Critics Rave About Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Eyeing Mario Kart's Throne
SEGA's latest kart racer, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, has made a significant splash with critics, achieving impressive average scores of 83 on Metacritic and 84 on OpenCritic, alongside a 97% recommendation rate. Following the release of its single-player demo and the lifting of review embargos, journalists are enthusiastically calling the game a strong contender to Nintendo's long-reigning Mario Kart series.
Reviewers praised the game's enjoyable gameplay, diverse track designs, and the sheer volume of content. While the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, some criticism was directed at the control scheme, which some found less intuitive, and the audio design, which occasionally created a cacophony of sounds during races.
What the Reviewers Are Saying:
Loot Level Chill — 95/100: Lyle Pendle from Loot Level Chill declared Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds not just the best racing game of the year, but the best in a long time. They highlighted the incredibly fun gameplay, impressive variety of characters and items, and an astonishing amount of content. Pendle noted that while early levels sometimes lacked the distinctive Sonic aesthetic, later stages like 'The White Space' from Shadow Generations brought more franchise-specific elements. The only major complaints were the repetitive character voice lines, particularly Big the Cat's frequent 'oops.'
IGN — 90/100: Jada Griffin at IGN lauded Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds as a 'fantastic package,' boasting 24 main tracks and 15 sub-tracks—the most extensive lineup in a Sonic racing game yet—complemented by a magnificent soundtrack. Griffin found the races fast, fun, and intuitive, with ample customization options. The unique 'CrossWorlds' mechanic of connecting different themed tracks was a standout feature, making each race feel unique. While she missed an online split-screen option, Griffin sees the game becoming a regular fixture in her gaming sessions, especially with more content promised post-launch.
Gamepressure — 85/100: Michal Grygorcewicz from Gamepressure admitted initial skepticism about SEGA releasing a kart racer so close to a new Mario Kart. However, he found CrossWorlds justified its existence with a truly unique concept, combining arcade style, excellent dynamics, and thoughtful gameplay. He suggested it could coexist with Mario Kart, offering a worthy alternative. Grygorcewicz did, however, echo concerns about the audio, describing the in-race soundscape as a 'cacophony' of explosions, ring collection sounds, collisions, and weapon fire, likening it to a busy arcade or casino.
Metro GameCentral — 80/100: Michael Beckwith at Metro GameCentral positioned Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds as an ideal alternative for those dissatisfied with Nintendo's racer, praising its engaging gameplay and unique ideas. Positives included the fun races, the unique cross-world mode, extensive car customization, and stable online performance. On the downside, Beckwith noted controls weren't as smooth as Mario Kart, particularly on water, and found the single-player content, while abundant, could be repetitive.
GameSpot — 70/100: Steve Watts from GameSpot deemed Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds a 'decent product.' He highlighted the solid single-player modes, meta-goals, customization options, and varied playstyles. While acknowledging the online features weren't groundbreaking, he felt they functioned well enough to extend the game's lifespan. Watts pointed out the online mode's simplicity, lacking options like Grand Prix races or additional challenges, suggesting room for growth in this area.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is set to launch on September 25 for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, complete with localized text for various regions.
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