Sonic Mania First Story Details Revealed In Special Introduction Booklet

[Zippo]

https://mobile.twitter.com/StevenThePage/status/888961933713395712/photo/1

Being given out at Comic Con. Contains first story info!

[Diogenes]

Looks like a new level in the bottom right, here: 

 

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

Ha!! Called It! New ice zone!!

[Osmium]

2 minutes ago, Diogenes said:

Looks like a new level in the bottom right, here: 

 

Looks like this zone to me. Those pillars in the background and stone ground, and the same colour scheme. I guess it has an ice theme? 

[Zippo]

https://mobile.twitter.com/StevenThePage/status/888963255397343232/photo/1

Story synopsis. 

[Osmium]

...so does this mean that Ice Cap isn't coming back then? 

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

Galooniza zone confirmed

Look pretty cool.

 

[Psychicmoose103]

New ice zone

Sonic 3 stage is Hydrocity or Launch Base

So my guess is Hydrocity!!

[Diogenes]

1 minute ago, do a barrel roll said:

I wonder if the strange energy has something to do with Sonic Forces

God, can we please stop doing this? There has been literally no connection between the two thus far and Mania deserves to stand on its own instead of being corrupted into a prequel for that mess.

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

I bet you guys 20 badges that the sonic 3 zone is launch base zone.

[JosepHenry]

1 minute ago, Diogenes said:

God, can we please stop doing this? There has been literally no connection between the two thus far and Mania deserves to stand on its own instead of being corrupted into a prequel for that mess.

Whoa, overreacting a bit? He is just speculating.

[Zippo]

https://mobile.twitter.com/servbot_42/status/888964919684550656/video/

Full manual shown! There's some new art shown on the first page! 

[MudHunter]

7 minutes ago, do a barrel roll said:

I wonder if the strange energy has something to do with Sonic Forces

You know, I remember Iizuka saying that Mania is a sister game to Sonic Forces.

Dunno if he meant that by it 'tho.

[Dark Qiviut]

According to a Retro dude,

Spoiler

he/she/they saw some Special Stage art, too. Can't find it, though.

 

[Diogenes]

4 minutes ago, Joseph Henry said:

Whoa, overreacting a bit? He is just speculating.

It's terrible, baseless speculation and I'm tired of hearing it.

1 minute ago, Zippo said:

https://mobile.twitter.com/servbot_42/status/888964919684550656/video/

Full manual shown! There's some new art shown on the first page! 

There's some interesting stuff in the sketchy bits. Looks like there's a robot plant bursting out of one of those Sonic CD end-of-zone flower/seed capsule things, and a few I can't quite identify.

[Dark Qiviut]

Also,

Spoiler

from how Sonic is trapped in a cube of ice with that freezer projectile, I'm reminded somehow of Diamond Dust.

ETA: I see details in another topic.

[Maxtiis]

I kinda wish more stuff like this was going to be included in the collector's edition.

....Or better yet a physical release.

[TheOcelot]

3 hours ago, ShroomZed said:

Looks like this zone to me. Those pillars in the background and stone ground, and the same colour scheme. I guess it has an ice theme? 

So this is a snow/themed stage. Interesting.

How about "Ice Palace zone" or "Cathedral Permafrost" zone?

 

Also, I took a few screenshots:

"Signatures, Collect then all!"

[Tenko]

I'm hoping that those that have paid for a physical collector's edition get something similar. I would hate to think how much the ones that end up on eBay would cost :/

[HywelAtTheMoon]

That shot on the middle right looks very much like Chaos Angel from Advance 3. Add a dash of Genocide City for good measure.

Edit: Nope. Just Studiopolis. Ignore me... 

[Salamander]

I guess the strange energy source is related to this new item we heard about early on?  I wonder what it'll be.  Something that Eggman can use to power a giant robot at a minimum, I expect.

The new zone is... confusing.  There are clearly ice traps and we see snowdrifts and snow piled up on the ruins... but there are also all those red plants blooming untouched?  Hmm.  At any rate, "ice castle in the exotic forest" is certainly a new level idea, and it looks pretty fantastic even from what limited elements we've seen; I'm going to guess that Act 1 will mostly cover the approach to the castle, and then Act 2 will take place inside it.

4 hours ago, Diogenes said:

There's some interesting stuff in the sketchy bits. Looks like there's a robot plant bursting out of one of those Sonic CD end-of-zone flower/seed capsule things, and a few I can't quite identify.

Oh, that robot plant appears to be one of the Stardust Speedway Past plants from the trailer - or perhaps the true head of the plant, the tip of the main stem, presumably operating as a boss.  Hiding inside one of the CD flower capsules is both a clever way to corrupt that device and a reference to the Flying Battery Zone miniboss.  Neat!

