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[Dead End Irony]

It's probably revisted zones are Robotnik fights, new ones are Hard Boiled Heavies

I think this is exactly it. 5 Hard Boiled Heavies, right? 5 new stages sounds like a good deal to me. We already know two are the bosses for the new zones. Now there's what seems to be a Japanese themed snow level, so I'm assuming the ninja Hard Boiled Heavy is the boss for that one.

 

[Piers]

I wonder what makes the classic physics so difficult to recreate...assuming there was an attempt made to recreate them in modern sonic games with classic sonic mode. I thought at this point people pretty much knew games like the classic sonics and mario world inside an out by now.

In Generations' case, it's probably because they were just piggy-backing off the physics and 2D sections that were made in Unleashed. Seeing Sonic just going around loops and obstacles is enough of a selling point — showing him roll around like an actual ball isn't as appealing to the average joe.
And handling ends up being one of those things that enthusiasts care about. For everyone else, those topics are too in-depth. Generations PR would say "Yes, Classic Sonic controls exactly like how you remember him!" and all they were actually referring to was his spin-dash and being in 2D. Similar case was with Super Mario Maker, when journalists and PR insisted that Mario had "unique physics" between each style, when they were referring to his moveset.

 

[Mr Swine]

I'm guessing they're Act 2 bosses since Green Hill's first act boss wasn't one.

It's probably revisted zones are Robotnik fights, new ones are Hard Boiled Heavies

Meeh this is so disappointing. I don't want to face of Hard Boiled as Act 2 bosses on the new zones. That is Dr Eggmans job, not some super enhanced Eggrobos.

 

[MrBadger]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

 

[Jofamo]

Every single thing shown from this game has only gotten me more and more hyped.

Like seriously, they're hitting I think out the park here. They haven't shown anything that's suggested this is going to turn out bad.

Edit: well, actually one thing that irked me was sprite rotation. In the original games, Sonic had 45 degree sprites made up for when he ran around loops etc. In this, they're simply rotating the sprites which can lead to some weird pixel issues. But I've gotten over that by thinking that this is exactly what Sonic Team would have done too, had they made a Saturn 2D Sonic game.

 

[Ty4on]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExNQy5CeRfI

So floor bounce to second floor?

I had a similar experience, but I kept trying to convince myself that it was actually good. Needless to say, I failed, and decided it was a piece of shit.

It was pretty annoying how badly they flopped with Sonic 4. It's frustrating just saying "Sonic 4" as a major fan.

I'm so happy I didn't fall for it. Can't quite remember why, but it never really excited me and the music being so bad tempered expectations.

 

[Ramune]

I still need to find one of these, and Steam has support for custom bindings with all kinds of controllers, DirectInput devices like the USB Saturn Pad included, so I don't see why you couldn't use it with Sonic Mania

Tried Steam's built in configurator but some reason it would act like I was pressing down on the D-Pad indefinitely. Just bought Xpadder and works wonders!

 

[GabeTheGrouch76]

I can see the dev team making a Mania sequel then moving on. As much as they love Sonic, I can't imagine any of them want to be stuck making iterations of the same franchise forever. Coincidentally, I think that's why Sonic Team keeps trying to change things up. Taking what people like from one game and making it again and again might result in better games but it's creatively limiting.

Tell that to Nintendo EAD/EPD and Mario. Say what you will about the 2D games (now that's a branch of Mario that could really stand to change up its content and presentation, despite none of them being genuinely bad games), but the 3D games have largely never missed a beat in experimenting with new things while also not creating any consumer doubt that the games themselves are still Mario titles--and all of them have reviewed and sold better than any 3D Sonic game could ever hope to. All of the accusations that the 3D titles series was starting to grow stale with 3D Land and 3D World? Nintendo responded with Odyssey, and those complaints have pretty much vanished.

Unlike Sega and Sonic Team, Nintendo and their studios not only how to stick to their roots while also keeping their games fresh, they also know how to control their schedules and work on other IPs (in most cases, anyway; Star Fox and Paper Mario haven't been so lucky). Meanwhile, Sega and Sonic Team, in their haste to always churn out Sonic games every (other) year and tossing out their roots for the sheer sake of "innovation", has restricted their market to only their most diehard fans, damaged Sonic as a brand, and produced two games that are widely considered among the worst games in the history of the industry.

 

[IronicSonic]

Nice throwback.

These points are kinda putting Iizuka in a positive light, I've lately been of the impression that Iizuka was a bad influence on some games in the franchise this past decade :X

Iizuka just got lucky with Mania. The guy is poison.

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

That looks adorable <3. I love low poly Sonic

 

[Ristifer]

I think this is exactly it. 5 Hard Boiled Heavies, right? 5 new stages sounds like a good deal to me. We already know two are the bosses for the new zones. Now there's what seems to be a Japanese themed snow level, so I'm assuming the ninja Hard Boiled Heavy is the boss for that one.

Is it confirmed to be 5? For some reason, I was thinking it was 6 Heavies.

