Not sure about Xbox One, but PS4 is very easy to play any region game you want. You just need to have a PSN account set-up to whatever region you want. Thankfully PSN supports multiple accounts, so I've had separate JP and US accounts as well as my main UK account for imports and other region DLC. Once you've bought or redeemed codes on those other accounts, you can play them without any problems on your UK account, so you only need to use a US account just once for the download/activation. This is good, because it means your trophies aren't spread out over multiple PSN profiles. (Handy guide here, although it's for PS3, the PS4 setup is more or less the same: http://www.truetrophies.com/forum/viewthread.aspx?tid=403 ) In short: Any PS4 of any region can play a US Sonic Mania, so long as you use a US account to redeem the code initially.
>Sega releasing limited editions of Sonic Mania with collectables #HypeTrain #HashTagsAreAnnoyingButRelevent
This, alongside the group seemingly confirming Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles as the only characters appearing in Mania (playable or otherwise), sounds like they are exclusively focusing on the main Genesis games; and everything outside that group (8-bit Game Gear games and spinoffs of the era) are effectively being ignored. This kinda disappoints me just as much as the high ratio of remixed levels, having level content/mechanics/gimmicks from Chaotix or the 8-bit games (if not recreating zones outright from those titles) I think would benefit Mania in terms of helping it feel more novel. Incorporating Chaotix's Combo Ring was a neat mechanic and a surprise, and I was hoping to see more stuff like that added to Mania. At this point I just hope that a. they don't remake any levels already remade in both versions of Generations (and to a lesser extent, any levels rehashed in Sonic 4); and b. Sega and co. surprise us and we see supposedly blacklisted Sonic 3(&K) levels get the Mania treatment (namely referring to the three usual suspects of Carnival Night/Icecap/Launch Base).
I gotta say I'm a bit disappointed that there aren't going to be Super Emeralds... but, he did say that there was going to be a new item... so we got that to theorize about. Also, I'm totally gonna be looking for one of those Tails plushies :specialed:
That's not what it means. The remixed zones that appear in the game will be from S1/S2/S3K/SCD. That doesn't mean elements from the 8-bit games or Chaotix won't appear; perhaps we'll have Mystic Cave with the minecarts from Underground Zone; perhaps we'll have Tidal Tempest with the maneuverable air bubbles from Aqua Lake; perhaps we'll have Hidden Palace with the light/dark mechanic of Amazing Arena. Besides, there are already mechanics/gimmicks from Chaotix. The blue ring is in there, and I'd be very surprised given Studiopolis' tropes if neither of the bosses call back to Techno Tower's boss.
Wasn't it said by Taxman that it will be longer than Generations in terms of zone count? Or am I remembering wrong? Cause if so Generations has 9 stages, which means we still get a good chunk of new stuff either way.
He said it would be longer than Generations, but I don't think he specified on if he meant zones or if he meant individual acts/levels. Speaking of which, I wonder how many acts each zone will have? Will each zone have two acts like Sonic 2/3&K (leaning towards this outcome, judging the incorporation of minibosses), or will there be three acts like in Sonic 1 and (technically) CD?
*Insert statement disappointed about having more old stages than new ones* I mean seriously, how many times have we had Green Hill Zone shoved down our throats?
Yeah, it's like... they rely a bit too much on nostalgia for older levels, without creating new ones (which would actually create future nostalgia for the player). I probably haven't worded it correctly, but hopefully you get what I mean
Exactly! I have no nostalgia for playing Sonic Generations. Playing it gave me some nostalgia for the older games, but I won't ever have any for Generations since it was nothing new.
...But we were getting Green Hill yet again anyway regardless of how many old stages we'd get, it was the first new classic zone they revealed. Also, worth pointing out again: Taxman has said that Green Hill is the tamest of the redesigned zones in the game. So the other redesigned zones should be more different from the originals than Green Hill is. Besides, we don't know yet how many classic stages there are in the game, and it could be that the ratio isn't that bad.
