Sonic Mania SPOILERS/Impressions Thread

[Barry the Nomad]

I interviewed Tee Lopes for an hour about his career and Sonic Mania's soundtrack! Really cool guy.

http://segabits.com/blog/2017/09/13/swingin-report-show-89-sonic-mania-tee-lopes-composer-interview/
 

 

[molul]

I played a few more hours yesterday. Finished the game with Knuckles and got all emeralds. There's no Egg Reverie for Knuckles, right? It was a bit underwhelming going back to Titanic Monarch and having the same ending with all emeralds ^_^U

I started a new game with Sonic alone and reached Press Garden. At this point I can say I don't like Stardust Speedway and Press Garden zones. Stardust feels like Sonic CD to me: apart from the Metal Sonic fight, the stage is boring for me. And Press Garden... There's something about the chosen colors for the backgrounds (especially act 1) that feels weird. 

I noticed, however, that there is more variety than I thought. I was talking in another thread that Sonic should incorporate ideas from "standard" platformers, like changing the background during a stage (going indoors/outdoors), giving some short challenge to advance... This already exists in Mania! The Oil Ocean submarine, the Flying Battery in/out transitions... I'd like even more of that, but it's cool that they added it. This keeps Mania being close/equal to S3K in my personal classics list. 

Oh, and definitely, Blue Spheres shouldn't be a bonus stage again. After I got all medals, I never stop on any star post to make a bonus. In S3K I stopped to get shields or rings. Actually, I haven't played the Blue Spheres extra mode due to it being always random. If I had some sense of "completing" that mode, even though it had 100 stages, I would.

Competition mode, not being online, is a lost opportunity of making this game a lot more fun. 

So I guess there's a lot of room for improvement for Mania

[superman43]

1 hour ago, molul said:

I started a new game with Sonic alone and reached Press Garden. At this point I can say I don't like Stardust Speedway and Press Garden zones. Stardust feels like Sonic CD to me: apart from the Metal Sonic fight, the stage is boring for me. And Press Garden... There's something about the chosen colors for the backgrounds (especially act 1) that feels weird. 

Like... really ? I think that Sonic CD´s Stardust Speedway is just very speedy with few traps (that can result in weird deaths sometimes). Whereas act 1 in Mania is something I have been waiting for a long time. Marble Garden´s gimmicks fit perfectly and are way more cool than in the Marble Garden itself. The music then. Ohh... the only annoying thing are those laser-firing Hotaru´s which are brought from Sonic CD´s Metallic Madness.

About Press Garden... well, it should look like of old building and I think that if it was a real press building it would be kind of dull. 

1 hour ago, molul said:

I noticed, however, that there is more variety than I thought. I was talking in another thread that Sonic should incorporate ideas from "standard" platformers, like changing the background during a stage (going indoors/outdoors), giving some short challenge to advance... This already exists in Mania! The Oil Ocean submarine, the Flying Battery in/out transitions... I'd like even more of that, but it's cool that they added it. This keeps Mania being close/equal to S3K in my personal classics list. 

I really like what they did with stages... Green Hill having the second act just beneath the hills, Chemical Plant being inside the factory, Studiopolis no comment... 
Yes, I appreciate Flying Battery in/out transitions in act 2, despite them being only teleports to the other section of level instead. 

About Oil Ocean I think there could be some more motion of the oil when in submarine as if it was moving in the ocean. But other than that it´s perfect.

[superman43]

For all people... were in any of the classic Sonic games before Mania movable spikes ?

[Pawn]

1 minute ago, superman43 said:

For all people... were in any of the classic Sonic games before Mania movable spikes ?

As in the ones from Flying Battery? They were in S3&K in the same zone.

[superman43]

5 minutes ago, Pawn said:

As in the ones from Flying Battery? They were in S3&K in the same zone.

No, there are one in Oil Ocean as well.

[Pawn]

58 minutes ago, superman43 said:

No, there are one in Oil Ocean as well.

Yeah, but you asked if they appeared in the Classics. They did in Flying Battery, but as far as I remember they didn't in anywhere else.

[superman43]

Just now, Pawn said:

Yeah, but you asked if they appeared in the Classics. They did in Flying Battery, but as far as I remember they didn't in anywhere else.

