Reminds me more of something out of the Shinobi games. I think there's even sound effects used from them.
I get the impression they ran out of time with zone transitions and prioritised more important things. Green Hill to Chemical Plant and Studiopolis to Flying Battery have really good zone transitions and then it peters out, eventually becoming none existent. And while I really do like this game, it has a lot of flaws. I wouldn't give it higher than an 8/10. I think its main problem is that it expects a lot of Sonic knowledge and experience. Fine for Sonic fans, but I got a few friends to play, who had never played Sonic, and they got really frustrated at a few points. The game doesn't communicate well (worse than the classics) and it's too challenging too quickly with Chemical Plant Act 1 I think. This is even worse with how the game bafflingly reverts you to Act 1 if you die in Act 2 (even at the boss!). And on the topic of level design, I can name a few levels which I think are worse in Mania than in the original. Hydrocity is far duller in Mania than in 3AK and the bubble gimmick, while a cool idea, slows down the level and is tedious. I really dislike Chemical Plant Act 1, it melds the worst aspects of Sonic 2's Chemical Plant Act 2 into Act 1 without improving them, in fact, I think the jump challenges are actually more frustrating here than in Sonic 2. While Stardust Speedway Act 2 isn't bad, I think it's more irritating and confusing than CD, with them taking the confusing pipes to a ridiculous extreme. I think all the other remakes are great. My favourite redesign is actually Metallic Madness, I really loved what they did with that level and I didn't particularly care for it in CD. The only level I actually dislike, other than Chemical Plant Act 1, is all of Titanic Monarch, but especially Act 2.
Spoiler Uh, can we talk about why the Super Emeralds still seem to exist at the same time as the Chaos Emeralds? And why they look super fucked up?
Ya Titanic Monarch that zone is a bitch. I mean, it's the last level, so that's to be expected, but yea. Act 2 was particularly daunting the first time around, although come the second run at least I knew where to go. Amazing how they actually used Game Gear/Master System content. Fang/Nack, that bubble gimmick in Hydrocity, Knuckles Mirage Saloon Act 1 boss, Silver Sonic. They may not be the best titles but it's nice seeing stuff used. Also, is Press Garden Act 1 Egg Garden? I'd love it if that was the case. Speaking of Press Garden, the original levels have some really weird names. Press Garden, Studiopolis, Titanic Monarch, Mirage Saloon? Definitely a farcry from Green Hill and Oil Ocean.
It's quite clearly a mistake, I can spot it instantly, but I've sampled the colours so it's easier to spot in these blurry stream shots: Left is intended gradient, right is what the bug causes. And it bugs me.
Guys, the easiest one to find and spam is litterally at the begining of Press Garden Act1 (lower left)
After some searching I've found another one in GHZ act 2. These special stages are really kicking my ass.
The downfall of this kind of game, same with Generations. So much is left unexplained because of the grab bag approach. Not a huge deal, but yea. And those? Well Iizuka took a hammer to them. They cannot exist in this world. :specialed: On another point though, Super's implementation kinda irks me a little. Ya it's just like Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and that's the thing, it's just like Sonic 3 & Knuckles, annoying parts and all. And they've implemented alternate transformation methods in their older hacks and such before, so why the regression? Once you get 50 rings, you pretty much have to use Super because otherwise drop dashing or gliding as Knuckles becomes impossible. You can't use shield powers while super (I actually think that's a partial glitch, as while Electric still works with environmental gimmicks, Fire does not). You can't turn off the Super music either. It's a fine track, but the game is filled with wonderful tracks, I want to hear those. Minor complaint, but I guess I just got spoiled with the option to turn it off while playing Sonic 3 Complete.
I think Titanic Monarch is just straight up dreadful, I find it really anticlimactic. It's so weird (not in a good way), tedious as hell with the constant crushing and goes on forever. It's also very automated, it errs on the side of Sonic 4 DIMPS. It's really weird to have a level that half plays itself and is half utterly mundane careful jumps (to avoid squishing). The only thing I like is the music and the tone they were going for. I think Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon are good names, but Press Garden and (especially Titanic Monarch) are godawful names :v: . Press Garden is a great level though.
Crushing? In Titanic Monarch? Did we play the same level? I can only think of one spot in the entire zone where you can die via crushing.
I know crushing all to well. I keeeeeeeeep getting crushed between the thin yellow platforms which pass by eachother up and down. I disagree with it being dreadful though, it's a fantastic level.
WHAT!?!? Now how you gonna diss Press Garden? That's a great name! The naming conventions for Sonic levels have progressively gotten more odd ball, but still relatively ascertainable. It's a weird cathedral, using the trees in the garden to make papers to be printed (or pressed) on. Press Garden. I love it! Hell of a lot better than something like Panic Puppet.
I know the bubble is from the 8 Bit titles but that doesn't make its implementation any less tedious. Especially when Hydrocity was such an amazing level in 3AK. And I died like five times from crushing in Titanic Monarch by clipping the edges of either the rising and lowering golden barrels or crushed under spikes. And while you can laugh and say I suck (it's true, I'm not the best in the world at Sonic, but I am more than competent) I do think it gives very little warning with the areas where you can be instakilled. It's frustrating for me, it must be far worse for someone less experienced with Sonic.
Gotta say Spoiler being able to spindash off the tornado in mirage saloon act 1 is pretty frustrating. In 2 sonic playthroughs, I've died 7 times that way on accident. Even worse is when you accidentally do a drop dash and it kills you that way.
Another weird implementation thing kinda like with Super Sonic. A very literal recreation of how it was originally, which isn't always a good thing. Spoiler Also all those Armadillos and not one Mighty appearance
