![]() ![]() Truly, Encore Mode’s shining moment is its opening: a brief but brilliant, playable Angel Island. Unfortunately, Sonic Mania Plus plays it safe, resulting in a fun but underwhelming Encore Mode. Seeing assets and objects mixed ‘n’ matched, such as Titanic Monarch badniks popping up in Green Hill, or a flooded Flying Battery, would’ve elevated Encore Mode from a bundle of modest tweaks to a radical rethinking of Sonic Mania‘s conventions, showcasing a genuinely unforgettable cacophony of wonderfully weird ideas. More blips arise in Encore Mode’s tweaked hazard placement, as it rarely stretches beyond minor reworkings. ![]() Where Chemical Plant’s bleak darkness and Oil Ocean’s cool blue hues surpass their original aesthetic properties, most stages limp drably along with forgettable palette swaps. The visual themes offer some neat eye candy, but are a mixed bag. A remixed version of Sonic Mania’s campaign, it brings alterations to the base formula, most notably revised visual themes, tweaked hazard placement, and a slick pinball bonus stage. Next to Mighty and Ray, Sonic Mania Plus’ other big attraction is Encore Mode. Mighty’s protective abilities make him a great pick for beginners. From Mighty’s badnik smashing hammer drop (and handy as hell hard shell, protecting players from all sorts of spikes and sparks), to Ray’s Super Mario World Cape Feather-esque soaring, each flaunts their own capabilities separate from Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Long discarded and forgotten, the armadillo and flying squirrel are revived as playable good guys in Sonic Mania Plus, each offering unique maneuverability and strategic quirks. Deep cut characters hailing from the 1993 Japan only arcade game SegaSonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Mania Plus marks Mighty’s third appearance (following SegaSonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles Chaotix), and Ray’s second (again, following SegaSonic the Hedgehog). The grandest additions on display are Mighty and Ray. And yes, it’s good (although it could be better). A more pressing question is “What’s Sonic Mania Plus, and is it any good?” Well, Sonic Mania Plus is an enhanced iteration of Sonic Mania, boasting new characters, features, and stage designs. Chemical Plant during Sonic Mania Plus’s Encore Mode.īut alas, it’s common knowledge that Sonic Mania is some top-notch, bees-knees good stuff. ![]()
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