Within the aforementioned new and remixed zones you’ll find all sorts of familiar faces, enemies, and hidden Easter eggs. An obvious high-level of care has gone into these stages, with the new ones as fun as the reworked classics.įrom obvious to more subtle, Sonic Mania is simply flowing with reverential nods to the past. Mirage Saloon and Titanic Monarch round out the new zones, and these too have some wild moments. My favourite of the bunch is the Hollywood-themed Studiopolis, but props go to Press Garden for its gorgeous cherry blossom aesthetic. In addition to the remixed zones, Sonic Mania also inserts four brand new ones into the mix. And aside from a handful of unnecessarily challenging segments, it’s virtually non-stop high-speed thrills from beginning to end. By the time you face the boss or mini-boss at the end, they feel like entirely new stages. Remixed levels may start out like you remember from SEGA Genesis, but they soon morph and change in fascinating ways. However, the updates in this game go way beyond the refreshed graphics and tunes. These levels strike an instant nostalgic chord with their enhanced yet recognizable scenery, familiar enemies, and wonderfully remixed audio tracks. Naturally there’s the trademark Green Hill from Sonic’s original outing, but also fun inclusions like Oil Ocean and Stardust Speedway. Nowhere is this more apparent than the eight remixed zone rejigged from prior games. Without question, all those involved have done a truly phenomenal job.Įvery ounce of Sonic Mania screams “love letter” to the franchise’s long-time fans. This just goes to show outside studios with fresh ideas can be the breath of fresh air stagnant franchises need. Leading the project were indie developers known for their love of Sonic, including Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, and PagodaWest Games. What’s most ironic about Sonia Mania is that it took superfans―and not Sonic Team themselves―to create the best Sonic experience to come along in years.
You can replay levels several times over and discover new surprises each and every time. Stages routinely crisscrossed back-and-forth, had multiple different routes, and there are secrets practically everywhere. Best of all, the game constantly surprised me with its sheer level design ingenuity. From high-speed loop-to-loops, to bouncy springs, to high-flying catapults, it really is Sonic at his best. Playing through the game I couldn’t help but marvel at the rhythmic elegance ever-present during all 24 acts. These properties are what made the original games so much fun to play, and they carry forward to Mania beautifully. Instead, we have back-to-basics gameplay focusing on two simple elements: speed and momentum. It forgoes the mixture of 2D/3D perspectives from Sonic Generations, and the gimmicky Wisp power-ups seen in Sonic Colors. Sonic Mania is a shining example of why sometimes less is more. Platform(s): PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Oneĭeveloper: Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games Indeed, this latest game represents a glorious return to form for Sonic, and reminder of why he rose to super-stardom in the early ’90s. It also happens to be the best entry in the franchise since 1994’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on SEGA Genesis. It’s a celebration of Sega’s iconic mascot over the last 26 years with lush 2D landscapes and nostalgic nods galore.
First came Crash Bandicoot, then Mega Man, and now Sonic is back in all his 16-bit glory in Sonic Mania.Īvailable on all major platforms, Sonic Mania brings the best of Sonic’s past and future into one game. If there’s one video game trend 2017 will be remembered for, it’s old-school mascot revivals.
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