‘Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds’ Unleashes Energetic Opening Track “Cross the Worlds”

Sonic is back on the track, and this time he’s bringing even more chaos with him. “Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds” is the next big game in the Sonic racing series, and it’s coming out on September 25, 2025. Sega and Sonic Team are behind it, and fans can expect it to launch on just about every major platform: PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch, and even the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, though that version is coming a bit later.

One of the wildest things about this game is a new feature called the CrossWorld mechanic. In the middle of a race, the track suddenly changes. You could be flying through Green Hill Zone one moment and then get thrown into a totally different map like Chemical Plant without warning. The idea is to keep things fast and unpredictable, and it definitely sounds like it’ll do that.

If you’ve played other Sonic racers before, you’ll feel right at home here. There are three-lap races, lots of drifting around corners, power-ups to collect, and that classic boost that gives you a shot of speed. You’ll have options when it comes to how you race too, cars, boats, planes, or even hoverboards, just like the ones from Sonic Riders.

Players can switch styles during a race, depending on the track. Characters aren’t stuck with just one vehicle either. Everyone has their own stats, and vehicles fall into different types, Speed, Acceleration, Power, Handling, and a special Boost class that’s only for the hoverboards.

Customization plays a big part in this game too. There are 45 different vehicles to unlock, and you can swap out parts between them to build something new. As you race, you’ll earn Donpa Tickets, which can be used to buy things like paint jobs, stickers, and other designs. You can also add gadgets before a race to give yourself an edge. One might help you grab rings from farther away, while another might make it more likely you get certain items. Some gadgets take up more space than others, but if you keep playing, you can unlock up to six gadget slots.

Sega says this game will have more characters than any Sonic racing game ever. There will be 23 characters ready to go at launch, and one more you can unlock after that. Plus, more are coming later as free updates or part of a season pass.

News about the game first dropped at The Game Awards in 2024 with a short teaser. The first full look at gameplay came during Sony’s State of Play event in February 2025. A short closed beta followed soon after for PlayStation 5 players. Then in June, early concept art and gameplay footage started leaking online. This revealed that guest characters from outside the Sonic world would be joining the game. Sega confirmed those leaks later at Summer Game Fest on June 6 and also announced the official release date.

Takashi Iizuka from Sonic Team wasn’t thrilled about the leaks. “It really took away from the surprise,” he said.

And now, Sega just gave fans another taste of the game. The official opening theme song has been released, titled “Cross the Worlds.” It’s out now and available to stream, and fans are already buzzing about it.

With high-speed racing, surprise track changes, tons of character options, and now a flashy new theme song, “Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds” is gearing up to be a big one.

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