About Sonic Mania

[Linlam]

Since recently the threads about sonic games have been overall negative, I'd like to go more on a positive view, with some criticism of my own of course. I'd love to read your opinions about Sonic Mania too. Now, let's get started.

I think Sonic Mania is a wonderful game when it comes to platformers and Sonic. The presentation of Mania is marvelous, the sprites a well animated, the colors are vibrant and match the levels really well, the music is outstanding and the characters have their own personality shown just by the animation. Everything that I would want in a presentation of a classic Sonic game is there, a light-hearted adventure with the certain amount of darkness and humor. The story is also pretty good for a Sonic game. It's not heavy, neither it tries to be. It's just a simple plot to get the things going, with a lot of charisma put into it. The Hard Boiled Heavies are full of personality, each with their own little thing, and of course, Eggman is still the incredible villain he always was.

The gameplay in Mania is perfect, just perfect. Sonic and the other characters control exactly how they should, their weigth, jump height, glinding, everything is on point. The game rewards you for knowing how to control the characters, the more you know how to use Sonic, the more goodies you get. That brings me to the next point about gameplay, the level design. The level design is incredible. They really wanted Mania to be a replayable game, because the amount of alternative paths is just unbelievable, it's a true follower of the S3&K level design.

The last part is also the major problem I have with Mania, and the part I wanted to discuss in this message board. I think Mania relies to much on the S3&K formula, I felt like the game didn't innovate on the classic sonic design of things. Thinking back to it, Mania is more fanservice than a proper game in my opinion. Now, Mania is still a marvelous game, but to me, if SEGA keeps hiring the fans to do this kind of stuff, the classic formula will stagnate in the S3&K pattern. This makes sense, because S3&K in my opinion is the best classic game, it is the result of 4 years of testing and developing Sonic. However, I still think there's room for new ideas and experimentation in the classic formula, I'd be very disappointed if the classic games became something like the New Super Mario Bros. series, just games that appeal for the nostalgia of the old fans.

Having said all that, what is your opinion about Sonic Mania? How do you think the classic games should be? Also, Sonic Mania is available for free here, so if you don't have it anymore and want to replay it now's the opportunity (or if you haven't played at all).

 

[Radicalicious]

I first got Sonic Mania back in 2017 and played the hell out of it, the Plus DLC included. I really enjoyed having a 'brand-new' 2D Sonic after decades of other titles. As it ages over time though, that magic it had at release sort of loses its charm when you realize only 4 of the game's zones are brand-new concepts, while the rest are recycled. As much as I'd like them to remake more zones from the Classic era in the Mania style, I think a follow-up consisting of brand new zones and ideas would be the best way to go. Whitehead and the others have demonstrated they can clearly make brand-new zones on par with and even better in some cases than S3K, and hell, even give old stages unique setpieces that set them apart from their original incarnations. I have no doubt they can make a whole game that's fun to play while still keeping the Classic Sonic charm. That is, if SEGA will bring them back in again. No idea if that will happen. :p

 

[Chezi]

I see nothing wrong with using the 3&K formula and revisiting old zones. It had been about 20 years since they used the Classic game design, so using what worked in the past would help introduce what could possibly be a new series of Sonic games that continue using the Classic formula. If there is a sequel, I expect it to be entirely original in level themes and introduce a formula that expands on the 3&K one.

 

[time gear]

I really like Mania but at the same time I feel like it's also a bit overrated. The levels at times feel a bit too expansive, and while it's nice to have so many returning zones, I ultimately find myself enjoying most of the original versions of these levels more for some reason. I do prefer Mania's version of Stardust Speedway and Metallic Madness though, and I do enjoy the new additions to every returning stage. I tend to agree with the sentiment that Mania's best moments are actually in its new, original stages.

It's a bit of a nitpick but I kinda wish they had remastered the Sonic 3&K Sonic sprites rather than taking more inspiration from his Sonic 1 and 2 designs. There's mods that imagine what it would have been like if they had taken this route such as S3Master, and it's a genuine enhancer to the experience for me. The other characters all feel like their art style has naturally progressed from S3&K, but Sonic is the only one who doesn't fit in. Additionally, while I do enjoy the drop dash in this game, and I also enjoy being able to toggle on the insta-shield or peelout instead, I don't really see much of a reason for why Sonic can't just do all of these naturally. I don't really feel like it would be too overpowered, as the peelout needs to be charged like a spindash and the insta-shield doesn't hurt anything by activating before you charge a drop dash. There's mods to enable full control for Sonic and I feel he's most fun with all of these abilities enabled.

The new special stages are fantastic. It's really nice to have a completely new style of special stage that actually works, though the difficulty curve on them is certainly something to take into consideration. The return of Blue Spheres as the bonus stage is also a stroke of genius, and a ton of fun. It's also really nice to see Mighty and Ray appear as playable characters after so long, as well as references to Bark, Bean, and Fang/Nack. Something pretty funny though is while it was clearly their intention to do a story tie-in between Forces and Mania in which Sonic travels to Forces, then goes through the Encore mode when he returns... Both games have internal logic which makes it fully possible for them to be their own thing without needing each other. There's no reason why Encore Mode can't take place immediately after Egg Reverie for Sonic in Mania, and there's no reason why the Classic Sonic in Forces couldn't just be a Phantom Ruby illusion who took a little longer to vanish than the others due to Disney style magic/plot convenience.

Overall while I enjoy Mania quite a bit, I still prefer the original Sonic 3&K as the better game. Especially if you count Sonic 3 Complete. I feel that Sonic 3 Complete given the Mania treatment in regards to it's music and visuals would be the perfect Classic Sonic game, here's hoping that's what we get in Sonic Origins.

 

[Linlam]

If there is a sequel, I expect it to be entirely original in level themes and introduce a formula that expands on the 3&K one.

I hope so. I'm not saying that the fanservice is bad for the first game of a possible revival of the classic formula, I'm worried that they will keep on doing that. I personally think that Mania didn't bring anything truly new to the table. If you analyse the progression of the classic games, each new installment developed in new areas of the original game, with Sonic 3&K combining everything to be the masterpiece that it is. My only concern is that the classic formula stagnates in the name of nostalgia and in the name of "what it already works".

 

[Radicalicious]

I'd say Mania did its job as a return to form for the 2D Sonic formula, but unfortunately it's not much more than that. It does show the developers' competence at original Sonic design, though.