Game:

Sonic Mania (2017)

Duration: 15:25

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Gameplay Performed by: TrevorDFox

Sonic Mania is a side-scrolling platform game developed by PagodaWest Games and Headcannon and published by Sega for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. It was announced in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and was released worldwide in August 2017. The game is inspired by the original Sonic games released for the Sega Genesis, and features remastered versions of stages from previous games, alongside original ones. The player controls Sonic the Hedgehog and his companions Tails and Knuckles as they venture to defeat their nemesis Doctor Eggman and his henchmen, the Hard-Boiled Heavies.

Development was led by programmer Christian "Taxman" Whitehead, who had previously worked on enhanced ports of early Sonic games. Art, level design, audio, and additional programming were provided by the independent studios PagodaWest Games and Headcannon, chosen for their work in the Sonic fangame community. Critics praised its level design, soundtrack, presentation, and faithfulness to the early Sonic games, with many viewing it as a return to form for the series following a number of poorly-received Sonic games released after the 1990s.

Sonic Mania is a sprite-based, side-scrolling platform game in the style of the earlier Sonic games released for the Sega Genesis. Players select one of three playable characters, each with their own unique abilities. Sonic can perform a "drop dash" which sends him rolling in a dash after a jump, Tails can fly and swim, and Knuckles can glide and climb walls. As with Sonic the Hedgehog 2, players can either play as Sonic and Tails simultaneously, or allow Tails to be independently controlled by a second player. The game features unlockable gameplay modifiers, including the option to use Sonic's abilities from Sonic CD and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in place of the drop dash, and "& Knuckles" mode, which allows simultaneous control of any character and Knuckles.

Development of Sonic Mania began in 2015. The following year, project leader and lead programmer Christian "Taxman" Whitehead presented a prototype, titled Sonic Discovery, to Sonic series producer Takashi Iizuka. After seeing it, Iizuka retitled it Sonic Mania, stating that the project was "by the mania, for the mania", describing it as a "passion product" born out of the fans' love for the early Sonic games. Whitehead had previously worked on the enhanced mobile ports of Sonic CD, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The team also included programmer Simon "Stealth" Thomley of Headcannon, who assisted Whitehead with those projects and on various Sonic fangames and ROM hacks, level designer Jared Kasl, artist Tom Fry, and composer Tee Lopes of PagodaWest Games, who previously collaborated on an unofficial high-definition remaster of Sonic 2, and Sega producer Lola Shiraishi.

Sonic Mania was developed using Whitehead's Retro Engine, a game engine tailored for creating two-dimensional games. Iizuka described the visuals as a cross between the graphical capabilities of the Sega Genesis and the Sega Saturn. Some levels, such as the desert-themed "Mirage Saloon", were inspired by unused and prototype stages from previous games. The game features animated opening and ending sequences directed by Tyson Hesse, one of the artists of the Archie Comics Sonic comic book series. The opening theme, "Friends", was composed by the electronic music group Hyper Potions. The game features references to early Sonic titles, such as an optional CRT graphical filter, and supports the enhanced features of PlayStation 4 Pro, outputting at native 4K resolution.

Sega announced Sonic Mania alongside Sonic Forces during the 25th anniversary Sonic event at the San Diego Comic-Con event in July 2016. It was released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in North America and Europe on August 15, 2017, and in Japan the following day. Tantalus Media helped develop the Nintendo Switch port of the game. Days before release, Sega delayed the Windows version for two weeks. As compensation, those who had pre-ordered the game received a free copy of the original Sonic the Hedgehog on Steam.

Sonic Mania received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

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