Sonic Racing CrossWorlds Ramps Up: PAC-MAN, Joker, and a Free Playtest Bring Sega’s Kart Racer Into

Why Sonic Racing CrossWorlds Might Finally Break Out

As someone who grew up with Sonic drifting through Green Hill Zone and still fires up Mario Kart with friends, the words “Sonic Racing CrossWorlds” have always sounded like another attempt to beat Nintendo at its own game. But here’s why this latest update from SEGA made me actually pay attention: not only is the lineup of crossover DLCs absurd in a good way (PAC-MAN, Joker from Persona 5, and even SpongeBob before that), but they’re opening the gates to everyone with a cross-platform playtest at the end of August. For a series that’s often played it safe, that’s a big deal.

• PAC-MAN and Joker join the Sonic cast, giving the game real crossover hooks
• Free cross-platform playtest from August 29 to September 1 on all major platforms
• SEGA is chasing Mario Kart’s crowd, but this time with wider pop-culture appeal
• Actual hands-on time means we can judge controls, netcode, and fun factor for ourselves

Crossovers: Attention-Grabbing or Marketing Gimmick?

SEGA’s not shy about loading up DLC packs with every brand they can grab. PAC-MAN joining the lineup caught my eye, because these cross-company crossovers aren’t something you see every day-especially with Nintendo typically holding its own mascots close. Sonic Racing CrossWorlds seems to be betting heavily on players wanting a kart racer jammed with their favorite icons, and honestly, who doesn’t want to see PAC-MAN gobbling up power pellets on a Sonic track?

But let’s not pretend it’s all about fan service. This is pure marketing strategy too. By bringing in Joker from Persona 5 (hot off major popularity with gamers and cosplayers alike) and having SpongeBob and the Ninja Turtles, SEGA is banking on everyone finding something familiar here. My only question: will these guest racers be more than just skins? Will they actually change up gameplay or just serve as digital collectibles? If they lean into character-specific handling, abilities, or special tracks like Mario Kart does (think Link’s Master Cycle), it could actually deepen the formula instead of just making it noiser.

Playtest: Sega’s Chance to Prove Themselves or Just Generate Hype?

Open playtests are becoming more common-but they’re still rare for kart racers, especially ones that promise full cross-platform matchmaking. From August 29 to September 1, players across Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch will all get to jump into the action. What I’m most curious about: will SEGA crack Netcode that actually works, or will we be stuck rubberbanding around tracks like it’s 2010? You can try pretty much every mode-including, reportedly, limited-time events—so this is our first real chance to see if CrossWorlds can offer the kind of smooth, chaotic fun that’s made Mario Kart untouchable.

They’re saving the Joker crossover as a timed event beginning August 31. Personally, I’d watch to see if they use these events to spice up the formula (maybe Persona-inspired hazards or soundtrack remixes?) or if it’s just another reason to grind unlocks.

Is Sega Learning the Right Lessons?

Let’s be honest: Sonic kart racers have always been “almost there.” Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed was surprisingly good back in the day—great track design, oddball roster, but never quite the Mario Kart killer it wanted to be. CrossWorlds seems determined to fix that with a steady drip-feed of new content and crossplay, but as a gamer, I want to see more than marketing checkboxes. Will physics feel tight? Will it reward skill, or is it just rubberband AI all over again? And how wild will they get with the circuits—will PAC-MAN’s circuit actually channel arcade weirdness or just slap a coat of paint on a basic map?

From SEGA’s recent moves, it looks like they finally get why the kart racing genre exploded: frequent updates, social play, and custom content. But if the only real difference is the DLC carousel, they’ll miss what gives Mario Kart its endless legs.

TL;DR

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds has some serious pop-culture ammo with PAC-MAN and Joker, and the upcoming cross-platform playtest lets you see for yourself if it’s more than just colorful hype. If SEGA nails the handling and makes the crossovers meaningful, this could finally be Sonic’s breakout kart racer moment.