SEGA has been gradually expanding the playable roster for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. Previous DLC like SpongeBob SquarePants and even Hatsune Miku have been great additions, with some SEGA first-party stalwarts like Joker and Ichiban Kasuga leading the charge.

When SEGA first teased the arrival of NiGHTS into Dreams in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, fans of the cult classic breathed a sigh of relief as the often-overlooked character was getting some recognition. Now NiGHTS officially joins the roster as a playable racer, complete with a themed vehicle, music tracks, and a celebratory in-game festival that brings holiday cheer to the racetrack.

A Dreamlike Addition To The Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Roster

For the uninitiated, NiGHTS is a character who made their debut back in 1996 for the Sega Saturn. While it didn’t achieve the same level of critical success as other mascot characters, it has gained a cult following and has appeared in other crossovers as well.

Now, as a fully playable racer, NiGHTS rides atop the Dream Sleeper machine and is a Speed character in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. His character design is somewhat whimsical, and has a board similar to that of Hatsune Miku. It is easy to get NiGHTS into a drift while turning into a curve, but countering it feels heavier than usual, making straight-line and level 3 drifts tougher to pull off.

Timed perfectly with the holiday season, a NiGHTS Festival was also held to celebrate the launch of the DLC, inviting players to collect Festival Points through normal gameplay, which can then be exchanged for exclusive rewards, such as

• Donpa Tickets – Earned by accumulating Festival Points, these tickets unlock special items and gadgets.
• Exclusive Gadgets – Limited-time tools that enhance gameplay, with SEGA confirming that some may return in future updates.
• Event Cosmetics – Themed rewards tied to NiGHTS, giving players a chance to personalize their racing experience.

Players can also enjoy five new jukebox tracks inspired by the original NiGHTS games, including fan favorites like Dreams Dreams and Message From Nightopia. These tracks can be set as background music, and while they sound quite out of place as you listen to slow and dreamy music amidst the chaos of a high-speed race, hearing these classic tunes is more than enough to put a smile on players who are familiar with the character.

Pac-Man Joins the Show

Similar to SpongeBob, Pac-Man’s addition to Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds as part of Wave 3 of the Season Pass is great because not only does it add the iconic character and his trusty Pac-Man Mobile, players will also be treated to a new level called the Pac-Village & Maze, which is fantastic.

Pac-Man is an Acceleration type character in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, and he controls quite heavy at turns, meaning players will have to rely well on drift skills to make those corners. It’s okay to take a few bumps here and there as you’ll get back to speed in no time, but twisty tracks will be a challenge.

In Pac-Village, you’ll see giant statues of Pac-Man and the ghosts, but Blinky and the gang will also be roaming around sections of the track to serve as obstacles during the race. Players will be able to collect the iconic orbs from Pac-Man, which even includes the trademark chomping sound that we are all familiar with.

Inside the maze, players will be transported into the actual Pac-Man level, with orbs lined up for collection, ghosts roaming the corners, and a giant Pac-Man chomping away at the distance. It’s honestly a great tribute to the character, and the Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds team has done well to integrate that into the game, along with other sound bites and effects that remind us well of the cahracter.

Both Pac-Man and NiGHTS are now available as playable racers in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.