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Sonic Mania |OT| Dreams Come True

gosox333

Member
Honest to God the hardest boss for me in the entire game was Studiopolis act 1 as sonic. I just couldn't reliably get over those missiles.

Obviously Tails and Knuckles trivialize that but still.
 

Flintty

Member
Honest to God the hardest boss for me in the entire game was Studiopolis act 1 as sonic. I just couldn't reliably get over those missiles.

Obviously Tails and Knuckles trivialize that but still.
I found that running full pelt at the missiles as soon as they appeared on the right of the screen and then jumping them worked two out of three times.

But yeah, my first attempt was dire.
When my son was doing it he had is brother pick up Tales and kamikaze into them lol
 

Zonic

Gives all the fucks
I had the lightning shield with me, which probably made the fight a lot easier & I just rolled into the blue missles.

What does it mean when you collect something that turns the ring counter blue?
When you take a hit, the rings will become giant & each one will be worth 10.

I wanna say this was something from Knuckles Chaotix??
 

SkylineRKR

Member
Hydrocity has always been a top 3 Sonic zone for me. As much flak as S3 gets, I loved that game so much. I liked it far better than 1 and 2, even without the lockon. I think S3 takes longer than 2 as well, it has less zones but the levels are far bigger.

The music was crazy and nearly every Sonic 3 zone is excellent. Marble was probably the worst but its still better than the latter half of S2, and carnival had the barrel, but the rest is top notch. Angel Island, Icecap and Hydro are among the very best.

Sonic 3, the complete edition, is probably the best Sonic still. Its the most cohesive in level design. Mania eventually drops the ball when it comes to stage transitions. As for Knuckles campaign, in Mania there are a few levels tailored to him but its largely identical otherwise. In S3 the entire game was altered for his sake. He had much more different bosses (and basically no Eggman, as his campaign took place at a later time), his final boss was completely unique. But really, its like expecting Nintendo fans to create a game that beats Mario World.

I think this game beats Sonic 1 and 2 and thats quite an achievement for something thats pretty much a fan project.
 
Loooving time attack mode. The almost instant reset + online leaderboards has me for the first time in my life going all speedrunney on a game.
Just landed in the top 100 of Chemical Plant act 1 and can't stop!
 

Falk

that puzzling face
If I'm not mistaken each ring is worth 1/8 of what you had.

I've definitely gotten an instant 1-up collecting a few after getting hit.
 

jmartoine

Member
Never died from that. Always jumped when the platform descended.

Can be a bit hit and miss when you hit the tentacle or the boss and it bounces you back into the oil where the platform was and you die instantly. However once I was a bit more patient and took my time it was no problem.
 
Honest to God the hardest boss for me in the entire game was Studiopolis act 1 as sonic. I just couldn't reliably get over those missiles.

Obviously Tails and Knuckles trivialize that but still.

You definitely want to be holding right and pelting along to get over them. I've played Studiopolis 1 a lot for fun so I've got it down now but it was definitely tricky the first time.
 
Hydrocity has always been a top 3 Sonic zone for me. As much flak as S3 gets, I loved that game so much. I liked it far better than 1 and 2, even without the lockon. I think S3 takes longer than 2 as well, it has less zones but the levels are far bigger.

The music was crazy and nearly every Sonic 3 zone is excellent. Marble was probably the worst but its still better than the latter half of S2, and carnival had the barrel, but the rest is top notch. Angel Island, Icecap and Hydro are among the very best.

Sonic 3, the complete edition, is probably the best Sonic still. Its the most cohesive in level design. Mania eventually drops the ball when it comes to stage transitions. As for Knuckles campaign, in Mania there are a few levels tailored to him but its largely identical otherwise. In S3 the entire game was altered for his sake. He had much more different bosses (and basically no Eggman, as his campaign took place at a later time), his final boss was completely unique. But really, its like expecting Nintendo fans to create a game that beats Mario World.

I think this game beats Sonic 1 and 2 and thats quite an achievement for something thats pretty much a fan project.

Agreed, I also found S3&K to be my favorite classic Sonic. Now that I've finished Mania and replay it, I tend to believe Mania has the best level design in the classic series, though S3&K kinda has a better atmosphere still. Though it is head to head. I won't claim Mania to be in my Top 5 Sonic games yet, but it might be. Let's see if I still play it occasionally in 2-3 years, for now it is awesome. It's early, but I already hope for a Mania 2 with some more fully original stages.
 

Sixfortyfive

He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
I noticed a cool extra touch on the final boss. Spoilers obviously:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tae2HdfVz20&t=2h51m03s

Notice that the score counter passes 450k upon defeat of the first phase, which also grants an extra life. But then also notice that the score AND the lives counter is reverted upon the start of the final phase. The time warp shenanigans actually undid the progress made during the previous boss. :eek:
 
Agreed, I also found S3&K to be my favorite classic Sonic. Now that I've finished Mania and replay it, I tend to believe Mania has the best level design in the classic series, though S3&K kinda has a better atmosphere still. Though it is head to head. I won't claim Mania to be in my Top 5 Sonic games yet, but it might be. Let's see if I still play it occasionally in 2-3 years, for now it is awesome. It's early, but I already hope for a Mania 2 with some more fully original stages.

