The 2D sprites, amazing tunes and topsy turvy stages of Sonic’s retro days are getting revived for the upcoming release of Sonic Mania.
Wanna feel old? Well check this out – Sega’s iconic blue hedgehog is officially 26 years old.
It’s crazy to imagine how long Sonic’s been around since his introduction back on the Sega Genesis. Over the years, he’s experienced massive highs (Sonic Generations, Sonic Colors) and heart-wrenching lows (Sonic Boom) . 2017 looks like it’s going to be one of the better years Sonic the Hedgehog’s ever experienced. Not only are fans getting a brand new 3D entry (Sonic Forces) , a retro flashback to his 2D days is arriving this summer. On August 15, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles will return in an adventure that revisits the past and delivers an experience fans still adore.
There’s a lot of info to take in regarding Sonic Mania. Luckily, all those details are right here for you to discover.
Sonic Mania’s obviously a passion project for everyone who’s involved. The independent development studios responsible for crafting it (Headcannon and PagodaWest Games) are having their work led by programmer Christian “Taxman” Whitehead. Christian is highly regarded within the Sonic fan community for his work on updated ports of past games in the series. Those two aforementioned development studios are known for their contributions to the Sonic fangame community. The music is being composed by Tee Lopes, a composer who features his custom made video game remixes on his YouTube channel. The rest of the names associated with Sonic Mania’s development includes level designer Jared Kasl and artist Tom Fry.
Anyone who’s spent hours traversing the fast-paced, side-scrolling stages included in retro Sonic games will be happy to know that Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are returning. Sonic has access to his usual repertoire, plus he can pull off a “drop dash” (Sonic can roll right into a dash immediately after landing a jump) . Tails can still take flight and Knuckles is still capable of gliding and climbing walls. All three characters can utilize their “spin dash” maneuver as well (that move lets either hero curl up into a ball, spin as fast as possible and shoot off thanks to a speed boost) .
Old Sonic games are centered around exploring “Zones, ” massive stages that focus on a particular type of theme. Sonic Mania will honor the series’ past by featuring old zones that feature a few changes to its overall layout and a remixed version of their original songs. You can also look forward to running and jumping through some entirely new zones as well. The Zones revealed thus far includes Studiopolis Zone, Green Hill Zone (Sonic 1) , Mirage Saloon Zone, Flying Battery Zone (Sonic & Knuckles) , Stardust Speedway Zone (Sonic CD) and Chemical Plant Zone (Sonic 2) . Expect more Zones to get added right up until Sonic Mania’s release.
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The aforementioned Tee Lopes will have his Sonic Mania tunes made available as a vinyl album. Data Discs, a record label solely devoted to distributing video game soundtracks on vinyl, will be the ones releasing that album. You can check out the official description for the album below and head to the pre-order page right here:
Sonic Mania is a single LP packaged in a heavyweight gatefold sleeve with UV spot varnish, featuring new artwork exclusive to this release, along with a printed inner sleeve featuring an array of characters from the game. The release also includes a download code of the album in both lossy and lossless formats.
Sonic Mania will be available in the following editions:
– 180-g Limited Edition (TBA) , available exclusively from our site.
– 180-g Translucent Blue
– 180-g Classic Black
Getting your hands on Sonic Mania can easily be done by acquiring it through these digital storefronts – PSN, Xbox Live, the Nintendo Game Store and Steam. If you happen to be a hardcore video game collector/Sonic fan though, there’s something more special out there for you. A Collector’s Edition of the game is available and it features a box adorned with the game’s cover art, a 12-inch Sonic statue that plays the Sega startup audio, a Sega cartridge cast that comes with a golden ring and a metallic collector’s card. All of these goodies come with a digital download code for Sonic Mania.
Buy Sonic Mania here.
Buy the Collector’s Edition of Sonic Mania here.
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