More like Gliding Battery Zone
Almost every look that we’ve gotten at Sonic Mania thus far has been great but also mostly the same. Green Hill Zone and Studiopolis over and over as we wait for new content. Always good but always familiar — even if familiarity is something that Sonic Mania semi-thrives on.
In March, we finally saw a different level as the silver lining to somewhat unfortunate news. As word came out that the game would be delayed from spring to summer, Sega also gave us a glimpse at the Flying Battery Zone.
Today, we get an extended video of Flying Battery Zone (well, “extended” in that it’s longer than the last one) as Knuckles eventually makes his way across the level. It’s new-ish in two senses: It’s more than we’ve seen before even if the stage has already been introduced once; and, it’s a setting that’s from Sonic 3, a game that released in 1994.
It also doesn’t necessarily showcase the speed that we’ve come to expect from Sonic titles. Knuckles’ approach to the Flying Battery Zone quickens in short bursts, but it’s often slow and methodical. Gliding over obstacles, climbing up walls — it’s less reckless-looking than most Sonic gameplay usually is. Maybe he just has too many chili dogs in his gut that are weighing him down.
