Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka joined us at IGN Live to introduce new gameplay and share insights into Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, explaining why this ambitious crossover kart racer is a must-play experience.
Just a day after the Summer Game Fest reveal confirmed that Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga from Like a Dragon, Joker from Persona 5, and Minecraft's Steve, Alex, and Creeper will appear as guest characters, Iizuka reflected on the selection process for these unique additions.
"We wanted to ensure the second lap would be full of surprises, transporting players to unexpected worlds," Iizuka explained. "While brainstorming ways to enhance the excitement, we knew visiting Sega IP worlds would be great, but we also wanted to explore other IPs to truly surprise players. As we considered which worlds would be fun to explore, Minecraft and its characters stood out as a perfect fit."
For those unfamiliar with the game, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds features an innovative three-lap structure. The first lap follows traditional racing, but the lead racer then selects a new world for everyone to race through using Travel Rings.
"The three-lap system works well for racing games," Iizuka noted. "It's easy to understand, and we wanted to keep things fresh rather than repeating the same track. That's how the Travel Ring concept emerged—to take players somewhere new and unexpected in the second lap. We also added some surprises for the third lap to maintain excitement throughout the race."
Our discussion shifted to gameplay items, where Iizuka expressed his appreciation for the nods to previous Sonic Racing games. The Rocket Punch item references earlier titles, while Wisp items honor Team Sonic Racing. However, he revealed his personal favorite is the Monster Truck power-up, which "transforms your vehicle into a monster truck, allowing you to plow through opponents ahead."
Players can look forward to numerous features when Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launches on September 25, 2025, including the return of Sonic Riders' hoverboards, the ability for any character to use any vehicle, online racing for up to 12 players, and the welcome addition of cross-play functionality.
The game will be available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Though it may release slightly later, Switch 2 players will eventually join the action with over 23 racers featured in the game.
For additional details, read our Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds preview and explore our complete IGN Live coverage.
