Sonic Mania Plus - Nintendo Switch

This is the best Sonic game yet! Great throw backs and new additions. Good amount of characters and unlocks!

Admittedly, I'm not the biggest Sonic The Hedgehog fan out there given the quality of his games tend to be too sporadic in the modern era. To me, Sonic's strength has always been in his 2D outings. The 3D games in his arsenal (even the critically acclaimed ones) never sat well with me, so when I heard that the blue hedgehog was returning to its roots, that caught my interest. Thankfully, Sonic Mania Plus is an excellent comeback that actually improves upon the formula in some ways. The simple addition of the drop dash mechanic is a standout in particular. Gameplay, music, and level design are as tight as ever but the visuals have gone through a bit of an improvement. The best way I can describe the graphics in this game compared to the old Sega Genesis titles is by saying that this is what I imagine a 2D Sonic game would have looked like if one was released for the ill-fated Sega Saturn. Also, the extra screen real-estate from the game's 16:9 aspect ratio is put to good use, which makes levels not only feel more full but also helps you get a better feeling for for stage layout. If you're a fan of old-school Sonic, then this will surely be a treat for you. All all, while Sonic 3 & Knuckles will forever remain my favorite entry in the series, I've gotta say that Sonic Mania plus is the best game since Sonic Advance 3 way back in 2004.

After years of mediocre Sonic games, the blue hedgehog has been downgraded to meme status these days, with most people expecting each release to get worse and worse. Some people even question if older sonic games were even good in the first place. Let me tell you, this game proves that the old formula still works better than ever. Sonic and friends return to their 2D roots and it' glorious. Blast through well designed classic stages at sonic speed, find hidden bonus levels to collect Chaos emeralds, and unravel the mystery of the Phantom Ruby. Sonic isn't alone in this endeavor. Knuckles and Tails return, their classic gameplay intact, along with old retro throwbacks of Mighy the Armadillo and Ray the flying squirrel. All five character control wonderfully and are quite fun. After you beat the main game? You have a Encore mode to playthrough with revised levels and even harder bonus stages. This mode has a added feature of being able to switch between characters during levels to change up how you progress. The only downside, the boss's are kinda easy and your able to spam them. But the levels more then make up for this. Now if only we could get 3D Sonic games to this caliber.

This port of the game is the best you can likely get right now. For 30 bucks you get a decent artbook and the cart. The game itself is very solid and this version comes with extra characters. It runs smoothly on the switch and has increased eye appeal in the handheld mode. Controls are tight and the characters handle like a dream. I've already sank more hours into this version than I have my other and I'm not even that big of a sonic fan. I'd say it's a must own for any switch owner who likes platformers.

They did a great job making this game. I believe it was created from the guy who did the Sonic 2 port for mobile. If you like the original Genesis games, you will love this game.

I grew up in the Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo era when games were for real men. One hit, and you're dead. Start over. It wasn't about online multiplayer FPS games, getting mocked by teenagers who mistakenly believe that their video gaming skill will somehow translate into a future full of wealth and fame without any actual work or self-development. They think the world owes them something as they waste away in their mommies' basements, barely participating in the real world as they live off of Red Bull and weed, texting their friends sitting on the couch next to them because communicating directly is too scary. Bah humbug!

Sonic Mania Plus is an enhanced version of the Sonic Mania game that released digitally last year. For this release not only have they made the game physical with an old school Genesis reversible cover but they have included an art book with characters and designs from the game. The game now has Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel as playable characters and a new Encore mode which can be played with any character and they added Angel Island Zone to the game. There are several improvements and other features added to the game including new bonus levels. Overall Sonic Mania Plus is the type of game I wish the 3D Sonic games would take notes from. If you are an old school Sonic Fan you will love this game. It is a love letter to all things 2D Sonic.

Sonic Mania Plus is sort of a retooling of the classic Sonic The Hedgehog games of the Sega Genesis era and works quite well. For people that are fans of those old games, this is a good version of it.