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[Raitaro]

Ohhhh, right, Desert Dazzle as a "CD" zone would be so perfect. They should do that.

Yep, hopefully we'll finally see one of the multiple cut desert zones in this game, Desert Dazzle or Dust Hill even.

As for the amount of zones, hopefuly we'll see more of them than there were present in the classic games. I also wouldn't mind seeing multiple throwback zones for the later games just so we get to see a few others than the usual selection. Sonic 3 & Knuckles deserves 2 zones at the very least imo.

 

[Seven Force]

Little disappointed about the new to old zone ratio, but if they're big enough deviations from their originals (Taxman already said GHZ was tame compared to the rest, and just Act 1's bottom route alone is wildly different), then I don't really mind. Wouldn't mind if they mixed some elements of stages together like Generations did occasionally (Seaside Hill having elements of Hydrocity being the standout example)

Seeing Desert Dazzle would be neat, though. Wonder if he'd throw in Egg Garden, haha.

 

[SpikedGunner]

While I am abit disappointed that they'll be more remixed stages than original ones, it's somewhat understandable given the fact that this is a 25th anniversary title, but more importantly it all comes down to the final number of stages. I'm giving them the benefit that they'll make a satisfying ratio of remixed and new content.

Besides, I'm hopeful that if this is successful, they'll get a chance to make a completely original game afterwards.

 

[Mr Swine]

One thing tough, hopefully at the end of each classic act 2 we get the classic boss themes from Sonic 1, Sonic 2 and Sonic 3& Knuckles remixed or enhanced. I would be pretty furious to play the classic levels and have some Sonic CD type of $%*#&£ boss theme instead of the classic ones.

 

[Solid SOAP]

I wish it was a fully new game, but we'll see how they pull it off.

 

[Zalman]

If Mania is successful I imagine they'll make a completely new game. The future is promising for the series if so.

 

[Tansut]

Honestly they could fuck up 3D Sonic into 2K6 territory again and I wouldn't mind so long as they pumped out a new 2D Sonic like this every other year or so.

 

[MrBadger]

If Mania is successful I imagine they'll make a completely new game. The future is promising for the series if so.

Yeah, Mania feels a little restrained because it's obvious that higher ups don't know if it's something people want. I hope Mania is successful and we get a steady stream of good 2D Sonics. Like in the early and mid-2000's when they had Dimps making decent games to contrast with Sonic Team's shitty shit

 

[Brian_FETO]

I don't even mind the heavier emphasis on older zones. GHZ makes sense to keep close to the original before the wackier stuff, shows longtime players that it's how they remember it before switching it up

For the rest of the stuff I imagine it'll just be new level design with the assets and music from the old stages. Use tropes and familiar bits of levels but otherwise they'll be completely new

We'll have to see what the final product is like but I think when people hear "remixed levels" they're thinking it's basically a greatest hits collection with bits tweaked

 

[MrBadger]

My hype for this game's still very much in tact but I'd be more buzzed about remastered old zones if we didn't just have two official games that did that. Three if you count Lost World and four if you count the two Sonic 4 episodes as two games. Which isn't really Mania's fault, and I hope it focuses more heavily on the games Sonic Team like to ignore, like CD (which we know it will), 3&K and maybe Chaotix. Less chemical plants, casinos and labyrinths, more lava reefs, trippy futuristic cities and carnivals.

 

[TreIII]

I don't even mind the heavier emphasis on older zones. GHZ makes sense to keep close to the original before the wackier stuff, shows longtime players that it's how they remember it before switching it up

For the rest of the stuff I imagine it'll just be new level design with the assets and music from the old stages. Use tropes and familiar bits of levels but otherwise they'll be completely new

We'll have to see what the final product is like but I think when people hear "remixed levels" they're thinking it's basically a greatest hits collection with bits tweaked

Yeah, this is where I am, so I'm not even bothered at all. And hell, it's not like Sonic 4 or Classic Sonic's sections in Generations really met my needs in full, so this is almost like the first time they're doing such a thing and stand to not only do something interesting with the prospect, but do it right.

