Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds kicks off Year Two with free Duel Mode update and a Godzilla pack

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a year old, and SEGA is marking it with a big free update. Version 2.0.0 went out today, November 3, and starts the game’s official Year Two, Push Square reports. The first paid pack of Season Pass Two, the Godzilla Pack, launched alongside it.

Duel Mode is the headline

The main addition is Duel Mode, a 1v1 race against one opponent. You can see your rival’s items, gadgets and race position at all times, so it plays more like a chess match than a normal 12-racer pileup. A new Duel Boost gauge fills over time and as you use items, and you can spend it on big bursts of speed. SEGA’s Japanese announcement adds that the gauge fills faster the further behind you are, so a duel can still swing late. Insider Gaming lists four ways to play: offline Rival Duels against CPU rivals, free online matches, limited-time Best-of-10 ranked events, and Friend Matches with custom rules.

Gadgets, Festivals and online play

The other changes players will feel right away:

• A new Grand Master Plate adds a seventh “Super Slot.” A one-slot gadget placed there gets an even stronger boosted effect, and 15 new gadgets arrive too.
• Online play is now split into Ranked Match and a casual Free Match that doesn’t touch your rank.
• Festivals now last 10 days instead of 3, and a winning streak survives even if your team places second.
• PvP balance changes cover gadgets, racing stats, ring respawn timing and machine types, according to Final Weapon.

SEGA’s Japanese site also says the base and Deluxe digital editions have been given lower prices.

The Godzilla Pack and what’s next

The Godzilla Pack adds the Godzilla Escape course, three machines (Godzilla Cruiser, King Ghidorah Coupe and Mothra Surf), plus new Jukebox music and sounds. It doesn’t add a racer. It’s included in the $29.99 Season Pass Two, or $5.99 on its own, per Final Weapon. Next up is the Evangelion Pack in January 2027 with Rei and Asuka, followed by Virtual Sanrio Puroland, SEGALAND, a Final Fantasy VII Remake pack and a Persona pack through 2027. Bayonetta is the first free racer of Year Two.

PPR take: Duel Mode is a smart addition. Item-heavy kart racers can feel like a lottery with 12 people on track, and showing your opponent’s items turns that randomness into something you can actually play around. The catch-up boost is the part I’d keep an eye on. It keeps races close, but competitive players may not love getting passed on the last lap by a gauge rather than a good line. The Godzilla Pack, though, is light for $5.99 with no racer, so the Season Pass looks like the better deal if you want any of the bigger crossovers later. Longer Festivals are a nice quality-of-life win for people who can’t play every day.