All Articles: Sonic Mania

Sega will release Sonic Mania on August 15

Posted on May 30, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sega has announced that Sonic the Hedgehog’s side-scrolling return, Sonic Mania, will be released for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch on August 15. Sega has assembled a “supergroup” of developers for Sonic’s most recent foray into the second dimension including Christian “Taxman” Whitehead, Headcannon, and PagodaWest Games.

In addition to the release date, Sega also released a brand new trailer for Sonic Mania (featuring animation by Tyson Hesse and music from Hyper Potions), and confirmed that it’ll be priced at $19.99 on all digital storefronts. A Collector’s Edition that includes a download code, a 12″ Sonic statue, and a replica Genesis cartridge is still available from most retailers.

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Get a quick glimpse at a side-scrolling stage from Sonic Forces right here

Posted on April 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sonic the Hedgehog only got a few seconds to shine during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct presentation, but Sega delivered by showcasing a side-scrolling stage from Sonic Forces during that time.

If you’re more of a fan of “Classic Sonic,” don’t worry, the publisher used the remainder of their time to show off a little more gameplay from the retro-styled Sonic Mania.

Sonic Forces will be released this Fall, while Sonic Mania will be available exclusively as a digital download this Summer. Both games are in development for the Nintendo Switch, as well as the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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Sonic Mania launch date dashes to Summer 2017 as Sega reveals “Flying Battery Zone” trailer

Posted on March 17, 2017 by John Scalzo

“Flying Battery Zone” made its debut in 1994’s Sonic & Knuckles, but we learned yesterday that a remixed version of the stage will also appear in the upcoming Sonic Mania. A trailer depicting Headcannon and PagodaWest’s new take on the stage was unveiled during Sega’s Sonic-themed SXSW Gaming presentation, and its been embedded above for easy viewing.

Unfortunately, Sega also confirmed that Sonic Mania won’t be released this Spring as originally planned. Instead, the side-scroller will now make its way to the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One sometime in the Summer.

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Sonic Mania gets new gameplay footage at PAX East 2017

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Brittney Williams

Sega just dropped some new gameplay footage for the highly anticipated Sonic Mania at PAX East and it looks great.

If you were “Team Sega” during the great console wars of the 1990s, then you’re likely pretty familiar with the original Sonic games. Sonic Mania captures the charm of those games, and puts a high definition spin on them, bumping the graphics from their original 30 FPS to a whopping 60 FPS.

But that’s not the only new thing Sonic Mania has going for it. The game also introduces new enemies, new levels, new game mechanics, new item boxes, alternate routes, and much more. And in Sonic Mania, players are now immediately transitioned to the brand new “Green Hill Zone Act 2” after “Act 1,” trading in the fade-to-black for uninterrupted gameplay and speedy traversal across the playfield via zip-line.

Sonic Mania is not a remake of any of the original Sonic games from the Sega Genesis era. Instead, it’s an entirely new game that uses prettier, high definition visuals to create a reimagining of the originals. The reimagining attempts to encapsulate all of the things that made the 16-bit versions great, while also refitting them for new and old audiences alike.

Sonic Mania will be available for the PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in Spring 2017. In the meantime, check out the above trailer and some awesome new screenshots after the break. (more…)

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Sega will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at Sonic Mania and Project Sonic at SXSW 2017

Posted on February 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sega has been unusually quiet about the future of Sonic the Hedgehog since announcing Sonic Mania and Project Sonic at Comic-Con 2016. That’ll all change next month, when the publisher hosts “Gotta Go Fast: The Official Panel of Sonic the Hedgehog” at South by Southwest 2017 on Thursday, March 16.

Takashi Iizuka, the Head of Sonic Team, Aaron Webber, Sonic’s Community Manager, and Roger Craig Smith and Mike Pollock, the voice actors behind Sonic and Dr. Eggman, will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at both games, along with unveiling a few “other surprises”:

Dive into the world of Sonic the Hedgehog in this exclusive behind-the-scenes look at both Sonic Mania and the upcoming Sonic 2017! With presenters from Sega and Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka, this panel will answer questions about both games, showcase a new reveal for each title, and will discuss Sonic’s resurgence in the world of gaming since the reveal of both games. Of course, with Sonic involved, who knows what other surprises might be in store?

