Let me begin with a disclaimer: I am a total Sonic the Hedgehog amateur and have very little experience with the games. I grew up with NES and SNES, while my neighbor across the street had Genesis consoles. This allowed us to get the best of both worlds without actually having to own both consoles. I was always a “Mario guy”, but when we wanted to get our Sonic fix, we would go to my neighbor’s house and play it there. That’s about the extent of my history with Sonic – I recall the first game, Sonic 2, and Sonic and Knuckles, but only vaguely. I have no history with the 3D games after I rented one as a kid and instantly felt ripped off. It’s a franchise I have always wanted to get into, but I just never felt the timing was right. Well, until now (I know, I jumped on the bandwagon).
Sonic Mania was everything I was hoping a new Sonic game would be. The developers (a small group of Sonic Fans), did an absolutely wonderful job of making the game appeal to series vets and newcomers alike.
You can tell this game was made with care by people with a passion for the blue hedgehog.
From the intro cinematic to the easter eggs, this game is bursting with fan appeal. With my lack of experience, I know I missed a handful of references, but the level design in this game is what kept it so fresh for me. If you aren’t aware, the level mix has old and new levels. The developers did such a nice job that half the time I couldn’t even tell if a level was new or a classic. Beyond that, it’s fast-paced, but not too fast. It’s tricky, but not too difficult. Everything about this game feels just right. The levels never grow tedious, and all of your skills are tested in the final level for a grand finale.
Even though it has been over a decade since I touched a Sonic game, after playing Mania for only a few hours, I felt like a veteran. Playing the game is so empowering, and it just makes you want to keep playing. At first, I was tremendously terrible at the ball collecting bonus stages and the race mode, but after a while, I found myself looking forward to these variations. Something about unlocking all of the bonus content and collecting those Chaos Emeralds just feels so good. Considering the many hours I put into this game, the $20 price point makes it a great value. Not to mention some of the music is among the best I’ve heard in recent years.
It will be interesting later this year when Sonic Forces releases as it will give Sega insight as to what the fans actually want. Will the developers be eager to create more classic sidescrollers, or will they continue to ride the rails and release 3D games? I believe the success of Sonic Forces will answer that question. One thing I do know is that Mania set a pretty high bar. Who knew that all Sonic needed to be revitalized in the eyes of gamers was a little fan service and a lot of passion. Regardless of the outcome, one thing is for certain; Sonic has a new fan.