Yeah, I forgot about Flying Battery but yes I wanted to know some other zone if there is any. I am think whether the Mirage Saloon´s bar stools can count as reference to rotating platforms in Palmtree Panic (those black on the ground) and Wacky Workbench (the floating ones) as they move the character in the same way. And also the Rattlekiller´s attack pattern being similar to Crawlton´s in Mystic Cave Zone in Sonic 2.

[Sean]

Beat the game in one sitting for the first time. Played as Sonic with Knuckles as my partner and no Super Sonic whatsoever

Game's still fucking awesome.

[Tenko]

The set up for a sequel, even if it ends up connecting to Sonic Forces, is an interesting concept.

Like, only Sonic was sucked into the portal that the Phantom Ruby made when it was in close proximity to the Chaos Emeralds. Eggman and the HBH crew weren't shown to be close enough to be drawn in with him. So if Sonic is not in the picture in his own "dimension", if you accept Eggmans words in Sonic Forces, or "time", if you go by Generations logic, then who is helping Tails and Knuckles keep Eggman in check in his own dimension/time?

Mania 2 or whatever it ends up being called, if it happens, could end up being like Forces, or even Chronicles 2 but in this classic era dimension. Perhaps Eggman will use his absence to take control or capture Tails/Knuckles (like the canned Sonic Xtreme story idea) etc. If it uses any older zones again it could call back to ones like Mecha Green Hill Zone, or destroyed versions of older era zones. Rescuing Tails/Knuckles or defeating Mecha versions of them to unlock them as playable. HBH return as main threats in Eggmans controlling forces. Blah, blah etc etc.

Was going over ideas for what the end of Mania, and even if it is joined with Forces, the completion of that game too and I imagine Mania Sonic returning to his dimension, could mean for a hypothetical follow up to this unresolved plot point in Mania. 

[molul]

As many have already said, I think Sonic Mania 2 wouldn't be as good idea as Mania. Reimagined levels, bosses, etc wouldn't be so "forgivable".

Whatever a future 2D classic Sonic is called, this weekend I knew one more thing I want to be brought back: S3&K's MECHA SONIC. 

[Meta77]

I play the game now from time to time. The music and animations are beautiful still but it's long time appeal is short. I tend to go to it whenever another game has a big update file to goof around for a few minutes. Otherwise I hardly touch it now. That plus I blame Destiny and senran that's coming out

[molul]

I know I'll play it much more if it ever comes to Android. 

[Meta77]

I can't play platformers on phones. Switch was my answers to that hurdle

[molul]

Not on phone: on my 8" tablet (Nvidia Shield K1). And not with touch controls (they suck), but with physical bluetooth controllers, like 8bitdo's collection, or the iPega 9023 which turns your tablet or phone into a Switch much before the Switch existed. It's easier for me to plug my tablet to my TV or projector than bringing my laptop to the living room.

I really hope Nvidia launches a new Shield tablet with controls similar to the Switch's. Actually, the Switch was the reason Nvidia cancelled the Nvidia Shield Tablet X1 on August 2016.

[MetalSkulkBane]

My extremely late thoughts on the game: if you can forgive the blunt playing on nostalgia and certain lack of originality, it's good. Great even. Gameplay wise might be best Sonic game ever. Graphics, sound, obvious heart put into it, bla bla bla, you heard it before. (Although it may surprise you that I'm a Adventures fan and I think classic games are 'okay')

To add anything to discussion, I'll complain on one aspect people seem to ignore: bosses. Most of them are build to be creative, but not exactly challenging. I mean, that toy machine with Amy Doll. Fun idea, but it's third to last boss and it's piss easy. And Egg Phantom forces you to stand still in a corner, completely safe. Heavy Knight on the other hand is hard, but in the bad way, because there is little skill or strategy to her, just patience and timing (also, screw Octopus boss). My favorite bosses are Heavy Shinobi (avoid start, remember bout their explosions, attack in right time, freezing can be used to avoid explosion, in short: THINK) and second phase of Egg Pistons from Sonic 1, because it keeps you moving.