If this is meant to be the jump start to a new series of Classic Sonic, then I could think of worse ways to try and reel in classic/deactivated Sonic fans by catering to their nostalgia directly...and then flipping it on its head.

 

[VertPin]

More rehashed zones is a bummer, but they should be up to quality. Hopefully Mania is so great that we earn a Mania 2 and it's all new zones.

 

[Lijik]

I would love to see Knuckles Chaotix zones with level design thats actually good and not weird amiga sonic clone style random mazes.

 

[MrBadger]

I would love to see Knuckles Chaotix zones with level design thats actually good and not weird amiga sonic clone style random mazes.

And boss fights that look awesome but also make an effort to attack you

 

[ForkNetwork]

I would love to see Quartz Quadrant again

 

[Solid SOAP]

There's a really sick part of me that's hoping Mania's awesomeness will be balanced by the potential weirdness of the 2017 game. I don't think it's gonna be a flat out bad game, but I definitely think it's gonna be a weird one when it comes to story and side quests. I just have a feeling that 1/3 or 2/3 of it will be awesome, practically Generations 2 material, and the rest of it will be... odd. Weird and dark story, weird side missions, whatever they have to do to pad it out. Essentially I'm anticipating an Unleashed 2.

It's too bad Sonic Team don't know how/don't want to replicate the crazy art styles of the classics in 3D. Generations was awesome and I was hoping its successor would be more of the same, but the new game tonally looks more similar to 06 and the locales of it don't seem like they're going to be bright & cheery or inventive and fun. I'd love to see them make something with the Generations-brand gameplay that looks like Studiopolis.

 

[Mman235]

Played the game at EGX and it maintained my faith that this will be an actual worthy Sonic 4. It was comprised of act 1 of Green Hill and Studiopolis. Green Hill definitely has a lot of new content despite being a remake, and it's a little tougher too (for instance, the vertical platforms from act 3 are there), although the spikes also work like the sequels so they're much less dickish and more forgiving. Studiopolis was the highlight though; even with all the additions Green Hill zone still felt like Green Hill zone. Studiopolis was larger and more complex and actually felt along the lines of a Sonic and Knuckles level (as it should) in terms of how much is going on and nicely implemented gimmicks.

I'm not a speedrunner or anything but I can breeze through the earlier Sonics, and I just let my standard 2D Sonic playing instincts kick in and had very few issues (I did lose my rings and shields a few times, but was over 100 rings at points in both levels), which suggests that the physics and feel are just right. Outside of shield power-ups it seems the spin-dash is the only special move (no Super Peel-out or anything); I'm a little disappointed the insta-shield seems to be gone but I can understand why as it was kind of broken when you mastered it.

 

[RecRoulette]

Played the game at EGX and it maintained my faith that this will be an actual worthy Sonic 4. It was comprised of act 1 of Green Hill and Studiopolis. Green Hill definitely has a lot of new content despite being a remake, and it's a little tougher too (for instance, the vertical platforms from act 3 are there), although the spikes also work like the sequels so they're much less dickish and more forgiving. Studiopolis was the highlight though; even with all the additions Green Hill zone still felt like Green Hill zone. Studiopolis was larger and more complex and actually felt along the lines of a Sonic and Knuckles level (as it should) in terms of how much is going on and nicely implemented gimmicks.

I'm not a speedrunner or anything but I can breeze through the earlier Sonics, and I just let my standard 2D Sonic playing instincts kick in and had very few issues (I did lose my rings and shields a few times, but was over 100 rings at points in both levels), which suggests that the physics and feel are just right. Outside of shield power-ups it seems the spin-dash is the only special move (no Super Peel-out or anything); I'm a little disappointed the insta-shield seems to be gone but I can understand why as it was kind of broken when you mastered it.

Wait did they not have the drop and dash (or whatever that move is called) in there?

 

[Mman235]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that (and I didn't try it), so I guess there's that as well.

Edit: I guess there might even be one or two other moves, given that the control instructions only gave the basic controls, and it was pretty obvious from watching others while queueing that many people didn't even know about the spin dash.

