Sonic Mania (August 15th 2017, Christian Whitehead, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch) - The New Classic

[TheOcelot]

I'd choose Sonic 3's final stage Launch Base XP

It's a really good level, be it the music, atmosphere, gimmicks, level design or the tense Big-Arm final boss.

[Celestia]

Any of 'em would be a nice choice. The only reason I wouldn't want to see Death Egg is because it almost seems too obvious in a way?

In fact I think I'd like the last remixed zone to be Launch Base.....which is launching an all-new airship or space station which, naturally, is the actual final zone.

[Jango]

Metallic Brain Fortress Egg Zone. Make a zone that shits in your face of how hard it is.

[Marcello]

If I had to pick an old Zone for the final level, I'd go with Scrap Brain. Music is awesome and I've always loved the name. I'd like to see what they'd do with it. Plus, with Green Hill starting the game off, Sonic 1's final stage capping things off would be nice.

Preferably, I'd take something new, though.

27 minutes ago, Josh said:

A giant 20 minute long Death Egg level would be really fun to me idk. Probably not speedrunner friendly or anything but I've been craving something like that to cap off a game like Unleashed did.

 

 

Ugh, I hated Eggmanland for being so long. Never again, please. x_x

[Maxtiis]

16 minutes ago, Jango said:

Metallic Brain Fortress Egg Zone. Make a zone that shits in your face of how hard it is.

With a little Cannon's Core in there for good measure.

[Kuzu]

Hmmm, I'd say Scrap Brain Zone...or some agglomeration of the four.

[Waveshocker Sigma]

Gonna go with Metallic Madness. It's the only Classic final level where I actually felt like the climax was at hand and that the fight coming up was "all-or-nothing" and for the fate of the world. Well, outside of Doomsday Zone, anyways.

Plus, I'd love to hear a remix consisting of a mash-up medley of JP Present, Past and most of all, Bad Future. I'd be even happier if it mainly had the Bad Future's overtones and beat with Past and Present's melody.

But this is favoritism on my part since Metallic Madness Bad Future JP is my favorite Classic Sonic track and I've been dying for a good remix of it and the other 3 mentioned for a big climactic final level for ages.

Good Future can be incorporated into a final victory theme or something. I don't really care about that song.

[Zippo]

1 hour ago, SallesTH said:

Christian Whitehead, main developer of Sonic Mania himselft, that Palmtree Panic, Chemical Plant and Angel Island are NOT confirmed for Sonic Mania.

 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Psychicmoose103 said:

Made this really quick just for anyone who would like an image showing the similarities between the shadow, mirage saloon portrait, and animation design.

As you can see, The animation has the spikes from the shadow's legs, the ball joints from the shadow on his arms, and even the bolts on the front of him.

So either this person is making heavy assumptions and looked very deep into the shadow and portrait, or this is a legit scene, the person was given the art early, and CD style cutscenes will probably be getting in mania.

Very interesting. Yet, still no official acknowledgment of the animation. It's definitely looking to be real. I wonder if that animatic was something from early in development or is indicative of it's current progress. Despite ut being leaked, I wouldn't expect confirmation on it for awhile. 

[Auroxen]

3 hours ago, Chris Knopps said:

Okay guys and gals, for the final zone of Sonic Mania if it was to be a remake, take your pick.

Scrap Brain Zone - S1

Wing Fortress Zone - S2

Death Egg Zone - S3&K

Metallic Madness - SCD

As I said before, I really hope they remake Scrap Brain.
Heck I already wanted it in Generation as the final zone and felt they really missed an opportunity, if this can be hopefully the last time (at least in a really long time) that they remake zones for a significant portion of a Sonic Game I at least want it to include the first final zone as the final zone.
Also, I REALLY love the music of Scrap Brain and a Mania remix of it... oh god I'd buy the game a gazillion times just to give 'em money and support the game.
I already know there is an high chance I'll be deluded because they may not want to include it, but I'll still hope really hard for Scrap Brain.

Honorable mention to Launch Base, I really love the music and the aesthetics, if we can't get Scrap Brain then I hope for Launch Base (even though the music may be a problem but the topic has already been deeply discussed here so y'all know this).
It can even be a not final zone, it's really different from the other ones (and in a certain sense it isn't, if we consider S3&K and not S3).

The Death Egg... I really feel that it could come back without being counted as the S3&K or S2 remaked zone.
It may come in a new form entirely but I really consider the Death Egg more as a trope then as a level, it already appeared both in S3&K and S2 in two different forms, I can see this happening in Mania.
Alternatively a second Death Egg, like Death Egg Mk. II but in a really good game (and not around Little Planet).