Now let's be fair, Sonic never had that many amazing bosses, even in classic games. But with that said: METAL SONIC!!!

What did they do to my favorite character? I heard that people like this fight and I don't get why. Phase 1: avoid him like he's annoying fly. Phase 2: okay, throwing silver-bots is kinda cool. And then is the god-awful phrase 3. Who though it's a good idea to replace classic Instant Death Laser with Harmless Spikes that Keep Rings for You? Why terrain is flat with no obstacles? Why Metal is as aggressive as sleepy chao, combined with a sloth? I'm not going to pretend original race was that great, but it was memorable and original, like most other Mania bosses.

This might be best game ever, but Sonic 4 or even Rise of Lyric had better Metal than this.

[Tenko]

I still don't get the hate for Oil Ocean Act 2's Octopus boss, it's a combination of two easy bosses from Sonic 2 and Sonic & Knuckles. Even Knuckles with his lower jump height can jump back up on the platforms after launching himself at the boss. I wouldn't think I'm any more skilled than the next old school Sonic fan and I passed it first try with Knuckles and didn't understand what all the complaints were about.

Only boss I found that needed better reaction times with Knuckles was the Piston boss, as you have to see him and time your run jump quicker if you hope to get to him on time with the shorter jump. But again the boss is easy so staying alive isn't an issue 

[molul]

I agree with most bosses being great (and varied: eggman, heavies, puyopuyo, minibosses...), and that Metal Sonic was too easy, especially the final race with the wall keeping you rings. Hey, that's good feedback for next game!

[MetalSkulkBane]

6 hours ago, Tenko said:

I still don't get the hate for Oil Ocean Act 2's Octopus boss, it's a combination of two easy bosses from Sonic 2 and Sonic & Knuckles. Even Knuckles with his lower jump height can jump back up on the platforms after launching himself at the boss. I wouldn't think I'm any more skilled than the next old school Sonic fan and I passed it first try with Knuckles and didn't understand what all the complaints were about.

Only boss I found that needed better reaction times with Knuckles was the Piston boss, as you have to see him and time your run jump quicker if you hope to get to him on time with the shorter jump. But again the boss is easy so staying alive isn't an issue 

It's not hard, just slow and repetitive. "Stand still and wait for tail. Now wait for laser. Now wait for Octo, score two hits and repeat". Good boss either has more random behavior, forces you to move or allows you to kill him faster by taking riskier strategies. Here it's just  waiting for exactly same moves.

[molul]

After my fifth playthrough, I really miss proper bonus stages, and I wish the special stages were a bit harder (the UFO a bit faster).

[Anarchistguy]

I made a video of myself playing the game with a Saturn controller. Feels pretty damn good.

 

 

Envoyé de mon SGH-I257M en utilisant Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

[molul]

I forgot the pleasure of swiping from button A to C to make the spindash freaking fast.

We need a Mega Drive bluetooth controller!

[superman43]

Well, this is quite rare. I tried to go through stages as fast as possible, from Chemical Plant and finished with Hydrocity, just for fun.
EDIT: Pay attention to that Tails' sprite.

[TheOcelot]

In Sonic 3 when you finish the stage with a time of 9:59 (within the 10 minutes time limit) you get a 500 score bonus.

Well, in Mania it turns out you get a whopping 1000 point bonus!

I love this guys reaction:

 

[Sonictrainer]

Quote

An unused love tester machine (discovered by @Codenamegamma) intended to appear in Studiopolis Zone at some point. 

Each character using it would have a different reaction to different characters. 

Sonic would get angry when being paired to Eggman, a neutral response to Tails and Knuckles, and would win the jackpot by connecting to Amy - though be unhappy about it.

Tails would get sad from being paired to Eggman, a neutral response to Amy or Knuckles, and get the jackpot by connecting to Sonic.

Knuckles using the item would get angry for being paired to Sonic get a neutral response from Tails or Amy, but would win the jackpot with Eggman.

This would have been the second reference to Amy in the game if it was implemented - the other being one of the toys from Metallic Madness Zone’s boss.

While it would have been a fun inclusion, it doesn’t really fit with the TV studio aesthetic of Studopolis Zone.

I don't think I can handle Classic Knuckles happy face.