Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds tied Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed at 82 on Metacritic in a comparison reported by GamesRadar+. That puts the two games neck and neck on that review aggregate—not in every critic’s verdict, and not as proof that one is objectively the best. Reviews of CrossWorlds praise its speed, tracks, customization, and course-changing Travel Rings, while raising concerns about online play, balance, grind, and long-term content.
What “neck and neck” means here
GamesRadar+ reported both games at 82 on Metacritic in its comparison. The match is a tie between the review aggregates reported there, not a head-to-head test by the same critics and not evidence that players universally rate the games equally. Metacritic scores and review counts can change over time. GamesRadar+’s comparison is the source for the reported tie.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Amazon Exclusive Edition - Nintendo Switch | $36.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Standard Edition - Nintendo Switch | $34.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Playstation 5) | $34.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds - P4 | $59.95 | Buy on Amazon |
The wider review picture for CrossWorlds is favorable but mixed. Nintendo Life’s September 20, 2025 roundup cited selected outlet scores ranging from GameSpot’s 7/10 to IGN’s 9/10. Those are individual reviews, not a single average:
| Outlet | Score reported by Nintendo Life |
|---|---|
| VGC | 4/5 |
| GamesRadar+ | 4/5 |
| IGN | 9/10 |
| GameSpot | 7/10 |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10 |
| Push Square | 8/10 |
Nintendo Life’s roundup includes praise for handling, the portal mechanic, customization, tracks, soundtrack, and mechanical depth, alongside reservations about weapons, online offerings, grind, and how much the game offers over time.
#1 Best Overall
- READY, SET, WARP! Race across 24 tracks and warp to 15 CrossWorlds with Travel Rings, a unique gameplay mechanic that transports the iconic characters from the Sonic and SEGA universes into new dimensions. Use unpredictability to your advantage as you change the landscape of each race!
- RACE WITH THE BEST! Choose from 23 iconic Sonic characters, the largest roster of any Sonic racing game!
- MAKE IT YOURS: Mix and match between 45 unique original vehicles and 70 different gadgets to trick out your ride, level up your kart, and create the ultimate machine to match your racing style.
- GAIN THE ADVANTAGE WITH POWERFUL ITEMS! Dominate your opponents with 23 different items including returning favorites and all-new items like the Monster Truck!
- MULTIPLE WAYS TO PLAY: Gather with friends and play local split-screen in Grand Prix and the new party mode Race Park, compete against a community of players from around the world with up to 12 players online in World Match, or test your driving skills in Time Trials.
Why reviewers praise CrossWorlds
Courses that change during a race
SEGA describes a three-lap format: after the first lap, racers pass through a Travel Ring into a CrossWorld for lap two, changing the course; the final lap returns to the original track. That mid-race shift gives the game’s track variety a mechanical role, rather than limiting it to a visual change. Review coverage frequently praised the tracks and the Travel Ring/CrossWorld transitions. SEGA’s announcement explains the format.
Speed, handling, and customization
Reviewers also highlighted the feel of the racing, vehicle customization, and mechanical depth. Those strengths help explain why CrossWorlds drew strong scores, but the aggregate tie alone cannot tell you whether its handling or customization is better than Transformed’s. The available comparison is not a same-reviewer, same-platform test of both games.
Rank #2
- READY, SET, WARP! Race across 24 tracks and warp to 15 CrossWorlds with Travel Rings, a unique gameplay mechanic that transports the iconic characters from the Sonic and SEGA universes into new dimensions. Use unpredictability to your advantage as you change the landscape of each race!
- RACE WITH THE BEST! Choose from 23 iconic Sonic characters, the largest roster of any Sonic racing game!
- MAKE IT YOURS: Mix and match between 45 unique original vehicles and 70 different gadgets to trick out your ride, level up your kart, and create the ultimate machine to match your racing style.
- GAIN THE ADVANTAGE WITH POWERFUL ITEMS! Dominate your opponents with 23 different items including returning favorites and all-new items like the Monster Truck!
- MULTIPLE WAYS TO PLAY: Gather with friends and play local split-screen in Grand Prix and the new party mode Race Park, compete against a community of players from around the world with up to 12 players online in World Match, or test your driving skills in Time Trials.
