I have a soft spot for Wacky Workbench too, only because of the US Present and Past themes. Also that hidden statue room. It's just the little things....
Come on, man. Sometimes you just gotta fight someone over Wacky Workbench. If you won't do it, I will.
I don't find Wacky Workbench fun, which I think is the most important part. As a level made to annoy and subvert Sonic gameplay, it does its' job well and I can respect it for that... Unless I'm playing it. >_> Quartz Quadrant Past was quite beautiful, and I did like the music for it quite a lot.
If you have to learn a specific play style for a level which is counter to the game's mechanics and play style that the game thus far has been reinforcing, the level is doing it wrong. =P
Yeah, Wacky Workbench is just an example of everything not to do in Sonic level design. But regardless of whether or not it's fun (and it most certainly is not), there are more visually and conceptually interesting stages in CD. Quartz Quadrant would get my vote, followed by Metallic Madness and Stardust Speedway. Palmtree Panic's bad future would be interesting too though, and significantly different from the already-present Green Hill.
Wacky Workbench isn't that hard (I've played it far too many times and I'm rather good at it). Actually, only act1 of WW is a bad design. Act2 has a far more forgiving layout and flows better. If I were two pick two Sonic CD stages to be re-imagined, I'd chose Tidal Tempest & Quartz Quadrant. TT because it has some amazing music and is way better designed that Labyrinth zone. QQ because I wasn't overly impressive with level layout in CD. I dunno, it's just not very challenging. It literally is just hold right-to-win.
I would like to see Wacky Workbench get in because it has the most to gain from being remade - i.e. it has a chance to not be an absolutely awful level. It's really the only zone from CD that has a gimmick that wasn't replicated in other Classic titles to that degree, which means it would stand out compared to other Mania zones that will do traditional Sonic tropes better than CD did, like water, pinball/casino, more traditional factory settings, etc. But let's not kid ourselves, CD's zone will be Stardust Speedway. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.
I agree with you. A reworked Wacky Workbench could be really spectacular...as long as the gimmicks are done right, which its Taxman and Stealth in charge so I have no fears on that. I also think that Quartz Quadrant would be an excellent zone to remaster as well. I hope its NOT Stardust Speedway. That was redone in both Generations and Episode 2. Time for a new zone to be redone.
Only the boss was redone in Generations and Episode 2. Stardust Speedway itself, the actual zone, hasn't been redone. And the zone is probably my single favorite in all of Sonic. It's the only zone I'll take the time and visit every single time period in every time I play. The entire thing feels so good to effortlessly zoom around in. I would love a reprieve. What Stealth and team did in Megamix with Starlight Zone felt a lot like Stardust Speedway, more so than the original Starlight Zone.
Quartz Quadrant needs to get in simply on account of the Japanese version of its music :v: The Good Future music is godly. It'll probably be Stardust Speedway though, with a fucking amazing Metal Sonic boss. Actually, the more time goes by, the more hyped I am to see Team Mania reimagine the legendary Classic zones. :specialed:
The ROM Header is called Sonic Zeal and one translation of studium in Latin is zeal (as in a zeal for study). There might be something to the Latin word 'studium'. I mean, why would Chaotix even be called Stadium? Whoops, meant to put this in the Knuckles Chaotix / Sonic Crackers Prototype thread.
Collision Chaos lacking the love here. I liked CCZ because of its music and space; particularly the massive set of half-pipe that are a few screens high, that then also allow you to gain a ridiculous amount of air. It's one of the places where CD's particular level design style really shines imo. Wacky Workbench for me is the worst classic zone there is. Tidal Tempest was good if you're into that style of water zone, which I get the feeling Mania won't be. But yeah, Stardust Speedway is the golden boy of the game. That said, it doesn't give them a lot to work with. Everything's packed in tight; no room for remixing.
My vote is for Collision Chaos to, for reasons: 1.) This future-noir beauty right here. Need I say more... 2.) Delicious velvety visuals. Cold chrome on hot pink is a retro wet-dream! 3.) Almost as beautiful utopian future would make for a wonderful second Act progression. 4.) This unforgettable moment in Sonic-lore... 5.) Interesting gimmicks to implement. 6.) Opportunity to reimage this badass! 7.) Great music, all tenses, both soundtracks. ... Fight me.
The way you present that makes me think it would've been cool if there had been like a "Campaign for your favourite remix zone" competition. So it's not just most votes or whatever, but the person/group that produces the most appealing argument gets it. Would at least make for pretty & interesting reading.
The trouble with that is that if Sega doesn't explain what they're up to, people will look at zone choices in a vacuum rather than considering how they work together. Generations did votes, and we got too many cities. An actual discussion that requires you to explain your reasoning would be cool, but if Sega were to do that, it would've tipped their hand on Mania well before they were ready to.
