Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Players Say Being in First Place Is Terrifying

SEGA’s open network test for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds gave fans their first real chance to play the game this past weekend. While much of the feedback has been positive, one reaction has stood out across the community: being in first place feels absolutely terrifying.

Comparisons to Mario Kart World were inevitable given how close the two titles are launching, and many players quickly noticed that CrossWorlds has its own equivalents to the dreaded blue shell, along with several other items that can make leading the race feel like a nightmare. Weights, for example, can drop down and crush not just the racer in first but the one in second as well. The sunglasses-wearing King Boom Boo also shows up at the front of the pack, targeting the leader directly and often dragging other racers into the chaos along the way.

Even items not specifically designed for first place can keep the pressure on. The Slicer locks onto the car directly ahead of the user, which means the leader is always at risk if second place picks one up. The Monster Truck transformation is another major threat, crushing everything in its path. While it usually goes to racers further back and only lasts a short while, its sheer destructive power makes it one of the most intimidating surprises in the game. On top of that, boxing glove items work much like Mario Kart’s shells, even using the same color coding, giving players yet another way to knock the leader down.

This level of intensity feels very different from what Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka suggested earlier this year, when he said the game wouldn’t include stressful items like Mario Kart’s blue shells. Judging from player impressions during the test, almost every item in the game has the potential to create stress when you’re out in front.

With high-speed gameplay and an unpredictable item system, races can flip in an instant. A bad streak of hits can send the leader tumbling down the ranks before they even realize what happened. Still, with only 12 racers per match, it isn’t quite as punishing as falling all the way to last place in Mario’s karting world. Since the purpose of the test was to collect feedback, SEGA may still make adjustments before launch. For now, though, players are learning that in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, the most dangerous place to be is first.

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