![]() ![]() Sonic Mania achieves the kind of balance in level design that eluded even the first Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic & Knuckles. The momentum-based gameplay was there, but it was coupled with silly or redundant additions like the team-up mechanic, which was shoehorned into mostly unmemorable levels. Take the episodes of Sonic 4, for instance. The level design in this game is so good, one has to wonder what the heck Sega has been doing all these years - nearly every new Sonic game is an experiment in taking on gimmicky mechanics, often to the detriment of the level design. There’s no shortage of new ideas in the 4 new Zones and 8 re-imagined Zones (many of which seamlessly combine elements from multiple classic Sonic levels), and the game has a surprisingly long length for a 2D Sonic title. Sonic In Its Best Formįollowing the structure of Sonic 2, there are only two acts for each Zone - the first act usually hosts a mini-boss, and the second a challenging boss battle - you’ll usually face Eggman or one of his “Hard-Boiled Heavies”. Under the Lead Development of Christian “Taxman” Whitehead, whose impressive resumé includes officially-published enhanced ports of classic Sonic titles, and Headcannon and PagodaWest Games, Sonic Mania puts to shame every other attempt by Sega at rebooting Sonic over the years, and it does it all seemingly effortlessly, by weaving together reimagined classic levels with brand new levels that fit right into the classic Sonic aesthetic they’re like lost levels from 20 years ago, with groovy music and highly appealing background elements. It’s slick and true to the feel of the best elements of the Genesis/Sega CD games, it accurately captures and refines the mood, music, and gameplay of games that were considered cutting-edge twenty years ago, and perhaps most impressively, it’s able to innovate on Sonic’s existing level design elements in fresh ways to fuse something we’ve never really seen before - a sort of “perfect blend” of Sonic 2, Sonic CD, and Sonic 3 - a balanced, challenging, momentum-based platformer that rewards precision and exploration, never gets boring, and packs a lot of replay value. Debug Mode is a fixture of the classic Sonic franchise, appearing in just about every major game before the Dreamcast era.Īre there more unlockables in Sonic Mania? We’re keeping our eyes open.There’s so much that’s incredible about Sonic Mania. Originally, Debug Mode was only unlockable by inputting a cheat code. It’s Puyo Puyo in Sonic Mania!ĭebug Mode: A special menu that allows you to break the rules of the game or toggle “cheats” in-game. A largely forgotten corner of the Sonic expanded franchise, this is still an awesome little game. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine: An attempt to introduce Sega’s Puyo Puyo puzzle game to western audiences, it was re-branded the Mean Bean Machine. He can join Sonic, Tails, or himself for double the Knuckles.ĭr. & Knuckles Mode: Instead of having an AI Tails follow you around (like in Sonic 2), & Knuckles mode pairs you with Knuckles. ![]() Despite being called the “Insta-Shield”, its a jump-attack. ![]() Insta-Shield: This special move, first appearing in Sonic 3, creates a wind-slash that damages enemies in range without having to touch them. ![]() Super Peel Out: The figure 8 super peel out lets Sonic “charge up” and launch at full speed from a standing position. ![]()
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