Sonic first hit our screens back in 1991 on the Sega Megadrive. The blue hedgehog was the answer to the popular plumber Mario. Sega needed something to match that so Sonic the Hedgehog was born.
Throughout the years, Sega have pumped out multiple games, from side-scrolling speed fests to full 3D adventures. There’s also been TV series, cartoons, soft plush toys and many more. But now, Sega has gone back to its roots, pumping out Sonic Mania, a nostalgic game that will see you revisit some of Sonic’s best levels.
But that’s not all. Sega have even included some original levels too, giving you a nice blend of expectation and surprise. Graphically, the game seems modern, but still retains that charming quality of what we saw on the original Megadrive.
The storyline is extremely linear, which I absolutely love. It means you can just sit back, relax, and zip through most of the levels, pretty much within a minute or two. All powerups you remember are also present, being the bubble, magnet and flame shield, as well as magic stars and extra life boxes.
The special zones are somewhat the same, although the zone after jumping through the giant ring is more of a race. Jumping through the checkpoint stars sends you to a circular zone where you have to collect the blue orbs and avoid the red ones. The big ring special zone sees you collect blue and golden orbs as well as rings which represent time to chase down a chaos emerald.
Sonic Mania brings back all the speed, all the fun and all the charm of the original Sonic the Hedgehog games on the original Sega Megadrive. Just make sure you got some time to kill, because once you start playing, the claws of nostalgia will keep you hooked for ages. Sonic Mania is available on Steam for £14.99.
