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Sonic Racing: Crossworlds vs Mario Kart — Which Kart Should UK PC Gamers Choose?

UUnknown

2026-02-27

9 min read

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the closest thing to Mario Kart on PC in 2026. This deep comparison helps UK gamers choose based on mechanics, online stability, and where to buy.

Can Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds finally give UK PC gamers a true Mario Kart alternative?

If you’re a PC player tired of watching friends blast shells on Switch lobbies, you’re not alone. The biggest pain point for UK PC gamers in 2026 is simple: Mario Kart isn’t on PC, and finding a kart racer that scratches that chaotic itch while offering stable online play, meaningful content and local availability has been a hunt. This head-to-head looks at Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds versus the Mario Kart benchmark — and the broader field of Mario Kart-style racers on PC — to help you pick the right kart now.

Executive summary — the short verdict

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (launched Sept 2025) is the closest thing PC players have seen to a true Mario Kart experience: frantic items, arcade physics, and character-based perks. It ships with deep vehicle customisation and track design that rewards practice. But early online bugginess and item balance issues held it back at launch; patches in late 2025 and early 2026 improved stability, though some competitive players still prefer alternatives for ranked play.

If your top priorities are: authentic Mario Kart-style chaos, single-session fun with friends, and mod-friendly PC performance, CrossWorlds is often the best pick. If you value rock-solid online netcode, a mature esports ecosystem or console-level matchmaking, consider PC-native alternatives like KartRider: Drift or Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 — and, if you want official Mario Kart multiplayer, a Switch remains the only legal route.

Why this comparison matters in 2026

Late 2025 and early 2026 saw more kart racing activity than we've had in years: CrossWorlds' release put Sonic Team back in the race, while many PC racers embraced rollback netcode, crossplay, and seasonal content. For UK gamers, regional pricing, storefront availability and age ratings (PEGI) matter more than ever with rising post-Brexit VAT changes and fluctuating exchange rates. This article focuses on the concrete tradeoffs UK PC players face: mechanics, content, online stability, and where to buy.

What I tested (quick transparency)

Hands-on time: 40+ hours in CrossWorlds across solo, split-screen (local) and online lobbies.
Hardware: mid-range RTX 3060 and a Steam Deck OLED (CrossWorlds is Steam Deck Verified).
Comparison targets: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (as benchmark), KartRider: Drift, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2, and Team Sonic Racing.
Online checks: latency tests from UK ISPs, stress-testing matchmaking during EU prime time, and patch-note tracking through late 2025.

Mechanics: drifting, items and why they feel different

Mario Kart’s design is a decades-tested blend of accessible driving and razor-sharp risk/reward items. CrossWorlds borrows this blueprint but adds Sonic Team’s flavour: higher baseline speeds, more aggressive character abilities and vehicles that handle more like sports cars with arcade tweaks.

Drift and boost

CrossWorlds’ drift system rewards controlled inputs over spamming — chaining drifts into shortcuts is satisfying. Compared with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, CrossWorlds gives slightly longer boost windows and more lateral freedom on off-ramps, which creates higher skill expression but also a steeper learning curve for casual groups.

Items and balance

Items are where opinions split. CrossWorlds launched with several high-variance items that could swing races (a complaint familiar to Mario Kart veterans). As of early 2026, patches have rebalanced the top offenders, but in public lobbies you’ll still see item hoarding and opportunistic sandbagging, especially in ranked matches. Mario Kart — thanks to decades of iterative tuning — still feels more predictable at the casual level.

Content: tracks, modes and progression

When buying a kart racer in 2026 you should ask: does it keep me playing beyond the first 20 hours?

CrossWorlds

Track design: Wide, expressive courses with multiple routes and surface types. Great for experimenting with vehicle builds.
Modes: Ranked ladders, casual lobbies, time trials with ghost sharing, and a solo campaign with varied objectives.
Progression: Deep cosmetic and vehicle part progression that mirrors live-service design — meaningful customisation but some gated content behind season passes.

Mario Kart (benchmark)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s single-player and local multiplayer remain gold standards: tightly tuned cups, instant pickup fun, and an enormous selection of remixed tracks.
But it’s console-only — and that’s the elephant in the room for PC gamers.

For UK PC buyers, CrossWorlds’ content offering is competitive. The main caveat is how future seasonal content is handled: keep an eye on SEGA’s 2026 live roadmap for paid DLC vs free tracks.

Online stability & netcode — the decisive factor for competitive players

Early in its lifecycle, CrossWorlds suffered matchmaking errors and session drops — a critical problem for a game built around online competition. The developer prioritised fixes in late 2025, and by Jan 2026 many of those issues were reduced, but not entirely eliminated.

Rollback vs delay

Rollback netcode has become a 2026 expectation for fighting and racing games that want twitch-perfect play across regions. KartRider: Drift offered robust rollback early and still leads here. CrossWorlds initially shipped with delay-based reconciliation but implemented rollback-style improvements in post-launch patches; results are mixed depending on host region and lobby size.

