Rejoice Sega fans, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds looks phenomenal. Showcased at the February 12 State of Play conference, the racing game's main gimmick is a unique one: you'll be able to swap racing tracks mid-race.
Similar to the technology used in the critically acclaimed Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart or the more recent Marvel's Spider-Man 2 by Insomniac Games, players will transition from one track to another between laps.
The mechanic is called Travel Rings. Whoever is in first place will get to pick the "CrossWorld" that all players will have to race on during the second lap. It's a surprisingly refreshing mechanic that, if executed correctly, could make Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds a worthy Mario Kart alternative.
To add more flair to each race, on top of Travel Rings, each track will be dynamic in its own right, with terrains changing constantly, allowing players to navigate land, sea, and even fly across terrains.
In a blog post shared on Sony's website, Sega Associate PR Manager Thalia Piedra teased that fans can expect guest characters from the company beyond the Sonic franchise, stating that CrossWorlds will feature Sega universes coming together.
Sega also revealed that they are planning a Closed Network Test for those curious to try out all the gameplay innovations coming with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
Sega also revealed that they are planning a Closed Network Test for those curious to try out all the gameplay innovations coming with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. The testing period will take place starting on February 21.
Despite all the innovation that's being brought to the table with CrossWorlds, it's surprising that Sega is developing it for last-gen consoles, as the racing title is slated to hit both PS4 and Xbox One.
While there's no release date, you can expect to see Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store).