Sonic Mania (PS4) - Authentic Retro Action on the PS4...? - Saturday Afternoon Gaming
4Trying the official and unreleased prototype Shinobi III... how do they compare?
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I'm Gaming Jay: Youtube gamer, let's player, fan of retro games, and determined optimist... Normally I'm working my way through the book 1001 VIDEO GAMES YOU MUST PLAY BEFORE YOU DIE in my Let's Play 1001 Games series. This is a great book with a ton of classic retro games but it doesn't have everything and it's even missing some of my favorite video games. Hence, in Saturday Afternoon Gaming, screw it, I'm just going to play whatever I want!
In this series I will be playing some of the best retro games that don't appear in the 1001 VIDEO GAMES YOU MUST PLAY BEFORE YOU DIE book. So pull up a chair, slap on your headphones, and join me as babble aimlessly through some of my most favourite classic games! And hey, if you have ideas or suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments below. I'm always looking for more games to try! Today we play...
Sonic Mania
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_Mania
Sonic Mania is a 2017 platform game published by Sega for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows. Produced in commemoration of the Sonic the Hedgehog series' 25th anniversary, Sonic Mania homages the original Sega Genesis Sonic games, featuring speedy side-scrolling gameplay. It takes place over twelve levels, including eight redesigned stages from past games. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog and his companions Tails and Knuckles as they venture to defeat their nemesis Doctor Eggman and his robotic henchmen, the Hard-Boiled Heavies.
The development team was composed of members known for their work in the Sonic fangame and ROM hacking community. Development began after lead developer Christian "Taxman" Whitehead, who was previously contracted by Sega to develop enhanced mobile ports of Genesis Sonic games, presented a playable prototype to Sonic Team producer Takashi Iizuka. Art, level design, audio, and additional programming was provided by independent studios PagodaWest Games and Headcannon. The team used Whitehead's Retro Engine and aimed for a graphical quality between Genesis and Sega Saturn games.
Sonic Mania was released worldwide in August 2017. Many reviewers saw it as a return to form for the Sonic series following a number of poorly received games released after the 1990s; its presentation, level design, music, and faithfulness to the early Sonic games were praised, but its lack of originality was criticized. Several described it as one of the best Sonic games and one of the best games of 2017. Within a year, it had sold over one million copies worldwide across all platforms. Sonic Mania Plus, an enhanced version with additional content, was released in July 2018.
Development of Sonic Mania began in 2015, led by Australian programmer Christian "Taxman" Whitehead. Whitehead was a prominent member of the Sonic fangame community, and had previously been contracted by Sega to develop remastered ports of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic 2, and Sonic CD for mobile phones.[16][12] After developing the game for a few months, Whitehead presented a prototype, which he called Sonic Discovery, to series producer Takashi Iizuka.[12] Iizuka was receptive, and suggested that it should include old levels from the early Sonic games it was inspired by, "remixed" in a way that felt new.[16] He also gave it the working title of Sonic Mania, which stuck after no one suggested a better one.
The developers modeled the gameplay on Sonic 3, with each zone consisting of two acts and boss fights at the end of each. For returning stages, the designers made the first act feel familiar, and introduced new elements in the second act.[25] The team cited Sonic CD and Sonic 3 as major influences on the level design for their "big, wide open" and "streamlined" designs, respectively.[24] According to Thomley, the team typically decided what elements to include in the returning stages prior to designing them, but sometimes came up with new ideas or changed them based on how the development progressed.[24] The first original level designed was the Hollywood-themed Studiopolis Zone.[26] The desert-themed Mirage Saloon Zone was inspired by the unfinished Sonic 2 level Dust Hill and the Monument Valley region of the United States.[21][25] The special stages were inspired by more recent games such as Sonic Rush (2005) and Sonic Colors (2010).[27] The team felt proud of their recreation of classic Sonic gameplay.