Not content with having spanked Mario Kart World on its own turf back in 2025, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is back with a second season fully intent on hammering the point home. It has to be said that, since launch, SEGA's racer has asserted itself through more technical handling, a frankly hair-raising sense of speed and tracks capable of shifting dimension mid-race. It's a proposition that gives its races a flavour all their own, where Mario Kart World, for all its open world and legendary accessibility, has struggled to freshen up the experience since release. Nintendo may have landed a heavy blow with its Switch 2 outing, but the post-launch support is leaving players wanting. On the updates front it's the Gobi desert out there, and the contrast with SEGA's activity is becoming genuinely disappointing. The Japanese publisher clearly has no intention of easing off, because after stacking up crossover after crossover, Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is launching its Season 2 with surprise guests who aren't exactly used to sharing a track with a blue hedgehog. Godzilla and Evangelion are on the bill, but they're not the only ones shaking up the paddock.
A Duel mode that's a proper arm wrestle
Before we even get to the giant monsters and combat robots, you should know that Season 2 of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds adds a brand-new game mode, Duel mode — and it's free, to boot. As the name suggests, it offers 1v1 showdowns, a world away from the hysterical 12-racer pile-ups. And honestly, on paper the idea could leave you sceptical, since Sonic Racing CrossWorlds owes a good chunk of its charm to its crowded races. With only two racers on the track, weren't we at risk of losing all that joyous chaos? It only took a few goes to win us over. Why? Because Duel mode demands a different approach to racing and to competition. Up against a single opponent, you watch their movements more closely, you think about the right moment to attack and, above all, you avoid blowing your items at the first opportunity.
The main novelty of this two-player mode is its interface, which displays the distance separating the two racers via a sort of electric wire linking them, letting you better anticipate attacks and work out when to chance your arm. The shorter that wire gets, the tenser the situation. And then there's something rather unique that emerges when you race the same person again and again: you end up recognising their habits and can start anticipating them. Victory no longer rests on reflexes alone, but on your ability to read your opponent's game. The system also hinges on a Duel Boost gauge that fills during the race. It charges faster when you're behind your opponent, while using items also helps it along. The goal is to encourage overtaking and stop the duel being settled in the opening corners. Otherwise, for those who prefer to train alone, a Rival Duel mode lets you take on the game's AI and unlock a special vehicle. Online competitors, meanwhile, can take part in timed challenges and tweak certain settings for their match-ups.
You'll know this already if you've had a go on Sonic Racing CrossWorlds: the prep matters as much as the driving. Gadgets let you tailor your approach to each race, and Season 2 enriches that system with the Grand Master Plate, which adds a seventh slot dedicated to Super Effects. These let you bolster certain effects or pick up additional bonuses. On top of that, 15 new gadgets are joining the roster, with SEGA planning more over the coming months. During our session in London, we regularly swapped our setups between races to try out different combinations. The system takes on an interesting dimension in Duel mode, too. When you've only got one opponent to deal with, each gadget's effects become far easier to gauge. It'll take players a while to land on the most effective combos, but this expansion gives you another reason to head back to the garage and experiment.
Godzilla and Evangelion, because why not?
The Godzilla collab is probably the one that catches the eye straight away. On the Godzilla Escape track, racers have to deal with the famous monster closing in dangerously, in the middle of a city under threat from its presence and its atomic breath. You have to weave between its legs and keep driving while the creature takes up a good chunk of the scenery. Visually, it's quite the spectacle, even if the layout feels a little too linear at times, with long straights that leave less room for technical driving than some of the base game's circuits. Fans will also be able to take the wheel of vehicles inspired by Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah. The world of Evangelion, meanwhile, seems to have been worked into the design of the Tokyo-III track with rather more care. Racers pass through environments tinged with red and purple, while the EVAs battle the Angels in the middle of the race. The whole thing gives the layout a strong visual identity, rather than simply bolting on a few nods to the series. Rei Ayanami and Asuka Shikinami Langley also join the roster, along with the EVA-00, EVA-01 and EVA-02 vehicles.
These two collaborations are obviously the headline attractions of the new season, but SEGA has lined up other guests to mix things up. Bayonetta turns up with her Butterfly Witch vehicle, for instance, while a McLaren Racing car offers a detour into the world of motorsport. Anyone feeling nostalgic for the SEGA of old will be well served too, with vehicles inspired by the Dreamcast, the Mega Drive and the Saturn, not to mention models referencing SEGA's iconic controllers.
And that's not all: other guest stars have been announced on the Season 2 grid, such as Aigis from Persona 3, who joins the ranks alongside Hello Kitty and Kuromi, both of whom get their own karts. Super Shadow is also on the way, though he'll only be available to players who own both Season Passes. It's SEGA's way of continuing to broaden the roster by dipping into its own licences as well as outside worlds, with some unlikely pairings that suit the spirit of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds nicely. Season 2 began on 9 October 2026, with the new Duel mode offered free of charge, while the Godzilla and Evangelion content is paid and included in the second Season Pass. Now you know everything!