 

[Szadek]

I really hope that this turn out great, because that would encourge other companies to also try similar projects.

 

[Jaymageck]

i get this complaint, but the game is gonna be bigger than generations, and when the reimagined zones look like this

i dont really have that big of an issue, also dont forget that Green Hill Zone is supposedly the tamest of all the reimagined ones

Counter to the desired effect, this image has made me worried about the game.

Does anyone else get the sense that Mania's level design is over-engineered after looking at this screenshot?

Sonic 1's level design looks effortless. Despite the branching baths being incredibly simple in their design, the game is able to carry the illusion that they're quite distinct and meaningfully different. Mania looks like it's trying too hard.

On another note, I was originally downbeat about there being more 'remixed' levels than classic, but ONE THING changes that: If some of the classic levels are from the Game Gear/Master System, that would be excellent. I would love to see a recreation of any of the following:

-Bridge Zone
-Sky Base Zone
-Sky High Zone
-Aqua Garden Zone
-Gimmick Mountain Zone
-Scrambled Egg Zone
-Mecha Green Hill Zone

I never played Triple Trouble so I have no opinions about that.

 

[Bio-Frost]

Counter to the desired effect, this image has made me worried about the game.

Does anyone else get the sense that Mania's level design is over-engineered after looking at this screenshot?

Sonic 1's level design looks effortless. Despite the branching baths being incredibly simple in their design, the game is able to carry the illusion that they're quite distinct and meaningfully different. Mania looks like it's trying too hard.

On another note, I was originally downbeat about there being more 'remixed' levels than classic, but ONE THING changes that: If some of the classic levels are from the Game Gear/Master System, that would be excellent. I would love to see a recreation of any of the following:

-Bridge Zone
-Sky Base Zone
-Sky High Zone
-Aqua Garden Zone
-Gimmick Mountain Zone
-Scrambled Egg Zone
-Mecha Green Hill Zone

I never played Triple Trouble so I have no opinions about that.

Trying too hard?? This is the level design from the first compared to what is now the 5th 2d console sonic? This is a map from sonic and knuckles, almost every sonic map past sonic 1 is more complex than green hill.

 

[aygomyownroad]

Labyrinth Zone: Reimagined...

God that would be hell...

But it brings up a lot of questions as to what levels they want to reimagine. Green Hill Zone makes sense, but some people have favourites which may be overlooked.

I would love to see Starlight Zone from Sonic 1, but that would clash with Stardust Speedway in style

Metallic Madness in Sonic CD I would prefer that over Scrap Brain Zone, but as with Stardust Speedway how do you implement the time travel mechanics to get the different zones? Would they just pick past/present/good or bad future?

Sonic - Greenhill Zone

Sonic 2 - Metropolis

Sonic CD - Stardust Speedway

Sonic 3 & Knuckles- Icecap with either Sky Sanctuary or Lava Reef Zone

Spoiler

Chaotix: Amazing Arena

 

[TheCongressman1]

Counter to the desired effect, this image has made me worried about the game.

Does anyone else get the sense that Mania's level design is over-engineered after looking at this screenshot?

Sonic 1's level design looks effortless. Despite the branching baths being incredibly simple in their design, the game is able to carry the illusion that they're quite distinct and meaningfully different. Mania looks like it's trying too hard.

Not at all. It looks to be following the design philosophies of Sonic 3, so I couldn't be happier.

 

[RK128]

I shared my top-seven zones I want to see remastered/remade inside Mania on 3WIREL .

http://3wirel.lostsig.com/2016/09/2...ce-my-top-seven-zones-i-want-remade-in-mania/

I have some odd-ball choices here (two Sonic R tracks being a Act I & Act II while also having a Sonic 3D Blast Zone), but I think they work considering how the team working on Mania is trying to make a Saturn-esc game, so having Saturn Sonic games represented would be quite cool.

 

[TrueBlue]

I almost want to see a Sonic 4 zone. If only to hear the game's tunes with instrumentation that goes beyond synth synth synth.

Almost.

