Sonic Mania Plus Becomes The Highest-Rated Sonic Game In 25 Years

Definitely deserved, I wonder about sales though as that's what the execs really care about.

Well deserved.

Loved playing through Sonic Mania last year. Reminded me of playing 1,2 and 3 on the Mega Drive when i was growing up.

I have only played through the first level of PLUS though. The physical edition is really nice to have.

I’m glad people like it, but man...I don’t get it. I played through the game when it first came out, but I really didn’t enjoy it much. Level design is pretty bad, way too many bosses (most of which aren’t fun)...eh.

If you ask me, it’s not even the best Sonic game on Switch, let alone in the last 25 years.

Brilliant! But i don't see how Sonic CD got such high marks.

Not sure about best game though. Sonic & Knuckles with Sonic 3 plugged in (to me) was the best, then Sonic Mania

It's funny. I liked Sonic 1 & 2 (for example) but not massively. Never played many of the Sonics after that until purchasing and playing Sonic Mania on the Switch only this year. Ive played and completed it but still can't say I totally enjoyed it. All down to personal taste. I'll tell you however, I respect the hell out of the devs who created it. It's a beautiful game which runs and sounds incredible. I recently purchased the Plus DLC in support of this.

Still hoping for a adventure game with Mario and sonic working together. Even if it's something like mario rpg (gameplay)

Well deserved. Plus made an already fantastic Sonic game — fully worthy of and, in some ways, superior to the canonical 5 Mega Drive titles — even better. Love the changes they made to the Stardust Speedway boss (kinda makes me wish Sega Ages would include the obscure Knuckles Chaotix—isn’t that where the new final version of Metal Sonic derives from?), the menu layout is gorgeous, and 2 new characters plus two new playable modes? Unbelievable. Bravo, Sega.

I thought the game was a bit overrated. The levels themselves were fun, but I didn’t find boss battles very good. Sonic has never really been that great, I suppose.

@Krambo42

WOW, I'm really impressed !

Just with what you have written( *), I know what type of gamer you are.
You are the type of gamers that I like the most. YOU ANALYZE WHAT YOU PLAY ! ^^

You know what, I'm totally agree with you but I have to add something personally :

They did an awesome job with the feeling, the atmosphere and the visuals.

Basically, it's not a bad game at all but yeah, it's overated BECAUSE it's a 2D SONIC !

7/10 for me

(*) "I played through the game when it first came out, but I really didn’t enjoy it much. Level design is pretty bad, way too many bosses (most of which aren’t fun)...eh."

Game success-confirmed...
Activating cash launcher to begin sequel...

@Cobalt thanks, and I agree! The game looks and sounds and feels right...it just wasn’t very fun to play. They did a good job with a lot of it, it was just missing something (or somethings).

Sonic 2 is probably still the best for me as most of what I liked about Mania is from Sonic 2 but it's definitely up there.

Now Nintendo should learn that the modding community isn't an evil entity that should be shut down to protect its Ip's that they aren't even selling and they should embrace them instead. Why shut down Mario 64 online as opposed to working with them to perhaps even release the game officially in some capacity? Sonic Mania wouldn't exist if Sega behaved in the same manner and even Capcom, whilst it shut down the fan remake of RE2, it did so to do it themselves. Nintendo shuts these down but then just sits on it's hands and does nothing with the games so nobody can play them.

Anyway back to Sonic, well done on a great game

@The-Chosen-one a collab as good as the Rabbids one would be ace! Maybe more straight up RPG adventure like you say

People saying Nintendo need to be more like Sega in this way need to remember the difference between Nintendo and Sega - Nintendo are still actually making great games from their own IP. When we've had 10 terrible Mario games in a row Nintendo can hand over the reigns to a fan.

Maybe I’d like Sonic more if I had plenty of time to play. I just gave it a whirl now, and lost all three lives right near the end of the level, with no clue as to how to get past that point - I can’t be bothered going back through the whole level for a similar result. So it ain’t for me. I was excited when the infinite continues cheat code was announced, but I can’t access it, so I doubt I’ll play it again.

@BionicDodo yeah, ridiculous comments. Agree.

It’s praise is well-deserved. Feels like a modern version of a classic Sonic game in the best way possible.

@Fake-E-Lee I sadly feel the same way. Back in the 16 bit days, I was firmly in the SNES camp on the outside looking in at Sonic, but it seemed like something fun to play. Years later, when I finally had my chance to "catch up", I dunno... I like Sonic, but other than pinballing my way to the stage end, I felt like I wasn't playing ALL of the game.
Nonetheless, it's characters are memorable, game is exhilarating, songs are catchy, and it definitely deserves a place in all of gamedom.

Despite a few frustrating moments from bosses, this is definitely the best Sonic game since Sonic 2.

@Fake-E-Lee I kind of feel the same.

There is a logic to the level design in Sonic games but it’s something that tends to fly by me. They more often than not end up feeling like a giant confusing mess.

Plus the controls and physics are a bit floaty compared to Mario and enemies are too often hard to hit without being hit.

The games do have a big upside - they’re approachable (partly because the rings system makes you durable) and they’re pretty but they are a mess compared to - say - any Mario game.

Is this like saying "The Visit" was the best M Knight Shamalamdingdong film for years?

Sega’s response: “Well, let’s never do that again”

With of without the Plus part, this is easily the best Sonic game in that time.

It's a damn great game and it deserves the accolades, but people tend to overhype the 'fan made project' thing. Christian Whitehead in particular worked on Sega projects in the past before Mania with CD, 1, and 2 remasters that perfected the games while adding his own spin on things like Hidden Palace Zone in Sonic 2. These guys aren't random fans, these are guys that worked with Sega in the past before so they had some relevancy to them.

