Sonic Mania

Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles set out to stop Dr. Eggman in a side-scrolling adventure that mixes reworked classic zones with new locations.

Run, jump, and roll through layered levels where momentum helps you move fast, while alternate paths and hidden rewards invite exploration. Each zone also ends with a boss encounter.

Play as different characters with their own abilities, then revisit the levels to discover more routes and secrets. Special stages challenge you to collect Chaos Emeralds, while bonus stages offer additional challenges and unlocks.

Players frequently enjoy the game as a return to classic 2D Sonic, praising its momentum-focused movement, branching level design, soundtrack, and colorful pixel art. Many say the routes and secrets make it rewarding to replay, though some wish there were more entirely original zones or a longer campaign; a few also find that boss encounters disrupt the pace.