Ugh. I don't see Blue Sphere working as a bonus stage. Unless there's some substantial reward for playing it, I don't think most people will bother with it. I can't help but wonder if they just shoehorned it into Mania because they had coded its engine and didn't want it to go to waste. I'll give them benefit of doubt until I try it, though. Uh, why do Tails and Knuckles' Blue Sphere sprites look inferior to the S3&K sprites? :v: I hate the Saturn-esque models for the characters and the giant rings. Unlike sprites, retro 3d graphics don't age well. Wish they had used better modern models or prerendered graphics instead. Sorry about the complaints. I have to say that the special stages look pretty fun, though.
These special stages look like they'll be the most fun I'll have with Classic Sonic special stages since... well, ever really. Also really excited for the Studiopolis Act 2 tease we got before the Blue Sphere part.
Was going to mention this since I didn't think anyone had noticed. The music you hear in that Studiopolis clip just between the UFO stage ending and the Blue Sphere stage beginning was quite different from the act 1 music.
That giant ring looked better in wire frame mode...ick. Also, Sonic's model difference between the blue spheres bonus and special stages.....strange. But I LOVED Studiopolis Zone Act 2's music! All 3 seconds of it! That Green Hill Zone speed run is "Sonic" just like I imagined it! I remember wishing I could do that just like in the cartoons and now it's a reality! />
When you realise it took a game pretty much made by actual fans to bring back the Blue Spheres instead of another repetitive tube based stage...
Actual fans that also happen to be professional indie game developers, designers, composers, etc; which kinda tends to get lost in translation more often than it should. It's not like a bunch of teenagers got together and hacked away for a weekend, Mania is very much a commercial effort, and most of the people in the team have been involved in shipping commercial games before. Just saying, I've got no ties to the mania team, but I think they deserve a bit more credit than they get some times.
Johnny's in here? Geez, now my signature is embarrassing me. :v: And hey, I have a solid 370+ subscribers for an unprofessional as hell channel mostly consisting of Smash clips and old Generations mods, where's my review copy? /> Probably just answered my own question.
I complained about Flying Battery's plumbing, so I'm clearly qualified for a review copy right? I gotta make sure those pipes are lookin good :specialed:
The next day, when trying to flush his toilet, Dark Sonic found the pipes had been clogged by something very, very special. :specialed:
The Sonic CD inspired Saturn-era special stages look fantastic and Blue Spheres is a welcome addition. However this solves the Sonic 3K remastered mystery. Looks like Blue Spheres really is just an extra mode in Mania. 12 days and the game is ours. Think I'm going to get ready and pre-order the game on Steam soon. Planning for the 15th to be a "Sonic Mania" day and just marathon through the game like when I was a kid. Can't wait.
From what I've seen, the majority of fans, including myself, consider Blue Sphere to be the superior special stage type to be featured in the classic series. I think its inclusion is more about nostalgia than convenience. As much as I do enjoy Blue Sphere, I agree with some of your criticisms. It's unlikely to work well as a bonus stage without ample rewards, and Tails and Knuckles look downright odd. That said, I personally like the Saturn-esque character models. They really enforces Mania's mid-90s vibe.
I haven't been contacted, but then again, I also haven't reached out. *Shrugs* Moot point, though, I'm playing this on everything, and would definitely be better-served to work on my own projects until August 15. :P Also, I'm VERY happy to hear that this'll be the last major reveal 'til release day. Thanks, Gene!
Assuming that's what you were confused about? Also you can better see it in that GHZ video earlier in the page, but it doesn't start until you pass that signpost thing (which I think someone has mentioned before). Also I just realized the results screen bonuses come on to the beat of the music. I dig that.
You select a level, and then you play it. There's a signpost at the beginning, and the timer doesn't start until you cross it, giving you as much time as you like to prepare yourself. Checkpoints are removed, and you have one life (not that it matters). Bosses are also removed, and special stage rings are wireframe. You can press a button to reset the level at any time, without needing to open a menu. And the centisecond bug from the Sonic CD/1/2 ports is finally fixed.
Blue Spheres looks and sounds very similar to the original. Layouts looks similar to S3&K too. Was hoping for it to be more unique, but that's OK. Very curious as to what the medallions you earn at the end of the stage contribute to though. Special Stages however looks absolutely fire, and Time Attack allowing for instant level restarts is good. Understandable. Speaking of launch, when can we expect reviews to start showing up? Noticed one YT member uploaded a Time Attack speedrun for Green Hill, so I guess he got a review copy / early release of the game.
