What could a potential Sonic Mania 2 add to the Classic gameplay style?

[Detective Kaito]

Sonic Mania added the Drop Dash, even while many people did not actively use it, it was still something new that made Sonic's gameplay feel new and refined.

Let's take the Sonic Advance series as an example, the first game added an Attack button, the second game added a boost that could be achieved by reaching your max speed and maintaining it, and the third game added the Team mechanic.

Besides new levels or characters, what new mechanics do you think that Sonic Mania 2 could introduce to keep the Classic Sonic gameplay style fresh?

[Bridge-Moon Entertainment]

I have no idea what they should introduce, but I think they should bring back the team mechanic from Sonic Advance 3 and improve upon it.

[Indigo Rush]

I'd like to see them take another crack at the time travel mechanic, also more playing in the background and foreground like in Metallic Madness 1. 

I kinda want them to keep the Special Stages the same, with a few new ideas, like slopes or something. Those were so good.

[Wraith]

I wouldn't make any changes to the mechanics of the original trio. I'd add more playstyles in and try to accommodate for those. 

 

I also want more collectables aside from the big rings. I love exploring and would honestly love to have more stuff to find. 

[Nast]

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[Red Hot Jack]

Definitely Amy as a playable character, I would add an inoffensive gimmick that lets you interact with the stages, a la Fire & Ice. I would also add esclusive routes for both Sonic and Tails.

[Maxtiis]

The core foundation of these games is so solid,at this point, I wouldn't think adding to it would do anything more than risk ruining it. Adding more nuance to each character that gives them more options of traversing the world would probably be the best fit, much like the drop dash which has become so useful to me that I think I'll have a difficult time adjusting to its absence when I revisit the older games.

Although if I were to add something more substantial, @Indigo Rush mentioned doing more with the time travel which I would also like to see, so maybe realizing Oshima's original idea of having the level alter itself as you're running would warrant a revisit with the possibilities available with that.

[TailsTellsTales]

Definitely add classic Amy as playable character. Yeah I know that was not part of the original post request but I feel strongly she should be added. Also I agree with another poster about the new shields like in Time Twisted. Other than that the formula is very well made unless you want to bring back Super Emeralds and have 4 Hyper characters if you include Amy.

[molul]

I was about to say that there's nothing they can add now, but these people came with the drop dash (which I heavily use, and miss in the classic as much as I missed spindash in original Sonic 1), a move that could perfectly have appeared in Sonic 2 (btw: if they make a Sonic 3 remaster I hope they add drop dash xD). They might create something new and cool.

I wouldn't add new characters. I'd let Knuckles and Tails have elemental shields movements along with their own moves. And would also bring instashield back.

And I'd also take the Mario approach: create a new item. That's a good way to add a power up without making it available all the time. 

 

On 27/9/2017 at 7:44 PM, Indigo Rush said:

I'd like to see them take another crack at the time travel mechanic, also more playing in the background and foreground like in Metallic Madness 1. 

I kinda want them to keep the Special Stages the same, with a few new ideas, like slopes or something. Those were so good.

If they get back to time travel, I'd make it an item. Just hit the monitor or touch whatever object and go past or future. The running mechanic is not fun imho.

I agree woth the bg/fg. More of this in other stages!

And yes, I'd like special stages to evolve from Mania's as well 

 

[molul]

It just came to my mind: ability to jump down from platforms. Logically, Sonic should descend uncurled, which is a bit risky, but I've always missed this in the classics and Mania. I don't know why Sonic or 2D Mario didn't add this long time ago.

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

Maybe more character specific paths. Give knuckles a one melee punch. More background bosses Maybe? Idk. Give tails the ability to grab airborne objects and drop them places or sonic the ability to ride mobile or airborne badniks.

[Tony Caline]

Honestly, I think it'd be a bit hard to improve upon something that already feels like it's earned its 5-stars. I think the drop dash was absolutely perfect in the implementation, and it didn't feel like it was something they just shoehorned in for the sake of being 'new' to be new. Beyond that, I think it'd be pretty difficult to add anything else. You have to make sure you keep the balance of simplicity with games like this, because becoming too overbearing with multiple controls and switches and things for one character - especially in 2D - can become cumbersome to deal with if you're not careful.

Honestly, I think the only real way to go would be more original locations, with some more variations in branching paths for characters like Tails and Knuckles. I feel like those two got to have some ability-specific variation in their routes, but it didn't feel like it was explored all that much. They could definitely use some more attention, and I think that'd be super swell - to make their campaigns feel more unique and all.

[Multikaris]

From Triple Trouble, i’d bring back the godsend of an ability that was the re-curl from a spring. Who’s to say Tails and Knuckles don’t also get peel-outs? Maybe Knuckles gets a CD-style Spin Dash instead of (or somehow in addition to) said Peel-Out. This Spin Dash may allow him to break harder obstacles. Something along the lines of Utopia has been suggested often, and would be nice to see.