CrossWorlds Might Be a Nod to This 2012 Sega Racing Game

Sega’s latest venture, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, set for release in 2025, seems to take a page from its predecessor, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed from 2012. After a stellar 2024, Sega is revving up for a new year with this exhilarating racing game, drawing comparisons to the iconic Mario Kart. Although details have been scarce, the reveal trailer has certainly piqued interest.

The game made its first appearance during The Game Awards 2024, where Sega tantalized fans with a quick peek during a cinematic teaser that starred Shadow the Hedgehog. The scene captured Shadow revving his engine and speeding through a vibrant, rainbow-colored portal, courtesy of a Warp Ring. While the teaser omitted gameplay footage, it sparked a flurry of theories among enthusiasts, especially after Sega released additional hints that only added to the buzz.

According to a Sonic Stadium post on Twitter, along with metadata from the game’s website and the YouTube description of the Sega Asia English trailer, the premise of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds involves players “drifting between dimensions.” This aligns with the intriguing portal from the teaser. Furthermore, the game promises the chance to race across diverse terrains like “land, sea, air, space, and time,” which draws clear parallels to the beloved 2012 racer, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed distinguished itself as a captivating Sonic racing spin-off by allowing players to transform their vehicles mid-race—from cars to boats to planes—enabling them to tackle unique paths and challenging terrains. Races can even morph in real-time, pushing players to adapt their strategy on the fly. There’s plenty of speculation that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will incorporate these dynamic gameplay elements.

While the spotlight in the trailer was on Shadow’s car, eagle-eyed fans have spotted what might be an Extreme Gear airboard from Sonic Riders, potentially hinting at another vehicle choice. Given Sega’s description of airboards traversing various terrains, this theory gains credibility. Plus, the “CrossWorlds” part of the title has some dreaming of crossover appearances by other Sega icons like NiGHTs or Ulala.

In anticipation of this upcoming release, excitement is building around how Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds might bridge the gap between old-school fan favorites and new, innovative content, making it a hot topic in the gaming community as 2025 approaches.