Steam Review: Sonic Mania

Welcome to another edition of Steam Review, where I review games that are on Steam! This edition will take a look at everyone's favorite blue hedgehog, Sonic!

Sonic Mania is a game that was developed by Christian Whitehead, PagodaWest, Headcannon, and SEGA of America. Initially released on August 15, 2017, Sonic Mania was released for the Nintendo Switch, XBox One, Steam, Windows, and PlayStation 4. The game was produced on the 25th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog's debut and pays homage to the original Sonic the Hedgehog games. In Sonic Mania, the premise is simple: Stop Dr. Eggman as you venture through various dimensions of the Sonic realm and fight various bosses.

That is in part of what makes Sonic Mania so appealing. The game does an excellent job of paying homage to the original Sonic games. There's even a reference to Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine as one of the bosses! You get various throwbacks such as Chemical Plant Zone, Oil Ocean Zone, Labyrinth Zone, and more in Sonic Mania.

While it did take me a while to get used to the fast-paced gameplay, I managed to do fine with enough practice. The music also slaps in this game, especially with the mid-boss theme. I will say that it can be a whirlwind to try and get the chaos emeralds. Still, the bonus stages are a blast.

Every 90's kid loves a good wave of nostalgia. This especially rings true with established franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog. If you're itching for the days of the Sega Genesis or love a good fast-paced game, Sonic Mania is the right choice for you.