Current Events > Sonic Mania is fucking amazing so far >_>

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm impressed so far. Haven't played much yet
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I'm really enjoying it. The difficulty seems about right. It's hard enough that I feel good when I earn a 1up, and it's usually my own fault when I die (not including a couple glitch related BS deaths like getting crushed by nothing twice in a row in Chemical Plant). None of the bosses feel like filler like the lame minibosses in S3&K. The level design is better than ever, and I can already tell that I'll be listening to the soundtrack a lot.

I suck at earning the chaos emeralds though. Maybe I'm at a disadvantage because I never played Sonic CD.
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tennisdude818 posted...

not including a couple glitch related BS deaths like getting crushed by nothing twice in a row in Chemical Plant

Those moving block stairs?
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tennisdude818 posted...

I'm really enjoying it. The difficulty seems about right. It's hard enough that I feel good when I earn a 1up, and it's usually my own fault when I die (not including a couple glitch related BS deaths like getting crushed by nothing twice in a row in Chemical Plant). None of the bosses feel like filler like the lame minibosses in S3&K. The level design is better than ever, and I can already tell that I'll be listening to the soundtrack a lot.

I suck at earning the chaos emeralds though. Maybe I'm at a disadvantage because I never played Sonic CD.

Sonic CD special stages were definitely easier imo. You can give yourself infinite time if you time your jumps well enough
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The original Sonic CD special stages were not so great, imo. They basically devolved into a jump-fest where you ignore the mess of tiles on the ground. Sonic Mania fixes the concept and the special stages function like actual racetracks now.

Also, the level design is really solid so far (about halfway through). The Metal Sonic boss fight had some irritating moments, but otherwise the boss design is top-notch.

The most striking thing about the game is how cleverly the older Sonic mechanics are repurposed and woven together with new, original gimmicks. It's a brilliant tribute to Genesis ( + SegaCD) era Sonic. Sonic Mania is worthy of its pedigree.
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So I finally got all the emeralds.

The Final Boss is such bullshit lol. And Super Sonic is super unwieldly. But it's fun.

But if you fuck up you have to do the entire Final Level all over. My advice is to stockpile a bunch of lives before attempting to beat the last zone with all the emeralds.

Also, about the controls:

Pressing "jump" while flying does a super dash that eats 10 rings. But pressing "jump" is also how you become unstunned after getting hit, or begin flying after getting grounded. So be careful.
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I have too many sonic games to get through before getting to Mania. All of Mega Collection and Rush.
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Garioshi posted...

I have too many sonic games to get through before getting to Mania. All of Mega Collection and Rush.

Is there a reason you chose Rush?

Anyways, if you want to prepare for Mania just to catch all the shoutouts and references, the only games you would need to play are 1, 2, 3, &K, and CD. Maybe "Mean Bean Machine" and "Sonic the Fighters".

Speaking of Sonic the Fighters, can we just really appreciate that flipping Knack, Bean, and Bark were all acknowledged in this game?

Still no sign of Mighty fufufufufu
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AlisLandale posted...

Speaking of Sonic the Fighters, can we just really appreciate that flipping Knack, Bean, and Bark were all acknowledged in this game?

It blew my mind when I saw them. Not just posters like what Generations did...
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Antifar posted...

tennisdude818 posted...

not including a couple glitch related BS deaths like getting crushed by nothing twice in a row in Chemical Plant

Those moving block stairs?

Yes. As if that section wasn't already stressful enough.
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Banjo2553 posted...

Not just posters like what Generations did...

I didn't even know they were in Generations lol.
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AlisLandale posted...

Is there a reason you chose Rush?

It was on ebay for like $7
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AlisLandale posted...

Banjo2553 posted...

Not just posters like what Generations did...

I didn't even know they were in Generations lol.

Yeah, they had Wanted posters for those characters in...I think it was City Escape Classic. Those same posters return as pixel art in Mania but I was totally not expecting to see the actual characters...even if they were just illusions.
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I really hate the developers for shoveling Blue Sphere into the game. Easily the worst part of S+K, and I legit got Perfects (all the rings) on every map. To be fair, nothing sucked as hard as Sonic 2's special stage if you chose Sonic + Tails
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tennisdude818 posted...

Antifar posted...

tennisdude818 posted...

not including a couple glitch related BS deaths like getting crushed by nothing twice in a row in Chemical Plant

Those moving block stairs?

Yes. As if that section wasn't already stressful enough.

Is there a path around that, or is that a chokepoint, so to speak?
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Coffeebeanz posted...

I really hate the developers for shoveling Blue Sphere into the game. Easily the worst part of S+K, and I legit got Perfects (all the rings) on every map. To be fair, nothing sucked as hard as Sonic 2's special stage if you chose Sonic + Tails

At least it's optional but man some of these blue sphere stages are impossible >_>
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Antifar posted...

tennisdude818 posted...

Antifar posted...

tennisdude818 posted...

not including a couple glitch related BS deaths like getting crushed by nothing twice in a row in Chemical Plant

Those moving block stairs?

Yes. As if that section wasn't already stressful enough.

Is there a path around that, or is that a chokepoint, so to speak?

