If Sonic CD and 3&K had a son, this would be it. The almost perfect sum of both game's best spots, where aesthetic and music meet the tight level design.
Honestly, this is the true Sonic The Hedgehog 4. If you want to introduce someone to the series, there's no better point than this.
If I had to nitpick something here... it's just that I wish more new and unique levels were added. While it's great to see the original games having a tighter level design and a sound that's closer to Sonic CD.... I don't know, I think I'm just too tired of seeing Green Hill and Chemical plant all over again. Also, doesn't help that they get my least favorite level from Sonic 2 back here (The Oil one) and mix it with concepts from my least favorite level from 3&K (the desert one).
Also, kinda funny how the last stage of this game is the only one where I cannot remember the track that played. Tee Lopes really went so hard on Metallic Madness Act 2 that the droney music that plays on the actual final stage feels weaker in comparison lol
But okay, let me go over positives here, which is a LOT.
God, the character's sprite have so much personality to them. It's the perfect mix of the CD era sprites with the 3&K sprite work. That little animation Sonic does right before chemical plant is SO CUTE.
And while I'm pretty much done with Green Hills and Chemical Plants, seeing Hidrocity, Stardust Speedway, Metallic Madness, Lava Reef coming back with a vengeance was great. And somehow, they made Flying Battery even crazier this time around!!!
And oh my goodness, the new stages. Studiopolis and Press Garden are some of my new favorite stage concepts for the franchise, and I do hope these ones come back in some shape or form in the future.
Honestly, this just makes me wish they gave the dev team a proper budget to make a new game filled with unique levels. Shame it didn't turn out like that and we got Superstars instead...
Also, really funny how this game is a "prequel" to Forces in a way. Does this mean I should play Forces next....? shivers
Honestly, this is the true Sonic The Hedgehog 4. If you want to introduce someone to the series, there's no better point than this.
If I had to nitpick something here... it's just that I wish more new and unique levels were added. While it's great to see the original games having a tighter level design and a sound that's closer to Sonic CD.... I don't know, I think I'm just too tired of seeing Green Hill and Chemical plant all over again. Also, doesn't help that they get my least favorite level from Sonic 2 back here (The Oil one) and mix it with concepts from my least favorite level from 3&K (the desert one).
Also, kinda funny how the last stage of this game is the only one where I cannot remember the track that played. Tee Lopes really went so hard on Metallic Madness Act 2 that the droney music that plays on the actual final stage feels weaker in comparison lol
But okay, let me go over positives here, which is a LOT.
God, the character's sprite have so much personality to them. It's the perfect mix of the CD era sprites with the 3&K sprite work. That little animation Sonic does right before chemical plant is SO CUTE.
And while I'm pretty much done with Green Hills and Chemical Plants, seeing Hidrocity, Stardust Speedway, Metallic Madness, Lava Reef coming back with a vengeance was great. And somehow, they made Flying Battery even crazier this time around!!!
And oh my goodness, the new stages. Studiopolis and Press Garden are some of my new favorite stage concepts for the franchise, and I do hope these ones come back in some shape or form in the future.
Honestly, this just makes me wish they gave the dev team a proper budget to make a new game filled with unique levels. Shame it didn't turn out like that and we got Superstars instead...
Also, really funny how this game is a "prequel" to Forces in a way. Does this mean I should play Forces next....? shivers