This zone is set in the ruins of an ancient city, and is filled with primitive technology such as spinning tops that rely on momentum to fly through the air and stone faces with act as a security system. Alongside these are large columns which can be run around vertically, thick pools of quicksand like mud and alternate paths which dramatically alter the course of the game for specific characters. Marble Garden Zone is also the home of one of the best bosses in the history of the franchise. After demolishing the ruins, Dr Eggman attempts to fly away, but along with Tails, you must fly through the air and hit him whilst in mid flight while he tries to attack you from various directions.

The Master System and Game Gear versions of the original Sonic the Hedgehog shared a lot of similarities with their Mega Drive cousin, but this exclusive level proves that 8 bit gaming is by no means inferior. As the name implies, Jungle Zone is set in a lush green paradise, with several gimmicks such as floating logs which you can run around on to reach hidden areas, falling wooden platforms in waterfalls which you use to ascend in the second act and strategically placed vines which can be used as a ramp to fly across the level with style. The boss takes place high in the air on a suspended vine, where Dr Eggman attempts to hit you with cannonballs that can roll around for a brief time before they explode.

There have been several fortress themed zones throughout the various adventures that Sonic has gone through, but Flying Battery Zone is definitely on the best candidates to be revived. Some of the gimmicks include spinning wireframe drums, magnetic bars that affect platforms and enemies alike and a small puzzle that relies on using the enemy’s own weapon against them to proceed. The bosses are a prison capsule in disguise which also requires you to trick the enemy, and Dr Eggman uses a spinning machine which relies on spikes and flamethrowers to knock you from his aerial warship.

Knuckles Chaotix was a very underappreciated platformer released in 1995 for the 32 bit add on for the Sega Mega Drive. While it may not be the best Sonic game, it’s 32 bit colour palette fits perfectly with the graphical style that Sonic Mania has opted to use. This zone is set at a tropical themed marina, with several palm trees, and ships which contain switches which need to be pressed to proceed through each of its five acts. When you reach the boss at the end of the zone, you are faced with a giant blue crystal that Dr Eggman has encased himself inside, and can only be defeated by hitting him when he emerges from inside it.

While it might be a little extreme to include two levels from the same game, Ice Cap Zone is one of the iconic stages in the series because of the snowboarding section that takes place at the beginning of the zone if you choose to play as Sonic. As well as this section, you are faced with riding on icy platforms to break through seemingly impassable walls and avoiding several pools of ice cold water in a subterranean cavern. Both of the bosses in the zone use ice to their advantage, with the former using several chunks of it as a shield. Dr Eggman on the other hand, uses it to freeze Sonic in place so he succumbs to a frozen demise.

Out of all the water levels in the series, this one is probably the most unique, as it contains the only act in Sonic history that finishes underwater. As well as having this honour, Aqua Lake Zone has two separate visual styles which complement each other well. In the first act, we are treated to a picturesque poolside world with the option to go on land or through the water to reach the goal. In the second, we are thrown deep into an underground labyrinth, where you need to use a special kind of air bubble to float to the top of the act. The boss of this world is a robotic seal, which you defeat by bursting the rubber balls he inflates from his nose.

The first Casino themed stage in the series is definitely one of the highlights of Sonic’s second adventure on the Sega Mega Drive, with the bright neon lights contrasting well against the night sky. The pinball machines and roulette wheels which are situated as various places around each act give you a break from the platforming action, and could almost be classed as mini games themselves. The boss sees you facing against Dr Eggman in a larger pinball machine, where he uses spiked balls and pincers to try and take out his arch enemy.

Which zones from Sonic’s twenty five year history would you like to see make a return in Sonic Mania? Let us know what you think in the comments below.