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

[-Robin-]

Aren't Mania levels supposedly taking place on that Sonic-shaped island? 

Could be easy in canon for Eggman to make up a Stardust Speedway Past lookalike using the local flora of the island. It serves its purpose as a distraction without having to take the effort of finding Little Planet again and wrangling out a piece of it.

 

It could be the reason why Flying Battery was the chosen S&K level. That level technically is not "part" of Angel Island, the only one in 3&K with that distinction aside from the Death Egg itself,  so Eggman doesn't have to bother finding the island again; he could just build another Flying Battery.

[Psychicmoose103]

12 minutes ago, -Robin- said:

Aren't Mania levels supposedly taking place on that Sonic-shaped island? 

Could be easy in canon for Eggman to make up a Stardust Speedway Past lookalike using the local flora of the island. It serves its purpose as a distraction without having to take the effort of finding Little Planet again and wrangling out a piece of it.

 

It could be the reason why Flying Battery was the chosen S&K level. That level technically is not "part" of Angel Island, the only one in 3&K with that distinction aside from the Death Egg itself,  so Eggman doesn't have to bother finding the island again; he could just build another Flying Battery.

It was never confirmed that the stages would take place on the island. I think that the returning stages are Sonic physically going to the old places. 

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

 What do you guys think the level order will be? Kind of difficult to guess though. Will you go through the remakes and then the new levels? Will you catch a train in green hill to go to studiopolis? Will that train go into mirage saloon? Will flying battery zone drop you off on little planet? So many questions! So much hype the more I think about it! Find out next time on sonic mania!

[Chris Knopps]

I kind of think the Sonic shaped island is just for looks to make the title screen seem more snazzy.

It's possible everywhere in the game is on that island but I highly doubt it. You likely venture to other areas beyond it.

...Come to think of it...

They really need to make sure they explain HOW that Sonic shaped island came into existence and why it's there if it does serve a major purpose.

[G-Force]

I just want to throw this out there, but when it comes to the idea of the Hard Boiled Heavies going rogue and possibly turning against Eggman, I have to admit that while it is kinda cliche, it also strikes me as being a natural progression from what happened in Knuckles' story in Sonic 3 & Knuckles.  If a standard Egg Robo can go rogue and launch an attack on Angel Island of its own accord, I don't see why a team of elite Egg Robos shouldn't be capable of something similar.

As far as the Sonic shaped island goes, I expect it to be significant, but I don't literally every level in Mania has to be taking place on it.

[Psychicmoose103]

1 hour ago, Acoolsonicfan said:

 What do you guys think the level order will be? Kind of difficult to guess though. Will you go through the remakes and then the new levels? Will you catch a train in green hill to go to studiopolis? Will that train go into mirage saloon? Will flying battery zone drop you off on little planet? So many questions! So much hype the more I think about it! Find out next time on sonic mania!

I'm pretty sure there will definitely be zone transitions. One thing I noticed is a sort of sewer sprite that you start on top of in studiopolis, and its the only one in the level. What if there is a water level before this, and you get shot out into studiopolis?

Since i'm sure the game will have a story in the same vein as 3&K, I expect the zone order to make sense, as Christian said he wants the world to feel like a real place. So I don't see you walking right from Green Hill into Stardust Speedway. That said, I feel that the old stages will take place near each other from the same game. So for example, the Sonic 1 stages take place near each other, Sonic CD stages happen near each other, ect. However, I feel the new stages will be strewn about the others. What if Mirage Saloon takes place on Little Planet or Westside Island, and literally is Dust Hill or Desert Dazzle (the levels in those regions). I also think common sense would happen in some of the stage placements, like Studiopolis, a big city, wouldn't be on Angel Island because Knuckles is the only inhabitant besides animals and such.

[Chris Knopps]

Say...

What if, during the credits, they have Sonic/Tails/Knuckles performing the music from the game as a nod to the GameGear version of Sonic 1 and that CD thing where Eggman was a DJ?

And if you 100% the game by collecting the emeralds and/or new items, you get added stage effects and such while they perform...?

Just a nifty idea.

-Edit-

"Time Trials"

Does that mean this is going to be the music in-game played when you compete in time attack?

[Jango]

Honestly, Time Trials could (AND SHOULD!) be used during the intro (if the game indeed have animations). It fits like a glove. It's energetic, fast and catchy.

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Jango said:

Honestly, Time Trials could (AND SHOULD!) be used during the intro (if the game indeed have animations). It fits like a glove. It's energetic, fast and catchy.

