How classic 2DSonicgames are handled is a topic many fans of the series feel passionate about. It makes sense as the Genesis titles were the ones to kickstart the franchise into the huge part of gaming history it is today. There’s been numerous occasions where even the official titles that aim to re-capture what made the original games so great have fallen short, such asSonic 4andSonic Forces’Classic Sonic. Out of all the attempts to release something new for classic fans,Sonic Maniastands out as a true return to form that plenty of fans enjoyed.
There are several factors that makeSonic Maniaunique against the rest of the 2D titles. One of the biggest is most certainly thatManiawas a fan project pitched by Christian Whitehead with help from Simon “Stealth” Thomley of Headcannon. Both of them had been well-known in theSoniccommunity prior toManiaas they had worked on numerous fan games and ROM hacks previously. The two brought in more well-known fan game developers to help, which led to a game that presented the best of Classic Sonic in a brand-new way.
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What Sonic Mania Offers New and Old Players
Sonic Maniabegins with a cutscene that describes the entire game rather well as it reminds players of the past byreplicatingSonic 3 & Knuckles’intro. Shortly after, a new magical gemstone known as the Phantom Ruby is pulled out Angel Island, and its powers warp Sonic and Tails back to Green Hill Zone. This is a great representation ofManiaas a whole as the game is more of the Classic Sonic experience fans wanted for years. However, it makes sure to take advantage of the resources it had five years ago to showcase how much 2D game design had evolved in the time since such a game was made. After all,Sonic Maniamarks the first proper mainline 2D Classic Sonic game since 1996.
Many players were concerned that the game would rely on nostalgia too much, and some have mentioned that the older versions of familiar stages should have been sacrificed, so the newer second acts could have more time to shine. However, the use of a familiar first act before throwing players into an entirely new second stage is almost like a warm-up, as some stages grow in complexity and difficulty. It refreshes old players and introduces new ones to the stage before almost testing them once the first section is clear. The Combine Ring fromKnuckles' Chaotixalso makes a surprise return for Classic Sonic experts as the new Drop Dash mechanic was specifically made to help new fans. The Drop Dash ended up being such a great addition to the formula that following re-releases ofSonicgames,such asSonic Origins, made sure to include it in Sonic’s moveset.
Sonic Mania Plus' Encore Mode
After the success of the original release, in 2018,Maniawas given a “Plus” expansion that came alongside a free update that improved the base game with missing features, like transitional cutscenes. As part ofSonic Mania Plus, a brand-new mode known as “Encore Mode” was added that let players experience the entire game over again with remixed stages. Encore Mode came with a challenging rule attached where a player could only have up to five lives at a time. The reason for this was that Encore Mode used all five characters, the three from the original and two new characters toMania Plus, as an interchangeable team. To the delight of fans, the two new characters wereMighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel.
To newcomers, Mighty and Ray are new, welcome faces to the Classic Sonic cast for a bit more variety. To veterans, it was extremely wonderful to see these characters return after decades of being unused. With the two new characters available in the normal Mania Mode along with Encore Mode, the game’s replayability was extended immensely. Even after fans clear Mania Mode two more times, Encore Mode’s constant switching of characters almost invites players to try and clear it by gettingall seven Chaos Emeraldswhile also keeping all five characters at their disposal. It gives a whole new challenge to a formula that players have already mastered years ago, which is most definitely welcomed.
Sonic Mania is Complete With Sonic Origins
WhenSonic Maniawas released onto every major platform in 2017, some of those platforms weren’t able to provide its users with the other four Classic Sonic titles, which considering how heavily referentialManiawas, didn’t bode well for many new players. WhileManiais a game that can be played without understanding the games that came before it, if newer fans wanted more to play, they’d be out of luck. Outside new players,Sonic Maniawas meant to follow whereSonic 3 & Knucklesleft off, and series loyalists on certain platforms had no way to marathon all the titles if they desired to.
Now withSonic Originson every console that hasManiain its lineup of games, the series feels rather complete as the collection title bringsSonic 1,2,CD, andSonic 3 & Knucklesas one full game to stand next toManiaon fans' shelves. On top of that,Originsis specifically a collection of remastered versions ofSonic 1,2, andCDthat were originally found on mobile devices. These remasters were made by Christian Whitehead, the project lead ofMania,meaning that every Classic Sonic game has been re-tooled to match the latest title.Sonic 3 & Knuckleshad never been remasteredprior toMania, but Whitehead had passed the baton to Simon Thomley and Headcannon to allow his team to finish the set forOrigins. After over ten years without a re-release forS3&K, the remaster was more than overdue.Originsalso comes packaged with theSonic Mania Adventuresshorts as a nice bonus for collectors.
However, as great asOriginsis for 2DSonicfans who wanted more alongsideMania, things are still a bit skewed inMania’sfavor due to a rocky launch for the compilation title.Headcannon has publicly statedthat the team was “unhappy” with the state of the game at launch, saying Sega meddled with the version it submitted according to strict deadlines. Following this statement, Sega worked with Headcannon to issue a patch to fix important bugs such as the AI-controlled Tails partner not respawning properly, but fans have commented on some important issues like the muffled music inS3&Knot yet being adjusted.Sonic Originscould have felt just as great asMania, but sadly these issues hold the collection back.
There is also the fact that even though the titles found inOriginsare considered classics, parts of them have not aged well compared to the new techniques used inMania. With more recent game design techniques behind it,Maniamay stand against the classics as a better title both cosmetically, and in terms of balance. However, some may feel thatManiaisn’t as difficult as the older titles while to other players that may be seen as more of a blessing. Regardless,Maniawas successful for both old and new fans, which ledSonic Team to decide to keep 2D and 3D games separate. Even though there is reportedly noSonic Mania 2in the works,Maniahas at the very least brought a small renaissance for 2DSonic, and its success may eventually bring another 2D ClassicSonicgame to fans in the future.
Sonic Maniais out now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
