Sega has just released new footage of the upcoming "Sonic Mania" and it features another remake of a classic level. This new footage features a 30 second teaser of the super fast rodent and his friends zooming through a remake of a level from a 1995 entry in the series. The video has been uploaded on the official YouTube account, as well as the official Twitter account.
Way past cool
For the uninitiated, "Sonic Mania" is the upcoming retro throwback to the blue hedgehog's glory days. The game seeks to evoke the same charm and style of the classic Genesis games mixed with a little bit of "Sonic CD" for good measure.
More modern touches include a 16x9 aspect ratio, a new soundtrack by composer Lee Tropes, and a rock solid framerate of 60 fps. This also marks the first game in the series to be developed by the fans and officially published by Sega. The game is a collaboration between Headcannon and PagodaWest Games. Developers Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley are both longtime fans of the series and have had experience developing HD ios ports of the classic entries, but this is their first entirely new entry.
"Sonic Mania" isn't the only game releasing this year to feature the mute Classic incarnation of the blue blur. "Mania" is set to release this year alongside another game called "Sonic Forces." In contrast, "Forces" is a more modern game akin to entries such as "Colors" and "Generations."
Genesis does
In addition to brand new levels, "Sonic Mania" features remakes of levels from classic Sonic games such as "Green Hill Zone." The level featured in the video, "Flying Battery Zone," is a remake from a level in "Sonic And Knuckles." The level had players traversing through Dr.
Robotnik's warship while avoiding hazards such as flamethrowers, fake animal capsules, and a nasty fall.
Though the level made its debut in "Sonic and Knuckles," the sound test for "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" suggests that "Flying Battery" was meant to make an appearance in that game. Old-school gamers might also remember that "Sonic 3" and "Sonic and Knuckles" were essentially two parts of one giant game that could be accessed by putting the "Sonic 3" cartridge on top of "Sonic and Knuckles."
Back to basics
After the dismal reception to the 2014 title "Sonic Boom: The Rise of Lyric," "Mania" seems to be the back to basics entry that this series desperately needs.
From the look of these videos and previews, It appears to rekindle the spark of the Genesis games better than previous attempts such as "Sonic the Hedgehog 4." "Mania" is set to release in the third quarter of this year for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch.
