Sonic Mania is a treat for classic Sonic fans of all ages, but those that fiddled around with the original games & Knuckles will remember the debug modes that allowed you to mess around with any stage and completely ruin its subtle layout. Thankfully Sonic Mania delivers once again, as the classic stage select screen and debug mode reappears, albeit in a more restricted manner.

In order to access this mode you simply need to hold the B and Y buttons down on your controller of choice on the title screen before the 'Press Any Button' prompt appears. Then once it has, continue to hold these two buttons and press the Plus button. You'll be catapulted into the stage select menu where you can choose to play any stage the game has to offer.
Once you're in a stage if you press the X button you'll enter debug mode, which allows you to fly around freely and place various objects such as Rings, enemies, and Item Boxes. Objects can be cycled through with the B button, placed with the Y button, the X button returns you back to being Sonic, and the A button cycles through the different Item Box variations.


It's a lot of fun to just mess around with, but we would naturally recommend you play through the game normally to keep everything excellent a surprise for yourself. Once you've done that though, the game is your oyster as far as we're concerned.
Comments 12
YEY! I'm so glad that it's back, nice little touch
Shame its not the old code Up,C,Down,C,Left,C,Right, Hold A+Down+ Press Start
Anyone want Sonic Maker?
Not afraid to outright spoil secrets in titles huh?
Awesome! Now if I get stuck because I'm not a great sonic player, I'll have another option to experience the whole game I bought. I'm definitely going to resist though, be nice to beat my first Sonic game legitimately. 😆
Looks like a fun thing to do after I beat the game. Just got done grinding through Oil Ocean so I'll be trying this out soon hopefully
This is the closest to a Sonic Maker that we will ever get but it's still good and a nice throwback to the first four Sonic games.
I can't believe how many stages there are. Only got to Press Garden with 2 chaos emeralds I n last 24 hours and it felt half way by normal sonic standards.
Another 9 worlds with 17 stages left to play in massively impressive and welcome
Does anyone know if I could use this mode to find where the bonus stages are on each map? Because that would be helpful after my initial playthrough.
I was hoping to be surprised by any "secret modes". Thanks article headline. Guess I should've abstained from the internet until I completed the game.
Sonic Maker confirmed.
@Bunkerneath Yup. In the US version the C presses are not necessary. Just up down left right A plus start. I do miss input codes in games. The Genesis has a ton.
@LiberatedAnimal Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B, C, A + Start was to get level select not debug mode
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