PAC-MAN Joins Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – The Crossover Kart Racer to Watch This Year

PAC-MAN Hits the Track: Why This Announcement Actually Stands Out

As a lifelong Sonic fan who grew up burning rubber in Mario Kart knockoffs, it’s easy to tune out “crossover kart racer” hype. But when SEGA and Bandai Namco kicked off gamescom by revealing PAC-MAN as a playable character (complete with ghost rivals and a PAC-MAN-inspired track!) for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, I genuinely took notice. This isn’t just Sonic & All-Stars Racing Redux-for the first time, we’re seeing a game that’s going for full-blown, cross-franchise chaos. That’s enough to deserve a real look, hype and all.

• PAC-MAN and his ghosts are part of a growing list of guest characters-this is beyond your standard Sonic roster.
• The Season Pass is stacking up third-party icons (Nickelodeon? Minecraft? Joker?!), suggesting SEGA wants to challenge Mario Kart’s crown in sheer star power.
• Open Network Test drops August 29-September 1, so we’ll get actual hands-on impressions before the September 25 release.
• Next-gen and Switch 2 support at (mostly) fair prices shows SEGA isn’t skimping on accessibility.

Breaking Down the Guest Roster-And Why It’s Actually Ambitious

Let’s be honest: kart racers thrive or die on their character selection and pure party value. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds isn’t just going the “Sonic and friends” route; adding icons like PAC-MAN, Minecraft, TMNT, SpongeBob, and even Hatsune Miku (!) signals a real push for ultimate crossover appeal. For years, only Mario Kart managed this kind of Nintendo-spanning magic—now SEGA (with Bandai Namco’s help) is trying to pull the same trick, but with a roster that’s gleefully weird. Will stacking the Digital Deluxe Edition with Netflix’s Sonic Prime cast and a Season Pass featuring so many outside IPs actually elevate the gameplay, or will it just become a marketing dump? Hard to tell until launch, but at least they’re swinging big.

Open Network Test: SEGA’s Smart Play for Skeptics

I always side-eye kart racers that drop with no way to test real-world multiplayer first—online play makes or breaks these games. Thankfully, SEGA’s running an Open Network Test from August 29 to September 1. That’s key: you can put the PS5, Series X|S, PC, or Nintendo Switch versions through their paces (sorry, PS4/Xbox One folks) before parting with £55-65. Given how rough online was in past Sonic racing titles, these network tests will reveal if CrossWorlds can finally deliver stable, genuinely fun multiplayer or just falls back into the same old pits.

The Real Impact: Why CrossWorlds Has a Shot at Shaking Up Kart Racers

Look, any time a non-Nintendo kart racer tries to take on Mario Kart, my expectations start low (remember Team Sonic Racing or even Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled’s microtransaction mess?). But SEGA’s approach feels different this time. First, the post-launch roadmap is surprisingly generous—characters like Joker and Kasuga Ichiban are coming for free, not just stuck behind a paywall. Second, cross-platform play is in from the start, and the game is launching on every relevant platform, including Switch 2 support and smooth upgrade paths.

The game modes are also worth attention: split-screen four-player local co-op, robust online Friend Match, World Rankings, and even a quirky Rival System with taunting AI—all signs SEGA’s studied what makes Mario Kart addictive. The question is, will the driving physics, polish, and core track design hold up, or will this just be a fun novelty?

What Gamers Should Really Watch For

This announcement isn’t just about another mascot cash-in. Seeing PAC-MAN on a Sonic track (or SpongeBob trying to outrace a Minecraft Creeper) is meme-worthy in itself, but what matters is whether CrossWorlds can deliver gameplay that’s as fun as its roster is wild. If SEGA pulls off smooth online races, balanced items, and genuinely creative course design, this could finally be the competitor Mario Kart’s needed—a game streaming nights and local parties alike could genuinely rally around. If it stumbles on netcode, feels pay-to-win, or just throws more characters at shallow mechanics, it’ll fade fast.

TL;DR

PAC-MAN’s arrival signals SEGA wants Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds to be more than just another mascot kart game—they’re aiming for ultimate crossover chaos. Huge guest roster, free character updates, and an open network test all hint at ambition. If the online holds up, this might finally be the wild party racer the genre’s been missing. Expect memes, surprises, and—if SEGA nails it—actual competition for Mario Kart at last.