Sonic's Racer Throws Shots at Nintendo's Racing Title in Newest Promotional Push
We're in 2025, and the promotional efforts for the Sonic kart racing title seem determined to evoke the classic Sega vs. Nintendo dynamic. A new promotional video for the hedgehog's title apparently uses low-quality clips of Mario Kart World, using it to suggest that the rival title underuses its free-roaming structure.
Questioning the Other Game
"Everyone's familiar with that kart racing game, it's enjoyable, there's no need to feature it," the commercial opens. "Imagine if you could race aggressively and compete on a higher tier?" The clip then proceeds to highlight many of Sonic Racing's key aspects, such as deep car personalization and cross-play support.
"Or maybe you prefer to roam freely on the open road?" the announcer asks, filled with doubt.
A History of Rivalry
While this is not the initial instance that the team behind Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds have referenced Nintendo's game, it is undoubtedly the bluntest they have acted regarding the competition between titles. The commercial also references a old-school promo for the Sega Genesis that informed audiences about the hardware's "advanced processing" power. Back then, Sega highlighted its hardware advantage by showing a race car dominating a track. Nearing the conclusion, it compared the Super Nintendo to an outdated motorhome that had Super Mario Kart displayed on a old TV tied to the rear of the car with a rope.
Availability
The game is set to release next week on the 25th of September for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Sony's current console, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. But, fans securing copies ahead of time can jump in ahead of launch... except if they're on the Nintendo platform. Oh well.