@EvilLucario True, but the story behind WHY Christian+co were allowed to make the Sonic CD version in the first place, is exactly why this is touted as a "fan made project"
That's exactly how this all started, and it's such an amazingly rare tale.
To have the fans essentially take over what is SEGA's most important franchise, is absolutely unheard of in gaming (AFAIK).

Very impressive and well deserved, Sonic is back.

Just glad to see SEGA doing well on Switch.

Good, hopefully this encourages them to drop all other attempts at Sonic and only focus on neo-retro incarnations like Sonic Mania from now on.

Same goes for Streets of Rage, they need to make part 4 but do it old school retro style just like the original Trilogy.

Sonic Mania was a dream come true for this long-time Sonic fan. It more than made up for the disappointment that was Sonic 4. I see a lot of comments in this criticizing the level design-- I feel like maybe some of those don't understand what Sonic is all about. It is a platformer, but people look at it and compare it directly to Mario, which would seem fair at first, but the comparison falls apart upon further inspection.

Mario (and other platformers of that time like DKC) are course clear games where you can almost always find every secret in one run, maybe two. At maximum, you'll have one branching path to the sky or to an underworld, and perhaps one or two secret exits. Sonic, however, has a multitude of branching paths and options for players, which can seem overwhelming if you are expecting to stop and explore each one, which is NOT the way to play Sonic. During a run through, you are technically always making a choice to use one path INSTEAD of several others, which is such a different experience. The levels make perfect sense, and I would argue they are NOT a mess as many commenters here are saying, but rather that they just require a less completionistic playstyle.

@Jayenkai No doubt, Christian's proof of concept for CD on mobile did turn heads. But after that, Christian and team got to where they are now mostly due to merit, not just from being massive Sonic fans.

But yes, it is unprecedented for fans to essentially helm a mainline game for a series. But that's going to be commonplace eventually as original creators retire and new blood is introduced to keep the spirit alive. And besides, Sonic hasn't had the best track record since Generations, so making fans work on one game for such a mishandled franchise isn't anything too crazy compared to the stuff they tried with Sonic.

Now let's hope this drills the idea into Sonic Team's head that this is the kind of Sonic game that fans love. Not any of the other weird twists and spin offs they've tried over the years...

@Heavyarms55 Not sure..
The last time "Sonic Team" felt that the fans wanted more classic 2D adventures, we got Sonic 4..

@Fake-E-Lee

same here. i liked green hill zones in sonic games but that's about it. once they moved on from those i stop playing.

same with mania. i'm in the casino zone and have no care to go back to it. all the games give me the same feeling; just zipping around not knowing where to go or what's happening. just a bunch of disjointed tunnels, loops, and bounce pads.

last sonic game i'll buy/play most likely. i just figured i'd give it another shot and put a +1 on a switch sell.

I see all the cool kids are here to say how much they don’t like the thing that’s popular 🙄

@Fandabidozi Or maybe they/we just don't think it's that great. Believe me, I know how I feel about the game.

Looks like Sonic Team needs to learn a thing or two from a bunch of indie devs

This game was definitely a breath of fresh air, Nowadays it's not often that I enjoy a platformer as much as I did this one.

@Cobalt Your ability to implicitly insult a large group of people is astounding. Let me ask you--am I the type of gamer who analyzes what he plays, or am I one of the mindless drones who just plays games unthinkingly?

See this is what happens when you listen to your fans Sega now about that Genesis collection that you still refuse to release for Switch. Bring it with more games or lose the dollars.

@PanurgeJr
Your ability to implicitly insult me is astounding. Let me ask you--am I the type of man who talks to you, or am I one who talked to @Krambo42 ?

Man, I don't know who you are. I talk to Krambo42 BECAUSE he explain his point of view on Sonic mania.
From there, I could say back something to him. That you want it or not, today there are less and less gamers who analyze what they play...
They read reviews and BECAUSE the reviews are positives, they say that they like a game. I even knew a guy who talked about games that he never played... just insane... o_O

To conclude, I don't know if YOU analyze what you play or not and to be totally honest with you, who cares ? There is nothing bad to just play the same way as some people watch a movie.

It's not a question of better or worse, just a choice... that's all dude.

PEACE

I have really enjoyed playing a proper 2D Sonic game for the first time since the 90s. I LIKE how it plays differently than a Mario game. I don't consider it a bad thing.

Not exactly a high bar to overcome. But well deserved anyways; it's an amazing game.

It's no Sonic 2. For me the ability to save ruined Sonic games. I quite like Mania but just for occasional blast.

@Piscean64

Sonic Colours and Sonic Lost World are not bad at all. ^^

I wish Capcom would take a hint from this and let some superfine design a new Mega Man X game. Imagine if they made one that was as good as the SNES ones and one that abandoned all the lore after X3?

I honestly liked Sonic Mania more than S3&K. And that was before the Plus update. I'll always think of 2 as my favorite, if only for the fond memories I have from my childhood, but Mania Plus comes pretty close to topping it.

@Bunkerneath I don't understand why Sonic CD got such high marks too, personally I just couldn't get into it but guess will have to give it another go and see if I feel differently. Sonic & Knuckles with Sonic 3 is my favourite Sonic game too.

Would be nice to have a great 3D Sonic game again, just saying.

Sonic adventure on the dream cast was my favorite sonic as a kid.

"Thank you for being there with us, every step of the way".

Translation: Thank you for buying the bad games too.

Sonic Mania is a good game, but Sonic 3 & Knuckles is much better, so hopefully we'll see it remastered... Some day.

It is more than nostalgic moment. It does feel like today's platform games. It's a good time killer basically and to me it has a really good replay value.

This game is absolutely deserving of that score.