I'd prefer being able to hear it during time trials actually so I can play to the tune instead of just watching a clip to it.

[JezMM]

2 hours ago, Chris Knopps said:

Say...

What if, during the credits, they have Sonic/Tails/Knuckles performing the music from the game as a nod to the GameGear version of Sonic 1 and that CD thing where Eggman was a DJ?

And if you 100% the game by collecting the emeralds and/or new items, you get added stage effects and such while they perform...?

Just a nifty idea.

-Edit-

"Time Trials"

Does that mean this is going to be the music in-game played when you compete in time attack?

 

2 hours ago, Jango said:

Honestly, Time Trials could (AND SHOULD!) be used during the intro (if the game indeed have animations). It fits like a glove. It's energetic, fast and catchy.

 

2 hours ago, Chris Knopps said:

I'd prefer being able to hear it during time trials actually so I can play to the tune instead of just watching a clip to it.

The Hyper Potions songs are standalone tracks made and owned by the group.  They were inspired by Sonic and licensed for the trailers, but that's it.  While they work great for trailers, they'd be MASSIVELY out of place in the game alongside Tee Lopes' music, and are far too modern in their instrumentation to fit with the Saturn aesthetic.

The "Time Trials" track name was likely just another common videogamey terminology name to compliment Mania's reveal trailer song, which was "Checkpoint".

 

At the most it'd be neat to see them added as bonus tracks to Sonic Mania's soundtrack release, but I wouldn't want to see them in the actual game itself.

[NegaMix]

Since I missed the initial hype of the latest trailer, I'll just say this now...

Ahem.

Spoiler

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD THAT TRAILER WAS SO AWESOME! THE ANIMATION, THE MUSIC, THE STARDUST SPEEDWAY?! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL AUGUST!

...Okay, that's out of the way.

Statdust Speedway as a (the?) CD stage representation in Mania seemed like the obvious choice to me, but I'm loving the way it looks so far, what with the new plant-bots growing in the Past. Though I am curious as to how (or IF) they're gonna utilise the Past/Future designs for CD's stage(s).

And massive props to Tyson Hesse for that animation. It's simply wonderful to watch, and the Hyper Potions track works brilliantly alongside it.

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Metallix 3.0 said:

Since I missed the initial hype of the latest trailer, I'll just say this now...

Ahem.

  Reveal hidden contents

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD THAT TRAILER WAS SO AWESOME! THE ANIMATION, THE MUSIC, THE STARDUST SPEEDWAY?! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL AUGUST!

...Okay, that's out of the way.

Statdust Speedway as a (the?) CD stage representation in Mania seemed like the obvious choice to me, but I'm loving the way it looks so far, what with the new plant-bots growing in the Past. Though I am curious as to how (or IF) they're gonna utilise the Past/Future designs for CD's stage(s).

And massive props to Tyson Hesse for that animation. It's simply wonderful to watch, and the Hyper Potions track works brilliantly alongside it.

I dunno... I was hoping for something a little less popular/expected. But... It's pretty neat.

[Psychicmoose103]

I decided to make some more outlines for the heavies. One for each new art!

There is something very strange about the yellow one. Perhaps he is riding something? Anyways, heres what I think each one is

 

Red - Ninja

Green - Magician

Yellow - Knight

Pink - Mirage Saloon Portrait (Either the leader or the Mirage Saloon one)

Gunner - Cop

 

I think we were told that Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon are both later in the game. This leaves Red, Green, and Yellow as the first heavy we will encounter. I have a strange feeling it will be the Red Ninja. What do you guys think will be the first one, or the order we will find them in? Also, what do you think is happening with the Yellow Knight, and if the Pink one is really the leader?

 

[Chris Knopps]

3 minutes ago, Psychicmoose103 said:

I decided to make some more outlines for the heavies. One for each new art!

There is something very strange about the yellow one. Perhaps he is riding something? Anyways, heres what I think each one is

 

Red - Ninja

Green - Magician

Yellow - Knight

Pink - Mirage Saloon Portrait (Either the leader or the Mirage Saloon one)

Gunner - Cop

 

I think we were told that Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon are both later in the game. This leaves Red, Green, and Yellow as the first heavy we will encounter. I have a strange feeling it will be the Red Ninja. What do you guys think will be the first one, or the order we will find them in? Also, what do you think is happening with the Yellow Knight, and if the Pink one is really the leader?

 

It's safe to assume we know nothing.