Where the reviews raise doubts
Online play and reliability
Some September 2025 reviews questioned the online offering. In a separate PC review published January 16, 2026, PC Gamer scored CrossWorlds 79/100, praising the racing, track experimentation, and customization while criticizing online reliability and price. That score reflects PC Gamer’s PC review, not a universal rating across platforms. PC Gamer’s review gives its platform-specific assessment.
Balance, grind, and staying power
The September roundup also records concerns about weapons, grind, long-term engagement, and the amount of content relative to competitors. These are meaningful trade-offs for players deciding whether they want a game to revisit for a long time or mainly a strong set of races. The supplied reviews identify those concerns but do not establish a single agreed verdict on how much content is enough.
Rank #3
- Pre-order Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and receive the playable character Werehog, the Werehog vehicle "Beast Spike", and the Werehog Decal!
- Race across land, sea, air, space, and time in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds! Warp through Travel Rings into new dimensions where something new awaits around every twist and turn.
- Speed to victory solo or as a team in a variety of offline and online modes and compete against players from around the world. Build the ultimate vehicle to match your racing style, unlock gadgets to gain the upper hand, and unleash power-up items to bring home the win!
- Gain the Advantage with Powerful Items! Dominate your opponents with 23 different items including returning favorites and all-new items like the Monster Truck!
- Make It Yours Mix and match between 45 unique original vehicles and 70 different gadgets to trick out your ride, level up your kart, and create the ultimate machine to match your racing style.
How the games differ in practical terms
The reported aggregate score is the clearest direct comparison in the available evidence. For other decision points, the evidence describes CrossWorlds in more detail than it supplies a matched comparison with Transformed.
| Question | CrossWorlds | Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed |
|---|---|---|
| Reported Metacritic score in GamesRadar+’s comparison | 82 | 82 |
| Track design and variety | Reviews praised the tracks and Travel Ring/CrossWorld course changes; SEGA describes a changed course on lap two. | Not stated in the cited comparison as a directly matched assessment. |
| Handling and skill ceiling | Handling and mechanical depth drew praise in the September 2025 roundup. | Not stated in the cited comparison as a directly matched assessment. |
| Customization | Praised by reviewers; PC Gamer also praised it in its January 2026 PC review. | Not stated in the cited comparison as a directly matched assessment. |
| Single-player content and replayability | Some reviewers raised concerns about grind, long-term engagement, and content relative to competitors. | Not stated in the cited comparison as a directly matched assessment. |
| Online play | SEGA announced crossplay and 12-player online World Match; reviews raised concerns about online offerings, and PC Gamer criticized reliability on PC. | Not stated in the cited comparison as a directly matched assessment. |
| Current price and value | Current price depends on platform and region; PC Gamer criticized price in its PC review. | Not stated in the cited comparison as a directly matched assessment. |
The table separates what is known about CrossWorlds from what the reported tie can establish. It does not fill gaps with assumptions about the older game.
Rank #4
- UK PSN account may be required for any online features
Modes, platforms, and launch timing
SEGA announced launch on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on September 25, 2025, followed by Steam and Epic Games Store on September 26. SEGA’s product information also lists Nintendo Switch 2. The release announcement describes crossplay, 12-player online World Match, Festival events, Time Trial, and local play for one to four players generally; it specifies local wireless play for up to eight on Nintendo Switch. Check the current product listing for platform-specific availability and details. SEGA’s release announcement gives the announced dates and mode information.
Which game should you choose?
- Choose CrossWorlds if its changing-course Travel Ring format, customization, and current platform’s multiplayer options are the features you want. The reviews cited here praise those areas, while also identifying online and long-term-content concerns.
- Consider Transformed if you are comparing it with CrossWorlds on the strength of its reported aggregate tie and already know the older game suits you. The score match by itself cannot establish which one you will prefer.
- Compare price before buying. SEGA’s announcement includes Japanese launch prices, not current prices for every region or platform. SEGA confirms a physical Standard Edition, but format, edition, stock, and price can vary; verify them with the retailer and platform you intend to use. SEGA’s physical-edition information describes the announced format.
Verdict
CrossWorlds has a credible claim to being neck and neck with Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on the specific evidence behind the headline: both were reported at 82 on Metacritic in GamesRadar+’s comparison. Its distinctive course changes and well-regarded racing give it a strong review case, but concerns about online play, grind, balance, and staying power make the score tie a starting point—not a final answer about which game is better for you.
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