Kinda Funny Gamescast: "We Played Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds"

Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Tim Gettys
Guests/Co-Hosts: Blessing Adeoye Jr., Greg Miller, Roger Pokorni, Andy Cortez
Timestamp Legend: [MM:SS]

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the crew’s first hands-on impressions of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Sega’s ambitious new kart racer, following a press preview event. The crew discusses gameplay mechanics, innovations over previous Sonic racers, customization depth, their personal reactions, and how it compares to other kart racers like Mario Kart and Hot Wheels Unleashed. Special appearance: Greg’s son Ben shares his own delightfully earnest mini-review.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Preview – First Impressions

• Tim, Blessing, Roger, and Greg share their varied histories with Sonic racing titles and dive into the major innovations found in CrossWorlds.
• The discussion frequently circles back to comparisons with Mario Kart, the broader kart racer genre, and Sega’s prior offerings.

2. Core Gameplay & Unique Selling Points

• Portal Mechanics and “CrossWorlds” Concept

  • CrossWorlds’ standout feature: dynamic mid-race portals determined by the first-place racer. These warp racers to different themed “worlds” mid-race, creating branching, semi-randomized race experiences.
  • "Whoever's in first place sees the options of two different portals...that is dictated by the first place player. And it feels so cool to get to do that." (Blessing, [08:05])
  • The Grand Prix finale uniquely chains all tracks together via portals, testing player adaptability and memory.

• Seamless Transitions

  • The new game loads much faster than previous Sonic racers, improving the fluidity of races and removing barriers for quick play, especially noted by Greg as a benefit for family/kids.

• Level and Track Design

  • Tracks are fashioned after various Sonic games, including Generations, Superstars, Frontiers, and more. Mall-themed tracks and smaller "cross world" segments add variety.
  • “As we watch his Tails footage, you see like the track has the walls up there. There wasn’t a driving assist on as well. But he wasn’t getting turned around. He wasn’t getting frustrated. Is keeping you barreling down this path that I think is going to open it up.” (Greg, [12:07])

3. Customization Systems

• Vehicles, Gadgets, and Loadouts

  • Extensive vehicle customization, including wheels, body, starting items, and a "gadget" (license plate-like) system. Perks and abilities can be mixed and matched, with limited slots forcing choices between, say, starting as a monster truck or holding more items.
  • "There's a lot of interesting customization when it comes to the vehicles and the ways that you can build out your perks and your loadouts that I can see myself kind of getting into." (Roger, [09:04])
  • No character skins/outfits—only vehicle customization.

• Examples of Loadouts:

  • Early Earner combo set: Start as Monster Truck, mow down rivals, earn more rings.
  • Collision combo set: Collide with other racers for boosts and to steal rings.

4. Mechanical Feel & Game Flow

• Game Feel, Drifting, and Controls

  • Emphasis on speed and “arcade” momentum; strong sense of flow and “stickiness” on the track, less prone to frustrating setbacks.
  • Comfortingly familiar controls, with trick systems assigned to the left stick during jumps.

• Comparisons to Other Kart Racers

  • More Mario Kart than Hot Wheels Unleashed in feel, but with a stronger arcade slant and some unique systems.
  • "Hot Wheels always feels like I'm controlling a toy... Sonic Racing feels like Mario Kart Sonic, if you've raced it before." (Greg, [42:05])

5. Depth and Longevity—The “7 Out of 10 Curse”

• The crew discusses the common critical reception of Sonic racers (“preview darlings, review sevens”).
• "Seven doesn't have to be inherently bad... If you wanted to make a 10 out of 10 Sonic Racing, cross worlds kart racer, there's a lot you would have to like, do to make it even worth doing... As long as you're catering to the audience, who gives a fuck if it's a 9 out of 10?" (Blessing, [30:51])
• Concerns about long-term depth: Will customization and rival systems hold up over hours of play, or will options feel samey?

6. Special Segment: Ben Miller’s Preview Impressions

(With Greg and his son Ben, [13:51]–[19:47])

• Ben’s Highlights:
  • Most excited to play as Shadow (“Because he can run very fast.” [14:23]).
  • Favorite item: Boxing glove (“I was aiming it at people.” [17:33]).
  • Loves monster trucks, used that starting item every race.
  • Thinks the game is “a 10 out of 10” and “so cool” because of “more Sonic characters.”
  • Can’t wait for the Switch version to play on plane rides.

