If you ever had a Sega Genesis as a kid (or hung out with your cousin who did in my case) Sonic Mania is a perfect blend of nostalgia and novelty. It plays like a classic sonic game (Sonic 2 and Sonic 3, specifically,) even recycling levels from those games, but just as you really get back into your grove it throws something new at you and reminds you it is not simply a re-release. Unlike a lot of recent Sonic titles, this feels like a beloved fan game that somehow got a greenlight. Well worth your time and money.

If you ever had a Sega Genesis as a kid (or hung out with your cousin who did in my case) Sonic Mania is a perfect blend of nostalgia and novelty. It plays like a classic sonic game (Sonic 2 and Sonic 3, specifically,) even recycling levels from those games, but just as you really get back into your grove it throws something new at you and reminds you it is not simply a re-release. Unlike a lot of recent Sonic titles, this feels like a beloved fan game that somehow got a greenlight. Well worth your time and money.