![]() ![]() Sonic’s basic formula of getting from point A to point B as fast as possible stays relatively unchanged from the original trilogy, and keeps things fairly simple. And to the game’s credit, both are done exceptionally well. Like most games from that 2D era, the plot’s not much more than a justification for SONIC MANIA’s action, so the bulk of its enjoyability boils down to gameplay and presentation. Eggman and foiling his plans of conquest, with the McGuffin mineral of choice this time around being the time/space-altering Phantom Ruby. The conflict is still the same as ever with our speedy, primary-colored hedgehog duking it out with the evil, mechanophilic Dr. SONIC MANIA goes out of its way to feel like a natural progression on those three core games, so much so that it makes itself out as the sequel to SONIC 3 & KNUCKLES (because the actual sequel was just kinda “eh”). Being the officially sanctioned fan project and lovechild of developer Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, and PagodaWest Games, SONIC MANIA is a giant love letter to those Sega Genesis classics, mashing up all the aspects of what makes those games special while also sprinkling in tons of new assets to make itself fresh and different. SONIC MANIA, though, is much more than just a simple recycling or remixing. The few Sonic games in recent memory that have been relatively both well-liked and financially successful for Sega, like SONIC GENERATIONS, have done so by harkening back to ye-olden-times of his heyday on the Sega Genesis, and capitalizing on fans’ nostalgia by recycling certain stages and elements of the past. That’s been evident even before the beautiful trainwreck that was SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (2006). Modern Sonic in general has always been littered with clunky 3D navigation, and is often affiliated with heavy-handed gimmicks and questionable design choices, both story and gameplay-wise. Most people can (and will) tell you that Sonic’s strongest games came out early in its timeline, with the first three installments on the Sega Genesis interchangeably holding the title of “Best Sonic Game.” After the Blue Blur made the jump to 3D, though, things kind of, well… went to shit, as it were, with only a few notable exceptions the past decade. ![]()
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