Memorable Ben quotes:

• "I'm just gonna play as Tails if they have it. If Tails is not there, I'll play Snuckle. If Snuckles is not there..." ([15:39])
• "Because it's so cool." ([16:55])
• On rating: “Ten out of ten.” ([18:58])

7. Rival System

• Before each Grand Prix, you get a “rival” (sometimes fixed, sometimes random) that comes with custom dialogue and increased challenge. Defeating rivals adds a carrot-on-stick element, but some confusion persists about how dynamic/repeatable/motivating this system will be in the full release.
• “As soon as I was on a winning streak, I was put up against a higher level rival and they managed to nab the place ahead of me more times than I would care to admit.” (Gamescom preview, recounted by Greg, [37:44])

8. Track and Music Variety

• Many creative tracks inspired by recent Sonic titles plus new environments (e.g. a mall, casino, “white void” from Generations).
• 24 courses and 15 cross worlds confirmed ([44:38]).
• Music is solid, not standout (yet), but the crew expects tracks will become cult favorites post-release.

9. Price Point & Platform Notes

• Game launches at $70, which some find surprising—especially given Hot Wheels Unleashed was $40—but the team ultimately feels the Sonic branding and content justify the price more than Hot Wheels.
• Switch 2 version confirmed, but won’t be available at launch ([47:09]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You want to win? You’re gonna have to earn it. You three and a half, yes.” (Greg on parenting, [13:42])
• “I was flicking that stick, bro. I was going crazy. Yeah, I was flicking that stick. I was going crazy.” (Roger, on the trick system, [30:15])
• “Mario Kart World feels like it’s about kind of making the experience of experiencing these different tracks more seamless. Sonic Racing Crossworlds does that same thing. And I think in some ways does it even better...” (Blessing, [07:55])
• “No skins for the actual character. That’s something I made sure to ask about—because they have Hatsune Miku...she has endless outfits! But the only customization is with the karts.” (Roger, [27:07])
• “Every kart racer: put them all in it.” (Blessing, on the need for a mall track, [39:29])
• “If it gets me back into the Sonic racing excitement and fandom playing Hatsune Miku, it does its job.” (Roger, [34:20])
• “Switch 2, it is coming to Switch 2 but not at launch. Holiday digital, and that’s a little sad.” (Greg, [47:09])

Segment Timestamps

• Start & banter: [00:00]–[03:14] (movie debate, house ads)
• Sonic Racing CrossWorlds coverage begins: [03:58]
• Personal Sonic Racing histories: [04:22]–[06:19]
• Detailed event impressions (Blessing, Roger): [06:28]–[11:36]
• Greg's thoughts & Ben’s impressions: [11:42]–[19:47]
• Customization systems: [24:06]–[28:05]
• Kart feel, controls, and game flow: [28:18]–[30:06]
• Sevens discourse / long-term depth talk: [30:40]–[34:20]
• Rival system deep dive: [36:33]–[38:55]
• New and returning tracks discussion: [39:01]–[40:58]
• Music and comparison to other racers: [41:07]–[42:32]
• Price and content value: [43:21]–[44:47]
• Super chat Q&A, character uniqueness, DLC: [45:00]–[46:40]
• Final wrap-up: [47:39]–[48:43]

Additional Memorable/Insightful Quotes with Context

• Customization Analysis:

  • "I really, really like this. Yeah." (Blessing on the deep loadout system, [25:32])
  • "That did feel different than the other kart. So I think that is the right question to be asking." (Roger, on how cart choices affect feel, [45:51])

• Game Feel & Accessibility:

  • "It was that idea that [the tracks] weren’t getting him frustrated. Is keeping you barreling down this path..." (Greg, on accessibility for kids, [12:07])

• Pricing/Value:

  • “Mario Kart World, $80 should not have been $80. This being 70, I understand a bit but I also think that’s crazy. When Hot Wheels was $40.” (Tim, [43:21])

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• Overall Sentiment:
  Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds excites the Kinda Funny crew more than previous Sonic racers. The seamless “cross world” mechanic, improved controls, more robust customization, and thoughtful level design set it apart from past efforts. They expect it to deliver on fan service, if not universal acclaim—a strong “for the fans, by the fans” kart racer.

• Lingering Questions for Full Review:

  • Will the rival and customization systems keep things fresh over time, or will depth become an issue?
  • How will the final build balance originality and polish to possibly push it past the “7 out of 10” legacy?
  • Is the price justified for kart fans not already invested in Sonic’s universe?

• For Fans and Families:
  This looks like the best Sonic kart racer yet, with enough unique twists to carve its own place in the genre, great for fans, kids, and anyone looking for a new racer outside the Mario Kart ecosystem.

End of Summary