Sonic Mania — The Best Sonic Game in Over Two Decades?

Ahh, he’s back. Everyone’s favourite anthropomorphic hedgehog makes his return in Sonic Mania, which taps into what made the original set of Sonic games so beloved. This new release tried to recapture what made everyone fall in love with the 16-bit classics in the first place, bringing back retro-style visuals, fast gameplay, and both original levels and remixes of classic levels.

It pretty much sounds like the Sonic game fans have been begging for for decades, but is it as good as it sounds? Reviews for the game have begun rolling in, and it sounds like the blue speedster’s old-school resurrection is doing what it promised.

Polygon – 7/10

“Sonic Mania is forcing me to use one of the most forbidden cliches in a reviewer’s lexicon. The mileage you get out of it will depend significantly on what you want it to be… Sonic Mania seems content to paint over some of the series’ problems rather than fix them, making for a game that falls a little short of what might have been.”

GameSpot – 9/10

“An excellent 2D platformer, Sonic Mania goes beyond expectations, managing to be not only a proper evolution of the series’ iconic formula, but the best Sonic game ever made.”

Eurogamer – Essential

“Mania takes everything that was memorable about Sega’s pioneering 2D platformers and rejuvenates it, to the point where you can only put down the pad in astonishment… What’s old has become new, and Sonic is once again the star he was supposed to be.”

IGN – 8.7/10

“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. It truly is the classic throwback longtime series fans have been clamoring for, but there’s plenty to love here even if you didn’t grow up with a Genesis. Sonic Mania is a stellar example of a retro revival done right.”

Game Informer – 8.5/10

“A return to the series’ roots in every sense, Sonic Mania is a joyful reminder why the franchise became such a hit in the first place. Though it’s content with reliving past glories, it does so exceptionally well.”

Kotaku – No Score

“Sonic Mania is a celebration, a digitized block party of blistering speeds and bright worlds. Sega’s decision to hand their famous mascot over to fan creators and artists has paid massive dividends, creating a game that is not just a welcome return to form but a raucous, delightful experience… Sonic Mania clearly articulates Sonic’s true appeal: Sonic is pure joy, a spinning ball of fun blazing a trail towards the next adventure.”

Sonic Mania is available now on Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC.