First of all, this is the Switch version I'm reviewing, and these problems seem to be exclusive for the platform. If there are some issues I have, they're small, but they are noticeable. In the special stages, it goes into an Emerald Stage, which is chasing an UFO to catch get the Emerald, goes into a Saturn like style, which keeps use with the classic aesthetic the game has. In fact, I could go as far as to say it's more like a 32x, maybe Saturn, game, and the animation is pretty fluid and bouncy. The graphics also receive an upgrade from the Genesis. Controls are also nice and responsive (as far as gameplay is concerned) and works well with either single or duo Joy-Con play. They provide a nice balance between platforming and speed, and even with levels that were simply reused themes, such as Green Hill Zone, have some sort of twist. The first thing I have to say is the level design is superb. Basically, this game is what Sonic 4 Part 1 and 2, which were average games at best, should be. With two Sonic games coming out this year, Sega starts off strong with Sonic Mania, essentially a love letter to the Genesis titles made by fan-game creator Christian Whitehead and using his Retro Engine. Sonic Mania is terrific even though it relies heavily on the old to give us something new it still finds ways to innovate the old without reinventing the wheel. There's also the super-peel out from CD though I didn't miss that much, I hardly used it in CD beyond the need to time jump but it's a fan favorite so I feel it should have been included. This begs the question as to why something that should be in theory a standard move is behind an unlock wall and only in the No-Save game. They are in the game but they're unlockables if you collect all the medals and only works in the No-Save game. Mysteriously, moves like the Insta-Shield from Sonic 3 are absent from the main game. Nevertheless I didn't find them boring or uninteresting so there is that. The ideas are there and whether by over cautiousness or executive meddling to much of this game is the old with a new coat of paint. The stages do have many new added gimmicks and aesthetics to shake it up, more original stages. The game's fault lies in the fact it had to go back to old stages again, 60% of the game is remade old stages. My personal favorite has to be Lava Reef Zone 2 with the added guitars. The original stages shine brightly and my praises there. Still I didn't care for the mini boss music or the renditions of Stardust Speedway, which was based mostly on the Japan tracks which personally I found inferior to the U.S. Tee Lopes makes fantastic new tracks and great remixes of old stages too, but nothing musically will ever beat Sonic 3 & Knuckles but this comes pretty close. The music is better replicating the old 16bit soundtracks, better than Sonic 4's bland midi synth. Sporting new level aesthetics and character animations add extra touches and magic, such as lighting the oil on fire with a flame shield! Brilliant! Designs are like the classics (though let's not dig up the trivial "Waah Sonic has Green Eyes" nonsense) controls are like the classics everything is tightly focused and well polished as games that came before it. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine are all represented here and it works. Sounds and nods to even the 8Bit Sonic games, Sonic CD, Genesis era games, a little of the 3D era and even Dr. Besides Sonic 1-3&K we have homages and little hints towards every game in Sonic's long history. After three plays of Mania (Sonic+Tails, Tails, and Knuckles) I can say it's a worthy callback to the classics made by the hardest of hard core fans getting a sense more what made the originals good and not relying heavily on nostalgia. Still the development team lead by Christian Whitehead who helped port many classics and made a name for himself in the ROM hacking community did give me some encouragement. Returning levels had been done and not done well prior and I was mostly set up for an average experience. Even though Mania looked to be taking a few more pages from the classics on the Genesis era I still went in largely skeptical and a bit blase about it if only for the fact this looked to be another heavy embankment on nostalgia more than trying anything really new. (Review based on Steam PC version) After the mediocre two-episode "Sonic 4" I was more tempered with Sonic Mania.
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