Mario Kart World may have stolen the spotlight during this week’s Nintendo Direct, but Sega isn’t letting fans forget that Sonic has a racing game of his own speeding toward the finish line. Just hours after Nintendo confirmed that the new Mario Kart title would launch as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive on June 5, Sega fired back with a playful jab on social media.
“Big day for worldly racing games,” posted the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account. If that had been the whole tweet, it might’ve come off as a friendly nod—but they didn’t stop there.
“Anyway, get ready for the ONLY upcoming kart racer you can play with your friends around the world across all your favorite platforms: Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.”
Attached was a screenshot showing Sonic and friends racing through dimensional portals—a core visual from the upcoming game.
It’s a cheeky reminder that while Mario Kart World will be locked to a single platform, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is going multiplatform. Players across all major consoles and PC will be able to race together—something Mario Kart still hasn’t embraced.
While Sega and Nintendo have had a more collaborative relationship in recent years—with Sonic joining Super Smash Bros. and the ongoing Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series—it wasn’t always this cozy. Longtime fans will remember the fierce console wars of the ’90s, when Sega and Nintendo were fierce rivals. This social media moment feels like a clever throwback to those days.
Beneath the snark, Sega is clearly aware of the challenge ahead. Mario Kart remains the undisputed king of the kart racing genre, and launching CrossWorlds too close to Mario Kart World could be risky. Sega has yet to reveal a specific release date for CrossWorlds, and that might be deliberate. With Mario Kart World dropping in early June, Sega could aim for a holiday release window to give the game space to shine.
It’s a strategy Sega may have learned the hard way. Last year, Sonic Superstars launched just days before Super Mario Bros. Wonder—a decision that didn’t go particularly well for Sonic. This time around, better timing could be the key to giving CrossWorlds a stronger shot.
There’s also Kirby Air Riders to consider, but CrossWorlds may have a better chance of standing out against that title than by going wheel-to-wheel with Mario Kart again.
So far, CrossWorlds is shaping up to be a return to form for Sonic’s racing efforts, with arcade-style gameplay, deep customization, and cross-platform multiplayer—making it one of the most promising entries in the franchise to date.
Stay tuned to Sonic City for more Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds News and Updates!
I was not expecting a cheeky jab from Sonic to Mario Kart, which was not on my bingo.
SEGA, CRUSH THEIR SKULL, THANK YOU.
Sounds like Sonic has yet to reunite with his old plumber pal Mario someday, but playfully banters with him online till then.
It would appear so