This.

I just finished Mania with Sonic + Tails and this is my sentiment aswell. 3&K as a whole is more solid but Mania is more feature rich

Sonic 3&K is still king but Mania is up there aswell.
 
This.

I just finished Mania with Sonic + Tails and this is my sentiment aswell. 3&K as a whole is more solid but Mania is more feature rich

Sonic 3&K is still king but Mania is up there aswell.

I think the main thing for me is how Mania now looks and feels - the extra frames of animation, the 60fps, the smoothness of it all. It's gorgeous, and it makes me all the more sad a remaster of 3K probably won't happen, as imagining it to that quality... damn.
 

RiggyRob

Member
It's not Dr. Mario, it's Puyo Puyo, and there was a Puyo Puyo game on the Megadrive/Genesis with a Sonic skin called Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine.

That's where the name came from! Huh -the main Sonic games I've played were 1, 2, 3, R, CD, Adventure and Rush, never seen the one above.
 

Finalizer

Member
If I'm not mistaken each ring is worth 1/8 of what you had.

I've definitely gotten an instant 1-up collecting a few after getting hit.

That makes sense, since I've usually gotten less than ten rings per big ring with that power-up.

Also, sorry if this has been mentioned, but y'all realize some of the blue sphere stages don't actually require every blue sphere to be collected for completion? Like, a few have let me finish with a few blue spheres clearly still sitting around.

Yeahhh i'm done i think, the
hydrocity act 2
boss is just cheap and stupid.

The 2nd phase of this boss is comically easy as Knuckles, heh.
 
This game is legit incredible. The CRT filter puts it over the edge.

When docked I like to use pixel perfect but when in portable mode I love the crt filter, it just WORKS SO DAMN WELL in portable mode.

That makes sense, since I've usually gotten less than ten rings per big ring with that power-up.

Also, sorry if this has been mentioned, but y'all realize some of the blue sphere stages don't actually require every blue sphere to be collected for completion? Like, a few have let me finish with a few blue spheres clearly still sitting around.



The 2nd phase of this boss is comically easy as Knuckles, heh.

Those blue sphere stages had a wrong total count, will most likely be fixed at some point as you are suppose to collect them all normally.
 

ElFly

Member
hydrocity and its boss is cool but I wish they had brought back labyrinth zone instead

at least as a final area. it was a great 'fuck you' that scrap brain zone 3 was b&w labyrinth zone

also I would have taken mystic ruin instead of
lava reef
, or at least give me its music in that area

and definitely the Sonic 2 bonus areas over blue ball collecting, jeez
 

deriks

4-Time GIF/Meme God
hydrocity and its boss is cool but I wish they had brought back labyrinth zone instead

at least as a final area. it was a great 'fuck you' that scrap brain zone 3 was b&w labyrinth zone

Hidrocity is way more fun than Labyrinth.

Also, the last zone has a vibe of Scrap Brain. But I get your point.

also I would have taken mystic ruin instead of
lava reef
, or at least give me its music in that area
I agree with that.

and definitely the Sonic 2 bonus areas over blue ball collecting, jeez
You're kidding, right? Those bonus stages on Sonic 2 are just horrible.
 

Kinsei

Banned
hydrocity and its boss is cool but I wish they had brought back labyrinth zone instead

at least as a final area. it was a great 'fuck you' that scrap brain zone 3 was b&w labyrinth zone

also I would have taken mystic ruin instead of
lava reef
, or at least give me its music in that area

and definitely the Sonic 2 bonus areas over blue ball collecting, jeez

Nah. The half pipe is shit and I have no clue why they keep on using it.
 

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
hydrocity and its boss is cool but I wish they had brought back labyrinth zone instead

at least as a final area. it was a great 'fuck you' that scrap brain zone 3 was b&w labyrinth zone

also I would have taken mystic ruin instead of
lava reef
, or at least give me its music in that area

and definitely the Sonic 2 bonus areas over blue ball collecting, jeez
Heh, man, I think Labyrinth Zone is my least favorite zone in any of the 16-bit games by far. I always seem to stop playing Sonic 1 when I reach it. Just not a fan and I like water stages in other Sonic games!
 
If I could swap one zone out of all of the returning zones, I'd swap
Oil Ocean Zone
for Mystic Cave Zone.

I'd make Act 1 pretty similar, but for Act 2 introduce minecarts and elements from the 8-bit Sonic 2 opening act, maybe have some of the landscape shifting stuff from Marble Garden as if seismic activity is changing the layout of the cave, stuff like that.
 
Honest to God the hardest boss for me in the entire game was Studiopolis act 1 as sonic. I just couldn't reliably get over those missiles.

Obviously Tails and Knuckles trivialize that but still.