 

[Blues1990]

Despite being made by the taxman

EEeeeh ?

...


EEEEEEEEEEHHHH ??

I don't get it. :/

 

[Dereck]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

So where's the Saturn port then?

Spoiler

Nah, seriously I would buy a Saturn cart

 

[MrBadger]

These points are kinda putting Iizuka in a positive light, I've lately been of the impression that Iizuka was a bad influence on some games in the franchise this past decade :X

I suppose? To me, it sounds like the initial pitch was for an entirely original game, and Iizuka's contribution was the request to fill it with old levels.

However, it also sounds like the initial pitch was for a much smaller game that just consisted of the new zones with the Hard Boiled Heavies, and we're still getting that but with a bunch of remastered zones as well.

I still don't think Iizuka gets what fans want out of a Classic Sonic game besides nostalgia, fat Sonic and green hill, but he's still letting Mania happen and we're all better off for it.

 

[jasminlovesyoux]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

Omg yay!!!

 

[LegendofLex]

I still don't think Iizuka gets what fans want out of a Classic Sonic game besides nostalgia, fat Sonic and green hill, but he's still letting Mania happen and we're all better off for it.

It's also true of Nintendo with the New Super Mario Bros. series.

I think the fact of the matter is that leadership just doesn't want to make old-style games anymore, so they just keep leaning back on familiar content rather than trying to create new content in the old style.

 

[Lupin the Third]

I don't get it. :/

Spoiler

Christian Whitehead, who is heavily involved in this game and made the Sonic 1&CD HD remasters) is known by the Internet handle "Taxman".

 

[Kaworu]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

I loved the idea but after seeing the real thing I like it more!!

 

[dlauv]

Looks more 32X, but who is really keeping score.

 

[MrBadger]

Looks more 32X, but who is really keeping score.

A little from column A, a little from column B

 

[Bioshocker]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

I was hoping for this.

 

[Maedhros]

I was hoping for this.

I was not. I was expecting something original, which we are getting, thank god.

 

[GabeTheGrouch76]

These points are kinda putting Iizuka in a positive light, I've lately been of the impression that Iizuka was a bad influence on some games in the franchise this past decade :X

Try two decades, Iizuka's more-or-less had the reigns since directing the first Sonic Adventure. He's been the head of the Sonic Team USA offshoot (international release of Adventure 1, Adventure 2, Heroes, and Shadow the Hedgehog) and then became the head of Sonic Team in 2008 (starting with Sonic 4 and Sonic Colors). The only Sonic Team-developed games he had no real involvement in were Sonic 2006, Unleashed, and the Storybook titles. Same goes for the Advance and Rush eras of Dimps handheld games.

That said, since he's the studio director, he says everything official related to Sonic goes through him, and the Mania dev team members are also working under contract. It's not like they can or allowed to say anything against the leader of studio in charge of the series and gave them the greenlight to make the game in the first place.

Iizuka just got lucky with Mania. The guy is poison.

Iizuka's involvement in Mania is largely supervisory. He's said in an interview that the team comes up with the game ideas and level design first, and then submits it to him for recommendations/approval. Outside of the name and the final game concept (having remixed old levels as well as new levels), he's otherwise left Taxman/Stealth/PWG to their own devices.

Note how Sonic Team hasn't been actually named as a (co-)developer for Mania (in contrast to the Dimps-developed Sonic games), and how the game has been officially billed as a co-production between the development team and Sega (of America).

 

[Sacul64GC]

Similar case was with Super Mario Maker, when journalists and PR insisted that Mario had "unique physics" between each style, when they were referring to his moveset.

No, When Mario Maker was first shown off the different styles did have their own physics but this was later changed in the builds after it was first shown for more consistency.

 

[Professor Lexicovermis]

I think this is exactly it. 5 Hard Boiled Heavies, right? 5 new stages sounds like a good deal to me. We already know two are the bosses for the new zones. Now there's what seems to be a Japanese themed snow level, so I'm assuming the ninja Hard Boiled Heavy is the boss for that one.

???
Where have we seen a snow Stage or images of the Heavies?

 

[Camjo-Z]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

Low-poly Saturn Sonic has always been my favorite, this game is like a dream come true.

 

[muteki]

Looks more 32X, but who is really keeping score.

Chaotix had the best special stages.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Special stage looks awesome but I can kinda see all the younger kids laughing at it already

 

[Puruzi]

???
Where have we seen a snow Stage or images of the Heavies?

 

[Berordn]

Chaotix had the best special stages.

Special Stages are legitimately the only reason I don't write Chaotix off completely.

Sonic CD too, but that's at least got a snazzy remaster that alleviates some of the old flaws.

 

[cireza]

Chaotix had the best special stages.

Yes.

I love the look of those special stages. Sonic Mania is going to be awesome.

 

[Friend of Sonic]

You know, we still don't know what the bonus stages are for the Star Posts. Remember, Sonic 3 had a throwback/mashup of the first special stage. We may see something like that for blue spheres.

