Sonic Mania - Can you feel the sunshine?

[Jimbob]

2 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I managed to download the game and finish Green Hill Zone before setting off for work. Loving what i've played so far. I was scouring the stages for quite a bit but only managed to pick up 1 Chaos Emerald. Also, what are the tokens for that you get in the Sonic 3 type special stages? I nabbed a few of them ( think I exhausted the amount of times these stages appear as they stopped showing up for me ) but I have no idea what they do.

Looking forward to putting some more time into to it later today.

I honestly thought they were the special stages to get the Emeralds.  Seems the tokens unlock stuff, which is a nice touch.

I'm in love with this game, playing a Sonic game this fun again sends me back to my childhood.  The updated music is just, well words can't describe it really.

[Cube]

3 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

 Also, what are the tokens for that you get in the Sonic 3 type special stages? I nabbed a few of them ( think I exhausted the amount of times these stages appear as they stopped showing up for me ) but I have no idea what they do.

They unlock various extras and bonuses. Stuff that affects the game as a whole rather than an individual run. 

[Happenstance]

Really liking the game so far. The boss for Chemical Plant zone was a funny surprise (and I only just beat him!)

[Blade]

I have the afternoon off!

I'm downloading this ASAP! Cannot wait!

[Blade]

I've just done the first Act. This is amazing.

I know I have full nostalgic glasses on but this has all the hall marks to a proper sequel to Sonic & Knuckles. This is the game we have all been waiting for since that game was released.

The graphics are spot on - full on 16bit MegaDrive goodness

The game is play is proper Sonic. Tales has joined in the adventure. He is a complete liability much like the classics

I loved the Sonic 3 bonus stage with the same music!

Its just so good. I know I have only done a level haha! 

[Blade]

Wow! Chemical Plant Act 2!

Spoiler

I did not expect that at all!! Good job I had been playing Puyo Puyo haha! I also like the fact that there was no explanation how to play it. No hand holding here!

 

[Aneres11]

I love this game so much already and only just got to chemical plant act 1. It's just sublime.

The music though. I didn't think the soundtrack could get any better but it is just so on point and I have my Switch blasting out as loud as possible as I play.

[Blade]

I'm just currently at one of my favourite levels 

Spoiler

Oil Ocean! I couldn't believe my eyes when it came on

 

[Ike]

Beat the game with 4 Emeralds, had trouble with the 3rd stage but it was pretty easy if you use the shortcuts straight away.

Didn't think there were any taking rings in Green Hill, but I found one.

How do you use the special moves?

[Jimbob]

 

Spoiler

Chemical Plant Act 2 boss, basically Puyo Puyo/Bean Machine.  Bravo indeed

 

[Cube]

@Ike, unfortunately they can only be used in No save mode. Go to that option and press the button for secrets.

[Ike]

7 hours ago, Cube said:

@Ike, unfortunately they can only be used in No save mode. Go to that option and press the button for secrets.

Aw, really? I missed the 

Spoiler

Insta-shield

during my first play through and was hoping I could play through the game again with it.

[Blade]

I just can't get over how amazing and true to the originals this game is.

How can Sonic Team not produce something like this since 1994? 

It was only a couple of days before this game was released when I began getting excited about it. There have been so many crap games in the past and this has made me feel apathy towards Sonic.

Playing this has made it feel like Sonic & Knuckles was only released not so long ago.

I can't explain how happy I am with this game. I feel like the kid at xmas in the 90s receiving the latest Sonic game. 

[Shorty]

Tbf if they had released this to compete with Mario 64, how well do you think that would've gone down? How would you have convinced that approach to investors? They had to try and keep up, they took a lot of misguided attempts and IMO never really nailed it. In the end they're lucky that in the last ten years, people have embraced paying around 40% standard RRP for titles like this, and that they had some third party in touch enough to make it happen.

I'm really loving the game. Not played much. I kinda suck at the new special stages and finding the giant rings.

[Blade]

6 minutes ago, Shorty said:

Tbf if they had released this to compete with Mario 64, how well do you think that would've gone down? How would you have convinced that approach to investors? They had to try and keep up, they took a lot of misguided attempts and IMO never really nailed it. In the end they're lucky that in the last ten years, people have embraced paying around 40% standard RRP for titles like this, and that they had some third party in touch enough to make it happen.

I'm really loving the game. Not played much. I kinda suck at the new special stages and finding the giant rings.

I think this would have tanked if it was released as an answer to Mario 64. This was a time of producing 3D platformers. I understand why at the time they did what they did.

