When Sonic Generations came out, it canonized Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic as two different designs. EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE NOSTALGIA ( Source) I just know these guys can come up with amazing levels that will become fan-favorites for years to come. I would love to see what new stages the team comes up with, and how they get them to fit into the narrative of Sonic’s World. While they likewise drew on enough classic gimmicks to be familiar, they were in locations and biomes that were new to the Classic Sonic style games. The original stages they built for Mania were all a lot of fun to play. And it is a joy to play.Īll that being said, I am eager to see them expand beyond that. They incorporated elements from other stages that were not included, or their own unique gimmicks, to help keep the experience fresh. The development team certainly did way more than just slap a new coat of paint on the classic zones. Obviously, the game is a celebration of the series so it makes sense to draw on a bunch of iconic, fan-favorite zones from past games. Of the main twelve zones in the game, eight of them were originally featured in other games. But what specifically would I want in a follow-up? MORE ORIGINAL STAGES ( Source)īeing part of a birthday celebration, Sonic Mania featured a lot of reimagined versions of classic stages. Fans immediately started gushing about this game upon release, and I for one adore this game. The graphical style was a beautiful update to the classic Genesis graphics, with sprites that almost look as though they belong to some long-lost Sonic game for the Sega Saturn. The game managed to be truer to the classic 2D gameplay than any of Sonic Team’s attempts in recent memory. Developed by PagodaWest Games and released in 2017, Sonic Mania was a love letter to the Genesis games, made for fans and by fans. Of course, being one of The Game Crater’s designated retro-gaming grognards, one of the potential prospects that I am most excited for is a sequel to Sonic Mania. When the Blue Blur turned twenty, we got Sonic Generation, and as part of the celebration when he turned twenty-five, we got Sonic Forces. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Sega has released nostalgia-filled celebrations for Sonic’s Birthday.

While they haven’t announced what those plans are, they have assured us that the plans include games. Sega has recently announced that they have big plans for Sonic’s 30 th Birthday in 2021.

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