From the opening title's splash screen, Sonic Mania 's presentation is intoxicating. Its colorful, retro 2D graphics and vibrant '90s-inspired pop soundtrack is enough to make any Sega Genesis fan squeal in excitement.

Balances references to the past with new and fresh ideas; Fantastic music and graphical presentation; Characters playstyles stand apart from one another; Top-notch level design and fun unlockables encourage replays; Old and new zones are a joy to play through

Inexplicable limitations on secret modes and abilities diminishes the fun of their use

When Sonic Mania starts, you get a title screen just like in the old games and the ability to start a single-player game or play against a friend. This multiplayer part mirrors that of the old games, as the screen is split in two, and so you compete to get through the courses first, setting up other...

Still, even when stumbles a bit, it's only on little speedbumps in the road. For every issue I had, it didn't take long before I was enjoying myself again, eagerly anticipating what sort of wacky wonders the game would throw at me next.

Like the Kevin Smith version of A New Hope I imagine almost daily, Sonic Mania is a game made by fans, for fans. And that's not a bad thing. Newcomers may be turned off by the intermittent difficulty spikes, but others may finally understand why many childhoods were spent looking for a kid who had a...

Eggscellent Level Design; Eggsceptional Art Style; Feels like Sonic

Frustratingly Old-School; Tags

1992 is alive and well. Christian Whitehead and team turn in a beautiful rewrite of the 16-bit Sonic games with all-new stages.

Different from most open world games you actually feel like a hero in a comic