I get it. People keep saying "Green Hill super tame other levels will probably be cooler". I trust Taxman, but 15 years of Sega representatives saying one thing and giving us another has made me a little cynical. We can hope we get something cool like Death Egg remains fallen into Aquatic Ruin zone, but really we'll probably just get something overused like Casino Night and Mushroom Hill.
Considering how many people outside the deeper Sonic community think there hasn't been a good Sonic game since Sonic 3 & Knuckles, this isn't really a bad decision. Sure, you and I might love to see characters like Fang and Mighty reappear, or Bridge Zone, or whatever, but this is what this game needs to be. Right now Taxman et al. are on the attack, using nostalgia as their chief weapon, and it's important that said nostalgia focuses on what a majority of folks remember as "the good ones." 8-bit and spinoff content would at best go unrecognized by a huge swath of players (keep in mind the GG never sold anywhere near as well as the Gen/MD), and at worst remind people of considerably worse physics, some awkward level design, and constantly changing AA batteries. Once Team Mania prove themselves with this game and bring a bit of goodwill back to the franchise, I'm sure Mania 2 will have a good deal more freedom, both in terms of more original content, and in terms of a wider pool of classic content for referencing. But for this one, they have to play it safe. That said, I'm as sick of GHZ in particular as anybody, and I'd much rather see Star Light Zone get some love. I never even liked Sonic 1 all that much, either in music, art, or gameplay (I legitimately feel it's the weakest of the Genesis games and frankly GHZ's song irritates me), and it especially gets to me that every time they give GHZ love, they're doing it at the expense of EHZ or AIZ. I really wish they'd let this one go... but they won't.
The Mania producer said in one of the interviews there's going to be two acts per zone like in 3&K. I know they mentioned about act/zone transitions being like 3&K's, so I think it's safe to assume they are sticking to 3&K's zone formula. Gens has nine main zones, so I'm guessing Mania will have at least ten. That would be 20 acts and maybe another act for the final boss. 21 acts would seem about right (Sonic 1 has 19 acts, Sonic 2 has 20 acts & CD has 21). I'd even be happy if we get 15 zones (10 being reimagined and 5 brand new). The more the Mania! Spoiler worst...pun...ever! :v:
Can someone actually confirm/hazard a very close guess as to whether the Mania Steam key that comes with the collectors edition will be region locked? No way I'm buying it if I have to wait several extra days, pay more for shipping and then find out it doesn't fucking work. I doubt it will, but from what I understand, Steam has changed it's policy a few times regarding this.
All of this, but with a caveat that this is about the first time I am actually looking forward to re-playing GHZ. So, that stands for something... I mean, seeing the updated sprites, and a whole new area to the zone is really breathing some new life into it. And as far as those outside the mainstream and reviewers so, I've yet to see anyone criticize the selection of GHZ, yet. Given the scope of Mania, selecting GHZ was not necessarily a bad decision. Sure most of us are sick of it, but in this context, and from a business and general audience perspective, it does make sense. Remember that to the casual sonic audience, 100% have played GHZ, 80% have played MZ, 50% have played SYZ, and 10% LZ. Let Mania right the wrongs of the past, and then they won't need to rely as heavily on the nostalgia element.
As disappointed that I am over the classic to new level ratio, I still have a good chunk of hope remaining since we've also been reminded that Green Hill is the tamest re-imagining on twitter. If it's just the looks and music staying the same, that won't be too big of a problem if they play out differently enough. Plus a Mania 2 could very well allow more creative freedom for the devs with things like a playable Amy and Fang as a recurring boss.
Regarding Green Hill Zone if there is one massive disappointment from it is that it's unlikely that we will get a remake of 8bit Green Hills Zone from Sonic 2. It would have been pretty sweet playing that grass land trope with it's awesome music, hell it would be even sweeter facing an updated version of the sumo pig boss.
Also remember that Taxman emphasised that he didn't want to bank on nostalgia in the reveal of Mania on stage. He also emphasised that he wanted to create new environments for Sonic to explore. I have complete faith in Taxman to pull through with this. He's the only one I have complete faith in :v: (along with Stealth, Tee Lopes and PagodaWest)
