Players began looking forward to putting their pedal to the metal whenSonic Racing: CrossWorldswas announced as part of the 2024 Game Awards. Rumors had been circulating for some time, but Nintendo revealed they too would be inviting players to race one another in a newMario Kartfor Switch 2 the following January. These two titles alone had a lot to get fans excited about, even with their relatively small teaser announcements. Further information would only cause the building hype to grow, withSonic Racing: CrossWorldsmarking the return of EX Gear andMario Kart Worldoffering a unique open-world kart racing experience. The iconic plumber and blue blur wouldn’t be alone on the track, however, asKirby Air Riderswas announced in the same Nintendo Direct asMario Kart World’s larger reveal.
It was most certainly—and still is—an exciting time to be a racing game fan as players watched as they went from not one, not two, but three full 2025 releases to look forward to in no time flat. However, some fans are more spoiled than the rest as these three games have something in common that certainly makes the trio of titles worth looking forward to on its own. WithSonic Racing: CrossWorlds,Kirby Air Riders, andMario Kart Worldall releasing in the same year, GameCube racing fans are living the dream in ways they might have never thought possible.
2025 is Almost a Renaissance For GameCube Racing Games
In a rather interesting series of coincidences, all three of these upcoming racers for 2025 have strong ties to popular racing games from the GameCube’s heyday. It’s the most clear withKirby Air Riders, serving as a sequel toKirby Air Ridealmost 22 years after it was released in 2003.Air Ridersdoesn’t have much information behind it right now compared toMario Kart WorldandSonic Racing: CrossWorlds, but the teaser trailer made it clear thatAir Ride’s original director Masahiro Sakurai is back for the sequel. Sakurai’s role in the game means his standard level of quality, staple consistency, and innovations between the original and newer releases are practically guaranteed.Air Ride’s return is certainly in good hands as a result.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, however, aims to take the best of everySonicracing game before it and combine it into a thrilling experience full of freedom. The most exciting of these homages is the return of the Extreme Gear ofSonic Ridersfame. TheSonic Ridersseries hasn’t been explored in a major title sinceSonic Free Ridersfor theXbox 360’s Kinect.
Many fans have wanted to see theEX Gear and Babylon Roguesmake a return due to how the originalSonic Riderstitle not only had its unique style players still adore, but also genuine adrenaline-pumping races that not manySonicracing games live up to. Including the Extreme Gear with cars in a game likeCrossWorldsfelt like an impossibility for many years which only adds to the excitement leading up to the game’s upcoming launch.
Mario Kart Worldcurrently has no known similarities toMario Kart: Double Dash. The fact that it’s been so long since the last completely original Mario Kart release, and it just so happens to release next toSonic Racing: CrossWorldsandKirby Air Riders, still makes it worth mentioning. With the new GameCube functionality for Nintendo Switch Online, there may be a chance thatNintendo will addMario Kart: Double Dashin the future during a time when it won’t clash withMario Kart World’s new release sales.
2025’s Racing Game Line-Up is Friendly Competition At the End of the Day
Despite how the upcoming racing game lineup for platformer fans is jam-packed this year, series loyalists ofSonic,Kirby, andMarioshouldn’t worry about how each individual game performs. Each one is sure to get a boost in sales from series regulars who pick their favorite over the other, but there are other factors that may assist players who might sit on the fence.
Mario Kart Worldis one of the most iconic kart racing games out there, commonly a must-have title for all of Nintendo’s systems, and being the only Switch 2 launch bundle will help it sell immediately.Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, likeSonic Ridersbefore it, can be found on every major platform including the Nintendo Switch. With how its fast-paced gameplay and Travel Ring mechanic have intrigued players, it will likely pick up a number of people who don’t have aSwitch or Switch 2forMario KartandAir Ridersalong the way.Kirby Air Ridersis the one in a more tricky situation as the franchise has changed quite a bit since the first installment, which could mean that Sakurai won’t include newerKirbyelements in the newer racing game.
Regardless, each of these games has loyal fans one way or another, especiallyKirby Air Ridefanswho have waited long enough for a sequel. Fans who have their preferences will have something to be satisfied with in their title of choice, and the players who enjoy all three are in for a rather exciting year. For the next while, thanks to these important gaming characters, fans will have no shortage of high-speed action to try.
