The first trailer for the upcoming Sonic Mania has been officially released over YouTube, and it actually looks pretty cool. Take a look:
Videos by FanBuzz
Not to be confused with the still-in-development Sonic Forces, Sonic Mania is a separate title being worked on by a team of Sonic fans and modders passionate about the series. Their roster includes Christian "Taxman" Whitehead and Simon "Stealth" Thomley, who together worked on Sonic CD. Also on the team are a number of level designers from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
From the trailer we can see that this means a focus on matching up with the original 2D gameplay of the first few Sonic games. According to footage from the developers, Sonic Mania will remaster a number of old popular levels from previous titles while creating a handful of new settings as well.
Considering the not-so-successful history of Sonic titles, it's really no surprise that a project like this would take off. SEGA has consistently dropped the ball on Sonic the Hedgehog titles in recent years, with only a few exceptions.
Sonic Mania will release on August 15 for $20 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Stay tuned to SEGA's website for any future updates about the Sonic franchise, or follow them on Twitter.
