Sonic Mania Special Stage Revealed

[Zippo]

https://mobile.twitter.com/StevenThePage/status/888958828384985089/photo/1

https://mobile.twitter.com/StevenThePage/status/888958868398653440

https://mobile.twitter.com/StevenThePage/status/888959153917403137

FUCKING WHAT

[TB100]

Holy shit, that's unexpected as hell. Looks really freaking cool though.

Looks like a mix between Sonic 3 and Sonic CD with a slight dash of 3D Blast Saturn (Mainly from the model.)

 

[Person]

Holy fuck. It's the Sonic R/Jam model. NEVER thought that would be here. WOW.

[blueblur98]

WHAT

IS THAT WHY THE SPECIAL STAGE RINGS ARE POLYGONAL

OH MY GOD

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

Wtf? Why are they showing off sonic time twisted? 

[Mick]

That looks extremely difficult and challenging!  Excellent!

[simtek34]

OOOHHH MMMYYY GGGOOODDD! Chandler Bing!  Sega Saturn?! Sonic Jam!? Sign me up!

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

There is a reason why this game is called sonic mania.

 

 

Feeling pretty good right now.

[Radiant Hero Ike]

Oh. Looks like the Sonic CD special stages.

I didn't like those.

[Fletch]

Sonic CD special stages are my favorite ones of all time. Excited to play the sequel to them!

[Indigo Rush]

Cleaned up the screenshot. Thank you, Photoshop.

 

[Balding Spider]

Cool I had fun with those special stages in CD.

[Diogenes]

Looks pretty rad. I like how they're taking bits and pieces from other special stages (welcome back, low-poly angelfish) but still doing something unique mechanically.

[Dark Qiviut]

Listen carefully! Possibly the Special Stage track!

 

[PC the Hedgehog]

What a delightful mish-mash of classic special stage tropes. And no overdone half-pipes in sight. I approve.

[Sonicfan287]

It's remarkable to me how this game continues to have its own personality while containing so many throwbacks. On the surface this is just another 3D special stage with elements of Sonic CD and Sonic 3 and yet it looks brand new and that's a testament to this game. 

When I first saw this game revealed last year, I was skeptical that it could be on par or even better than the classics when it itself contains so much of those games and yet we're seeing how new and original this game really is. I would've preferred all original stages of course but the game is doing enough to stand alone so it's own entity to this point and these special stages are just another example. Contrast this with Sonic 4 where they just recycle Sonic 1 and 2 special stages. This is nostalgia done right 

[TheOcelot]

2 hours ago, Indigo Rush said:

Cleaned up the screenshot. Thank you, Photoshop.

I'm so happy right now. This is like my dream special stage.

I was hoping for special stages with an arena-theme similar to Sonic CD's, to perhaps include he Blue Sphere with the visual polish of the Knuckles Chaotix special stages. The background featuring the low-poly fish from Sonic 1's special stages is lovely. Also, liking the cathedral-themed background.

2 hours ago, Dark Qiviut said:

Listen carefully! Possibly the Special Stage track!

It's called "Dimension Heist". You bet your ass this the special stage music. Sounds really good.

 

I love this game.

[Marcello]

Ugh, CD's? Well, at least it's not the half-pipe.

[BlueFlare]

Seems like a special stage I will enjoy playing alot. I like special stages be easier to enter but challenging to finish. Sonic 3 and CD were favorites of mine. Also that music is tight as usual. Love those fishes from Sonic 1. <3 I see a jellyfish / alien-thingy on the right, very similar looking to ones in Sonic CD special stages. Part of the special stage or just for props?

[Tracker_TD]

Apparently the aim of these Special Stages is to chase down a single UFO, which contains the emerald. The spheres boost your speed, and the rings act as your timer, a la Chaotix. 

It's a fresh take for a Classic special stage, and I'm excited to give them a whirl! 

[Salamander]

So, like everything in Mania, it's not a wholly original idea but a mashup of past ideas used to create something new.  I feel that using CD as a base was a good idea; it's the only special stage where you're really running around and chasing things down, as Sonic should, but it's been refined into a true and more purposeful race in which your object is very clear.  The functionality of the spheres and rings harks back to the S2 and S3&K special stages, too, but rejigged to service the new approach.  This is really quite special and well-thought-out; everything is both a callback and a necessary function.

[molul]

I'm very pleased with this special stage concept. Although I hope blue spheres is playable somehow. Most likely an unlockable mode.

 

Oh, it would be SO awesome a 2 player mode for blue spheres.

[Red Hot Jack]

So you have blue spheres AND rings? Seems pretty challenging, it's a mix between CD and Heroes. I love it! Definitely better than those pesky S3&K special stages.

[molul]

8 minutes ago, Chameleon94 said:

So you have blue spheres AND rings? Seems pretty challenging, it's a mix between CD and Heroes. I love it! Definitely better than those amazing and utterly fun S3&K special stages.

Fix'd ;P

[Pawn]

I really dislike CD's special stages, so I'm relieved to hear that it's a mix of many different ones rather than another awkward UFO collectathon. That low-poly 3D is also really firing up my nostalgia gland!