After months of anticipation, the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here! Although one might say that the handheld is lacking in launch titles, Mario Kart World is a perfect way to jump into the new console. With a fresh take on the classic franchise, Mario Kart World is a blast for both new and longtime fans of the franchise.
Mario Kart World’s new direction for the franchise and a number of notable new features have instantly made the game a fan favorite. Even though it’s been a few days since the game’s release, it already has a challenger in the ring, which gamers believe will go down as the best racing game in history.
Mario Kart World‘s biggest rival has entered the chat
If you’re aware, gamers, Geoff Keighley’s annual Summer Game Fest 2025 happened yesterday. As you’d expect from the event, we saw a bunch of announcements for various upcoming games across PC and consoles. It’s been a busy week, really, first the launch of Switch 2 and then Sony’s State of Play.
One game that caught the eye of the players at the event was SEGA’s Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. It’s the latest installment in the Sonic racing series, and brings a variety of characters from the Sonic verse alongside notable pop culture icons. In the trailer, we got a look at Persona 5 Joker and Haukne Miku, who are all set to feature in the racing game.
That’s not the case; beloved characters such as Metal Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog will also be joining Sonic Racing: Crossworlds. Gamers will be able to race against each other on 24 unique tracks and explore the dimension-jumping feature that will shake the gameplay mid-race. After finishing the first lap, the player in the lead will be able to activate a portal, sending all racers to a “CrossWorld.”
Well, if that wasn’t exciting enough, SEGA has also teased a crossover with Minecraft that would transport racers to tracks based on the sandbox game’s iconic blocky aesthetic. Although we haven’t been given many details about this crossover, it’s been mentioned that it will be available to Season Pass or Deluxe Edition owners.
What truly sets Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds apart from its rival Mario Kart World is the fact that it features cross-play. That’s right, you’ll be able to connect and race with your friends across various consoles. So, if you’re excited to jump into this title, get ready as Sonic Racing CrossWorld is all set to debut on September 25, 2025, on Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, and PC.
Mario Kart World doesn’t include a major feature
It’s not just the competition that’s proving to be a big issue for Mario Kart World, as it lacks a lot of features that gamers adored in the previous entries. One of such features is the 200cc mode, the quickest and most demanding class brought in Mario Kart 8.
Right before Mario Kart World dropped, game producer Kosuke Yabuki, while chatting with Rolling Stone, confirmed that 200cc mode won’t be featured in the game. However, he stated that there’s a chance that Nintendo might consider bringing bigger engine sizes with future updates.
Sure, the matter is not closed, and 200cc mode might make a return in Mario Kart World, but it’s still disappointing that Nintendo removed a feature that was a hallmark of the previous Mario Kart game. Let’s hope the company learns from SEGA and gives gamers what they really want.
With that said, are you excited about Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds? Let us know in the comments below!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
