2025 is shaping up to be the year of kart racers. Last month’s long-awaitedNintendo Switch 2 revealseemed to confirm the existence of a new mainlineMario Kartentry, one that could be experimenting with some pretty big changes to the usual formula. And during the most recent Sony State of Play,Sonic Racing: CrossWorldswas given a full reveal.
Sonic the Hedgehogracing games have existed in various forms since 1994’sSonic Driftfor the Game Gear, but they’ve very rarely stuck to one defining series name or gameplay formula. For instance,Sonic RidersandSonic Rivalsare two very different racing games, despite being released mere months apart. That being said, the upcomingSonic Racing: CrossWorldslooks like a natural evolution for the franchise, and its core gimmick might set a surprisingly high bar for the Nintendo Switch 2’sMario Kart.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' Main Gimmick Sets a High Bar for Mario Kart 9
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' Premise Is a Natural Evolution for The Series
As just mentioned,Sonic the Hedgehog’s historyin the racing genre has been a rather diverse one, with no two games looking the same. That said, there has been a steady evolution of mechanics and features over the last decade or so, with 2010’sSonic & Sega All-Stars Racingbringing other Sega characters to the table, 2012’sSonic & All-Stars Racing Transformedadding shape-shifting karts, andTeam Sonic Racingintroducing innovative co-op mechanics.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorldswill take the franchise in yet another bold new direction, with its main selling point being its titular ability to travel to new dimensions mid-race via Travel Rings. Partway through a race’s first lap, the driver in 1st position will be able to choose one of two worlds that the entire lobby will venture to during the second lap. These new worlds offer distinct track layouts, obstacles, and scenery.
In a recent PlayStation Blog post, Sega also mentions that these tracks will change dynamically during the course of a race, much like theydid inSonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. This means that between laps, tracks will shift between ground, air, and sea terrain, forcing the player’s kart to transform in the process. With dynamic tracks and the ability to travel to new worlds mid-race,Sonic Racing: CrossWorldscould offer even more replayability than some of its most fierce competitors.
Sega has teased that some of the universes included inSonic Racing: CrossWorldswill be from other Sega IPs, though none have been officially confirmed just yet.
Mario Kart 9’s Gimmick Needs to Knock It Out of The Park
TheMario Kartfranchise loves gimmicks almost as much asSonic the Hedgehogdoes. FromDouble Dash’s duo drivers, toMario Kart 7’s gliding, underwater driving, and kart customization, toMario Kart 8’s anti-gravity tracks, theMario Kartseries has tried to keep evolving in its own way over the years.
It seems very likely, then, that theNintendo Switch 2’sMario Kartwill bring its own set of gimmicks and innovations to the table. There’s already quite a bit of speculation as to what these gimmicks will be, with some fans believing thatMario Kart 9could have 24-player races and more open-ended tracks. There’s even a rumor thatMario Kart 9could have track-shifting mechanics, which might not pack as much of a punch now thatSonic Racing: CrossWorldshas beaten it to the punch.Mario Kart 9will likely be another huge success for Nintendo, regardless of whatever gimmicks it contains, but it will take some effort to beatCrossWorlds' genuinely innovative premise.