[Sonicfan287]

On the topic of Stardust Speedway, I think it's completely possible that you see the time travel gimmick used in that stage. All they have to do is place the "past" and "future" signs around the stage.  It would be similar to how Planet Wisp in Generations used the wisps there and nowhere else. Or maybe they won't use it at all. Either way works 

[Chris Knopps]

I just noticed the star behind Sonic and co. at the end of the trailer...

Ristar/Kirby in Mania CONFIRMED!!

-Edit-

And also...

Every fan everywhere at the moment.

[Tenko]

What with the comments from Taxman previously about making the locations in the classic era feel more like a living world etc, I'm still holding out hope for either the cut scenes or in the case of Flying Battery the zones themselves being used as explanations for how Sonic and free get from place to place this time around.

There were also comments made about their being reasons for why Sonic is revisiting these old locations, so I'm in the camp that they are the original locations spread out across the world and he's literally going back to each plave rather than them being on that Sonic shaped island in the title screen. 

[Rummy]

In a change of subject. I felt like i wanted to talk about the demo builds shown for this game.

If there's one thing i've noticed from the San Diego to The Late 2016 Build is that after you land a drop dash. Sonic's Ball sprite seems to flicker between his actual shape and the "pinball" form. But within the exception of the Switch Build, All shown builds after 2016 have shown Sonic turning into a solid pinball after a roll by random chance or via the drop dash. 

This is some evidence to stand my point. Anyway from a visual standpoint i actually really like this. It gives Sonic a lot more of a placebo effect and with how much pinball like mechanics have influenced 2D Sonic, It's very nice to see it like this. Perhaps this is a bug or a randomised occurrence. but i love seeing sonic turn into a pinball for a few seconds. 

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Rummy said:

In a change of subject. I felt like i wanted to talk about the demo builds shown for this game.

If there's one thing i've noticed from the San Diego to The Late 2016 Build is that after you land a drop dash. Sonic's Ball sprite seems to flicker between his actual shape and the "pinball" form. But within the exception of the Switch Build, All shown builds after 2016 have shown Sonic turning into a solid pinball after a roll by random chance or via the drop dash. 

This is some evidence to stand my point. Anyway from a visual standpoint i actually really like this. It gives Sonic a lot more of a placebo effect and with how much pinball like mechanics have influenced 2D Sonic, It's very nice to see it like this. Perhaps this is a bug or a randomised occurrence. but i love seeing sonic turn into a pinball for a few seconds. 

I actually want to admit that I really hate the solid ball form. I much prefer seeing Sonic actually spinning in his little ball.

Seeing him all solid color looking just seems off to me. Not a deal breaker by any means but I would like that taken out.

[TheOcelot]

More sketches from Naoto. Says he will finish practising soon.

I think it was Aaron who said they will unveil new art for Mania at E3. I wonder if the new art will be made by Naoto? If so, then this is gonna be awesome! 

[Chris Knopps]

2 minutes ago, OcelotBot said:

More sketches from Naoto. Says he will finish practising soon.

I think it was Aaron who said they will unveil new art for Mania at E3. I wonder if the new art will be made by Naoto? If so, then this is gonna be awesome! 

Huh... That one pose of Sonic crouching is surprising... Has much more of a Satam/Underground look to it...

I approve Naoto.

[StaticMania]

1 hour ago, Rummy said:

In a change of subject. I felt like i wanted to talk about the demo builds shown for this game.

If there's one thing i've noticed from the San Diego to The Late 2016 Build is that after you land a drop dash. Sonic's Ball sprite seems to flicker between his actual shape and the "pinball" form.

That has always happened in the Classic games...it's nothing new. Though I'm not sure what you're on about with the "flickering"...it only ever seems to happen after the drop dash now and the sprites didn't keep switching.

[Rummy]

1 minute ago, StaticMania said:

That has always happened in the Classic games...it's nothing new. Though I'm not sure what you're on about with the "flickering"...it only ever seems to happen after the drop dash now and the sprites didn't keep switching.

Odd, Maybe i'm blind because in my 19 years of playing Sonic, I have never noticed it in exceptions of his jumps.

[Zippo]

38 minutes ago, OcelotBot said:

More sketches from Naoto. Says he will finish practising soon.

I think it was Aaron who said they will unveil new art for Mania at E3. I wonder if the new art will be made by Naoto? If so, then this is gonna be awesome! 

Where did Aaron say that, if you can remember?

[TheOcelot]

31 minutes ago, Zippo said:

Where did Aaron say that, if you can remember?

Here: