Developers: Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games
Publisher: SEGA
Rrp: £14.99 (Humblebundle and Steam)
Released: 29th August 2017
Available on: Humblebundle and Steam
Played Using: An Xbox 360 Control Pad
Approximate game length: 7 hours
I think its safe to say that for the most part modern Sonic games have been rather disappointing. Jumping from one mechanic to another and never quite getting any of them right. It was like watching a small part of my childhood wither and fade but refuse to actually just die. For a long time fan games were the really only way to get a more ‘true’ sense of what Sonic used to be. And then came Sonic Mania.
Sonic Mania is by far the best official Sonic game to have been released in years, in fact I think its the best Sonic game that’s come out in the last decade. There are many reasons why this might be but I would say that one of the main ones is that it stuck to the formula that made the originals so good. So why the sudden return to form? Well, its simple. Sega decided to hire in people that actually gave a shit and put real passion into the project. You see, the developers, prior to being picked up by Sega, were all known for making Sonic fan games and ROM Hacks. These people were making Sonic games for the hell of it long before Sega gave them the time of day.
This game has been a blast from the past, however it’s far more responsive than the games were back on their original consoles or in those Sega game packs that were released on PC. The music is absolutely top notch, music from the Sonic games has always been catchy but some of these tracks I would happily listen to while exercising or driving.
Playing this game is like playing through a greatest hits, I recognise levels from all across the original Sonic games, they’ve been changed up a bit because other wise it’d be boring. I also like the fact they’ve brought in the special levels from Sonic CD as well as a few others. Hell at one point I was playing a game of Dr Robotniks Mean Bean Machine… I certainly wasn’t expecting that.
The plot seems to continue on from Sonic and Knuckles, I’m not sure how canon its supposed to be though… mind you the canon of the Sonic games is kinda’ all over so who the hell knows.
This game is a testament to what can be made when someone (or group of people) who has the passion and the talent gets a real shot. I very much recommend this game without reservation to anyone with even the merest interest in Sonic.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Freedom Planet
Shovel Knight
