FutureFive NZ – Practical Review: Sonic Mania Plus is a fast experience



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Sonic Mania was released last year and is often considered one of the best Sonic games of all time. Now a newer version of the game is here called Sonic Mania Plus.

Although Sonic Mania Plus still contains the full game released last year, this version of the game comes with an extra DLC that will make things more interesting for returning players. The biggest additions are the addition of two new playable characters called Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel.

These two characters have new abilities that the original trio of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles do not have, which adds an original experience if you choose to play like them. Mighty's Armadillo has a cool stomp function that breaks the ground while Ray's flying squirrel is probably more useful because it can glide in the air for a short period of time.

It's pretty cool to play again on the levels of this game using the new characters as this adds a different experience. Of course, most characters have similar abilities, but Ray the Flying Squirrel is super useful because it can slide and avoid more obstacles than anyone else.


It's not just the two extra characters that have been added in Sonic Mania Plus. Another new mode added to the game is Calling 'Encore Mode'. The Encore mode presents the original levels of Mania, but the remixes by adding different color palettes and making some of the obstacles more difficult to cross.

For example in the main Mania mode, a moving bridge would have a lot of panels to cross. However, in Encore mode, the bridge mentioned above has only one panel forcing you to be more precise when you land. I think remixing the levels is pretty cool as it adds a new challenge to players who have already finished the main game last year.

Finally, the other novelty of Sonic Mania Plus is the four-player competition mode. This mode is essentially where you are competing with your friends to see who is the fastest at the end of all levels in the game. It's a game on the screen at the screen of old school style that can be really fun if you have two or more experienced players playing. Unfortunately, my brother is a Sonic novice so I've never had a competitive match against him …

For those who wonder, you do not need to buy the Sonic Mania Plus full set to experience new things if you already own the game of last year. If you already own Sonic Mania, you can pay for the new content as a paid DLC, which costs just a few dollars more.


If you are new to Sonic Mania, the basic game is excellent because it is more enjoyable and more engaging compared to Sonic Forces. The thing I did not like most about Sonic Forces is the fact that I had the impression of playing the game on autopilot. Sonic Mania is far better because you have to use your brain to overcome obstacles to make sure you do not die.

Not to mention Sonic Mania has one of the best soundtracks I've heard in recent memory. Almost every step of this game has a catchy melody that will be integrated into your brain every time you play through them. Retro style graphics also look great, as each level is very colorful and dynamic.

The only negative thing I can say about Sonic Mania Plus, is that the game is not generous when it comes to giving the player a lot of lives and checkpoints . That's because every time you run out of lives, you will have to start from the beginning of the level. It can be boring to get to the end of the boss and die in the end to start over.

Despite this little downside, Sonic Mania Plus remains one of the best platform games released recently. This is by far the best Sonic video game released since the 90s and it is quite difficult for newcomers and veterans alike.

Verdict: 8.5 / 10

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