Sega’s most illustrious character returns in all of his 16-bit glory this spring with the release of Sonic Mania – only this time the iconic blue hedgehog has some new moves.
While the Sega-made 2D title takes its inspiration from the MegaDrive/Genesis classics of the early 1990s, developers are still adding to Sonic’s rather limited repertoire of run, jump and spin.
“Tails flies, Knuckles can glide and climb. Sonic had nothing,” Sega’s Aaron Webber told Engadget.
As a result, Sonic now has something. A new “drop dash” move that allows Sonic to land from a jump attack and instantly fire off in any direction.
The report from an Engadget hands-on says it “lets the player drop down from a jump into an accelerated, controllable spin-dash attack. Once on the ground, players can instantly change direction without coming out of the attack.”
Also on Friday, Sega released a new Sonic Mania level for our perusal. Green Hill Zone Act II is inspired by the original, but features new routes (including a new upper level) and secrets. You’ll surely recognise the music, though.
Sonic Mania, which re-imagines zones from Sonic 1, 2 and 3 is out this spring for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC.
Also scheduled for 2017 is a new, as-yet-unnamed game codenamed Project Sonic, which looks continue the legacy of the Sonic Generations franchise.
Will you be revisiting Sonic’s heyday this spring or will you be waiting for Project Sonic? Share your thoughts below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