 

[aygomyownroad]

I shared my top-seven zones I want to see remastered/remade inside Mania on 3WIREL .

http://3wirel.lostsig.com/2016/09/2...ce-my-top-seven-zones-i-want-remade-in-mania/

I have some odd-ball choices here (two Sonic R tracks being a Act I & Act II while also having a Sonic 3D Blast Zone), but I think they work considering how the team working on Mania is trying to make a Saturn-esc game, so having Saturn Sonic games represented would be quite cool.

I would love to See Sonic R stages in 2D... As long as the music was kept!

 

[Dusk Golem]

I mean, outside of Green Hill Zone we have it basically confirmed there will be a Sonic 2, Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and Sonic CD stage. That's already a collection 5 returning stages there easily.

I do think the game may have 12-14 zones, so I am curious if certain games get more than one stage or if they're sticking to one zone per game. This is by diehard Sonic fans, so there is a chance some of the odder games get represented, with Knuckles Chaotix being the most obvious next-step as there's a few things in Sonic Mania that were obviously inspired by Knuckles Chaotix. It'd be kind of interesting to see a take on one of the zones from one of the GameGear Sonic games.

There's a lot of possibilities for returning zones, but there'd already be enough to pick from if they just stuck to the five games they have named. But I am curious if they may pull from more obscure games, and then of course the new stages have me quite excited after Studiopolis Zone, which looks great.

I'm basically sold on Sonic Mania as a game, all that remains for me is its scope and things like what zones/bosses are in the game and the like. Since we have returning stages, curious how that split will work, how many zones, what returning stages are there and how will they be remixed and adapted, etc. I might generate a wishlist, but since the release isn't that far off I'm curious how much we may learn about before release.

 

[MuchoMalo]

Counter to the desired effect, this image has made me worried about the game.

Does anyone else get the sense that Mania's level design is over-engineered after looking at this screenshot?

Sonic 1's level design looks effortless. Despite the branching baths being incredibly simple in their design, the game is able to carry the illusion that they're quite distinct and meaningfully different. Mania looks like it's trying too hard.

On another note, I was originally downbeat about there being more 'remixed' levels than classic, but ONE THING changes that: If some of the classic levels are from the Game Gear/Master System, that would be excellent. I would love to see a recreation of any of the following:

-Bridge Zone
-Sky Base Zone
-Sky High Zone
-Aqua Garden Zone
-Gimmick Mountain Zone
-Scrambled Egg Zone
-Mecha Green Hill Zone

I never played Triple Trouble so I have no opinions about that.

Grats on finding something to complain about. You must feel very satisfied.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Does anyone else get the sense that Mania's level design is over-engineered after looking at this screenshot?

No, because sonic 3/k scale maps is the expectation for a sonic game now.

I shared my top-seven zones I want to see remastered/remade inside Mania on 3WIREL .

http://3wirel.lostsig.com/2016/09/2...ce-my-top-seven-zones-i-want-remade-in-mania/

I have some odd-ball choices here (two Sonic R tracks being a Act I & Act II while also having a Sonic 3D Blast Zone), but I think they work considering how the team working on Mania is trying to make a Saturn-esc game, so having Saturn Sonic games represented would be quite cool.

You have Tee's Spring Yard track embedded instead of his Starlight one btw

Also, I'm still not sold on there being legal issues with the MJ stuff. Sonic Jam came out after the PC S&K did.

 

[Seven Force]

Does anyone else get the sense that Mania's level design is over-engineered after looking at this screenshot?

Sonic 1's level design looks effortless. Despite the branching baths being incredibly simple in their design, the game is able to carry the illusion that they're quite distinct and meaningfully different. Mania looks like it's trying too hard.

Not at all. The level design seems like a logical extension of Sonic 3's, which naturally is a bit more complex than Sonic 1 in comparison, especially considering there's additional stuff to consider when designing levels at that point (Shield power-ups, character abilities, etc.)

 

[Guess Who]

Don't forget that the original GHZ act 1 is like, thirty seconds long.

I don't know about you, but ~3 minutes is my ideal length for a Sonic stage.

