Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds plunges players into a high-octane kart racing universe, bringing the beloved Sonic characters and iconic locales to the PC platform with a unique twist. This review delves into the game's dynamic gameplay, expansive customization options, and the challenges it faces, offering a comprehensive look at what makes this title a compelling, albeit flawed, entry in the kart racing genre.
Embrace the Chaos: Speed, Customization, and Unpredictable Fun!
The Core Experience: Frenetic Races and Unexpected Twists
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds offers an exhilarating, albeit at times chaotic, racing adventure. While it can be frustrating due to unbalanced items and online connectivity issues, the game's fundamental racing mechanics are exceptionally polished. The tracks are ingeniously designed, providing ample opportunities for strategic maneuvers and speed optimization. The deep vehicle customization further enhances the experience, allowing players to personalize their rides in ways rarely seen in other character-driven kart racers.
A Legacy of Speed: Celebrating Sonic's Rich History
The game is a vibrant celebration of three decades of Sonic history. It boasts a diverse roster of characters, from well-known mascots to lesser-seen figures like Zazz, Vector, and Sage. Iconic levels from past Sonic titles, such as Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Unleashed, are reimagined for kart racing, incorporating cars and hoverboards into their designs. Additionally, classic tracks from previous Sonic racing games return with fresh alterations, creating a nostalgic yet novel experience for long-time fans.
Track Design Brilliance: Verticality and Hidden Paths
Even for those less familiar with every intricate detail of the Sonic lore, the track designs in CrossWorlds are a major highlight. Unlike the more linear approach often found in similar kart racers, CrossWorlds introduces a rich tapestry of off-road routes, vertical challenges, and cleverly concealed shortcuts. This encourages players to experiment and discover optimal paths to shave precious seconds off their lap times, adding significant replayability to each course.
Dynamic Environments: Portals to New Racing Dimensions
The tracks in CrossWorlds are constantly evolving, providing a dynamic racing environment. Standard ground-based driving frequently transitions into segments requiring precise aerial drifting or navigating turbulent water currents with continuous jumps and tricks. Adding to this dynamism is a unique portal mechanic that transports racers to entirely different tracks mid-race. While many of these secondary tracks are short, often limited to a single lap, they introduce an exciting layer of unpredictability. However, the transitions themselves can feel somewhat uninspired, and the inability to fully race on these portal-accessed courses is a missed opportunity for deeper exploration.
Unleashing Creativity: Extensive Vehicle Personalization
CrossWorlds offers a remarkable level of customization, providing players with abundant opportunities to personalize their racing experience. With five distinct vehicle types—Speed, Power, Acceleration, Handling, and Boost—each offering unique designs and playstyles, players can truly tailor their approach. The freedom to pair any character with any machine, such as the formidable Big the Cat on a nimble hoverboard, allows for playful and imaginative combinations. Beyond functional customization, a wealth of cosmetic options enables players to create truly unique cars or monster trucks for each racer, fostering a strong sense of personal connection to their chosen vehicle.
Strategic Depth: Gadgets and Build Optimization
Beyond aesthetics, CrossWorlds provides extensive strategic customization through its gadget system. Players can craft intricate builds using a wide array of gadgets across six slots, each unlocked through continued gameplay. Initially, the sheer number of generic and niche modifiers—ranging from starting with specific items to increasing item spawn rates—can be overwhelming. However, as players learn to synergize gadgets, such as combining those that quickly fill the ring count with acceleration boosts, they unlock powerful combinations that complement their individual racing styles. This depth allows for significant strategic exploration, though it can lead to a meta-driven online environment, a challenge the developers are actively addressing.
Online Hurdles: Connectivity and Item Imbalance
The primary drawbacks of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds lie in its online functionality. Players frequently encounter errors and disconnections, disrupting the competitive experience. A more significant issue is the item balancing, which often encourages a 'sandbagging' strategy. Racers may intentionally fall behind to hoard powerful items, unleashing them in the final moments to decimate opponents and claim victory. This strategy undermines the skill-based aspect of the game, making online play less enjoyable and pushing many players towards offline modes.
Value Proposition: Is the Price Right?
Priced at $70, the game's cost-effectiveness is a point of contention. Offering primarily Grand Prix, Time Trial, and a temperamental online mode, the asking price can feel steep. The addition of DLC characters like Pac-Man, SpongeBob, and Minecraft Steve, while expanding the roster, further increases the overall investment, especially without voice acting to enhance their integration. For those prioritizing robust netcode and a high-skill ceiling, waiting for a sale might be prudent. However, for fans seeking a chaotic, Easter egg-filled Sonic racing game with deep customization, the current price might be justifiable, depending on individual priorities.
