Over time, Sumo Digital’s popular kart racing game Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed for PlayStation 3 and Vita has remained well-regarded. This versatile racing game, where you could drive cars, jet-skis, and even airplanes, is frequently compared to Mario Kart, the most recognized name in the genre.
Spending about half an hour on the PS5 Pro edition of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds before its beta launch this week, we’re convinced it harks back to form for Sega’s racer mascot. Despite 2019’s Team Sonic Racing being generally underrated and more entertaining than people acknowledge, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds seems to be a step in the right direction.
After successfully completing an entire Grand Prix event, we opted for the next one available as it presented a challenging yet balanced competition: the Wisp Grand Prix.
From what we’ve gathered, each Grand Prix features three primary races, followed by a conclusive sequence that seamlessly integrates the locations. During each race, you’ll complete one lap across any of the game’s CrossWorlds, which we’ll delve deeper into later in our preview.
Despite having an array of Sonic the Hedgehog characters available in the demo, such as lesser-known picks like Zazz and Espio, we ultimately chose none other than Hatsune Miku for our selection.
While we’re certainly fond of the Sonic characters, our real passion lies in the vast SEGA universe. We’re eagerly anticipating if popular personalities such as Ryo Hazuki and Samba De Amigo might also make an appearance alongside the already confirmed guests like Persona 5’s Joker and Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s Ichiban Kasuga.
In a hurry, we opted for a conventional automobile to experience its driving dynamics firsthand, as there’s an array of vehicle options available, including motorcycles and hoverboards, offering quite a diverse selection.
As an avid player, I’m thrilled to share that this game offers a unique gadget system, allowing me to tailor my gaming experience to my preferences. These gadgets function as personal upgrades, which can be strategically combined into loadouts. Whether you’re keen on enhancing your combat skills, mastering drifting techniques, or a mix of both, the gadget system provides the flexibility to suit your playstyle!
In the demonstration we experienced, there were some pre-set options available, and we opted for one of them. However, if everything is well-balanced in the complete game, it seems that building creativity will be greatly enhanced.
In simpler terms, our chosen setup primarily emphasized rings, producing one approximately every few seconds, and rewarding us for executing tricks and drifts. We also discovered a different setup that boosted your top speed in the final lap, enabling thrilling comebacks. It’ll be intriguing to observe the community experiment with these alternatives and eventually figure out what strategies are most effective.
To begin a Grand Prix, you’ll have to pick an Opponent, someone who will serve as your primary rival for the entire competition. Initially, we chose Big the Cat, considering his legendary status, but after he beat us in our inaugural race, we found ourselves wishing we had made a different choice.
In this game, each race follows a predictable pattern: You speed up using the Cross/X button, while the R2 trigger allows for drifting. The more time spent drifting around corners, the stronger your boost will be when exiting. At the standard difficulty level, the sense of speed is satisfactory.
In our context, weapons could be anything such as boxing gloves or boosts, although it’s unfortunate that they might remind some people of characters and objects from Sonic the Hedgehog or the broader Sega universe, which we find quite appealing.
In CrossWorlds, a key feature revealed by its title is that after completing the initial circuit, the current front-runner gets the chance to activate the Travel Ring, causing an instant shift in the entire layout of the race track.
Initially, our journey began at Metal Harbor, which is similar to the aircraft carrier stage from Sonic Adventure 2, but distinct from Carrier Zone in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Nevertheless, after completing the first lap, we were unexpectedly transported to Kraken Bay, a uniquely designed pirate-themed area featuring maritime landscapes and a colossal sea creature looming in the distance.
The transitions are technically impressive, much like what you experienced in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. They keep things interesting by constantly introducing new challenges for you to overcome. In the third round, you’ll return to the starting point, but don’t be fooled – everything will look and feel different. You might find yourself soaring through the air instead of driving a vehicle, or whatever else the course requires.
The transitions in this game are very impressive, similar to those you saw in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. They keep you engaged by presenting fresh challenges throughout the game. By the third lap, you’ll find yourself back at the starting line, but things will have changed considerably, so be prepared for unexpected surprises like flying instead of driving or whatever else the course calls for.
We’re curious to understand how these factors come into play during online game sessions, since games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe may become predictable once skilled players have mastered all the optimal routes. This uncertainty about the next lap keeps things interesting because you don’t know in advance what’s coming up.
Although we managed to secure the victory in the Grand Prix, it was extremely close. Big the Cat gave us a tough competition, and there were races where he was ahead. So, you shouldn’t assume that we will easily win again.
All in all, we’ve been quite taken by what we’ve experienced up to this point. The gameplay feels finely tuned, the PS5 Pro versions of the courses are stunningly beautiful, and the selection of characters keeps expanding. We understand there have been some questions about certain characters lacking voice samples, but we can’t get over the abundance of content available. The addition of Pac-Man and Minecraft courses? Definitely a must for us!
Feel free to verify ourselves, but remember but the open beta is set to launch by the end of this week, specifically on the 29th of August. You can learn about joining it through the provided link.
Am I excited to hop behind the wheel when Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds’ open beta launches later this week? Absolutely! Who would be my ideal co-pilot as a guest racer, and which beloved SEGA characters do I hope will join us on the track? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below – let’s cross the finish line together!
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2025-08-27 23:07