 

[RK128]

No, because sonic 3/k scale maps is the expectation for a sonic game now.



You have Tee's Spring Yard track embedded instead of his Starlight one btw

Also, I'm still not sold on there being legal issues with the MJ stuff. Sonic Jam came out after the PC S&K did.

Thank you for the heads up; will be editing my post to fix that now.

 

[Sciz]

There's a couple things about that Mania map that are muddying the waters:

A, the background is all over the place by virtue of it being a screenshot collage, making it seem way more visually noisy than it actually is.

B, there's quite a lot of level design that straight up isn't mapped, which should be filling in a lot of the whitespace.

 

[Falk]

judging by sonic fan remix i thought the fanbase loved noisy backgrounds

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

judging by sonic fan remix i thought the fanbase loved noisy backgrounds

I think that was more blowback around sonic 4 then anything. They got the physics right, which is more then can be said for 4 anyway

 

[gohanrage]

Am I the only one who believes this 32bit Era 2D graphic game wouldn't be able to run on the wii u keeping 1980Px60fps. Sega had been releasing many sonic games on Nintendo platforms Not sure why this isn't on Wii U.

I don't believe this game needs the power of a XBOX 1, PS4 or PC.

Sonic Mania
Paper Mario Color Splash
The Legend of Zelda: breath of the wild.

would be nice for those to be the last Wii U games.

 

[ForkNetwork]

I wish they do the zone transitions they did for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, it made the whole game feel connected

 

[Bio-Frost]

I wish they do the zone transitions they did for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, it made the whole game feel connected

Not 100% confirmed but the bouncing sign post at the end pretty much means we are getting just that.

 

[allenpergallon]

Am I the only one who believes this 32bit Era 2D graphic game wouldn't be able to run on the wii u keeping 1980Px60fps. Sega had been releasing many sonic games on Nintendo platforms Not sure why this isn't on Wii U.

It's dead, Jim. I could see it popping up on the NX later down the line and if it does well though

Spoiler

and if the NX is coming out when it's supposed to.

 

[Andrew Evenstar]

didn't know sonic was still a thing or that people actually stil cared for the franchise!

 

[MaverickHunterAsh]

I see people acting as if it's been confirmed that there will be more re-imagined old zones than new zones. When did this happen? I skimmed the past few pages but couldn't find anything - could someone enlighten me? Has SEGA actually confirmed this?

Hyped as fuck either way, though.

 

[Chao]

didn't know sonic was still a thing or that people actually stil cared for the franchise!

May not be a thing for kids that grew up playing shitty mobile games, but it´s still probably one of the biggest gaming icons alongside Mario to this day.

 

[Kyari]

I see people acting as if it's been confirmed that there will be more re-imagined old zones than new zones. When did this happen? I skimmed the past few pages but couldn't find anything - could someone enlighten me? Has SEGA actually confirmed this?

Hyped as fuck either way, though.

http://www.tssznews.com/2016/09/20/...-will-have-more-classic-levels-than-new-ones/

 

[spindashing]

didn't know sonic was still a thing or that people actually stil cared for the franchise!

me too let's join a club Andre Evenstare

 

[MaverickHunterAsh]

http://www.tssznews.com/2016/09/20/...-will-have-more-classic-levels-than-new-ones/

Got it. I suppose that's a little disappointing, but I'm fine with it.

Thanks!

 

[Ristifer]

I see people acting as if it's been confirmed that there will be more re-imagined old zones than new zones. When did this happen? I skimmed the past few pages but couldn't find anything - could someone enlighten me? Has SEGA actually confirmed this?

Hyped as fuck either way, though.

Taxman confirmed it, but said it's a huge game.

EDIT: Beaten.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Somewhere Tom Kalinske and co. are shuddering in horror.

 

[GabeTheGrouch76]

Those in Europe that want the Collector's Edition may want to take notice. The C.E. is now available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk for the PS4 and Xbox One.

 

[Stevey]

Those in Europe that want the Collector's Edition may want to take notice. The C.E. is now available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk for the PS4 and Xbox One.

Thanks for posting, pre-ordered.