Sonic Mania Plus (Consoles Physical; PC Digital) - Non-Leaks Thread

I'm positive about Ray and Migthy not being sprite swaps mainly because it looks like they were planned from beggining, acording to those M and R signposts. So, while some things are surely rushed (unused animations as in every Sonic game, for instance), they look like a planed DLC from beggining.

 

Planned, yes. Planned DLC, can't say 100% for sure, though it could be possible, and likely. It would definitely make more sense from a financial and developmental standpoint to intentionally delay such features and release it later on for an added price.

It's smart, and I'm certainly hyped for it. I hope the added content gives the game the breath of fresh air it needs. Certainly I hope Encore Mode makes some certain levels (Hydrocity 2) feel more fresh.

 

As far as Story Goes, I initially thought that Mighty and Ray's story would take place right after the main story, possibly during the time Sonic is gone so they would essentially be playing Encore mode as their regular mode, but everyone has to have a separate Encore mode, right? So with that mean Mighty and Ray's Encore mode would actually be similar to STK's first run? Likely not, but since they are set to show up in the promotional story animations then I can't see them starting off during the regular storyline.

They will be involved in the ending animation, even if it's just a slideshow

They will have a different Mirage Saloon especially if based on Encore mode. I don't think the plane or train will be involved the same way during Encore mode.

I want 100% down for SegaSonic mode and Heroes mode. Bye "& Knuckles"


Sonic the Hedgeblog has been reminding me of how silly Ray's animations are in the arcade game. I really hope he retains that personality in Mania. Also, on the Monkey Bar sections in the game, instead of using just his hands he actually flips around switching between his hands and Tail! They'd better incorporate that in Flying Battery Zone.

 

One thing I just thought of that would be interesting to note: With the Phantom Ruby destroyed, they will have to find new ways to transition to levels like Chemical Plant and Stardust Speedway Past (if they bother with transitions at all). Makes me wonder how they're gonna handle that.

 

*Inb4 Tails makes his own Phantom Ruby that isn't as strong as the original, but should do the trick*

 

Well, there was no unused things with their faces anywhere to be seen, not a single string or sprite. Maybe if it was something from the old 'sonic discovery' days, but I still doubt it.

One more time, Mighty look as a Sonic clone.//forums.sonicretro.org/public/style_emoticons/default/specialed.png

 

Same! I always love to see what new sprites have they done and all the animations <3. specially rotating ones <3

 

Exactly. I'm baffled why Angel Island suddenly had an enhanced version of Emeral Hill grass. I guess file this under “different dimension?”

 

Well if we really wanted to know we could hunt down the pixel artist of neo angel island zone I guess. I found the grass of the original to be kinda cheesy, and it's not the only element of that area that was updated, so who knows.

It's not a different dimension though I'm pretty sure. After Generations that classic Sonic just has a new timeline starting with Mania (then going to Forces then going to Mania Adventures). So that Angel island is the same as S3K proper, as both Sonics seem to share S1-3K/CD.

 

Pretty much this. Also, I'm hearing more and more that "dimension" was more of a word pun used for the English version (y'know, because Classic Sonic is 2 Dimensional :v: ), since the Japanese version is more ambiguous with it's wording.

Still, Iizuka's confirmation that Generations and Forces' Classic Sonic are one and the same kind of puts a lid on there being a completely separate "Classic World", despite the attempt to brand things as such. I'm still in the camp that everything was consistent up to S3&K, then you've got the original timeline (Sonic 4, Fighters, R, Adventure, etc), or the new Mania timeline - with Generations being the catalyst.

Pure headcanon here, but it would make sense for Classic Eggman to try and avoid the same schemes as his modern counterpart after their team-up in Gens, hence searching out a new energy source (Phantom Ruby) rather than 'Haha Death Egg time again'.

 

Ohhh is that what they meant by dimension? Ugh the writers, kindly fuck off, but ok it makes sense I guess. The character split thing is a little weird though, why Mighty and Ray exist in the Mania universe while Shadow, Rouge, etc don't and vice versa I'll never figure out.

But yea I had the same headcanon with Classic Eggman as you did, and I thought they were going to go with that direction after Generations came out, but then we got Boom instead. Surprised it took them another 5 years to go back to that honestly. I guess in this universe that means Shadow likely remains in stasis forever, as I bet Eggman wants to avoid repeating that one :v:

 

Yeah, I mean I kind of think of it like Donkey Kong Country and Mario (and Wario's) shared universes - While we know they all technically exist in the same story, we're never likely to see Funky Kong appear in a Mario game (outside of sports/karts/crossovers) just like we wouldn't see Waluigi appear in Tropical Freeze, even though he technically does still exist in that shared universe cuz mario lore is mad deep...

 

The secret to Sonic lore is that none of it makes any sense anymore so you should just try not to think about it.

 

Implying it ever did.

 

Angel Island probably was not a major concern as far as graphics go. It was seen for about 60 seconds and then never seen again. However, it still bothers me that the shoreline no longer animates.

Though I have to admit, it is quite strange seeing Angel Island Zone in Sonic 3 & Knuckles completely unscathed in the ending cutscene. Perhaps it was a section of the level that was never burned, or you know... the Master Emerald has the power to regrow foliage. :v:/>/>

 

The Japanese Sonic Forces site says that Classic Sonic is from another dimension, and he and the other Sonic have saved the world together before: http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicForces/character/

I don't think there's any intended in-universe explanation for the change from Sonic Generations, where he was simply Sonic from the past. It's just a creative choice that they're applying retroactively. They did a similar thing with Eggman Nega, where he was originally from Blaze's world, but then they decided that he's actually from the future of Sonic's world.

Sonic Adventure itself was a sort of soft reboot, keeping the broad strokes of the Mega Drive/CD games intact, but tweaking the character bios and other details. So, Hidden Palace Zone was replaced with an entirely different Emerald altar (even in the flashbacks), Amy and Knuckles' ages were altered (significantly in Amy's case), the official character heights were changed (Metal Sonic was 76.54cm in SCD, Sonic was 100cm in SA), all the characters were redesigned to some extent. Little stuff. It was more pronounced in Sonic Heroes, where they completely rebooted Vector, Charmy and Espio so that they had never met any of the other Sonic cast before and had ages and personalities notably different from their Chaotix manual profiles.

Now that Classic Sonic is its own dimension, they have a space to utilise elements from the older canon (like Hidden Palace Zone) without having to reconcile it with the newer stuff.

 

We just haven't met them yet. The Mania universe is still circa 1996 (1995 if mania takes place before Knuckles Chaotix). Imagine just going through an alternate version of same timeline in Taxman's engine. Imagine Twinkle Park and City Escape in true momentum-based 2D platformer glory.

 

Speaking of the Phantom Ruby, no explanation how it jettisoned to Angel Island from Eggman “Prime” from the future, especially since we know this was a project he was working on that (once again) backfired. The first 30 seconds of Mania Adventure showed more digging has taken place, and Angel Island was once again knocked out of the sky. Part of the lore at this point in the series is that we never get straight answers :v:

 

On the Angel Island bit, that plothole goes back to Sonic 3 where in the opening, Angel Island is clearly on the water even though Robotnik hasn't stolen the Master emerald yet.

I'm gonna assume the Master Emerald sunk on it's own accord like in Sonic Adventure because it sensed something amiss.

 

That's covered in the Japanese manual. The weight and impact of the Death Egg pushed Angel Island down to the planet's surface.

If you play Angel Island Zone as Knuckles (whose story takes place after Sonic's), you'll see that the ocean background has been replaced with blue sky.