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One of the few genres I don't follow much or try on the Steam Deck is racing games, and that's generally because I am not the biggest fan. However, I do enjoy Mario Kart, and I got that same vibe from Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds when I tried it at Summer Game Fest. The customization can enhance your racing style, and the world-changing mechanics for each lap are awesome. The variety is going to be a big reason I keep coming back to this game, that and it seems like being able to play on the Steam Deck is going to be very viable.

If you want to save some money, you can get it on GreenManGaming for $59.49 with coupon code AUG15.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Yesterday, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds officially received the Steam Deck Verified badge, marking it as a good experience to play on the go. This notes that the game is fully functional with the default controller configuration, shows correct controller icons, has legible in-game text, and the default configuration will perform well.

However, according to the compatibility report, there is one piece of not-so-great news. The single-player experience will require an active internet connection, meaning we will need to have a WiFi connection even if we want to play alone. For those who primarily stay at home, this won't be much of an issue, but as someone who regularly travels and doesn't always have an internet connection, it's a bit of a bummer. I don't know the details as to why it will always need an internet connection, but it does mean portable play has some restrictions.

Screenshot 2025 08 27 at 23 42 14 Pre purchase Sonic Racing CrossWorlds on Steam

The other thing to mention is that just because a game is Verified doesn't mean it is performing well. Games like Avowed and Dune: Awakening have a slew of performance issues in certain situations, and we wouldn't consider them great experiences. Still, it's good to see whether or not a game is going to be at least launchable on the Deck, and I have faith in the optimization because of SEGA and how a majority of their newest releases are just great on the go.

SonicRacingCrossWorldsStock2

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds can be pre-purchased for $69.99 ahead of its September 25th release date. If you want to save some money, you can get it on GreenManGaming for $59.49 with coupon code AUG15.

The GreenManGaming links above are using an affiliate link, which gives us a little back from sales at no extra charge to you. All proceeds go back into SDHQ and its development.

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Noah Kupetsky
A lover of gaming since 4, Noah has grown up with a love and passion for the industry. From there, he started to travel a lot and develop a joy for handheld and PC gaming. When the Steam Deck released, it just all clicked.
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