 

[e_i]

Steam, or Switch? If I get the Steam version, I can play it on my GPD Win.

 

[Piers]

No, When Mario Maker was first shown off the different styles did have their own physics but this was later changed in the builds after it was first shown for more consistency.

RagnarokX specifically pointed out with a multitude of gifs/screenshots how Mario's jumping and inertia weren't the same as their original games -- SMW was the most telling.
Even then it was still PR and such responding to unique physics with "Absolutely! Mario can wall jump only in NSMB's style!"

 

[MrBadger]

You know, we still don't know what the bonus stages are for the Star Posts. Remember, Sonic 3 had a throwback/mashup of the first special stage. We may see something like that for blue spheres.

Oh shit yeah, I totally forgot about those

It still feels like we know so little about Mania despite it coming out in 3 weeks. I'm a fan of that

 

[Professor Lexicovermis]

Oooh, interesting! I wonder what Zone the top hat Heavy will be in?

 

[Friend of Sonic]

Oh shit yeah, I totally forgot about those

It still feels like we know so little about Mania despite it coming out in 3 weeks. I'm a fan of that

Me too! And I think they said on their last stream there would only be a 'couple reveals' left. Wonder if Comic Con was the last info drop. I love having so much unknown about the game because I think they've already made the case for how awesome this game will be

 

[Dead End Irony]

???
Where have we seen a snow Stage or images of the Heavies?

There's concept art of Sonic being frozen and some cherry blossom-esque trees. I think it's in that SDCC "instruction manual," so I'm kind of assuming that'll be a stage. Plus there's that leaked catherdral image with the same red trees. Some people think the leaked image is Stardust Speedway though, but IDK lol.

With that being said, I really like how they're keeping a lot of the stages/bosses under wraps.

 

[Doosi]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

what's up with the disjointed background?

 

[skullomania]

"Ninja Star" Hard-Boiled Heavy could potentially be the boss for the Cherry-Blossom-Japanese-esque zone perhaps?



(and, I have no inside knowledge, but I'm pretty sure the Mirage Saloon Hard Boiled Heavy will somehow be cabaret based, looking at how the Boss stage is laid out in what we have seen of Act 2 - possibly the curtains will open, and a stage will appear behind the player with the Hard-Boiled Heavy doing a routine on it. Perhaps this is where the Top Hat one shows up?)

 

[MrBadger]

"Ninja Star" Hard-Boiled Heavy could potentially be the boss for the Cherry-Blossom-Japanese-esque zone perhaps?



(and, I have no inside knowledge, but I'm pretty sure the Mirage Saloon Hard Boiled Heavy will somehow be cabaret based, looking at how the Boss stage is laid out in what we have seen of Act 2 - possibly the curtains will open, and a stage will appear behind the player with the Hard-Boiled Heavy doing a routine on it. Perhaps this is where the Top Hat one shows up?)

I don't think Mr Top Hat is the Mirage Saloon boss. I bet you're right on the money with the curtains opening up, but this is probably the boss of that stage. Unless this Heavy is the leader of the group

Also it's so fun to still be speculating about what the bosses are going to be under a month from release. Sonic Lost World showed off all the bosses very early on, and I'm pretty sure at this point Generations had shown everything too.

 

[deriks]

what's up with the disjointed background?

Sonic 1 homage

 

[NoName999]

I was not. I was expecting something original, which we are getting, thank god.

But it's CD's special stages though

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

Loving the fish in the background.. makes me feel so good about Sonic 1 special stage.

 

[Phu]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but here's a clean screenshot of the special stage

I love how low-poly and jaggy it looks. It could have actually been on the Saturn

This looks wonderful.

 

[Berordn]

I don't think Mr Top Hat is the Mirage Saloon boss. I bet you're right on the money with the curtains opening up, but this is probably the boss of that stage. Unless this Heavy is the leader of the group

Also it's so fun to still be speculating about what the bosses are going to be under a month from release. Sonic Lost World showed off all the bosses very early on, and I'm pretty sure at this point Generations had shown everything too.

He seems to be the silhouette in the center of the image, and his general theme seems to be Eggman for lack of a better word, so being the leader of the heavies makes sense.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I'm really hoping for some creative DLC after launch. My wallet is open to whatever they want to create.

 

[stan423321]

But it's CD's special stages though

From what I've seen, it's its very own thing that just reuses imagery from old games. It uses an UFO, sure. It also has spheres, doesn't mean it plays like Chaotix.

 

[ThisOne]

Any of the PS4 pre-order themes any good?

 

[Oreiller]

Any of the PS4 pre-order themes any good?

They look fine but they use the default dashboard music, so they're pretty boring imo.

 

[dan2026]

Sonic the Hedgehog is such a weird series.
It's been so bad for so long, it's kind of unprecedented in gaming.
No other series I can think of has lasted this long while making mostly bad game after bad game.
Maybe the WWE games. But even thats not quite the same.

Even if this game is good, can it really turn round the runaway train that has been off the track for decades?