Sonic Racing Crossworlds Review

The karting genre in video games is one I’ve always admired, enjoyed and never been very good at, but I always find them fantastic fun. Sonic returns with a new karting title after Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Team Sonic Racing. Both of those previous games were pretty solid, but not perfect by any means and Mario Kart has always continued to hold the crown. Sonic Racing Crossworlds is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 4|5, Nintendo Switch 1|2 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Trust me when I say that this is a game you won’t want to miss out on, as it delivers chaotic multiverse karting action with deep customisation, loads of content and the thrill of online competitive cross-play racing with gamers across the globe. Let me explain the goodness in the rest of our Complete Xbox review below.

Grand Prix Mode Is the Place To Start

If you’re new to racing games with Sonic, then the Grand Prix mode is the best place to start. It’ll get you used to the handling and the intensity of the different difficulties and speed selections you can use. Each Grand Prix has four races, and you are aiming to place as high as possible throughout each race to become the winner of the 8 Grand Prix cups on offer. Races feel diverse and versatile as the Crossworlds transitions in races make events feel fresh and different each time.

You can alter the difficulty of the races if you fancy a challenge, and higher difficulty options will come with more Donpa tickets. If you’re a completionist, then there is plenty of reason to grind out the unlockables and conquer the races on Sonic Speed difficulty later on.

Online Racing Is Super Fun!

Once you’ve done what I did and clocked all the Grand Prix single-player events, online play is where the replayability and longevity really kick in. Sonic Racing Crossworlds supports up to 12 players online with full cross-play functionality across Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and PC. Being able to invite your mates to races regardless of what platform they all play on is a huge plus. Cross progression also exists, so if you’re playing the game between console and PC, you can still access your gear.

I spent the majority of my time playing World Match, which is ranked play against 11 other racers. There is no pay-to-win in any of the online races, which is refreshing to see. After each race, you’ll rank up or down your score depending on how you place, very similar to the Mario Kart structure, where you have a number next to your name; the higher your number, the better your rank. As time progresses, there will be various seasonal ladders, cosmetics and more coming to this mode. Of course, though, if you don’t want to be super competitive, there are many team-based modes along with some classic free-for-all playlists for the more casual players. You can also play 4-player split screen and create your own custom matches with your own rulesets, perfect for private online races or same-screen fun at home.

Surprisingly Deep Customisation!

When choosing vehicles, you can select from five main archetypes to suit your personal preference and playstyle. They are Speed, Boost, Acceleration, Handling and Power. I recommend trying each out offline before deciding which to use in online races, as they all handle very differently and have their individual pros and cons. There is a huge catalogue of over 40 vehicles at launch, with cars, hovercrafts and more that can all be tweaked and modified.

You can unlock cosmetic items by using Donpa tickets earned by completing races, challenges and collecting red rings on circuits. Between races, you can adjust hoods, bumpers and wheel type, which can alter stats but also make you stand out from the crowd with cool designs. Body kits, paint jobs and decals can also be added, which again, will bring variance to how each racer looks out there on the track. This area is far superior to any other kart racer I’ve played, and I spent a considerable amount of time playing with different builds before I was happy.

A Huge Roster Of Characters!

Sonic Racing Crossworlds has the largest roster so far, with 23 available off the bat. Sonic, Shadow, Knuckles, Tails and Amy all feature along with many more, including Dr Eggman, Shadow, Metal Sonic and some more of the obscure and interesting characters. Super Sonic can be unlocked by defeating all of the opponents at least once in Grand Prix mode. He has max stats, but can only be used offline. Sonic the Werehog is a pre-order bonus, and Rusty Rose, Nine and Knuckles the Dread are variants that are unlocked by purchasing the digital deluxe edition of the game.

Some free characters are coming with future updates, such as Joker from Persona 5, Ichiban Kasuga from the Yakuza series, NiGHTS from NiGHTS into Dreams and Hatsune Miku is already available. Within upcoming season passes, we will also see characters arrive from Minecraft, SpongeBob. Pac-Man, Mega Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Avatar Legends. Seeing these crossovers is fantastic and should make for plenty of mixed online races where very few use the same character. SEGA has accounted for a total of 56 individual racers so far, which doubles the original roster.

Visuals & Audio

It’s hard to know where to begin with how stunning everything looks in Sonic Racing Crossworlds. From the moment you boot up the game, you’re met with colourful visuals and wonderful music. On Xbox Series X, you’re getting native 4K presentation at 60 frames per second, and during my review time, I didn’t encounter a single performance issue. In race, the Crossworld transitions are both unique and a visual spectacle. Portals are presented as a ripple effect with a glance at what you’re driving into once you warp to the next dimension. The flow doesn’t stutter or slow down at any moment, and the pacing of the race always remains the same.

Track variance is also impressive, and every single one is bursting with detail. One of my personal favourites was the Casino Rush track, which seems to take inspiration from Casino Night Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Complete with roulette wheels, pinball bumpers and neon boost pads, it’s a dream to drive along. I won’t spoil the rest of the tracks for you, but I didn’t find any I disliked.

Final Thoughts

Sonic Racing Crossworlds is an impressive return from SEGA and Sonic Team. This outing easily stands with its arm around Mario Kart World on the same pedestal. With its depth, numerous tracks, and customisation options, alongside competitive online racing, there is plenty of replayability and longevity here. Having the crossworlds mechanics makes for spontaneous races that can turn on their head in a split second. It’s a seamless experience on Xbox Series X, running at a solid 60 frames per second, even during maximum screen intensity.

It may have taken some time, but this Sonic kart-racing formula is perfection after several instalments and experimentation. There is an excellent fusion of brand-new mechanics and true nostalgia alongside its roster of well-loved characters and excellent soundtrack. For fans of Sonic and the karting genre, this game is a triumph that is well worth buying.