Ah, Sonic racing games—a journey wilder than a Sonic fan theory, faster than a Chili Dog hitting the floor, and more chaotic than trying to keep up with all of Eggman’s names (Dr. Robotnik? Dr. Eggman? Just pick one, man).

It all began in 1994 with Sonic Drift for the Game Gear, where Sonic and his pals—who are famously known for running at supersonic speeds—decided, “Nah, let’s drive tiny go-karts instead.” This made about as much sense as Knuckles taking financial advice from Rouge, but hey, it was the ‘90s, and Mario Kart had already proven that any franchise could justify go-karting. The game was only released in Japan, likely because Sega was still pretending the Game Gear was a global success.

Fast forward to 1995, and we got Sonic Drift 2, which actually came out worldwide. It added more characters and slightly improved gameplay but still had the same philosophical issue: Why is Sonic, the fastest thing alive, driving a car?

Then came 1997’s Sonic R, a game that boldly asked, “What if racing, but weird?” Instead of karts, Sonic and his crew actually ran—except for the ones who didn’t, like Eggman and Amy, who still brought vehicles because physics be damned. This game is infamous for its slippery controls, bizarre character balance (Tails Doll still haunts dreams to this day), and an absolute banger of a soundtrack that included Can You Feel the Sunshine?, a song that either makes you feel euphoric or deeply unsettled depending on what kind of internet horror stories you’ve read.

After a dark period of Sonic games experimenting with other bad ideas (looking at you, Shadow the Hedgehog), Sega revisited the racing genre in 2006 with Sonic Riders. Instead of karts or running, this time the gang hopped on hoverboards—because Tony Hawk was cool, and Sega wanted to make Sonic cool again. The game was fast, flashy, and had a steep learning curve that made newcomers feel like they were piloting a malfunctioning Roomba. It got a sequel (Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity) and an ill-advised Kinect-exclusive (Sonic Free Riders), which was more of a workout routine than a video game.

Then came the real comeback: 2010’s Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, a Mario Kart-style game where Sonic and friends finally embraced their vehicular destiny. It was great! So good, in fact, that it got an even better sequel in 2012, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, which let you switch between cars, boats, and planes mid-race—basically the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate of Sega racing games.

Finally, in 2019, Sega dropped Team Sonic Racing, a game where teamwork was the focus, forcing you to rely on AI or human teammates to win. It had solid mechanics, but fans missed the broader Sega crossover elements from All-Stars Racing Transformed.

And now in 2025 we finally have a new game called Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and looks to be a followup to All-Stars Racing! The Sonic racing timeline is a mix of great ideas, weird choices, and the eternal question: Why does Sonic need a car? But if nothing else, these games prove one thing—no matter how fast Sonic is, he just really likes driving.