A few weeks ago, it was announced that Sonic Mania would be receiving a fairly substantial update later on this year in the form of Sonic Mania Plus, which will be adding new characters, remixed levels, and various other enhancements to make this fantastic throwback even better. The update is due to release in the summer, yet SEGA accidentally just blundered and released an early version of the patch that will precede it.
Some PS4 players in the UK caught an update (which is no longer available) for Sonic Mania on the PlayStation Store and downloaded it, revealing some early details of what’s to come alongside the expansion. Here’s a list of the changes, compiled by TwistedVivid on Reddit:
- All zones that lacked transitions now have them
- You can skip all cutscenes
- Skipping cutscenes between acts makes you lose your shield oddly
- Menus got a total overhaul
- You can now change the options on Save Files. Meaning you can use Insta-Shield, Super Peel out and & Knuckles mode in save file.
- The time limit can be disabled through this option
- Multiplayer added a non-stretched mode
- There's a new DLC options in the menu
- Metal Sonic boss fight got changed in multiple ways
- Phase 2 was tampered to be reduced to 3 hits & for Silver Sonic to shoot bullets out to hit Metal when killed
- The run afterwards is shortened to reduce time
- Metal Sonic boss third phase got totally redone with a fight with Metal Sonic Kai from Knuckles Chaotix but only its Blue Metal Sonic Kai
- New graphics & sound effects were added as well
- Hydrocity Zone Act.2's transition to the second phase of its boss got touched up on (there's a tube graphic & you get pushed out of water now)
- Super Sonic got new animations including a brand new idle animation
- The ice blocks in Press Garden Act.2 got a graphical change
- The unused animations of characters looking back & forth in ice blocks got added
- Tails Chemical Plant Act.1 intro cutscene got added (it's a new animation, not the known unused one)
Also, here’s a video showing off some of the new changes:
Though thankfully none of the Plus content was in this update, it’s very likely that Switch owners will see a similar patch go out in August when the expansion does arrive.
What do you think? How did SEGA let something like this slip out? What else would you like to see in the Plus expansion? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source reddit.com]
Comments 26
"Oh no!"
– Knuckles
Nintendolife seems to be awfully slow with the news lately, also the fact that no news gets posted over the weekends probably doesn't help
YES! I was hoping the missing level transitions would be added! I know it's little, but damn the transition into Titanic Monarch looks so much better. Originally I was unsure if it was the final level first time but now you can tell right away it is.
And man, a new Metal Sonic fight, very interesting.
@Hikingguy Yeah, the demo was one of those that downloads the entire game and then just sections off a part of it, but they forgot to section anything off.
There's so many differences it makes me wonder if maybe it should be interesting to keep the digital version unerased once I buy the retail one.
Although I guess I'll have to erase it to avoid problems with the save file, that should be the same, right?
@Moroboshi876: Maybe you could d/l the game as another user of your console? I dunno. I don't own a Switch, yet.
@Everyone_Else: An 18 count changelog. I suppose people will backup their current copies, when the time comes, and just d/l the updated game to another sd card, or another account on the NS, if you can d/l the same game from different accounts.(Have 2, or more of the same game, just a different account.)
I don't think that's possible, because each game is tied to an account, and if that account gets erased the game can't be launched.
Downloading it to the SD card would be an idea, but the problem is save file would be the same and it's always in the internal storage.
They forgot to change the ending so it doesn't tie in with that crappy Sonic Forces.
I doubt "accidentally". This is like giving IOS users a new Android upgrade, but not everyone will get it. Eventually everyone will have the update. To me this news feels like that
SEGA giving out free stuff for Playstation users? Hmm, not suspect at all there
Clever marketing ploy to get the game in the news to boost sales
The losing your shield thing seems like it could be a bug they missed or something like that.
@mgnoodle I don't think it's a "ploy" so much as a genuine attempt to keep polishing everything, adding in some cool new features and modes and stuff, and making it the best version of the game they can. These guys are actually proud of their work and clearly want to create something great and that reminds us why we loved Sonic in the first place--and they're doing a better job than Sega's in-house teams have done in a long, long time.
The timer deactivation will be applied immediately. I love exploring levels but that 10 min timer is annoying. Especially in the last levels.
@Moonlessky losing the lead, I find what breaks on mynintendonews website then follows on Nintendo life days later!
@impurekind adding to the game is great. I just mean the “accidental” release of the of patches
Need to sort that whole losing your shield thing out.
@mgnoodle Ah, I see what ya mean. Yeah, I'm starting to think there's a few companies doing stuff like this on purpose. But I guess, in this particular case of leaking something early deliberately, even though it's slightly manipulative, it's largely harmless and in some ways kinda cool for the community of gamers out there to get a wee look/play of it early. And if we had this happening a few times a month instead of all the crap like micro-transactions, loot crates, and abusive casino-based mechanics like compulsion loops, avoidance and variable ratio reinforcement, something that's become all too common since the advent of smartphone gaming and the various app store, I'd certainly be a happier gamer and consumer.
Bye bye timer!!!
I'm thrilled to see I don't have to start a new game every time I use & Knuckles mode!
@Lord I've been visiting mynintendonews more lately for that reason, But I hate the comment section there its always so negative towards everything
@Moonlessky
"Nintendolife seems to be awfully slow with the news lately, also the fact that no news gets posted over the weekends probably doesn't help"
I was glad to learn of the news from this site since this was usually the only site related to Nintendo or news related to video games in general I had been visiting on a daily basis in recent times.
These are the changes that are the most significantly awesome changes to me:
You can skip all cutscenes.
You can now change the options on Save Files, meaning you can use Insta-Shield, Super Peel out and & Knuckles mode in save file.
The time limit can be disabled through this option.
Multiplayer added a non-stretched mode.
For Tails, a Chemical Plant Act 1 intro cutscene got added (it's a new animation, not the known unused one)
@FX102A Yeah. Good luck exploring Flying Battery (mainly due to egg spider taking forever to kill) or Titanic Monarch with that thing in place.
Holy crap, Metal Sonic! I thought the boss battle was already a delight, but this just makes it all the better. Also, the Metallic Madness into Titanic Monarch transition was just lovely.
Thanks for using my vid
It’s quite cool to be featured on the website
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