Sonic Mania was released worldwide in August 2017. The team used Whitehead's Retro Engine and aimed for a graphical quality between Genesis and Sega Saturn games. Development began after lead developer Christian 'Taxman' Whitehead, who was previously contracted by Sega to develop enhanced mobile ports of Genesis Sonic games, presented a playable prototype to Sonic Team producer Takashi Iizuka.Īrt, level design, audio, and additional programming was provided by independent studios PagodaWest Games and Headcannon. The development team was composed of members known for their work in the Sonic fangame and ROM hacking community. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog and his companions Tails and Knuckles as they venture to defeat their nemesis Doctor Eggman and his robotic henchmen, the Hard-Boiled Heavies. It takes place over twelve levels, including eight redesigned stages from past games.
Produced in commemoration of the Sonic the Hedgehog series' 25th anniversary, Sonic Mania homages the original Sega Genesis Sonic games, featuring speedy side-scrolling gameplay. Game Review Sonic Mania is a 2017 platform game published by Sega for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows.