UK-specific experience

Peak-hour EU lobbies: latency typically 40–80ms for UK players — playable, but sensitive item timing can feel unfair compared with local play.
Regional servers: CrossWorlds now maps players to EU servers by default for UK accounts, improving consistency vs global pooling.
Practical tip: for best results use a wired connection, set your NAT to open and avoid cross-region lobbies if competitive consistency matters.

Performance & platform support

CrossWorlds performs well on modern PCs and is Steam Deck Verified, giving handheld portability without sacrificing speed. Expect scalable graphics presets, a 60–144Hz cap depending on GPU, and VRR/FSR support in later patches. On mid-range hardware you’ll want to prioritise frame-rate for input responsiveness — aim for 120fps if your monitor supports it.

UK storefront availability & pricing (practical buying guide)

Where you buy matters more than ever because regional pricing, refunds and pre-order bonuses differ.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Availability (UK): Officially sold on Steam (Steam Deck Verified), and typically listed on publisher stores through SEGA. Look for the PEGI rating on store pages. Price at launch was around £65 (Sept 2025).
Sales & bundles: CrossWorlds has appeared in seasonal sales since launch; however major DLC is often excluded from deep discounts in the first year.
Where to buy safely: Steam for automatic patches and refunds; Humble Store for supporting charity and potential UK-region vouchers; avoid grey-market key sellers unless you understand regional restrictions.

Mario Kart options for PC players

Official Mario Kart games remain Nintendo Switch exclusives — so legally the only way to play on PC is via cloud or emulation, which we don’t recommend.
If your priority is the Mario Kart experience, buy a Switch or a second-hand Switch (Switch OLED often available around UK retail and used markets).

Alternatives on PC worth considering

KartRider: Drift — free-to-play, rollback netcode, crossplay and a vibrant eSports scene. Good pick if online stability and ranked integrity are fronts you care about.
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 — superb track editor and toy-accurate physics; more arcade and less chaotic item-slinging, great for creative players.
Team Sonic Racing — older, cheaper alternative if you want Sonic characters and team-focused mechanics.

Practical checklist: which kart racer should you choose?

Answer these to find your best fit:

Do you want official Mario Kart content? If yes — buy a Switch.
Is online stability and competitive ladder priority #1? If yes — favour KartRider: Drift or wait for CrossWorlds further netcode patches.
Do you play mostly locally with friends or offline? If yes — CrossWorlds is excellent for chaotic couch-style sessions (or handheld Steam Deck play).
Are you sensitive to spending on Battle Pass/DLC? Compare the cost of CrossWorlds' seasons vs free-to-play alternatives.

Advanced strategies for PC racers (2026)

These tips separate casual wins from consistent podiums:

Netcode-friendly inputs: reduce input buffering — set frame-limit to monitor refresh to minimise latency.
Optimise your build: experiment with vehicle parts in CrossWorlds — certain tyre/wing combos excel in wet weather tracks introduced in the 2025 winter season.
Practice ghost runs: use Time Trial ghosts to learn optimal lines — CrossWorlds’ multi-route courses reward microsaving more than single-line circuits.
Stable lobbies: prefer region-locked or friend-only lobbies for competitive matches to avoid sandbaggers and item hoarders.

2026 trends & predictions

Expect these developments during 2026 that will affect your choice:

Rollback adoption: More PC kart titles will either add or refine rollback-style netcode; community pressure is pushing developers to prioritise online parity.
Cross-platform ladders: crossplay is becoming table stakes. How developers balance crossplay for fairness (console vs PC input) will shape competitive integrity.
Live-service balance shifts: seasonal content and DLC models are here to stay; track rotation and battle passes will change the long-term content calculus for buyers.

“Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the closest we've gotten to Mario Kart on PC — for better and worse.”

Actionable takeaways — what to do next (UK-focused)

If you want the most Mario Kart-like experience on PC now: buy Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds on Steam, prioritise wired internet and EU lobbies, and wait to invest in premium seasonal DLC until a free track rotation is confirmed.
If you prioritise online stability for ranked play: try KartRider: Drift (free-to-play) or hold off for CrossWorlds’ further netcode patches.
Want actual Mario Kart? Buy a Switch (new or second-hand) — often the cheapest route in the UK for authentic content and local multiplayer.
Hunt deals around Steam Sale windows and Black Friday (late Nov) — CrossWorlds and alternative racers frequently get price cuts or cosmetic bundles.

Final recommendation

For most UK PC gamers in 2026, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the best immediate substitute for Mario Kart: it nails the chaos, offers deep customisation, and supports handheld play. If you need the absolute best online stability and competitive parity, consider KartRider: Drift or wait for CrossWorlds' netcode maturity. And if you want the real Mario Kart experience, the legal, reliable path is still the Nintendo Switch.

Join the conversation — try this next

Download CrossWorlds on Steam (or try KartRider: Drift free-to-play) and test a 10-race session with UK friends during peak evening hours. If you hit consistent lag or matchmaking errors, keep a screenshot and check the official forums — community reports pushed the major late-2025 patches.

Tell us which kart you chose: drop your pick in the comments, share your best track trick, or follow our UK deals page for the next CrossWorlds sale. Want a deeper hardware guide to squeeze extra fps out of your PC for better racing inputs? Say the word and we’ll publish a hands-on optimisation guide next week.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.