Some of the level transitions of the game could've been a lot better and more imaginative. I'm glad at least Knuckles' act 1 is a regular stage. It just felt like a wasted opportunity to give more of that awesome stuff. I mean, the Act 2 is probably one of the best stages in the whole game. Mirage Saloon Act 1 for Sonic and Tails got me very, very sad with it being only a Sky Chase type of stage. Some of them weren't challenging at all and I felt like they were there mostly for doing "cool stuff" than actually testing the player skills. The challenge was toned way way down for boss fights. I'd totally buy a cheap DLC with extra special stages or something. I know this is how it worked on the classics but damn, these special stages are fun! I really wish there were more of them. It really bummed me out when I got all seven rings and all those big rings did was give me 50 rings. I really wish there were more special stages or at very least a way to access them easily. Just wish there were more mini-games and that they did more than just give you medals to unlock stuff. Not only do the blue spheres mini-game break up the flow of the game a lot, they're also set in this very inconvenient way where it's just too easy to accidentally get in them, because of how generous the game is with rings. Sonic 3 & Knuckles had a great variety of mini-games to play for bonus rings and lives and elemental shields to aid you in your adventure. Look, blue spheres is a nice mini-game and all, but it gets boring after 10 times or so. I mean, I haven't been able to find many bottomless-pits but they sure as hell got a ton of crushing stuff to make up for it and to grant those cheap deaths we all know and love. Speaking of which, this game really seems to have a hard-on for crushing traps. They all seem to have a very inconvenient starting placement times where you're just rolling or going at it with some speed and with no time to react, you get crushed because of pixels. When I did get in trouble, it was due to very questionable level design which made a lot of crushing traps. It was just very easy to blast through, perhaps to be able to play it perfectly will take some time, but I didn't have any trouble with the game whatsoever. Even in later ones where traps should be more common. Overall during my playthrough of the game, I'm not sure if I just got good at it, but I felt a lack of challenge in most stages. I mean, I guess I saw it coming since GHZ was there and how could that not be the first stage in the game, right? But still, kinda bummed me out and made me really appreciate GHZ even less because of it. only to have a small cutscene in it and then get warped to Green Hill Zone. The graphics were great, the music was great, everything was solid. The intro set in Angel Island really got me pumped for it. So I finished the game a couple of times now and while I had a blast going through it, I have some criticisms about it: Really hoping for modding (please let me have playable Mighty), and of course a sequel. I literally woke up at like 7 AM and took the day off just to play this game, and I haven't been disappointed. Was still all like "FUCK YES" when I saw the Insta-Shield (which is what I consider the best move for 2D Sonic) got unlocked at the end of my first playthrough though. The Drop Dash has grown on me, it's a pretty decent move (even though it really should be down + jump in mid-air, why the hell can't I use it with an elemental shield?). The Blue Sphere bonus stages are neat, and they actually seem to control better in the Retro Engine than in the original Sonic 3K. It was just a less-intense Doomsday Zone. The true final boss was pretty cool, but IMHO didn't really feel too climactic. Titanic Monarch's boss felt underwhelming, and I did that without Super Sonic. I lost my shit at the goddamn Mean Bean Machine boss in Chemical Plant. At least I got Super Sonic.Įverything else is fucking amazing though. Also the Giant Rings just seem to be an absolute bitch to find. I won't go into too much detail on my thoughts about the Special Stages (because I doubt anyone cares to hear a large rant from me), but I'll just say it's like playing Sonic R but without drifting and more tank controls while also chasing down something that's going over 200 mph on Rainbow Road and constantly having to restart because you keep falling the fuck off or running out of time trying not to fall the fuck off. Honestly the only thing negative I have to say about Mania is that the Special Stages are really not fun. Oh my god, this game is a dream come true.
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