I wouldn't count out Nintendo platforms just yet for Sonic Mania. As for if it will be digital or physical, at the event we asked and digital is for certain, physical is a big maybe.
George will be posting our full impressions video this week, but i can say that at the event people lost their shit. I had a strong inking that classic Sonic was returning, given all the merchandise features him and Archie finally can use the classic designs. Taxman and Stealth are an obvious choice, and I am very happy that modern SEGA is smart enough to go with the obvious. Looking back, it was kind of clear they were up to something. Stealth made a blog post saying he was no longer working on his fan game, and both he and Taxman had been quiet on Twitter aside from some hints of a paid project.
The game itself is almost everything I've wanted in a sonic game. Lovely retro graphics, fluid animation, great music. Honestly, it's like unearthing a long lost Saturn Sonic game. George played the Studiopolis demo, I played Green Hill. GHZ was basically elements of acts 1,2 and 3 combined with some new touches including a boss in an underground area (similar to Generations underground areas). The boss was tricky, don't expect the usual Eggman wrecking ball. I couldn't hear the music well due to Crush 40 performing. All in all, this game delivers. If you played Sonic 1-3&K, it's like diving right back in without missing a beat. Remember how Sonic 4 felt funny when you kicked off the game for the first time? How it didn't feel like you remembered and you had to retrain your brain? Not here.
Sonic Mania is going to deliver big time, no question. This is probably the best thing to come from the franchise since 1994.
