Thanks in no small part to the Mario Kart franchise, the kart-racer subgenre remains in demand among gamers of all ages. While it was not the first one to be released, Mario Kart was a pioneer that brought the genre forward at blazing speeds into mainstream popularity. Since its release over 30 years ago, several titles have come along hoping to ape the popularity that Nintendo’s kart-racer created for the genre.
2025 looks like it’s going to be no different for the genre. It looks like there will be some major releases across the board, including new kart-racer entries featuring some of gaming’s most iconic characters like Mario and Sonic. With these new titles vying for the attention of gamers, 2025 is shaping up to be a phenomenal year for kart-racers, especially those based on gaming’s biggest franchises.
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Kart Racers Are Looking Exciting For 2025
Mario And Sonic Both Have New Kart Racers on the Horizon
The pioneer of the kart-racer genre, Mario Kart, is set to receive its long-awaited new entry soon. 11 years after the release of Mario Kart 8 – and eight years after its re-release, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Nintendo teased the next Mario Kart game during the reveal of its next system, the Nintendo Switch 2. Putting it in the spotlight in this way suggests the new game could be a launch title for the Switch 2, which would represent a first for the series and could help it become one of 2025’s biggest games.
Mario is not the only platformer franchise receiving a new kart-racing game in 2025, as the Sonic the Hedgehog series will see a new release in the form of Sonic Racing Crossworlds. First announced at The Game Awards 2025, this new Sonic racing game received a further gameplay showing at the recent PlayStation State of Play showcase. The new game looks to be combining elements of every previous Sonic racing game to create the next definitive title.
Mario And Sonic’s Games Could Bring Back The Friendly Rivalry
While both games are kart racers and could therefore cannibalize each other, Sonic Racing Crossworlds and the next Mario Kart game will likely be unique enough that they both fill their own niche. Sonic Racing Crossworlds seems to be going for an over-the-top vibe where racers can ride across land, sea, and air, while Mario Kart’s early teaser footage mainly celebrated the increased number of possible players per race. Of course, very little of the game has been shown and thus a lot can change, but it appears different enough from Sonic that neither will necessarily copy each other’s homework.
Having a new Mario Kart and a new Sonic racing game also helps to reignite—to a much friendlier degree—the classic rivalry between Mario and Sonic. These two platformer mascots were heated rivals throughout the 1990s when Sega was still in the console market, and the two even duked it out in the Mario & Sonic crossover games and Super Smash Bros. titles. Having these two titles out at a similar time could inspire some healthy competition from these enemies turned friendly rivals.
Having a new Mario Kart and a new Sonic racing game also helps to reignite—to a much friendlier degree—the classic rivalry between Mario and Sonic.
Mario And Sonic’s Racers May Land On The Same Platform
To that end, both of these titles could even join each other in the same space. While Sonic Racing Crossworlds has not been confirmed for a Switch 2 release, a release late enough in the year could lead to Sega releasing the game on Nintendo’s next-generation platform. Thus, Sonic’s new racing adventure will slide right next to Mario Kart on Nintendo’s new system later this year.
It’s shaping up to be a fun time to be a fan of the kart-racing genre in 2025. With two big titles coming out of gaming’s two most iconic franchises – each with distinct gameplay styles – fans will have some great stuff to play when these games are ready to go. Here’s hoping Sonic Racing Crossworlds and the next Mario Kart game live up to the hype and deliver on their most promising concepts.
