Sonic Racing CrossWorlds Re-ignites A Stagnant Racing Spark

Labor Day weekend came and went, but my thoughts on Sonic Racing CrossWorlds linger as it exceeded many expectations that I was unsure of heading into the Open Network Test. The multi-platform kart racing genre had remained stagnant for years, with every modern kart racer being an exclusive. Nintendo had Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart World. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled remains a console exclusive.

Sonic remained the only IP to release on consoles and PC; however, the Sumo Digital era is a “love it or hate it” one. After playing CrossWorlds last weekend and trying to go back to Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing Transformed was like trying to ride a skateboard after getting used to a bike. Again, different preferences for different references, but I always preferred Sonic Team’s approach to Sonic racing.

Sonic Riders Zero Gravity was the last time Sonic Team developed a racing title (Free Riders is unfortunately not a traditional racer) since 2008. There is a dedicated community of Sonic Rider players who helped revitalize the Time Attack genre. Just check speedrun.com for some impressive runs. Most follow the flow of the track and the way the vehicle behaves, chaining several skillful boost maneuvers in succession while holding the line.

With help from members of Initial D The Arcade staff, Sonic Team sought to revitalize the kart racing genre while also bringing the familiar arcade racing sensation home. CrossWorlds doesn’t skimp out on being a formidable arcade racer with a hidden depth of skill involved to sate veterans of the genre. There are enough items and gimmicks in the game for backmarkers to become pack fighters with a single box. My favorite item is the teleportation wisp that locks onto every visible player in a field of view and instantly zips towards their location.

Perhaps the most infamous item is the monster truck; CrossWorlds‘ equivalent of a Chain Chomp from Mario Kart Double Dash. Not only does it flatten any unfortunate racer caught in its path, but it can also go off-road, has increased speed, and is overall invincible. Imagine any “invincible booted stat” item from any other kart racer and multiply it by three. Now give racers the chance to start the race with it, with a popular course opening with one of the tightest straights in a racing game that’d make Gran Turismo 4‘s Citta di Aria blush, and you have Apotos being one of the most feared courses in the ONT.

This is where the “skill” side of the coin comes into play. Using the Apotos example, certain gears, like the Extreme gear, are slippery enough to weave into the stairs shortcut. This will usually avoid the scary monster truck, but now you have to worry about fighting the pack while maintaining the flow of the line. Sounds familiar? A lot of knowledge from Riders carries over to CrossWorlds, with elements of Sumo Digital titles and other similar “drift-to-boost” games. Similar to how boost works in Need For Speed Unbound, as the player drifts into a corner, their boost gauge fills as it increases in level. By default, the maximum level is 3, but the Ultimate Charge gadget increases this to 4.

Fortunately, racers don’t have to deal with the “monster truck” chaos for three laps straight, as CrossWorlds’ main gimmick lies in the name itself. At the end of the first lap, the frontrunner can decide which “world,” or track, to go to for lap two. The choice is between a predetermined track and a random track, the latter being handy if the track chosen doesn’t happen to be your best and you’re willing to “re-roll” (*cough* Sky Road). This is the section of the race where it becomes a knowledge check. If you know the second lap will begin with a Plane section, you can plan your route accordingly. If a course begins with a hard right, then prepare to shift your vehicle in the opposite direction on the straight leading to the portal.

The final lap is a variation of the first, with each level having its unique gimmick. Metal Harbor references the zone of the same name in Sonic Adventure 2 with the shuttle rocket lift-off into the brief boarding section. Instead of a rocket, there’s a huge ramp where racers can perform a large number of tricks. Some courses’ third laps are dynamic than others, with some offering huge shortcuts that, if not taken, can kill your chances of victory (E-Stadium’s Final Lap is a great example of this).

While Riders had an emphasis on staying in the air away from the ground as long as possible, CrossWorlds is more “wheels to the ground” than previous Sonic racers. That is, of course, until the wheels turn into hovercrafts and jet skis. Most tracks in the game have a plane and/or boat section with controls adjusting to both. The planes move in all four directions, with their drift catching a jetstream, locking them in place as they rapidly gain boost. Instead of drifting, boats hop when the drift button is held. Higher levels increase the height of the hop, but a good strategy I found is to chain level 1 and 2 boosts while weaving air tricks. Boats seem to be the transportation mode that increases boost meter gain the most.

What the game doesn’t tell you outright is how lenient the drift mechanics are in CrossWorlds. Despite being a kart racer, the vehicles behave as a car would. In the case of the Extreme boards, it would replicate “surfing” as the closest comparison. Players can counter-drift, which will pause the meter rate gain, but it will also adjust your drift on the fly. The best way to optimize drifts is to “counter drift,” a technique hinted at in one of the gadgets I’ve unlocked during my online grind.

This is the second time I’ve mentioned “Gadgets,” and they are easily the most game-changing aspect of CrossWorlds. Gadgets are add-ons that can be applied to plates, giving the player a wide variety of benefits and adjustments. Increased speed and range of slip streaming, starting with various items (like the aforementioned Monster Truck gadget), and spinning while drifting to push people off like a Beyblade, are but a few examples of the variety of options. The player has six slots, two rows of three slots each, with gadgets ranging from one to three costs. If one gadget costs three, that’s one row occupied. The “Counter Drift Expert” gadget is one such gadget, and for good reason. It increases the level of boost gained for the first counter drift initiated in a drift.

When the player lets go of the drift button, they have a few frames to reapply the drift without losing their meter. While reapplying, the player can drift in the opposite direction as traction is loosened from the tires (or air being released from the Extreme board?). Certain gadgets increase the steering angle, allowing for precise turning and easier micro-drifts. All of this, combined with Ultimate Charge rewards, gives technical players a level 4 boost that grants them temporary invincibility as long as the boost lasts. I’ve mentioned the gadget before, but those seconds of invulnerability have proven invaluable in dense packs like the aforementioned Apotos level.

The balance from this comes from keeping up the technique. As long as the player is on their P’s and Q’s, they feel unstoppable on the track. One mistake will be enough to humble even the most seasoned racer, as I’ve lost to single-digit point racers and beaten those several ranks higher than mine. From a gameplay perspective, CrossWorlds is on the right track. Its natural competitive nature doesn’t squander it from being a fun racer for all skill levels to enjoy.

While the intent of the Open Network Test, as the name implies, is to test the servers for online play, there’s still a taste of what to expect for story enjoyers. Before the start of a Grand Prix, a designated rival is predetermined for the racer. In my GP run with Amy, her rival happened to be Shadow, whose dialogue exchange shows contempt for Amy’s kindness, passing it off as a weakness. Wave’s friendly rivalry with Jet is on a kinder tone, showing their respect and competitive spirit towards each other. While not at all required, allowing the racers to show off their personality helps bring these generational characters to life.

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds releases on September 25th via all major consoles, and this will be a title Shooting Star will follow closely. The refreshing blend of skillful gameplay, interactions filled with personality, and an overall fun competitive experience left a lasting impression on me. I await to see what Sonic Team cooks up with the final product.