Sonic Mania is a side-scrolling platformer that’s an homage to Sonic’s past, and it’ll be available this Spring. Project Sonic is a new 3D game that’ll launch this Fall, and it features many of the same time-bending shenanigans as Sonic Generations. Both games are currently in the works for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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Sonic Mania is also coming to the Nintendo Switch this Spring

Posted on January 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

We first heard about Sega’s Project Sonic last year, but a second game starring Sonic the Hedgehog will also make it to the Nintendo Switch in 2017. Announced late last night during Nintendo’s Switch Presentation, Sega will also bring Sonic Mania to the Switch this Spring.

Developed by Christian “Taxman” Whitehead and Simon “Headcannon” Thomley, Sonic Mania is a 2D side-scrolling Sonic game that pays homage to the franchise’s past with re-imagined levels, while also adding new Zones and a new Drop Dash special move.

You can check out the Sonic Mania trailer embedded above, but it’s the same video that Sega used to announce the game’s existence for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One last July.

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Nintendo Switch Presentation: More than 80 games in development including Minecraft, Street Fighter II, Bomberman, more

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Mike Ryan

During Nintendo’s Switch Presentation, several developers took the stage (both live and virtually) to announce games that they have in development for the new console. More than 80 games were confirmed to be in the works, and we here at Warp Zoned compiled a list of the games announced during the presentation.

We caught a few that we’ve seen before:

  • Dragon Quest X
  • Dragon Quest XI: In Search of the Departed Time
  • The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
  • NBA 2K18
  • Project Sonic

A few that are currently available or coming soon to other consoles:

  • Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
  • Dragon Quest Heroes I & II
  • Farming Simulator 17
  • FIFA Soccer
  • I Am Setsuna
  • Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition
  • Minecraft: Story Mode
  • Rayman Legends
  • Skylanders Imaginators
  • Sonic Mania
  • Street Fighter II
  • Syberia 3

And a few brand new games that we should learn more about soon:

  • Atlus’s Shin Megami Tensei V (Working Title)
  • Frozenbyte’s Has-Been Heroes
  • Konami’s Super Bomberman R
  • Nintendo’s Snipperclips: Cut It Out Together
  • Shin’in’s FAST RMX
  • Square Enix’s Project Octopath Traveler (Working Title)
  • Suda51’s untitled No More Heroes sequel

And I know there’s some I missed, so don’t forget to watch the video!

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Sonic Mania Collector’s Edition includes a Sonic statue that shouts “Say-Gaa!”

Posted on September 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

sonicmaniacollectorsedition“Say-Gaa!”

That sing-songy overture greeted millions of players during the Genesis era, and Sega is resurrecting it for Sonic Mania. The side-scrolling Sonic game will be available to download for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One in Spring 2017, but fans will also be able to spring for a special Collector’s Edition that’s priced at $69.99.

The highlight is a Sonic statue that actually makes the “Say-Gaa!” sound, but the whole package will also be housed in a Deluxe Collector’s Box and include a host of other goodies:

  • Metallic Collector’s Card – Includes Download Code for the Digital Game.
  • Sega Cartridge Cast – Includes Gold Ring.
  • 12-Inch Sonic Statue – Plays the “Say-Gaa!” startup audio when the power switch on the replica Sega Genesis is flipped.

“This Collector’s Edition is the perfect blend of past and present Sonic, and contains items we know fans new and old will really appreciate,” said Ivo Gerscovich, Sega’s Chief Brand Officer for Sonic. “Sonic is a cultural icon and helped define gaming for a generation of gamers, and continues to do the same today. With Sonic Mania, and this special Collector’s Edition, we’re paying homage to his beginnings and giving fans the ultimate nostalgic experience as we celebrate his 25th anniversary and look ahead at the future of the Sonic brand.”

Sega also has a second Sonic project in the works for next year, and the currently untitled Project Sonic will be released in Fall 2017.

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