Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – “Overpowered” and “Stressful for Players” Items Have Been Removed

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In the interview with GamesRadar, veteran producer Takashi Iizuka of the Sonic series shared that the team developing Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has intentionally removed many items from the game to ensure players find the core racing experience enjoyable and not excessively stressful. The team behind this kart racer is a collaboration of developers who have previously worked on both the Sonic and Sega’s Arcade Racing franchises, focusing primarily on creating an uncomplicated racing environment.

Iizuka clarified that this strategy enabled the team to create a “fairly balanced” racing game, one which didn’t require additional items or tricks to maintain player enjoyment. This minimalist approach facilitated the gradual inclusion of functional items and gadgets as the development progressed, always ensuring the game’s overall balance remained intact.

Iizuka stated that they aimed to ensure the racing itself, free from any additional items, was both fair and enjoyable. In other words, the development team decided to strip things back to basics, focusing on delivering a simple yet engaging racing experience with a strong competitive edge.

After finalizing the main game mechanics, the team proceeded with numerous playtesting sessions to include or exclude various elements within the game. As Iizuka explained, any feature causing excessive stress for players or consistently allowing a comeback from behind and guaranteeing victory was deemed unnecessary and needed to be discarded from the overall design.

As a dedicated fan, I’d like to point out an interesting aspect of the beloved Mario Kart franchise – it’s packed with items that can sometimes seem unfair to some players. Take the iconic Blue Shell, for instance. When activated, this item catches up to the current leader and knocks them out for a short while, giving other racers a chance to catch up or even take the lead. However, despite its controversial reputation among skilled players, items like the Blue Shell are appreciated by more casual fans since they provide an opportunity for less-skilled players to stay in the race.

Previously this month, Sega announced that the game Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will boast over 23 playable characters in its lineup. In addition to characters from the popular Sonic series, we can expect characters from various other Sega franchises to appear in this kart racer, such as the main character of Like a Dragon, Ichiban Kasuga, and the protagonist of Persona 5, Joker. Characters from non-Sega franchises will also make an appearance, including the vocaloid pop icon Hatsune Miku and Minecraft’s Steve.

The game titled “Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds” is set to launch on platforms including PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and a yet-to-be-revealed Nintendo Switch 2 on September 25. Sega has also announced that all versions of this kart racer will support cross-platform multiplayer. The game’s release on the Nintendo Switch 2 was confirmed recently, along with information about different editions of the game. For additional details, take a look at our coverage. If you’re interested in some of the tracks in the game, check out the “Sonic Racing” history video.

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2025-06-23 14:41