Mario Kart has always been dominant in the kart racing genre. It has always been the choice for people looking for arcadey kart racing action, and this sentiment goes all the way back to the Super Nintendo. The newest entry, Mario Kart World, features a new open-world and a unique Knockout mode.
There have been many games that have tried to challenge Mario Kart, and Sonic Racing Crossworlds is the newest one. Surprisingly, this new Sonic game has enough uniqueness that help it rival the Italian plumber’s greatness. Here are some of the differences between Mario Kart World vs Sonic Racing Crossworlds, so you can get an idea of which is more up your alley.
Open-World Vs Track Focused Racing
The prime difference between the two of these games is their world structure and how their races are set. Mario Kart World leans more towards an open-world experience with a free-roam map. All 30 of the race tracks are connected to this world seamlessly, making it a very immersive experience.
Instead of selecting which track to play on from a menu, Mario Kart World has a vast map on which all the racing tracks exist. For example, in the Grand Prix mode, you must drive to the starting line of the next race instead of jumping there automatically. Of course, the old-fashioned way of selecting races still exists as an option.
On the other hand, Sonic Racing Crossworlds focuses more on the tracks themselves rather than the world around them. Each track has a unique terrain, obstacles, and shortcuts. The tracks are also dynamic and can be altered by players because of the Crossworlds mechanic. More on that later.
Racers need to adapt to the changes and learn to expect the unexpected. Seeing that unpredictability is such a big part of Mario Kart World, it’s good that Sega is trying to do the same thing but with a different approach.
Cross-Play And Cross-Platform Support
Mario Kart World is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. As such, it doesn’t support cross-play or cross-platform support by default. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, as Mario is one of the big names that help Nintendo’s hardware sales. Thankfully, the game does put emphasis on its local multiplayer, supporting split-screen for up to four players on a single Nintendo and up to 8 players on wireless play. You can also challenge other players online by creating private rooms.
On the other hand, Sonic Racing Crossworlds will be available on multiple platforms. This includes PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Surprisingly, it’s also coming to previous-generation consoles, the original Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. If you don’t have a Nintendo Switch 2 but are yearning for a kart racing game, this is an excellent alternative to Mario Kart World.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is available on multiple platforms, supporting full cross-play and cross-platform support. This allows the game to be more competitive as different players from all around the world can challenge you.
The game will also feature cross-play support, though whether PC players will be able to play with console players is unconfirmed as of now. We do know that cross-play will work across all consoles, though, so that’s something.
Gameplay And Customization
My favorite aspect of Mario Kart World is the new Knockout Mode. It’s the fun mode yet in any kart racer, and it gets very competitive. Here’s how it works: You race across a series of six connected races, with a checkpoint at the end of each race. The players in the last four positions are eliminated at each checkpoint until you have only one racer remaining.
While Crossworlds appears to lack a similar mode, the new Crossworlds mechanic does look interesting. On the second lap of each race, the leader has the choice to go through one of two “Travel Rings”. This transports all racers to a completely new location for the second lap. Each track has its own unique “Crossworlds”, and they even feature random modifiers that can further alter the course.
Kart customization is one area where Sonic Racing: Crossworlds has an advantage over Mario Kart World. Characters aren’t tied to specific vehicles, and you can mix and match different vehicle parts, allowing you to fine-tune your kart. On top of that, there’s an almost RPG-like gadget system. You can equip these gadgets to karts for passive advantages, and can unlock up to six gadget slots, but powerful gadgets take up more than one slot. There are over 70 unlockable gadgets in the game, so you have quite a lot ot grind for.
The Real Race Begins After Launch
As we’re inching closer and closer to the full release of Sonic Racing Crossworlds, it’s certainly looking to be a worthy competitor. For those without a Switch 2, it’s well worth waiting to see what Sega has to offer in the full release. There is certainly enough personality and unique gameplay on offer here to maybe even pull some people away from Mario Kart. We’ll have to wait and see.