I don't like Wing Fortress nor Metallic Madness (if not for the music) so I really don't wanna see them coming back.

So yeah, count me in the LoveScrapBrainToDeath team.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Auroxen
I defined Sonic 4 Episode II as a "shitty game" and while I don't consider it a really good one either, I don't consider it that bad and I didn't want to give off an opinion that isn't mine.

[JosepHenry]

If is Scrap Brain I hope is outside for the most of the level. That background is so... Menacing and evilll

Perfect for the finale.

[Auroxen]

3 minutes ago, JosepMelloZSM said:

If is Scrap Brain I hope is outside for the most of the level. That background is so... Menacing and evilll

Perfect for the finale.

Maybe it can have parts of level inside and others outside, exactly as in Green Hill there are parts outside and parts inside the cave.

[Sonictrainer]

3 hours ago, Chris Knopps said:

Okay guys and gals, for the final zone of Sonic Mania if it was to be a remake, take your pick.

Scrap Brain Zone - S1

Wing Fortress Zone - S2

Death Egg Zone - S3&K

Metallic Madness - SCD

 

Metallic Madness Zone > Death Egg Zone > Scrap Brain Zone > Wing Fortress Zone

Though I do have to admit that...

 

1. The other 3 Zones have already been remixed

• Scrap Brain Zone has 2 different versions with the Genesis and Game Gear and it gets fused together with Metropolis Zone in Sonic Pocket Adventure and sort of in Sonic 4 with Mad Gear Zone
• Death Egg Zone got remixed in Sonic 3 & K, Battle, 4, Generations, and even the Racing Games (Drift, Sega All Stars Racing, and Transformed).
• Wing Fortress Zone got remixed in Sonic Pocket Adventure (as the Aerobase Zone) and Sonic 4 (as the Sky Fortress Zone). Also, the Level Trope Clause set up by Green Hill Zone prevents it from appearing since we already have Flying Battery Zone as our Air/Sky/Wind Zone

 

2. The Metallic Madness Zone has some interesting gimmicks and hazards

From the shrink ray, to the swinging blades on poles that Sonic has to either jump over or run/roll under with the right timing, and the fact that despite being a giant base Eggman created, it still has potential to have a good future where gardens and forests can exist there.

Though I do admit the level design can be a little trollish but what can you expect from an Eggman base?

 

3. The Death Egg is very iconic in the Genesis Era

When it comes to the most iconic Eggman invention during the Genesis Era, all signs point to the Death Egg. It kind of opened the door to future space levels like Final Rush and levels from Sonic Colors. While I'm also curious to see what "new tropes" the Mania Team can come up with, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Death Egg getting remixed again

[Auroxen]

4 minutes ago, Sonictrainer said:

2. The Metallic Madness Zone has some interesting gimmicks and hazards

From the shrink ray, to the swinging blades on poles that Sonic has to either jump over or run/roll under with the right timing, and the fact that despite being a giant base Eggman created, it still has potential to have a good future where gardens and forests can exist there.

Though I do admit the level design can be a little trollish but what can you expect from an Eggman base?

Even if I'm not a fan of Metallic Madness, I'll admit it had some neat ideas.
The main reason for why I don't see it returning for Mania, is that it's just a random Eggman base on Little Planet.
It just doesn't feel enough important to be brought back, why would Eggman go there of all places?
I already said I support Scrap Brain, I also find it more likely because, being the final zone of Sonic 1, it is really important to the series and deserves to reappear.
But I can see why you'd like to see Metallic Madness, maybe if it didn't have CD Level Design I'd even like it who knows.

[Zippo]

Speaking of, has anyone done a colored version of the animatic? Would love to see what it would look like in color. I request someome to give it a try if they get the time!

[D.K.]

7 hours ago, Zippo said:

Speaking of, has anyone done a colored version of the animatic? Would love to see what it would look like in color. I request someome to give it a try if they get the time!

I could try and do one frame but there won't be a background for obvious reasons. I'll put it up here if I finish it.

[JezMM]

To be honest I'm not that fussed about Scrap Brain.  It does feel like "just another Eggman base" to me, even though it was the first.  Sort of in the same way when someone says "pinball/casino zone" you think Casino Night, not Spring Yard, even though Spring Yard was the first there.

Like, it completely 100% made sense to me that they based Mad Gear in Sonic 4 off of Metropolis more than Scrap Brain.

 

Like, definitely nothing against Scrap Brain at all, but they'd have to do some wild stuff with it in the remake to make it feel like a satisfying climax for me personally.