I think you have to do that. IIRC, that's the only way to the boss
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So before I get this game

is it just basically the old school sonics, with a tiny few changes here and there?
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coolpal23 posted...

So before I get this game

is it just basically the old school sonics, with a tiny few changes here and there?

what do you mean? It plays like the old games pretty much. As for the old stages? the first Act is mostly the same with some small changes here and there. But the 2nd act of the old stages are radically different design wise and are basically brand new levels. The whole game is basically what a Sonic game would look like if it came out on Saturn >_>
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coolpal23 posted...

So before I get this game

is it just basically the old school sonics, with a tiny few changes here and there?

The revisited zones are actually drastically different with new gimmicks for the most part, at least with the second acts. It's basically a new game despite reused level assets (which even then have redone spritework).
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So satisfying getting a good run through Flying Battery. I had fucked up and wasted two lives before even the first checkpoint on act I, but did just about perfect from there.
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Got all the emeralds and beat the true final boss as sonic. The super sonic fight was aight >_>

But fuck Titanic Monarch. That shit took forever to go through again and when I died at the Act 2 boss, I had to do the WHOLE THING again. Each act takes like 7 minutes to do >_> It shouldn't have to be this long.
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That music though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm5iLGWqg4M

bump
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Press Garden and Stardust Speedway, themewise: weird as hell
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Press Garden I didn't like too much, at least Act 1. The block platforming sucked there >_>

Mirage Saloon is definitely my favorite Zone. Too bad it's only 1 act long basically
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Press Garden reminded me of Vector Man for some reason. I liked the aesthetics though.

Overall, the original zones, except Mirage Saloon, werent that great imo. Good, not great. Cant place my finger on why I feel that way though.
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I don't like the special stages. They're not really that hard but they do drag on.

dude its just a sonic 2 remake with new content because sega doesnt know what to do with sonic anymore





/s
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TheVipaGTS posted...

I don't like the special stages. They're not really that hard but they do drag on.

I can't seem to find them >_<
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Antifar posted...

TheVipaGTS posted...

I don't like the special stages. They're not really that hard but they do drag on.

I can't seem to find them >_<

Just beat the game and grind Green Hill Act 1 over and over like I did >_>
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TheVipaGTS posted...

I don't like the special stages. They're not really that hard but they do drag on.

Idk, the 6th one was pretty challenging to me...
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I was stuck in the 5th one for a long time, but 6th and 7th were a breeze
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5th one wasn't that bad for me, but one of my friends had a lot of trouble with it

And I agree about the 7th one
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I thought I could restart the act if I fail those special stages with a complete save but they're still not available when I reach them again. I have to quit out the game and re-choose a level so I guess I'll just keep repeating Green Hill Zone until I have all the emeralds. What a weird way to do it.
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Having fun exploring the Tails/Knuckles shortcuts in time trial mode, taking my time as far as actually beating the game goes.
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I beat the game within the day I got it, I'm just going back through to get the Emeralds and to practice the stages so I'm better at them. (Also I'm recording a full playthrough with all Emeralds.)
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I'm so happy that everyone can do the true final boss in super form now. I always hated how in 3, Advance, etc, only Sonic went Super and fought the true final boss. But in Mania, anyone can do it now. That's awesome! >_>
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I finally finished my first run through the game. It was positively delightful. The flaws are few and far between, and I can count them on one hand.
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Does the game differ between platforms? I could get it for PS4, Switch, or Steam later. I'm leaning on the Switch version due to the portability.
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Doesn't seem to be any major difference between the platforms or at the very least no one has pointed out any blatant differences. For a game like this most differences in how it runs won't even be noticeable.

I've had some weird hiccups in starting up the game, syncing data on Xbox, but the game itself runs perfectly.
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I heard the Switch version has some menu bugs and frame drops but is still perfectly playable. Apparently the PS4 version is the best one right now
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I ended up choosing the Switch version because I have a flight tomorrow. dat portability
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One thing that I'm surprised by is how sparse the achievements are. A lot of games would have one for completing each zone, or for collecting your first chaos emerald, but here the achievements are for completing the game and getting all 7.
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TheVipaGTS posted...

Doesn't seem to be any major difference between the platforms or at the very least no one has pointed out any blatant differences. For a game like this most differences in how it runs won't even be noticeable.

there is a nintendolife video where they show it side-by-side.

short answer is there is a slowdown issue on only the first UFO stage for the switch version (not any other stages for some reason) and the colors seem a tiny amount less saturated, but basically no real difference between the versions.

PS4 Pro has a Pro mode, though, that lets you play genesis-tier sprites in 4k if you've ever wanted to do that for some reason.
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One thing I've noticed, looking back at maps from the old games, is how much is just blatantly taken from them. Like, yeah, the stage names, but whole sections of Chemical Plant act 1 are taken straight from Sonic 2. I'm not sure how I feel about that.
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I like it cuz stuff like the double helix in tthehr beginning and the rising water towards the end were memorablr parts of it >_>
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Can you go back and replay stages to get the chaos emeralds? I'm halfway through a Sonic playthough and only have 2...

Also, chemical plant zone is one of the most overrated in the series. Nostalgic music but frustrating level design.
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