[Roger_van_der_weide]

Hmm, we sure that's a new zone?
Because those 3 images on the right page seem to follow each other up.
Notice how the second image is being referred to in text as the boss area from Studiopolis, and its artstyle is a mix between the two other screenshots, having the cityscape from Studiopolis (act 1?) and the brick roads and more pinkish background from (Act 2?) Kinda weird that another city level would turn into a ruin level, like it's a mirror zone for Stardust speedway, but that's how the manual reads to me.

Then again, if they do the Sonic 3 and Knuckles thing where the levels directly flow into each other, I suppose it's possible Studiopolis just morphs into the next zone around the second boss fight.


.....<Insert joke about level representing Sega itself turning into a ruin.>

[Squiddy]

Here is the (mostly) entire introduction booklet in text form:

=== INTRODUCTION MANUAL ===

BY THE MANIA...

CONTENTS
-- STORY SO FAR ............... 01
-- MEET THE TEAM .............. 03
-- CONCEPT ART ................ 07
-- SIGNATURES ................. 09
-- SPECIAL THANKS ............. 15


=== THE STORY SO FAR ===

Some time after saving Angel Island, Sonic the Hedgehog and his best friend, Miles "Tails" Prower,
are relaxing when Tails picks up a strange energy reading far away. Though different from the
Chaos Emeralds, the reading is remarkably powerful, and Tails convinces Sonic to join him to check it out.

Sonic and Tails take off on the Tornado towards the source, but sure enough, the evil Dr. Eggman
has detected it too! Now it's a race between Sonic and Eggman to get there first and figure out
what mysteries it holds.

However, Eggman has been busy: he's just unleashed a new team of elite Egg-Robos to handle his most
important tasks. They're called the "Hard-Boiled Heavies," and they're about to reach the source
of the signal first!

It's up to Sonic, Tails, & their newest ally, Knuckles the Echidna, to defeat the Hard-Boiled Heavies,
unlock the secrets of the energy source, and stop Dr. Eggman!


=== CHARACTERS ===

Sonic the Hedgehog

The world's fastest hedgehog! Although often impatient, Sonic has a heart of gold and a strong desire
to fight injustice - whichmeans putting a stop to the evil Dr. Eggman's plans.
His blistering speed, Super Sonic Spin Attack, and sassy attitude make him a force to be reckoned with.
After reconciling his differences with Knuckles, he's enjoyed some peace and quiet with Tails
and their animal friends - until now.

Miles "Tails" Prower

Miles "Tails" Prower grew up idolizing Sonic, and now joins him on his adventures. He can fly
using his two tails, and as a skilled inventor and mechanic, his talents almost rival those of
Dr. Eggman. Anywhere Sonic goes, Tails is never far behind.

Knuckles the Echidna

Knuckles is the last descendent of the ancient Echidnas. He lives alone on the floating Angel Island,
kept in the sky by the Master Emerald, which he guards. Knuckles has unmatched strength,
and can even punch through solid walls. Following the defeat of Dr. Eggman's previous scheme,
Knuckles considers Sonic an ally. When Knuckles spots something amiss on the island, he goes to investigate...

Dr. Eggman, Evil Genius

An evil genius with an IQ of 300, Dr. Eggman won't stop until he dominates the world with his army
of mechanized minions. Despite suffering defeats at the hands of Sonic and his friends,
Dr. Eggman's confidence never wavers.
Intrigued by this new energy signal, he plans to exploit it for his own means. With something this
powerful, he could finally stop Sonic forever.


=== MEET THE TEAM ===

CHRISTIAN WHITEHEAD
LEAD DEV & PROGRAMMER

Give me the cyber razor cut, because my long
hair needs it after months toiling away on this
game. I hope you enjoy all the new surprises
our team worked hard to create!

SIMON "STEALTH" THOMLEY
PROGRAMMER

As an avid programmer, Sonic's first game was
a huge inspiration to me back in 1991. Working
with Sonic Team has always been a dream of
mine, so living that dream has been amazing!

HUNTER BRIDGES
PROJECT MGR & PROGRAMMER

As a child, Sonic games shaped my senses of
creativity, music and design. I'm thrilled to be
a part of a team that has the opportunity to
inspire new generations.

JARED KASL
LEAD DESIGNER

It's been a pleasure to not only work on a
dream project, but get to do it with friends.
The love and dedication is the heart of Mania.

BRAD FLICK
DESIGNER

Working with my best friends and Sonic Team
on Mania still feels like an impossible dream.
If you see me, could you remind me that it is
indeed real? Thanks!

