REVIEW

Sonic Mania Review

by Rob Pritchard, August 27th, 2017

Ever since Sonic the Hedgehog arrived on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis back in 1991, the speed loving mascot has starred in several platformers which take place in both two and three dimensions. To celebrate the long journey that Sonic and his friends have undertaken, SEGA have released a new 2D platformer named Sonic Mania, which has promised to bring back the 16-bit classic styled gameplay that many fans believed would never be revisited. The long wait for a return to the series roots has definitely not been in vain, as Sonic Mania is the best anniversary present that could ever be asked for.

Sometime after the events of Sonic and Knuckles, Tails picks up a mysterious signal coming from Angel Island, the home of Knuckles the Echidna. Sonic is persuaded to investigate, and when they arrive on the island, they discover that Dr Eggman’s robots have unearthed a gemstone known as the Phantom Ruby. This mysterious purple crystal has the power to distort the fabric of reality, which cannot always be controlled by the wielder. After being warped back to a very familiar place in their history, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles must once again join forces to stop Dr Eggman’s plans to use the crystal, as well as take down the evil doctor’s newest robot squadron known as the Hard Boiled Heavies, who have gone rogue as a result of the Phantom Ruby’s unpredictable powers.

From the humble beginnings of Green Hill to the epic final boss fight in Titanic Monarch, each of the thirteen distinct zones in Sonic Mania are a mixture of fan favourite locations and brand new areas that are remain true to the classic style that Sonic Mania has catered for. Although it may be initially disappointing to see SEGA recycling old zones, each of the returning areas has been given several surprising changes and gimmicks from other zones in the series history, such as the Marble Garden style pull rings being implemented into Stardust Speedway, and the quicksand styled piles of discarded robot parts which appear in Flying Battery. These additions make each zone feel refreshing to go through, and in many cases feel like entirely new locations.

Alongside the regular levels, Sonic Mania includes a set of brand new Special Stages which pick and choose elements from every previous version of the series. While the gameplay is similar to Sonic CD, the background art is taken from Sonic 1, and the blue sphere collectables are borrowed from Sonic 3. These new challenges are fast paced, and in some of the later stages, you will need you to be on your toes to collect one of the elusive Chaos Emeralds. In case you are looking for another challenge, you can enter the Blue Sphere bonus stages by passing the checkpoints in the levels and jumping into the Star Circle that appears above it if you have at least thirty rings in your possession. These areas were the Special Stages from Sonic 3, and if you manage to collect the Silver and Gold Medallions from each stage, you can unlock a treasure trove of additional content, such as a Sound Test and the ability to have Knuckles run behind you whilst you play through the game.

The original Mega Drive/Genesis games had a minimal but sufficient back story, and Sonic Mania maintains this tradition by using the same in game cut scene style that was used in both Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. The physics of each of the game’s characters have been finetuned to near perfection, and there is not a single case of impossible events, such as standing on the walls or remaining at the same speed whilst travelling downhill, which occurred several times in the recent retro revival that was Sonic the Hedgehog 4. One of the reasons for sticking with these older design choices is that the game has been developed by long time Sonic fan game developer Christian Whitehead, who worked alongside SEGA to create the mobile ports of the original games, and Sonic CD for mobile devices, PC and consoles. Because of this, Sonic Mania truly feels like the sequel to Sonic & Knuckles that we have been waiting for since 1994, and while it may not be epic as its older sibling, it is just as entertaining to play every time you start from the beginning.

If you happen to need a boost of speed during the game, you can use the Drop Dash, which is a new ability that can only be used by Sonic. This ability is especially useful during some of the longer sections, and is a godsend when trying to obtain the quickest times in the time attack mode. It is clear from this decision that the indie developers who worked with SEGA to develop Sonic Mania have opted to build on what made Sonic a successful franchise, rather than introducing new gimmicks or gameplay mechanics that feel out of place.

From a graphical perspective, Sonic Mania uses an enhanced version of the art designs and user interface seen in Sonic 3 & Knuckles, with several visual polishes and parallax backgrounds which are only available on modern consoles, such as the animated train in the background of Studiopolis. The Special Stages and Bonus Stages look equally sharp in HD, and if you prefer the retro aesthetic, you can switch on a CRT filter by going into the options menu. The soundtrack uses several remixes of older tunes, as well as a host of retro inspired tunes composed by Tee Lopez, who is also known for his work on smaller indie titles such as Major Magnet. It is an excellent decision to include the sound test as an unlockable feature, as several of the tunes deserve to be replayed several times over, as such as the background theme for the second act of Press Garden.

Overall, Sonic Mania is definitely a game for the long time fans, as well as any newcomers who decide to come along for the ride. It’s bright colourful graphics, along with addictive gameplay and excellent soundtrack make for a Sonic game that truly deserves to be known as a step in the right direction. If you are looking for a new 2D platformer, or are looking for something to fill a rainy afternoon, Sonic Mania is one of the best purchases you could possibly make.