Sonic Racing’s Feud With Mario Kart World Raises Questions for Another Nintendo Franchise

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During The Game Awards 2024, Shadow the Hedgehog surprised everyone by appearing on screen – not Sonic! He drove his iconic car through a special ring, officially announcing the new game, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. Shortly after, Nintendo revealed the Switch 2, launching in June, and unveiled Mario Kart World in a Nintendo Direct presentation. Although fans liked the trailer for Mario’s kart racer, the $80 price tag caused some concern. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds quickly highlighted its potentially more affordable price and better overall value. This set the stage for a renewed rivalry between Sonic and Mario.

The upcoming release of *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* is creating some buzz, and a little rivalry. Sega has been subtly taking aim at *Mario Kart*, with Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka specifically highlighting that *CrossWorlds* will feature cross-platform play – something another kart racer doesn’t offer. Their marketing even includes a nostalgic ad that directly compares the games, playfully criticizing *Mario Kart World*’s free roam feature. This competitive approach has some fans worried about whether it could affect Sonic’s potential inclusion in future *Smash* games.

Sonic’s History in Super Smash Bros. Has Been Rocky From the Very Beginning

Sonic the Hedgehog has been a playable character in the *Smash Bros.* series since *Super Smash Bros. Brawl*. He’s appeared in four *Smash* games total, including both the Wii U and 3DS versions. Fans had wanted Sonic to be included as early as *Super Smash Bros. Melee*, and a rumor circulated that he and Tails would be unlockable characters as an April Fools’ prank in Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine.

Yuji Naka, a key creator of the Sonic franchise, revealed that Sonic was once planned to be a playable character in *Super Smash Bros. Melee*. Both Masahiro Sakurai and Shigeru Miyamoto have confirmed this, explaining that Sonic’s inclusion didn’t happen because they ran out of time during development.

Masahiro Sakurai has often said that Sonic was added to *Super Smash Bros. Brawl* quite late in development, making it a challenging inclusion even though Sega was already supportive of Nintendo. This support really began after the Dreamcast didn’t succeed and Sonic games started appearing on multiple platforms. The relationship between Nintendo and Sega has improved a lot over time, leading to several *Sonic* games being released exclusively on Nintendo consoles. This positive relationship is probably why Sonic has become the most frequent third-party character to appear in the *Smash Bros.* series.

The Truth Behind Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds’ Recent Friendly-ish Fire

It’s amusing to see Sonic playfully teasing Mario again, but it’s mostly a way to highlight the competitive spirit of the new *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* game. Sega actually intends this rivalry as a sign of respect. They’ve openly said they want the *Sonic* series to eventually become more popular than *Mario*, explaining that their motivation comes from wanting to challenge and surpass a game they admire. So, all the back-and-forth is meant to playfully push Mario, and it seems to be getting fans excited.

Despite a lot of playful trash talk, the problems surrounding the Nintendo Switch version of *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* don’t seem to have caused any major changes. Switch players have faced numerous issues – trouble connecting to the game during testing, demo distribution problems in the Americas, no early access, and a delayed release for the upcoming Switch 2. However, despite these difficulties and the game’s jabs at *Mario Kart World*, *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* will still launch on Switch alongside other platforms.

Mario and Sonic Fans Should Have Nothing to Worry About

Despite some competitive talk, it’s very unlikely Sega’s marketing is seriously damaging its relationship with Nintendo, as *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* is still available on the Switch. Sega and Nintendo have a long history of successful collaborations, including plenty of friendly competition showcased in commercials featuring Mario and Sonic together. A few competitive comments aren’t likely to ruin years of partnership, so fans can probably expect to see Mario and Sonic face off again in future *Smash Bros.* games without any issues.

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2025-09-20 20:07