A Mario Kart Style Chaos Fest Finally Lands On PC
Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is basically Mario Kart’s unhinged cousin that finally shows up on PC. It throws you into high speed, item packed races that feel familiar if you have ever touched a kart racer, but it cranks the chaos way up. Rings explode everywhere, racers get flung into alternate tracks mid race, and items come at you from every angle.
Even if you are not a long time Sonic fan, the game is designed so anyone can jump in and have fun. Hardcore Sonic players will notice loads of references to classic levels, old dialogue, and even nods to Sega arcade titles like Galaxy Force 2. For everyone else, it just feels like a bright, loud, fast racer that finally gives PC players something close to Nintendo’s famous kart series.
The handling feels surprisingly solid for such a wild game. Underneath the frenzy there is a proper racing core with boost management, drifting, shortcuts, and build choices that actually affect how you perform on track.
Customisation, Classes, And Gadgets
One of the biggest strengths of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is how much control it gives you over how you race. It starts with accessibility options, which make the game more welcoming for beginners or casual players:
- Auto steering helps keep you on the track.
- Auto acceleration handles the throttle so you can focus on steering and items.
Beyond that, the game splits vehicles into five machine types, each with its own look and playstyle:
- Speed cars for sleek, high top speed racing.
- Acceleration buggies that get back up to speed quickly.
- Handling vehicles that are compact and easier to control.
- Power cars that are chunky, quad style rigs built for impact.
- Boost hoverboards for those who want something flashy and different.
Within each category you can tweak and mix parts to build your own machine. Visual customisation lets you slap on decals and go wild with designs, so you can create something that feels personal. If you ever wanted to put flame decals on a car because it fits a character’s vibe, this game absolutely lets you live that dream.
The real depth comes from gadgets. These are badges you place on a three by two grid, and they define how your racer behaves. The system feels almost like building a loadout in an RPG or hero shooter, but for kart racing.
Gadgets can do things like:
- Increase how quickly you perform air tricks.
- Give you extra rings during a race.
- Raise your item limit so you can hold more tools at once.
- Add an extra drift level so you can charge stronger boosts.
- Start you off with specific items at the beginning of a race.
More powerful gadgets take up more slots on the board, so you need to make trade offs. You cannot have everything, so you pick what suits your style. Do you want more speed and drift power, or do you lean into items and ring economy Instead of just picking a character and a kart, you are constantly tempted to fine tune builds and experiment, and that adds a lot of replay value.
Track Hopping, Frenzy Modes, And Multiplayer Madness
Once you hit the track, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds keeps ramping things up. There are a lot of small mechanics that give races a bit more depth and skill expression.
The race countdown is not just a passive timer. You have to time your start properly to get the best possible launch boost. Tracks are loaded with shortcuts that are not always obvious on the first run, so there is a nice learning curve as you replay and discover faster lines. The drifting system also lets you snake and stack up a long boost, rewarding players who master the timing.
Every race is three laps, but the second lap is where things get wild. The leader can aim for one of two options mid race: a random route or a portal that throws everyone into a CrossWorld. These CrossWorlds are bite sized segments inspired by different Sonic games and Sega history, not full tracks but themed chunks that you blast through before snapping back into the main circuit.
Some segments transform your vehicle into a plane and turn the track into an aerial route. You can drift in the air, hit air boosts, and scoop up rings. Others shift you into water themed sections where air tricks and wave riding become important. It constantly feels like you are being yanked into a new mini challenge.
On top of that, the game will sometimes drop frenzy modifiers on these sections. That can mean near constant random item drops or tracks flooded with dash panels and gates that hurl you forward at ridiculous speeds. The result is that no two races feel exactly the same. Layout, items, CrossWorld choices, and modifiers all combine to make every session feel a bit unpredictable.
This chaos peaks in multiplayer. Players often hold onto powerful items and unleash them right at the end, which can turn the final stretch into a storm of projectiles and last second wipeouts. It can feel a little too random if you are looking for perfectly fair competition, but if you enjoy over the top party style racing, there is a lot of entertainment in that madness.
For PC gamers who have been jealous of console exclusive kart racers, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is a welcome shift. It is available on Steam and the Epic Games Store, it runs on humble machines, and it hits that sweet spot of being easy to pick up but surprisingly deep once you start tinkering with builds and learning tracks.
If you want a chaotic, colourful racer that respects your time, loves customisation, and actually feels good to control on PC, this is one worth checking out.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/racing/sonic-racing-crossworlds-is-the-closest-thing-we-have-to-mario-kart-on-pc-and-you-know-what-i-might-like-it-even-more/