Problem was, Sega could never produce a top quality and awe inspiring 3D Sonic game. They couldn't even do a a 2D one. Sonic 4 was awful.

I love this game

[Nicktendo]

I don't think I've smiled that much at a video game in years, yeah, I'm talking about Chemical Zone 2 boss. I'd read to expect "something cool", but was totally unprepared for that. Great moment.

I never played Sonic as a kid, I only had a SNES and N64, played through all the original Mega Drive games on the Wii VC and absolutely loved them, this game is a continuation of that awesome gameplay. Totally agree with the high scores flying around.

Also, how good is the music? Love that they kept the original tunes but updated them, and the way they change on the second zone of each stage is super cool. This is exactly how retro-inspired games should be done in 2017.

[Grazza]

I always wanted Sega to produce a 2D Sonic that looked 32-bit.  As cool as this seems, it does surprise me that the route to success was to make something that actually looks 16-bit.

[Shorty]

I'm gutted that I accidentally read a spoiler about that boss. It seems to have put a smile on everyone else's head.

That said

 

Mean Bean Machine is so crap compared to the similar Super Puzzle Fighter

 

1 minute ago, Grazza said:

I always wanted Sega to produce a 2D Sonic that looked 32-bit.  As cool as this seems, it does surprise me that the route to success was to make something that actually looks 16-bit.

32-bit? You wanted something that looked like it was on the Playstation? An odd choice, but they do have Sonic The Hedgehog 4. That would've been great if it wasn't for some strange physics and some poor level design choices. So many 2D sonic games in the last 20 years have had a huge flaw: loads of places you could fall off the map. Actually, the 3D games had the same problem. Mania proves that that's absolutely not necessary, and in fact goes above and beyond to add layers and layers so that never really happens.

[Grazza]

 

5 minutes ago, Shorty said:

32-bit? You wanted something that looked like it was on the Playstation? An odd choice, but they do have Sonic The Hedgehog 4.

 

More specifically Saturn, but yes.  I don't think it's odd at all.  Some of you are discussing what it would have been like if Sega pitted this (ie. 16-bit style) against Mario 64.  I am merely saying that I wanted (in the '90s) for Sega to keep the 2D style going, but on their 32-bit machine.  It wouldn't have looked exactly like this - they'd have been able to make the Sonic sprite more detailed, for one small example.

[Hero-of-Time]

12 minutes ago, Nicktendo said:

Also, how good is the music? Love that they kept the original tunes but updated them, and the way they change on the second zone of each stage is super cool. This is exactly how retro-inspired games should be done in 2017.

Yup. The music is so on point in this game. I had the TV cranked right up to listen to the old and new tunes and was loving very second of it.

I agree, Shorty...

Spoiler

Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo is still the king of these kinds of games. I played the hell out of it back in the day on both the Saturn and PSOne. Amazing game.

 

[Blade]

I wish Nintendo created a new 2D Super Mario Bros game that used the same graphical style as Super Mario World rather than the "New" style.

Also, Sega did try and do a "New" with Sonic 4 but the mechanics were just shocking. I much prefer Mania.

 

[drahkon]

17 minutes ago, Blade said:

I wish Nintendo created a new 2D Super Mario Bros game that used the same graphical style as Super Mario World rather than the "New" style.

You and me both.

[Happenstance]

I'm with Blade, Sega are much better than Nintendo

[Sméagol]

2 hours ago, Blade said:

I wish Nintendo created a new 2D Super Mario Bros game that used the same graphical style as Super Mario World Bros 3 rather than the "New" style.

I'm loving this game yeah. Looks retro, but widescreen and I'm pretty sure the animations are much better. Love all the fun small details, like the stage transitions mentioned above, and the animations I mentioned. Like at the start of one of the earlier stages, he's shaking off some goo. Also absolutely love every stage has a boss, and the variations between them. Each one is different.

Anyway, I'm thankful for the save feature, as I'm crap at it haha. I don't have extensive experience with Sonic games, I have the first on Wii, but never finished it, and I think I may have played Sonic 2 as well back in the days. And Sonic rush on DS. So 99% of the game is new to me haha. I wasn't really familiar with all the mechanics. And I'm totally crap at those bonus stages.. haven't completed a single one!

[Happenstance]

Just completed the game. Really loved it. The look and feel of it were perfect. I actually quite liked Sonic 4 when it was released but I went back and played it earlier and you can really tell the difference in quality.