By He mentioned “I’ve visited the year 3000.”
- by Alana Hagues
Sega has unveiled the opening theme for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and, instead of enlisting notable names like Crush40, Kellin Quinn, or Madeline Wood, there’s a very recognizable voice for a specific generation in the UK.
James Bourne of the British pop-punk ensemble Busted — indeed, you read that right — is the frontman on Cross the Worlds, the upcoming racetrack’s introductory song. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard the name Busted. Pinch us.
Crafted by Takahiro Kai — one of the composers for Sonic Superstars — the theme itself is quite energetic and pop-rock oriented, not far off from our typical expectations of Sonic. A bit cheesy? Perhaps. But that’s not necessarily unfavorable.
We’re uncertain about how popular Busted is outside of the UK; the band formed in 2000 and put out two successful albums during their five-year run. “What I Go to School For” and “Year 3000” are likely their most recognized tracks — the latter was famously covered by the Jonas Brothers, and Busted later re-recorded the song with the boy band in 2023.
The group disbanded in 2005 so that its members could focus on solo careers. Bourne is also the leading vocalist for the band Son of Dork and enjoyed a brief solo endeavor under the name Future Boy, before touring with fellow British band McFly and forming McBusted. Busted reunited in 2015 and continues to perform.
So… there you have it! Not the collaboration we anticipated, and definitely a nostalgic experience for many Brits, we’re sure. Whether Bourne will feature in other tracks in-game remains to be seen.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is set to debut on Switch on 25th September, with a Switch 2 edition following afterward. While the game includes numerous Sonic characters, we’re also getting Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga from Like a Dragon, Joker from Persona 5, Steve from Minecraft, and Nickelodeon characters as DLC racers.
Share your thoughts on Cross the Worlds in the comments.
[source youtube.com]
Alana has been part of Nintendo Life since 2022, and although RPGs are her primary passion, Nintendo holds a close second place. She finds joy in dissecting battle tactics, characters, and narratives. She also dreams of being a Sega air pirate.