The engines are revving up for racing game enthusiasts in 2025, with a lineup that promises a significant burst of nostalgia, particularly for those who fondly remember a certain era of gaming. Anticipation began building when Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds was unveiled at the 2024 Game Awards. Not long after, in January, Nintendo confirmed rumors by announcing a new Mario Kart title for their upcoming Switch 2 console, revealed as Mario Kart World. These two announcements alone were enough to generate considerable excitement, despite the initial teasers being relatively small. Further details only fanned the flames, with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds confirming the return of the beloved EX Gear mechanic and Mario Kart World promising a unique open-world kart racing experience. But the iconic plumber and blue blur wouldn’t be the only characters hitting the track in 2025, as Kirby Air Riders was also announced during the same Nintendo Direct that featured Mario Kart World’s larger reveal.
It’s undeniably an exciting time to be a racing game fan, witnessing the sudden confirmation of not just one or two, but three major racing releases scheduled for 2025. However, fans with a specific appreciation for games from the GameCube era are arguably the most spoiled, as this trio of titles shares a common thread deeply tied to that particular console’s legacy. With Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Kirby Air Riders, and Mario Kart World all set to launch in the same year, fans of GameCube racing games are experiencing a dream scenario that many might have thought impossible.
A Blast from the GameCube Past
Through a fascinating series of coincidences, each of these highly anticipated 2025 racers has strong connections to popular racing titles released during the GameCube’s prime. The link is most explicit with Kirby Air Riders, which serves as a direct sequel to Kirby Air Ride, released almost 22 years prior in 2003. While less information is currently available for Air Riders compared to Mario Kart World and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, the teaser trailer notably confirmed that Masahiro Sakurai, the original director of Kirby Air Ride, is returning for the sequel. Sakurai’s involvement is a strong indicator that the game will maintain a high level of quality, consistency, and feature innovative evolution from the original, ensuring Air Ride‘s return is in excellent hands.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, meanwhile, aims to be a compilation of the best elements from previous Sonic racing games, forging them into a thrilling experience centered on freedom. The most exciting element for many fans is the confirmed return of the Extreme Gear, popularized by the Sonic Riders series. The Sonic Riders sub-franchise hasn’t seen a major console entry since Sonic Free Riders on the Xbox 360 Kinect. Many fans have long wished for the EX Gear and the Babylon Rogues characters to return, not only for the distinct style of the original Sonic Riders but also for its genuinely adrenaline-pumping races that few other Sonic racing games have matched. The idea of Extreme Gear being integrated alongside traditional cars in a game like CrossWorlds felt like a distant fantasy for years, which only amplifies the excitement leading up to its release.
Mario Kart World, while currently not known to share any direct mechanical similarities with the beloved Mario Kart: Double Dash!! from the GameCube era, is still significant in its timing. The fact that a completely original Mario Kart title is finally arriving after a long wait, and it happens to launch alongside new entries tied to Sonic Riders and Kirby Air Ride, is certainly noteworthy. Given Nintendo’s recent introduction of GameCube functionality for Nintendo Switch Online, there’s even a possibility that Mario Kart: Double Dash!! could be added to the service in the future, perhaps timed strategically to avoid cannibalizing sales of the brand new Mario Kart World.
A Competitive Yet Exciting Outlook
Despite the 2025 racing game calendar looking quite packed for fans of platformer characters, loyalists of the Sonic, Kirby, and Mario series likely don’t need to worry excessively about how each individual title performs. While each game is sure to benefit from dedicated fans picking their favorite, other factors will help them find their audience.
Mario Kart World is arguably the most iconic kart racing franchise globally, traditionally a must-have title for any Nintendo system. Its expected inclusion as a launch bundle title for the Switch 2 will immediately drive massive sales. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, following the multi-platform tradition of the Sonic Riders series, will be available on every major platform, including the Nintendo Switch. Its fast-paced gameplay and the intriguing “Travel Ring” mechanic have already captured player interest, likely attracting a significant number of players who may not own a Nintendo console for Mario Kart World or Kirby Air Riders. Kirby Air Riders is perhaps in a slightly more unique position, as the Kirby franchise has evolved considerably since the original game. It remains to be seen how much of the modern Kirby identity will be integrated into the racing gameplay, although Sakurai’s direction offers reassurance.
Regardless of the specifics, each of these games commands a loyal fanbase, especially the dedicated Kirby Air Ride fans who have patiently waited over two decades for this sequel. Players with specific series preferences will undoubtedly find satisfaction in their chosen title, while those who enjoy all three are in for an exceptionally exciting year. Thanks to these significant gaming characters, fans can look forward to no shortage of high-speed, nostalgic racing action for the foreseeable future.
