Sonic Mania Reviews
Sonic Mania is a fantastically well-worked continuation of an iconic franchise and a great reminder of why the Genesis games were so well loved. Everybody who has waited patiently for 20-odd years for Sega to get it right again is in for a treat. Top notch.
Sonic Mania is easily the best game of the speedy blue hedgehog in years. Not only that bit it is also one hell of a game that pays tributo to all of the franchise history itself. If you are a Sonic fan don't even doubt about it, go and get it as fast as you can.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
At its best, Sonic Mania makes classic zones from past Sonic the Hedgehog games feel unpredictable again.
If you've been waiting for Sonic to become relevant for some time, you don't have to wait anymore. Mania has righted all those wrongs and then some.
Sega took a chance in letting a longtime Sonic fan and a few smaller dev teams bring the original 16-bit iteration of their mascot back into the modern era, and the result is Sonic Mania, one of the purest and most enjoyable Sonic games we've ever been given. The question isn't if this experiment in reviving classic Sonic was successful or not—the question is what happens next.
Anyone who was Team Sega in the 90s remembers the "Sonic" series fondly. "Sonic Mania" is tailor made for this audience. Sonic's first spin dash through a loop of rings brings a wave of nostalgia that Sonic hasn't been able to muster in decades. This game makes up for lost time and reminds gamers why the Blue Blur is one of the most beloved game characters in the medium.
Sonic Mania is a true return to form for the mascot, in his 2D 'Classic' guise at least. It celebrates the glory days of the original games while also enhancing their qualities and taking on new ideas. From new areas, imaginative second acts and some delightful boss encounters, the development team has poured a lot of passion and talent into the project. The occasional bug and a couple of brief and cheap areas deprive it of Sonic-style perfection, but it's pretty darn close.Is it the best Sonic game ever? It's in the conversation, though the classics it's honouring may stake a claim for slightly greater 'flow' in the campaigns. Frankly, it's better just to call it a dead heat and skip the argument - Sonic Mania belongs in the company of the games to which it pays tribute - the Blue Blur is back.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles left the 2D series at such a high point, that it would be difficult to find a way to top it. Yet Whitehead and PagodaWest Games, found a way to do it.
Fast-paced best-of all the classic Sonic Games with Megadrive flair, some new levels and boss battles.
Review in German | Read full review
Sonic Mania is a love letter thoughtfully crafted for fans of the series' early romp in 2D, which the game follows to perfection. Admittedly, some of the game's mechanics have not aged well and might be cumbersome for some. If you love the classic gameplay, however, and want to experience it through larger areas littered with multiple paths and secret nooks and crannies, you'll want to spin dash your way to this one.
It was so simple, yet so difficult. Sonic Mania succeeds where others did not: it delivers the gameplay experience of the original games with a format made possible by today's technology and an immense wealth of creativity that when put together make this an exquisite Sonic game, a fitting follow up to the 16-bit originals and one to leave a legacy for the future.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Sonic Mania distills Sonic down to its basic elements, resulting in a wonderfully lean Hedgehog throwback. Unfortunately, DRM issues prevent Sonic Mania from blazing a truly excellent trail.
A beautifully crafted love letter to Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Mania is everything a Sonic game should be and more. I'd be deliriously happy if SEGA carried on making them like they used to; if it carried on making more games like Sonic Mania.
From the beautiful and lively opening animation to the start screen, it immediately felt both comforting and fresh like putting on a pair of brand new pajama pants. I'm glad they took a chance on getting developers who originally started work on Sonic ROM hacks because they really nailed the feeling. This is what nostalgia should feel like and hopefully this leads to more excellent reboots of Sega properties.
Even though it's not the Genesis version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or Sonic Advance 2, Sonic Mania does a lot of good things right. Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley put out a beautiful love letter to Sonic fans from the Genesis and Advance eras of Sonic 2D platformers. The nods to all of SEGA's classic titles, the innovative boss fights, the merging of several classic levels, all of it proves that to capture the pure essence of Sonic the Hedgehog, sometimes it is good to simply go back to the basics...
Sonic Mania for as little as €20 contains everything what's best in the classic entries, and many fresh ideas. Must-have for all fans of the blue hedgehog – but only for them.
Review in Polish | Read full review
It's awesome, masterfully blending the old with the new and reminding us all what a true Sonic game is about.
Despite its flaws, Sonic Mania is the type of game that players can keep going back to over and over. It has the replayability of the classic Sonic games with minor modernisations for current day gamers, and is sure to appeal to old and new players alike. For a franchise that for a while seemed to flounder and suffer from subpar titles, it offers hope to fans that there will be more to return the series to its former glory.
Sonic Mania earns its spot next to the titles released during Sonic's golden era