As a major title released by Sega to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Sonic series, Team Sonic Racing CrossWorlds means far more than just a simple "spin-off." Much like how certain "all-star brawler" games are often regarded as half a museum of video game history, Team Sonic Racing, having gathered numerous famous anime and game characters, is no longer just about "Sonic racing cars." It's no wonder Sega keeps bringing it to various offline events, aiming to introduce it to more players.
On the other hand, even though I knew better, hearing that I'd be playing Team Sonic Racing CrossWorlds again during Tokyo Game Show 2026 made my heart skip a beat. To put it bluntly, we already have SpongeBob battling Hatsune Miku, so what else could possibly surprise players? Good or bad, its core as a "kart racing game" remains unchanged.
Then again, we've had similar thoughts before, but time and again, it's proven that if Sega confidently invites you over, it's because they truly have something impressive to show off.
This time, the "good stuff" is the content coming in the Season 2 Pass, scheduled for release this autumn. If Ichiban Kasuga and Patrick Star racing against each other already gave you a slight hallucination akin to having consumed Yunnan mushrooms, then the two heavyweight stars of Season 2 will make you realize that Team Sonic Racing has completely shattered the barrier between gimmicks and collaborations, leaving behind nothing but irrational revelry.
If you've seen the new information Sega released recently, you'll probably understand what I mean.
Yes, Godzilla and Neon Genesis Evangelion (EVA) will join the already chaotic world of Team Sonic Racing CrossWorlds as the themes for the first two waves of Season 2. The main content we got to preview includes characters, vehicles, music, and new themed maps from these two major IPs. There's genuinely a lot of content, enough to keep me busy for quite a while.
To be honest, although people often complain about Evangelion cashing in on endless collaborations, seeing those familiar faces and color schemes that are practically ingrained in our DNA still makes us take a second look—and even spend some extra money—especially when the collaboration is genuinely well-made.
Let's start with the new characters. On the Neon Genesis Evangelion side, the addition of Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu is undoubtedly the highlight of the Season 2 update. This DLC not only re-renders these two hugely popular heroines in the Team Sonic Racing style, allowing them to compete alongside various cartoon characters without much dissonance, but also thoroughly integrates their signature moves into the gameplay. Yes, both Rei and Asuka have unique driving animations.
What impressed me most was that when you successfully get a boost start, Rei performs her iconic arm-crossing pose and looks back over her shoulder. Asuka, meanwhile, fully channels her assertive personality into her special moves and taunts, making you feel as if you can hear Yuko Miyamura's distinctive voice just by watching.
All we can say is that GAINAX succeeded in character creation, and Sega certainly hit the mark.
But as you know, for Team Sonic Racing, the "characters" themselves are mostly visual elements designed to satisfy players' emotional desires, rarely changing the core gameplay experience. So, if you ask me what in the new content truly felt "different," I'd point to the two brand-new maps.
You might have guessed that the new Neon Genesis Evangelion map is set in one of the most important story locations from the original series: Tokyo-3. What makes it a "different" experience is that this update doesn't just offer a track with a different layout; it feels like a genuine Tokyo-3 facing an Angel threat. Racers find themselves right in the center of the disaster, weaving through crumbling city streets while trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire between Angels and EVAs.
It's no exaggeration to say that Tokyo-3 pushes the gameplay and presentation of Team Sonic Racing CrossWorlds to new heights. During my first playthrough, I was so distracted by the epic battle unfolding in the background that I missed several turns. The level of detail in recreating the setting can only be described as "one-to-one," making me wonder if there were fans on the development team who used the map creation as an excuse to indulge their fandom.
On the Godzilla side, it's also an "all-star" lineup, with the series' iconic "Big Three" monsters—Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah—all participating. However, they aren't playable characters; instead, like the EVAs, they've become vehicles... Honestly, not being able to see Godzilla drive a car and ram into King Ghidorah is probably my only complaint about this collaboration.
The biggest selling point of the Godzilla update pack is also an interesting playable map called "Escape from Godzilla."
It's called "fun" because this map will feel familiar to all Sonic series fans—its foundation is actually the iconic city map with sixty-degree slopes from Sonic Adventure. The twist, however, is that this city is under attack by Godzilla.
Just like in Toho's Godzilla films, Godzilla in the game is a pure force of nature. Merely walking creates massive craters in the ground, and his occasional atomic breath poses a constant threat to players' lives during straight-line sprints. After three laps, you truly feel like you've stepped into a Toho kaiju movie.
But what I found truly interesting is that "Escape from Godzilla" takes a design philosophy opposite to that of Tokyo-3. If the latter throws racers into the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion, then "Escape from Godzilla" brings Godzilla into the world of Sonic. Perhaps the absence of "one-way streets" here is the secret to CrossWorlds' infinite potential for collaborations.
Who knows what they'll collaborate with next after EVA and Godzilla?
Of course, besides Godzilla and Neon Genesis Evangelion, which were the focus of our preview, there are plenty more updates worth looking forward to. For instance, a new mode called "Rival Duel" incorporates fighting game mechanics into the existing Team Sonic Racing rules and introduces a new rival character: Bayonetta from the Bayonetta series. Winning in this mode unlocks her and a new witch-themed vehicle.
By the way, this mode and character are free updates.
Alternatively, Aigis from Persona 3 Reload will also appear in the game, and along with her, her Persona, Palladion, will debut as a new vehicle... which is quite humorous. But on second thought, it fits the game's consistent style. At this rate, who knows what this game will turn into in a few years.
Overall, this preview sends a positive signal to Team Sonic Racing CrossWorlds players: Season 2 is just beginning, and we still have so much to play.