Sonic Mania (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC...Netflix?)

plz stop kink shaming.

I mean... did they have genders before the shenanigans?

Kinda disappointed by the HBHs overall. Maybe I need to get all Emeralds before talking more.

 

I actually really loved the Hard Boiled Heavies, even if they didn't get much story. I just think they looked really cool. Kind of like Metal Sonic. I'd like to see them return.

I wonder who drew the final HBH designs. I know the concept was Whitehead's, but I wonder who finalised them.

 

They're a cool concept, I love seeing more quirky baddies (couldn't hate the Deadly Six because of this). One query though:

Spoiler

In the final secret boss, is the lead heavy trying to betray Eggman but not quite getting rid of him, or are the two teaming up to play 'keep away' on the player?

Also unlocked one of the Extras and I'll say this:

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I want Taxman/Stealth to do a Mean Bean Machine/Puyo Puyo remake now

 

Random stuff I noticed today:

Mirage Saloon (Sonic):
1 - The tanker cars on the train say OOZ on them, so if you're paying attention, you know what stage is coming next.
2 - The train's engine has Eggman's face. Goddamn, Eggman, you magnificent bastard.

Egg Reverie:
First time I played it I wondered why Super Sonic could all of a sudden attract rings. Turns out the game sneaks you an Electric Shield as you transform! Use level select and debug mode to go straight to Egg Reverie, place a big ring, and go in. When you come out, you'll have the shield.

 

I think Heavy Kind is supposed to be trying to betray Eggman and somehow you are fighting against each seperately because of time distortion. Heavy King betrays Eggman because of the time jewel, I'm pretty sure the manual or some official merchandise confirms that.

I think :v:

 

Spoiler

I'm fairly certain that the Heavy King is attempting to overthrow Eggman. I can't see any other reason for the scuffle in the pre-boss cutscene.

 

I do want them back, I just thought they would be doing more. I thought they would be driving the mini bosses or something like that.

 

Oh I agree, I wish they did more too. I wish the story was more fleshed out generally. But even so, I think they are by far the best villains since the Classics, even though I do have a soft spot for Chaos :v:

 

Are Sonic and company actually traveling through time in this? I just assumed the Phantom Ruby was sending them through space and everything was still in the present. Well... except for Stardust Speedway for obvious reasons, but time in Little Planet seems to be isolated from everywhere else.

Personally, I'm more curious about the reason Sonic and company keep going in and out of Little Planet. Is that also the Phantom Ruby's doing? I know this has been pointed out a million times already, but the lack of transitions makes it hard to figure out.

From what I can tell, Little Planet has appeared over Angel Island this time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the former always appears above Never Lake, this seems to imply Angel Island is always moving across the world, and the game takes place in a moment where the two are close to each other. Or maybe Eggman just moved Little Planet next to Angel Island with the Phantom Ruby?

On a semi-related note, it's interesting that both Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon exist in West Side Island, given the level transitions. Press Garden's whereabouts are up to anyone's guess, and the Titanic Monarch is in Little Planet according to the ending.

 

I was wondering if the Piano bits from the Saloon level are a nod to the piano bits in Sonic Advance 2's Music plant?

 

I think it's implied that the Phantom Ruby indeed has some sort of time-warping power as well, considering that during the final fight

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even the in-game level timer goes haywire

.

 

Hah, I thought that was just a debug mode quirk since I only noticed that after I used the level select cheat. That's actually pretty cool.

 

Been lurking here for many years and it is such a joy to play this game and see where some of the hackers I enjoyed have gone on to release the best sonic game in 23 years. Also noting the Motobug tribute for Polygon Jim which is just beautiful.

I've been seeing people spot references and easter eggs throughout but there's one i noticed which I haven't seen anyone bring up yet and I'm going off a hazy memory so bear with me. In Lava Reef Act 2 there are a set of three conveyors with a life monitor spawning and moving along them when it does so (to eventually go into the lava if not quick enough) - I'm pretty sure that was in Sonic 1 on Game Gear / Master System in Scrap Brain Zone (Act 2?) - there was a single 1up monitor in every act as I recall and the moving conveyor based monitor was mirrored in Mania.

 

Only just realized this through going through the past pages. It is beautiful.

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned yet but has anyone else noticed how Mirage Saloon's Act 1 track dips into the Sky Chase theme for a bit?

 

I just made it to Oil Ocean Zone with Knuckles and I freaked out again when I beat Mirage Saloon's mini-boss, it's freaking Gigalopolis/Gigapolis' boss from Sonic Chaos!! xD I seriously love all the references to other Sonic/Sega games, the more I play Mania the closer it gets to becoming my favorite Sonic game. :v: (I still like S3K slightly better... but not by much.)

 

I find it hard to believe that so many of those game-breaking bugs simply slipped by the team. Could it have been the console release deadline?

 

Another thing, the bubble mechanic in Hydrocity was indeed in Sonic 2 GG however activating it by standing on a switch and the 'pushing at the bubble' sprite animation is more akin to Tidal Plant Zone in Sonic Triple Trouble.

 

Yup, I noticed that too. It's pretty much copied exactly.

 

I figured Litte Planet was back because the game takes place a year after Sonic CD (replacing Sonic 4 in a new timeline), and Never Lake was probably close enough to Angel island that you could see it from there.

But I really, REALLY wish Tax, Stealth, or another dev would give us a run down of the story.

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...And add some missing transitions but that might be asking too much.

 

Trophies like Triple Trouble and Collect 'Em All make me wish there was a Boss Time Attack mode.