It's harder with Knuckles imo. His lack of jump height hurts, and his glide moves at the same speed as the missiles, so you'll always just land right on top of them.
 

Zutrax

Member
The game is like a dream so far, just started playing last night. I have a question regarding the bonus stages though.

If you fail or get a "not perfect" silver medallion on them, do you have to do a full playthrough again to reach that bonus stage and get another attempt at it? Or does the game just continue to cycle through the ones you haven't perfected on every playthrough until you have gold in every single one?
 

13ruce

Banned
The game is like a dream so far, just started playing last night. I have a question regarding the bonus stages though.

If you fail or get a "not perfect" silver medallion on them, do you have to do a full playthrough again to reach that bonus stage and get another attempt at it? Or does the game just continue to cycle through the ones you haven't perfected on every playthrough until you have gold in every single one?

Game cycles through non completed medal ones till you got all medals atleast and non golds cycle again after you beat al 32.
 

Kinsei

Banned
The game is like a dream so far, just started playing last night. I have a question regarding the bonus stages though.

If you fail or get a "not perfect" silver medallion on them, do you have to do a full playthrough again to reach that bonus stage and get another attempt at it? Or does the game just continue to cycle through the ones you haven't perfected on every playthrough until you have gold in every single one?

It continues to cycle. I believe stages you got a silver on won;t go back into rotation until you've gotten at least silver on every BS stage though.
 

bluethree

Member
Just finished it, amazing game and definitely a worthy successor to the older titles. I dunno if it's quite on the same level, I would've preferred all original stages instead of remixes, but the new takes on the old themes / level designs / ideas in each stage are still awesome. Maybe I'll start a Knuckles playthrough soon.
 

Finalizer

Member
YEEEEES

YEEEEES

I GOT IT

I GOT THE FIFTH EMERALD YOU SON OF A BITCH

i think i got more special stage rings in oil ocean than any other zone so far, funnily enough. still took me to lava reef to finally get this one lol. guessing the last two are gonna make me wanna break my switch
 

SkylineRKR

Member
I grabbed all chaos emeralds with Knuckles as well now. Its funny that stage 7 is so easy, its the only one I consistently get at mach 2, along with the very first one. Or rather, stage 5 can suck dick.
 

Ferr986

Member
YEEEEES

YEEEEES

I GOT IT

I GOT THE FIFTH EMERALD YOU SON OF A BITCH

i think i got more special stage rings in oil ocean than any other zone so far, funnily enough. still took me to lava reef to finally get this one lol. guessing the last two are gonna make me wanna break my switch

5th one is actually the hardest, by quite a margin. 7th is a cakewalk.
 

RionaaM

Unconfirmed Member
Started playing this last night, on Switch. Man, it's awesome! I beat the first 4 levels, and I loved them all. I never wondered how Sonic on acid would play, but Mania is the answer to that question. Act 2 of Chemical Plant Zone was totally a nostalgia blast seen through a psychedelic, hallucinogen-fueled lens. And that boss! I had read that it was bizarre (though didn't read any details), but I never imagined it'd be like that. Simply amazing.

Green Hill Zone is also incredible. It's a very strange sensation, familiar and yet new. There are tons of paths there, it'd probably take me 10 replays or so to see them all. I didn't know there was going to be a boss in the first Act, so it caught me by surprise.

I'm fine with the first Act in each zone being a reimagining of the equivalent stage in the old game, and the second being a drug-induced trip with the skin of the original zone. I'm also enjoying the bonus stages, both blue spheres and UFO chases. Only managed to grab 2 emeralds; I wish the giant rings were easier to find.

I can't wait to see what surprises lie in store. I'm a little afraid that the rest of the game won't be able to live up to the first 2 zones. I certainly hope it does, because what I played so far made me believe Mania has the potential to become my favorite Sonic game ever.
 

SkylineRKR

Member
5 is unbalanced. In my second run I got it with 30 seconds to spare. If you don't fuck up and follow the line of the UFO its not that bad. Its just that if you stray, or get hit once, it seems you're done for.
 

Finalizer

Member
5 is unbalanced. In my second run I got it with 30 seconds to spare. If you don't fuck up and follow the line of the UFO its not that bad. Its just that if you stray, or get hit once, it seems you're done for.

In my winning run, I never even went to the right path later on the stage. Even after I'd gotten the power-ups on the left side, I kept going that way since you save so much time, there's so many less hazards and, from what I've seen, less opportunity to fall off the stage. I only took the side path with the blue spheres early in the stage on my first lap, just too much of a liability later on with no bumper to keep from falling.

EDIT:
blue spheres mode is the unlock for all gold medallions.
okay.jpg
 
hydrocity and its boss is cool but I wish they had brought back labyrinth zone instead

s1-lz-structureimg3.png
 

atmuh

Member
That's right, you just need silvers to unlock everything, gold is for the achievement.
except on switch where you get all gold and get nothing not even a message! I was a little disappointed after I got all golds and that was it, it was pretty difficult
 
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