The second act of Chemical Plant features special goo that’s extremely bouncy and pulsating double helixes that transport Sonic vertically. For the returning classic stages Act 1 feels familiar, while Act 2 is where things get a little experimental. Sonic Mania’s level design is overflowing with insanely creative brand new ideas, as well as fun spins on old favourites. Not since Shovel Knight has there been a soundtrack that sticks so true to its roots while also feeling totally fresh and inventive. From the iconic “Saaay-Gaaah” logo screen to the sound of collecting (and losing) rings, to classic themes like Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant: it’s all perfectly on-brand. It’s astounding how perfect everything looks, sounds and feels. The art, animation, sound effects, and music are like they plucked Sonic Team at their peak and just said “keep doing what you’re doing”. How much value can my score and review have if I’m not really ‘getting’ what makes Sonic Mania such a great throwback in the first place? To that end, I’m not going to give Sonic Mania Plus a score in this review, instead what follows is what I liked about the game, a rundown of the new elements added in this definitive version, followed by my thoughts on classic Sonic as a total newcomer.Īesthetically, Sonic Mania is a delight. Reviewing a game from this position is tricky, and it’s the first time I’ve tried to critique a game I’m so hopeless at. After playing for several hours I began to accept that I was not just unfamiliar with Sonic, I’m straight-up bad at it. So even though I consider myself fairly accomplished with modern-retro 2D platformers like Celeste and Hollow Knight, jumping into Sonic Mania Plus was a shock to the system. I grew up playing Mario and Donkey Kong Country which, I’ve come to realise, utilise an entirely different skill set to classic Sonic. My only exposure to the zippy blue guy was the brief Saturn or Mega Drive session at a friend’s place.
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