SONIC MANIA SPEEDRUN SERIES

Sonic Mania can leave a player with an impression that Headcannon and PagodaWest Games had all these ideas for things they could do and larger enemies Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles could face, they were all interesting, and the only way to cope was to add a boss at the end of every act to include each of them. The plethora of bosses is appreciated too. Each land has these self-contained mechanics that are perfectly suited to the current space.

In the Flying Battery Zone, we have indoor and outdoor spaces with fans that propel players and keep them from falling, electrical areas that make platforms and characters rise and fall when a current is active, and grips that provide safe passage over troublesome spots. Both Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon Zone feel inspired by Sonic Spinball, with tons of stage elements that allow characters to bounce and ricochet off of them and a gun in Mirage Saloon Zone that acts as a launcher to send a spinning Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles to new heights. The Chemical Plant Zone has underwater elements and various jellies and goops that offer new ways to reach new areas via either speeding or bounding across them. Green Hill Zone is rather basic, but has a number of platforms that will just crumble underneath you, spinning logs that are covered in dangerous spikes, and zip-lines. WhatвЂ™s nice is how the design incorporates gimmicks to make each area unique.

I have noticed at least three paths in each act, maybe more, with some dependant on various elemental shields characters would need to have equipped from item boxes. Bonus stages are popped into each one, for people willing to explore. Each zone has two acts, each with a boss fight at the end. Sonic Mania abandons this for a formula that feels better designed to show off a variety of mechanics and boss fights. In quite a few Sonic the Hedgehog games, we are accustomed to a pattern where we run through three levels and face a boss at the end of them. The level design is another piece in this finely crafted puzzle. All of these options alter the way you play the game and often enhance the experience. Should someone want a slightly easier experience, picking Sonic and Tails and having a friend nearby lets the second player control Tails, offering Sonic an occasional lift or bit of aid during more difficult moments. Knuckles can climb walls and briefly glide. Tails can fly, with repeated button presses letting him soar higher. Sonic has a drop dash, which lets him immediately start a spin dash after a jump with a press of a button. Picking certain characters for a run has various benefits. Each character moves exactly when and how you want them too. Sonic Mania starts off strong with responsive gameplay and tight controls. This means going through 12 zones, each with two acts, either as Sonic with Tails, Tails, or Knuckles, each using special abilities to find unique ways to the boss fight at the end of each portion of the level. Eggman has found some sort of secret power on an island, dispatched his Egg-Robos to get it, and Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are the only ones who can save the day. Like all of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog outings, Sonic Mania doesnвЂ™t focus too heavily on a storyline. With this installment, we have a game that pays tribute to and honors the past while paving a way to what could be a bright future. But there is one ray of hope here, in Sonic Mania.

SONIC MANIA SPEEDRUN SERIES

Clearly, the series has explored some dirt roads and shortcuts on its journey through life and experienced varying degrees of success and failure as a result. IвЂ™m not here to say that would be right or wrong. There are some people who may say that the last great Sonic the Hedgehog game was Sonic & Knuckles.

Sonic mania speedrun