Ready to expand your roster beyond the base 23 characters in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds? While most racers are available from the start, the game hides some incredible unlockables behind specific challenges. You'll need to master the rival system and prove your racing skills to access these exclusive characters and skins.
The most coveted unlock is Super Sonic - the invincible golden hedgehog who transforms your racing experience completely. But that's not all you can earn through dedicated play.
What Characters Can You Unlock in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds?
The unlock system in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds focuses on two main rewards that require serious dedication:
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Super Sonic isn't just a cosmetic change - he's completely invincible to items and hazards, making him essentially a cheat character for single-player content.
How to Unlock Super Sonic: The Ultimate Challenge
Unlocking Super Sonic represents the game's biggest achievement. You must defeat every single rival racer in Grand Prix mode - all 23 of them.
Understanding the Rival System
Before each Grand Prix, you'll face a rival selection screen where you can choose your opponent or let the game assign one automatically. Here's what you need to know:
- Rivals appear with flame indicators showing their difficulty level
- Press R1 to access rival selection, then L1 to reduce difficulty
- One flame represents the easiest setting
- Defeated rivals show a yellow checkmark on the selection screen
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Rival Defeat Requirements
To count as a victory, you must:
- Complete a full four-race Grand Prix (not individual events)
- Finish with more total points than your rival
- You don't need first place - just beat your specific rival's score
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Focus on consistent top-3 finishes rather than winning every race. Your rival might have one bad race that gives you the points advantage you need.
Tracking Your Progress
The game makes it easy to monitor your rival conquest:
- Yellow ticks appear next to defeated rivals
- The rival screen shows your win count against each character
- You can see exactly how many times you've beaten each opponent
Trophies In Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Once you defeat the final rival, Super Sonic unlocks automatically after the credits roll. The game even treats you to a special ending sequence celebrating your achievement.
How to Unlock Original Sage Skin
Sage's alternate costume is much more straightforward to obtain but still requires skill:
- Complete every standard Grand Prix on any difficulty
- This unlocks the Secret Grand Prix
- Win the Secret Grand Prix to earn Sage's original red design
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The original Sage skin reflects her villainous appearance from Sonic Frontiers, which many players prefer over her default blue coloring.
Unlike Super Sonic, this skin works in all game modes and doesn't change Sage's stats - it's purely cosmetic.
Why Super Sonic is Grand Prix Exclusive
Super Sonic's restriction to Grand Prix mode makes perfect sense once you understand his abilities:
- Complete invincibility to all items and weapons
- Immunity to track hazards like spikes and obstacles
- Enhanced drift charging for superior cornering
- Only walls, pits, and manual braking can slow him down
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These overpowered abilities would completely break online multiplayer, so SEGA wisely limited him to single-player content where he serves as your reward for mastering the game.
Advanced Rival Strategies
Difficulty Management
Don't feel pressured to face every rival at maximum difficulty. The unlock requirements don't specify difficulty levels, so you can:
- Set rivals to one flame for easier victories
- Focus on learning track layouts without intense pressure
- Build confidence before tackling harder opponents
Efficient Progression Tips
Smart players can streamline their rival conquest:
- Rotate rivals instead of focusing on one at a time
- Use easier Grand Prix tracks for tougher opponents
- Practice specific tracks in Time Trial mode first
- Remember that Grand Prix completion counts toward multiple goals
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Some rivals are significantly more challenging than others. Characters like Shadow and Metal Sonic tend to be aggressive competitors, while others like Cream & Cheese offer gentler opposition.
Post-Unlock Content and Rewards
Completing these challenges unlocks more than just characters:
- New credit sequence featuring franchise history
- Updated title screen with vocal menu music
- Achievement/Trophy completion for dedicated players
- Access to the game's most powerful racer for future playthroughs
The journey to unlock these characters teaches you advanced racing techniques and track knowledge that will serve you well in online competition and future content updates.
Whether you're chasing the ultimate bragging rights with Super Sonic or just want to race as your favorite version of Sage, these unlocks represent the pinnacle of single-player achievement in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. Start working through those rivals - your golden hedgehog awaits!
For more Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, check out our guide on How to Choose Vehicles.