I'm a Mario Kart fan. Super Circuit was one of the first games I ever owned, and Mario Kart 8 has swallowed countless weekends. So when I tell you that I've come away from playing Sonic Racing: Crossworlds to find that it's closer to the kart racing experience I'm looking for than Mario Kart World is, that should hold some weight.
The most obvious difference is how brash and bold Crossworlds is. This game is brighter, bolder, and louder than any other karting game I've ever played, with courses as big and brazen as Mario Kart's most impressive maps. Sometimes Sega overcooks things here, with sections of some tracks feeling like an assault on the senses, more of a high-speed, living obstacle course than a traditional race track. At its very worst, that can feel like a case of style over substance, though it's rare that becomes a problem in a franchise that's happy to lean into its individual style.
