As a reference to the Sega-Nintendo feud that took place between the late 80s and early 90s, Sega released an advertisement for its upcoming Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds kart racing game that pokes fun at Nintendo’s Mario Kart World. While Nintendo’s game was not explicitly mentioned, features such as full kart customization and crossplay, which Mario Kart World lacks, were highlighted in the ad.
Whereas Mario Kart World features an open world of interconnected courses and racing action reminiscent of skateboarding and BMX, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds features intuitive controls and polished gameplay, courtesy of Sega’s Initial D division. With over 20 years’ worth of experience crafting racing games, the Initial D development team collaborated with the Sonic team to fine-tune CrossWorlds’ gameplay into a smooth, satisfying experience.
Going back to the advertisement, Sega has understandably toned down its aggressive nature as compared to the ads of the 80s and 90s, where the company explicitly calls out Nintendo as a competitor (older gamers will remember the “Genesis does what Nintendon’t” tagline of one of its jingles). Though Nintendo is just as guilty of putting out aggressive ads against Sega in the past, it has instead focused its efforts on more family-friendly marketing. Considering Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will release for both the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, the shade being thrown around this time seems to be in good faith.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is set to release on September 25, 2025, for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows (Steam, Epic), and Nintendo Switch. A Nintendo Switch 2 port is planned for release later this year.