TARY COSTELLO
DESIGNER

It has been an honor to work with such a
great team. I hope Mania will inspire others to
chase their dreams, too.

MICHAEL BALM
DESIGNER

Sonic 3 was my ultimate childhood game and
Sonic Mania is without a doubt one of the
most ambitious projects I've ever worked on -
Thanks to such a strong team!

TOM FRY
ART DIRECTOR

Working on Sonic Mania surrounded by such a
wealth of warm and talented folk has made for
some of the most enjoyable months of my life.
It's a time I will never forget.

PAUL VEER
ARTIST

I started doing pixel-art by doing Sonic sprite
edits, so it's been surreal being on the other
side of that some 18 years later. Never give up
on your dreams!

KIERAN GATES
ARTIST

As a life long Sonic fan, I'm honoured to have
been able to contribute to Sonic Mania, and
it's been a privilege to work alongside so
many talented people. Thank you!

LUCAS "MIDIO" CARVALHO
ARTIST

I had a blast working on a bunch of the
game's stages! As a Sonic fan, I'm so happy
to be part of the Mania family and I hope you
feel all all the love we poured into the game. <3

TEE LOPES
COMPOSER

It's been an honor to work on Sonic Mania
with this formidable team! I hope the game
can stand as an icon of determination, as well
as proof that dreams are worth chasing after.

FALK AU YEOUNG
MIXING

Sonic has a long, proud history of awesome
music, and it's an honor to support Tee in
bearing that torch for this amazing game.

JAMESON SUTTON
SOUND DESIGN

Many of the talents on this team have been
heroes of mine since I was a kid. Getting to
work on Sonic Mania has been surreal, and I
hope you enjoy the game. ^_^

GREG DAWSON
BUSINESS DEV

Thanks Mom and Dad for letting me play
Sonic growing up and to my wife for letting
me play Sonic even though I'm grown up!
Kaylin, Ryker, Maddox, Tem, Starr, Daniel.

TYSON HESSE
CINEMATIC ANIMATION

My fondness for Sonic is what led me to be
pursue animation as a career, so this is a life
dream fulfilled. I'm so humbled to have been
even a small part of such a passionate team!

HYPER POTIONS
CINEMATIC SOUNDTRACK

So so thankful to go from being fans of Sonic
to making the music for Sonic Mania trailers.
Honestly, a dream come true for us.

TAKASHI IIZUKA
SONIC SERIES PRODUCER

Since creating Sonic The Hedgehog 3, I've
always wanted to create a 2D pixel Sonic
game again. Sonic Mania has been a dream
for years.

KAZUYUKI HOSHINO
SONIC CREATIVE DIRECTOR

It was my pleasure to work with talented
creators who grew up with Sonic. Work hard,
PLAY hard! Keep up the good work for
Sonic's next 25 years :)

AUSTIN KEYS
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTS

Everyone on the project has worked
remarkably hard to make Sonic Mania an
amazing title. Thank you to all the fans who
supported the game every step of the way.

LOLA SHIRAISHI
PRODUCER

I'm working too hard on this game right now.
Someone write this for me, please.

AARON WEBBER
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

To everyone who has worked on Sonic over
the last 26 years, thank you. Here's to the
future generations who will carry on the
legacy.


=== CONCEPT ART ===

This is one of our earliest concept pieces of the desert Zone, Mirage Saloon.

The new Green Hill Zone features caves, aquatic caverns, and more.

Studiopolis is a brand new zone in Sonic Mania. A city at dusk full of bright lights, bumpers and gold rings...

...it's also where you'll face off against "Heavy Gunner", of the new "Hard-Boiled Heavies".

Brrr! Sonic ice cubes, anyone?...


=== SIGNATURES ===

Collect them all!


=== SPECIAL THANKS ===

Sonic Mania exists thanks to the hard work of hundreds of
people around the world. Listed below, we'd like to thank the
following, each of whom has contributed through hard work or
constant support to help Sonic Mania become what it is today:

SEGA STAFF

---

ADDITIONAL THANKS

---

...AND YOU!


...FOR THE MANIA
SEGA

EDIT: Fixed Dr. Eggman's synopsis.

[Red Hot Jack]

5 hours ago, Diogenes said:

God, can we please stop doing this? There has been literally no connection between the two thus far and Mania deserves to stand on its own instead of being corrupted into a prequel for that mess.

Can we please stop doing this? Turning every compliment for Mania into an insult for Forces. There are people who love Forces as well.

[molul]

"Tails picks up a strange energy reading far away. Though different from the
Chaos Emeralds, the reading is remarkably powerful"

 

The new item!