The aim is to get to the end of the stage in a fast time, grabbing rings and bopping on enemies. The familiarity for retro gamers holding right and pressing 'A' is still there. Characters are in 2D and move and explore in a world painted with scaled up 16-bit style textures, all of which ensures it has an old-school retro charm.
#Nintendo switch sonic mania plus#
At first glance, Sonic Mania Plus is a sprite-based affair that looks like it would be at home sitting in a SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive. Those old enough to remember Sonic in his prime will be instantly thrown back a few decades, with audio and visual cues that transcend time.Ĭubed3 reviewed Sonic Mania in 2017 and praised it for its fresh ideas and inclusion of new elements. Going into this experience, many would be forgiven for thinking that this is a run of the mill nostalgia trip for those trapped in time only remembering the 16-bit games that they were brought up playing. Instead, Sonic Mania Plus truly harkens back to the original Genesis / Mega Drive games spanning from the first Sonic, all the way to Sonic & Knuckles.
#Nintendo switch sonic mania full#
Those looking for a review on the value as a standalone DLC package can check out Cubed3's review of the DLC alone, but for now, the focus is on the full shebang.Ģ017 was not the first time SEGA has tried to resurrect the blue blur's 2D adventures, in fact Sonic Advance 1-3, Sonic Rush and Sonic Generations did their best to appease those who demanded side-scrolling bliss. This review considers those who have not yet purchased the digital version and are looking at Sonic Mania with fresh eyes. However, the cartridge is needed at all times to play with any of the additional DLC content. For those who are double-dipping from the original digital version and purchasing the game physically, then never fear, all save states are playable with the new physical copy. To read our earlier review of the original Sonic Mania, click here.Sonic Mania Plus can be purchased as additional DLC (£3.99/$4.99) or a physical package. Also, by getting the physical copy of Sonic Mania Plus, you also get a mini art book of characters and levels from the game as well as an awesome reversible cover that can make your Switch case look like a Sega Genesis case. Overall, Sonic Mania Plus adds even more features to an already awesome game! I had a lot of fun playing this game and would highly recommend it to anyone, but especially to fans of the older Sonic titles. This mode was a lot of fun and a great addition to Mania. The bonus level in this mode works as a way to unlock characters, as well as get items and rings in a skill crane game within a pinball game. If you die as Knuckles, you can’t play as Knuckles unless you unlock him again. There are no life boxes in this mode, rather, each character works like a life. However, what makes this feature really interesting is that throughout the levels there are boxes with the ability to change your partner to a completely different character, Tails or Knuckles–this also works to unlock them. You begin playing as Sonic, with a choice between adding Mighty or Ray along with you, through the levels of Sonic Mania with the ability to switch in-game who to control. I find Ray hard to control, he just floats there or dives into the ground, while Mighty’s blocking is a nice convince.Īlong with new characters, there is a feature called Encore Mode. However, if I had to pick my favorite character to play in Mania in addition to these new characters, it would have to be Knuckles due to his ability to glide and climb. Mighty’s ability is to block enemy hits and spikes when curled up, as well as the power to slam into the ground, while Ray’s ability is to parachute down slowly. With the newly included Plus feature, you can now play as Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel! Both of these characters from far back in Sonic history. The two other games modes, Time Attack and Competition, are okay but not as enjoyable as Mania mode to me.
The bosses are great, with one in particular an amazing reference to a Sonic game I loved to play as a kid but thought had been forgotten. The bonus stage at checkpoints was awesome to see again, and the bonus stage at the giant ring was reminiscent of Sonic R graphics-wise. My favorite out of the new zones would have to be Press Garden – the backgrounds are a beautiful East Asian aesthetic with wintry themes. Sonic Mania Plus has zones that would have fit perfectly in the Genesis games, as well as bringing back older ones.
With Sonic Mania Plus, not only does this game make my child-self happy, it makes me happy in the present to see the great care in bringing back Sonic in such a fantastic way. Because of that, Sonic was a big part of my childhood as I loved playing his titles.
My first gaming console was the Sega Genesis.