Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Takes Shots at Mario Kart in Bold New Ad Sega revives the classic rivalry with a cheeky ad ahead of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds’ release

The rivalry between Sonic and Mario has resurfaced, this time in the world of kart racing. Sega has released a daring new ad for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds that takes playful jabs at Nintendo’s Mario Kart World, a recent launch title for the Switch 2.

🚗 Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and Its Ambitions

CrossWorlds isn’t just another Sonic kart racer—it’s aiming to be the Super Smash Bros. of the genre.

Confirmed characters already include:

Joker from Persona 5
Ichiban Kasuga from Like a Dragon
Minecraft icons, Pac-Man, and even SpongeBob SquarePants

With such a crossover-heavy roster, Sega is positioning the game as a competitor with wide cultural appeal.

🏆 Mario Kart World’s Early Success

Launched earlier this summer alongside the Switch 2, Mario Kart World quickly made headlines:

Introduced open-road exploration across diverse biome maps.
Sold over 5 million copies in June alone.
Secured a strong 86 on Metacritic despite controversy around its $80 price point.

Nintendo’s dominance in the kart racing space is clear—but Sega has a different approach.

🎥 Sega’s New Ad Fuels the Rivalry

The new 30-second CrossWorlds ad begins with the line:

“Leave the open road behind and come race on our level.”

Highlights from the spot include:

A blurred Mario Kart World screen shown on a monitor.
A narrator dismissing Nintendo’s racer while showcasing CrossWorlds’ features.
A flashy reveal of CrossWorlds playing on a monitor strapped to a drag racing car.
The ad closing with Mario Kart’s blurred monitor strapped to a broken-down RV.

The message is clear: Sega wants fans to see CrossWorlds as the next-level kart racing experience.

🎮 Release Details and Early Access

Early Unlock: Available one week before launch for players who purchase the Digital Deluxe edition.
Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch on September 25, 2025.
Switch 2 Release: Planned for 2026.

It’s worth noting that Switch players won’t get early access, as Nintendo traditionally avoids offering early unlocks.

🔄 A Throwback to the 90s Rivalry

While Sega and Nintendo have collaborated in recent years (including Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and Sonic’s role in Super Smash Bros.), this ad feels like a callback to the classic 90s console wars.

Fans across social media were quick to draw comparisons, with many noting the ad brings back the playful energy of Sonic vs. Mario’s historic rivalry.

✅ Final Thoughts

With Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds set to launch September 25, Sega is making a bold statement by taking aim at Mario Kart World. Whether this playful rivalry helps boost sales remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: the battle for kart racing supremacy just got a lot more interesting.