Veteran Sonic series producer Takashi Iizuka has revealed the rigorous philosophy behind balancing items in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. According to Iizuka, the development team took a “ruthless” approach, outright removing items that were deemed either too “stressful” for players or those that consistently allowed users to “win all the time.”
The core idea behind Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (developed jointly by teams from Sonic and Sega Arcade Racing franchises) was to create a foundationally “balanced, fair” racing game from the ground up. This started with prioritizing the racing mechanics themselves, before items were even introduced.
Iizuka explained that the development process began with establishing the “fair and fun” competitive racing dynamic based purely on vehicle handling and track design. Only once this base racing experience was solid did the teams begin to integrate items into the mix.
Intense Playtesting & Item Removal
The addition of items wasn’t a final step. The teams conducted extensive playtests to see how the items impacted gameplay. It was during this phase that the strict balancing philosophy came into effect.
Any item or mechanic that testers found “very stressful for players” was flagged for removal. Similarly, if an item allowed players to frequently “come back from behind and win all the time,” disrupting the competitive balance, it was taken out of the game concept entirely. This iterative process involved multiple rounds of playtesting and balance adjustments.
The ultimate goal was to achieve what Iizuka described as “just the right amount of chaotic” – maintaining the fun, unpredictable elements characteristic of kart racers, while ensuring the gameplay always felt fair to the racers themselves. This approach contrasts with games where potentially overpowered comeback items might feel less balanced, highlighting Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds’ distinct focus on competitive fairness even with items present.
