost all from the broadly understood Sonic (multi)universe. Apart from well-known characters like Sonic, Knuckles, Amy, and Tails, there are also some lesser-known drivers on the list, such as Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon, and Rouge the Bat. Each character in the game has different stats, but they're not very different. You can also balance them out by choosing a vehicle and picking special perks, which have a bigger impact on our driving skills. So, if you're not into maximizing your efficiency, you can just drive with your favorite character.

I would normally consider small differences in character effectiveness as a drawback, but it makes sense in the context of Sega's plans for the game's development. After the release, we're supposed to get a bunch of crossover characters - we'll get heroes from other games by the same publisher for free, and as part of the online pass, we'll get characters and tracks from external franchises. Hatsune Miku is already available and in the coming months, we will see Ichiban from the Like a Dragon series and Joker from Persona. Additionally, in the season pass, we will get characters from Minecraft, SpongeBob, Pac-Man, Nickelodeon's Avatar, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As a huge fan of Like a Dragon, I have no doubt that Ichiban will be my favorite in the entire game – it would be a shame if his stats didn't suit my driving style and he wasn't the right choice for me.

Online worlds

There was only one thing missing in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – a greater variety of single-player modes. There is no story campaign or career mode here, and the main focus for solo players is the Grand Prix set. We have four races - the first three are on specific tracks, and the final one is on all of them at once, with one lap on each map. Besides that, we have a classic time trial and a free mode where we can race with predefined settings (this is where team races landed) or create our own rules. That's a bit too little, even with all the progression mechanics for unlocking extra vehicles, mirrored track reflections, perks, and customization. After a few hours of local play, the game reveals all its secrets to us, and the excitement of discovering new things gives way to grinding in the rhythm of already well-understood rules. The good thing is that in all game modes, apart from time trials, we can play not only alone but also in local multiplayer. If we have enough controllers, up to four players can play together on one console at the same time. I had a good time riding the two-seater version and definitely enjoyed it more than riding alone.

Besides the single player and local multiplayer, the creators have also prepared an online mode, which seems to be treated as equally important as local play based on its size in the main menu. Unfortunately, in the review version, I wasn't able to test the network code, available game variants, or, above all, potential monetization - the servers were turned off. I'm a bit worried about this – there's a chance that all these promised free characters won't actually be free, and Sega will hide them behind temporary battle passes or other grind walls. At this moment, I can't verify this, so all I can do is keep my fingers crossed that the publisher won't go overboard with aggressive methods of reaching for our wallet. And if the multiplayer itself will be fun, because even though these games shine in local split-screen, a well-thought-out online mode can give them a long lifespan.

Spell of arcade salons

Visually, the game looks decent. As I mentioned in the description of the tracks, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds aims for a strong arcade vibe - everything is fast, colorful, and intense, with explosions, fireworks, and special effects everywhere. Underneath that flashy cover, there are actually pretty simply designed characters and locations without a lot of details. It has its advantages - if everything was too detailed, combined with the chaos of the game, it would probably create an unreadable mess where you couldn't find anything. Nevertheless, I can't help but feel that it could have been better – the new Mario Kart or a several-year-old remake of Crash Team Racing are prettier.

As for the sound design, it's... specific. Before I started the game, a friend who played the demo version of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds gave me one simple piece of advice – play without sound. I quickly understood what he meant - if the music track with a catchy main theme makes a good impression, during the races, it gets drowned out by a cacophony of all kinds of sounds. There is not a moment when we don't hear an explosion, the sounds of collected rings, collisions, or fired weapons. Almost everything here makes some noise, and when twelve drivers simultaneously trigger various effects, it turns into a heavily ear-straining mixture. A friend of mine compared it to being in a casino, but I see it more like a trip to a bustling arcade back in the day. It's easy to get overwhelmed here.

Breaking news: A hedgehog attacked a hydraulics specialist

Before the release of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, I thought it was crazy to release a big karting game just a few months after the new Mario Kart launched. However, after playing Sega's new title, I think that in this madness - or rather chaos - there is a method. If it was just a really well-made game, it would probably be overshadowed by the plumber with big mustache. But, Crossworlds has a really unique concept, combined with an arcade style, great dynamics, and solid gameplay, making it a strong competitor to Nintendo's karting king, and can coexist on the market parallel to it, providing a solid alternative and variety. After all, the Spartans have already shown that there can be two kings just as well.