Some items originally in development for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds won’t be making the final cut—because they were just too powerful.
According to the devs, maintaining fair and competitive gameplay is more important than letting chaos run wild. That means some fun-sounding, over-the-top power-ups had to be scrapped.
The game was first revealed with major hype at The Game Awards 2024, where a quick teaser showed Shadow in a sleek race car blasting into the horizon. That moment alone got fans buzzing, even though the trailer didn’t show much else.
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🎮 Built for Fair Play From the Ground Up
In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, series producer Takashi Iizuka explained how the dev team—formed from both Sonic Racing and SEGA Arcade Racing veterans—prioritized building a solid, competitive racer before adding any wild items. The goal? A fast-paced, skill-based experience that still feels chaotic in the best way.
Instead of designing items first, they built every course and vehicle before even touching item mechanics. Once they had the core gameplay locked down, they added in potential items and began rigorous playtesting. Any item that let players “come back from behind and win all the time” got the axe.
So yeah—blue-shell-style catch-up items? Gone. It’s all about rewarding skill over luck.
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🏁 Release Date and Guest Characters
The full game is officially dropping on September 25, 2025, as confirmed during a Summer Game Fest appearance. That same showcase revealed six surprise guest characters, which haven’t been detailed yet—but expect some wild crossovers.
🎯 A Different Flavor Than Mario Kart
Iizuka also made some interesting comments comparing Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds to Mario Kart World.
He praised Nintendo’s dev team but drew a clear line between the two: Mario Kart leans into action, while CrossWorlds is more of a true competitive racer.
He even took a not-so-subtle jab at the lack of cross-platform play in Mario Kart, noting that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds supports it across all platforms.
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