[D.K.]

Sonic's mostly finished. Here's a thing of progress so far.

Heavy WhateverHisNameIs is going to be a doozy to colour, to say the least.

[Your Vest Friend]

Look, I know nobody's likely going to be interested in what I say, but Famitsu have put their interview with Iizuka up online. 

Stuff I read that I actually care about which isn't what most care about;

-Apparently all the bosses are new. That's interesting. 

-Wait, poster of Espio? I don't think anyone's seen that in Mania, interview person. How have you seen one?

-"They do not appear in Classic Sonic" - Yep, sounds like their stance on things is the same as it was over a decade ago; the old characters aren't part of the classic brand. 

-There's a hint that the Eggrobo or Egg Heavies may end up not being sub-ordinate to Eggman or something?

-It looks like they're thinking in terms of prepping for the 30th anniversary. 

-They'll put up the Sonic Force interview tomorrow apparently. 

 

[Psychicmoose103]

40 minutes ago, VEDJ-F said:

Look, I know nobody's likely going to be interested in what I say, but Famitsu have put their interview with Iizuka up online. 

Stuff I read that I actually care about which isn't what most care about;

-Apparently all the bosses are new. That's interesting. 

-Wait, poster of Espio? I don't think anyone's seen that in Mania, interview person. How have you seen one?

-"They do not appear in Classic Sonic" - Yep, sounds like their stance on things is the same as it was over a decade ago; the old characters aren't part of the classic brand. 

-There's a hint that the Eggrobo or Egg Heavies may end up not being sub-ordinate to Eggman or something?

-It looks like they're thinking in terms of prepping for the 30th anniversary. 

-They'll put up the Sonic Force interview tomorrow apparently. 

 

It would make sense for a Espio poster in the game. They technically are classic characters. Idk where you would find it though.

Prepping for the 30th anniversary?  Sonic Mania 3 & Knuckles?

[Psychicmoose103]

They may end up not being a sub-ordinate to eggman? Well there goes part of the story. Eggman seriously has to figure out how to keep his robots inline like wow.

[Your Vest Friend]

It's possible it's a bad translation my end. I mean, I don't read a word of Japanese and couldn't tell you if what I got from right clicking was accurate, but there's definitely contextual clues that suggest it was to do with a potential plot teaser. 

[Spooky Mulder]

Never cared much for Scrap Brain since it was never a particularly attractive stage and the entire third act is pretty much a tile recolor of Labyrinth Zone.

[Blue Blood]

36 minutes ago, Spooky Mulder said:

Never cared much for Scrap Brain since it was never a particularly attractive stage and the entire third act is pretty much a tile recolor of Labyrinth Zone.

I'll forgive act 3 for trying to be exciting and shaking it up a bit. Scrap Brain is the only level in the game to change appearance between each of its acts, something that wouldn't be revisited until 3K. Labyrinth was the least fun stage in S1 though, and basing act 3 upon it wasn't a good choice. Narratively speaking it was cool to see Sonic get thrown down into the sewers beneath Eggman's base, but we'd already played three stages exactly like it.

Even aside from act 3 though, Scrap Brain isn't the best. As far as final stages go, there's not too much about it that's very memorable. S2, S3 and SK all come up with much more original ideas that are better in just about every way. Metropolis went for a vivid and funky green colour scheme, Launch Base told a story and again had very unique colours, Death Egg was the first true spacee level in the series and was loaded with gimmicks... Scrap Brain was a relatively unimaginative, grey and slightly dilapidated factory. It was a very safe and typical final holdout that didn't say much about Eggman as a character nor the imagery of the game as a whole. The other levels in S1 are all iconic and recognisable in their own way. 

If Scrap Brain is to show up in Mania, I've no doubt that it'll that the team will handle it spectacularly. We've already seen seen what they've done to the tired old Green Hill, so there's no worry. Personally I just hope that we do get one other stage from S1. While the rest of the games would be fine with only a single level to represent them, there's a lot more to Sonic's first outing than just Green Hill. 

On the subject of final stages  for Mania specifically, I'm pretty sure it'll be new. Any of the previous final stages could reappear elsewhere in the game, but the final stage in Mania is probably going to be new. I can't see them not using a stage to tie up Eggman's latest scheme. 

[molul]

I'd prefer a brand new level design for the final stage, honestly. 

[Zippo]

3 hours ago, Depression Kong said:

Sonic's mostly finished. Here's a thing of progress so far.

Heavy WhateverHisNameIs is going to be a doozy to colour, to say the least.

That looks awesome, thanks! Great work! Really gives us a good idea of what it could look like.