Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Could Beat Mario Kart 9 To Become The Best Racing Game Of 2025 (2025)

It's safe to say that Mario Kart 9 may be up against some tough competition in the coming months, as Mario's eternal rival Sonic is stepping up to the starting line in Sonic Racing: Crossworlds. There's certainly huge excitement currently surrounding the new entry in the Mario Kart series. Not only will it be the first new mainline console entry in the series since 2014, but Mario Kart 9 also has the opportunity to take full advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2's capabilities to deliver a stellar racing game.

While Sonic the Hedgehog is best known for its high-speed gameplay, the racing titles have never been the strongest games in the franchise. However, this could change with the release of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, which looks to take the kart-racing genre in an entirely new direction. CrossWorlds's new additions and shake-up to the formula have resulted in a hugely ambitious title that, if executed well, could beat out Mario Kart 9 to become the best racing game of 2025.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Looks To Be A Huge Kart Racer

The Game's Latest Showcase Provided A Look At Multiple New Features

Initially revealed during The Game Awards last December, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds was given a more in-depth showcase during Sony's most recent State of Play presentation. The relatively short trailer was able to provide a demonstration of CrossWorlds's wealth of new features that looked to completely alter the traditional kart racing gameplay. With this showcase, Sega has made the huge scale of CrossWorlds abundantly clear, and its easily the biggest racing game that the series has seen to date.

The most notable new feature shown during the CrossWorlds trailer was the inclusion of Travel Rings, which allows the player in first place to change the course during a race. This new feature immediately adds a sense of variety to CrossWorlds's gameplay, creating a wide range of different course combinations that will make each race feel different. Moreover, the spontaneity of such a feature will make quickly adjusting to new environments a crucial skill, elevating that sense of chaos that makes kart racing games so engaging to begin with.

Travel Rings are only the start of features that add to CrossWorlds's variety and chaos. From the introduction of customizable gadgets to the return of extreme gear that was first introduced in Sonic Riders, CrossWorlds is demonstrating a level of creativity that hasn't been seen before in the Sonic Racing series. While a release date has not been confirmed, players can apply on Sega's website for a closed network test of CrossWorlds to see what the game has to offer. The test starts on February 22, so a full launch is likely not far behind.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Is Ambitious In Its Approach

The Game Is Not Content With Being Another Standard Kart Racer

What makes CrossWorlds such a promising title is the ambitious approach that's been adopted for the game. It's clear that CrossWorlds's wealth of content isn't included simply for the sake of making the game bigger, but constitutes an active attempt at challenging the conventions of the kart racing genre to deliver something fresh and original.

One of the most entertaining aspects of any kart racing game is its sense of chaos and unpredictability, keeping players on their toes as they remain unaware of what's around the corner. However, not every kart racing game is able to maintain this, and players can become well-adjusted to a certain title's mechanics and surprises over time. Even a game like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, with its gargantuan level of courses, items, and customizations, can eventually become predictable as players are more aware of what each race will entail.

However, with CrossWorlds, its use of Travel Rings, gadgets, and vehicle customizations could ensure that no two races are ever the same. The game is making an active attempt to break this cycle that can make other kart racers feel redundant, which is incredibly refreshing. It's a hugely ambitious move that does come with major risks of CrossWorlds potentially feeling imbalanced and overwhelming. If it's executed correctly, however, Sonic's latest racing venture could end up being a huge boost to the genre as a whole.

Mario Kart 9 Needs To Have That Same Creativity

The Game Must Be Able To Deliver Something Fresh And Original

The sheer ambition and creativity on display in CrossWorlds only intensifies the need for Mario Kart 9 to take a new direction. While the tried-and-tested Mario Kart formula has always been beloved and highly engaging, CrossWorlds's bold changes signify the need for kart racing games to evolve and adapt in order to deliver something fresh. If Mario Kart 9 fails to bring something unique to the table, the game could end up fading into the background, allowing other titles like CrossWorlds to take center stage.

It's also worth noting that Mario Kart 9 has huge expectations placed on it, largely thanks to the series' most recent outing. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is undoubtedly one of the best games in the kart racing genre, offering a complete experience that feels like a culmination of the series' 32-year history. Because of this, Mario Kart 9 must prove that the series can still offer its own creative, original experiences beyond what Mario Kart 8 Deluxe provided. Otherwise, it will fail to push the franchise forward the same way CrossWorlds is promising to do for the Sonic Racing series.

With Mario Kart 9 also expected to launch this year alongside the Switch 2, it will undoubtedly have some tough competition to go up against. Since CrossWorlds promises to usher in a new, ambitious era for the kart racing genre, it's become even more important for Mario Kart 9 to take its own inventive direction compared to previous entries. If Mario Kart 9 struggles to offer a fresh and original experience, then it might fail to prevent Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds from claiming the title of the best racing game of 2025.

Sources: Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog/YouTube

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Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Racing

Action

Developer(s)

Sonic Team

Publisher(s)

Sega

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