Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Launch Edition - Nintendo Switch 2

I've played past Sonic Racing games... this latest one feels like a re-invention in ways, with many pros and some cons. The main new gimmick is that you warp into different worlds when racing - which is a good and bad thing. The bad thing is that the consistency isn't there, and the racing levels can be on the shorter side, but the good thing is that each little world is interesting and fun. I would guess that most people will be fine with this feature since the drama and action is there in this style of racing game. The power-ups and racing gameplay is going to feel familiar. The controls are responsive... I don't think it is as sharp as Mario Kart, but it is comparable. It feels fun to zip around the tracks as you drift to build up boost. The graphics on the Switch 2 version are smooth, colorful, and the art design is really good. The regular Switch 1 version does NOT have the smooth frame rate or sharpness, so I would avoid that version of the game if you can. I played the Switch 1 demo version - and the graphics are rough. It is playable but you lose a lot in the experience. The new developers tried to make a very technically solid game with lots of action and fun. It does feel a little bit "samey", but it is polished and most people don't want a major overhaul of the experience. I think the gameplay is still fun (though I prefer the racing dynamics in previous games). The constant changing of worlds, with each one leaning towards the shorter side in terms of length, is very fun at first - but over some time, you might be looking for longer and more consistent levels to race in. That said, there is a lot of replayability here - especially for fans of SEGA games. I was happy to be able to choose Nights [from back on the Sega Saturn] as my main playable character... the music from previous SEGA games is present which is a very fun treat for fans. If you like Mario Kart, you're going to find A LOT to like here... cool looking levels, colorful characters, great art design, fun power-ups, and lots to experiment with over time. I would give this game a solid 8/10 score. For context, I would give Mario Kart 8, the one on Wii U/Switch 1, a 10/10 score (and the latest Mario Kart World... maybe an 8/10 score as well). Lastly, this new Sonic Racing game looks to have more stuff added to it via DLC (which costs some extra money) over time - and you can purchase new characters like Mega Man and Minecraft - if you want to add to the experience with new music and visuals from that universe. I kind of dislike DLC like this - but it doesn't ruin the base game in any way.

Game is a really good racer, better than Mario Kart World in my opinion. The only issue I have with it is that it feels way to easy to hit walls and also some items feel completely useless. Also there isn't much character variety which is expected in a sonic game to be fair.

It's your run of the mill kart racer but feels fast and chaotic. The 2nd lap is always reactions so it never gets repetitive

Great game. Putting it against Mario Kart World and Kirby Air Riders, Sonic is a good game. Probably a notch above Kirby because, to me, Kirby just has harder controls. But Sonic Crossworlds is a must have for cart racing fans. You'll have a good time. Try it out!

It's overall a really fantastic game, but the one minor gripe I have is that it has a 16GB update, which partially defeats the purpose of buying a physical edition of the game. It's still a great racer and I love that it's not a game key card, so I would recommend it overall.