Sonic Mania Adventures

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big_smile
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Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by big_smile »

The first episode was out today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDYbwdEn7rs


It oozes with a sheer love for Sonic filled with clever references. The characterizations are also really well done.

When I first heard that were dong silent shorts, I was disappointed that they would be sticking with decision to make Classic Sonic silent, especially given how awkward it was in Generations and Forces. After having Eggman and Sonic talk in virtually every game since 1998, it was a little odd to see Eggman here not gloating about his latest scheme, but the poses used do an excellent job of conveying the character's sentiments (much better than in Generations/Forces).

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Wombatwarlord777 »

Eggman trying to pantomime laughter was kind of awkward, but everything else was great. I'm pretty sure mainstream Sonic hasn't been this much of a loveable cocky bastard in years.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by big_smile »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYEmRHFolvM

Episode 2 is out and it's just as brilliant as the first one. There's a couple of Mania Plus spoilers at the end (apparently). I don't want the game spoiled so I skipped the credits.

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Jingles
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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Jingles »

Did I just see the team-up special move from Sonic 4.2 in there? :wink:

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Malchik
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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Malchik »

It's bordering a little on the CalArts side a little.

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Dr. BUGMAN
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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Dr. BUGMAN »

I'll watch these when they're collated in some other format. Seeing "reaction" videos from ten-year-old fetuses in the recommendation bar isn't something I particularly need in my life.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by G.Silver »

That little snippet of Chaotix music at the start got me wondering if the music playing during Ray's appearance is from SegaSonic Arcade. Does anybody know?

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Malchik
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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Malchik »

Getting weaker.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by big_smile »

To be fair, this has been made on shoe string budget. Sega wasn't willing to spring for software licenses, so the different artists had to use whatever packages they had access to (with some only being able to use Flash, which even Adobe has dropped now). They are also all working remotely and against a deadline that's far shorter than a project like this would normally have. Given all this, is understandable that there's a few oddities.

I really like them. They are much better than the Classic Sonic scenes in Generations and Forces. And the animations do an excellent job of conveying the characters personalities.

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Jingles
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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Jingles »

I enjoy them, but they're nothing substantial and I'm glad they're so short. The artwork is cute, but some things look really weird (the CalArts bean mouths are terrible), and the animation is quite choppy, occasionally to the show's benefit. I'd never pay money for these things, but they'll be nice to blow through in 15 minutes once they're all out.

This episode was my favourite, followed by the first, then the second.

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Crazy Penguin
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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Crazy Penguin »

G.Silver wrote:That little snippet of Chaotix music at the start got me wondering if the music playing during Ray's appearance is from SegaSonic Arcade. Does anybody know?
It seems to be based upon the music used in the tutorial after selecting your character, and level 4, Trap Tower.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by cjmcray »

I think this episode was by far the funniest. Knuckles denying Ray's handshake and clinging to the Emerald was gold.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by big_smile »

Part 4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAmBxc_yCsI

Things are hotting up. Can't wait for the final part next month.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Jingles »

I know they basically had to make the personalities of both of these characters up, but surely they could have been something other than alt-design Tails and Knuckles.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Wombatwarlord777 »

I think it's cool that they've used sound effects from the games in this series, but it got kind of crazy this episode. I would never have thought that Knuckles being hopping mad would sound like getting hidden points at the end of acts in Sonic 1.
I know they basically had to make the personalities of both of these characters up, but surely they could have been something other than alt-design Tails and Knuckles.
Hopefully they'll be able to do something unique after the five protagonists meet up and defeat Eggman next month. At least with Mighty, he was immediately thrust into a fight, so we didn't really get to see him as anything else but fighting guy who chucks boulders.

However brief it was, I'm glad they did something neat with his shell, though.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by G.Silver »

Wombatwarlord777 wrote:I would never have thought that Knuckles being hopping mad would sound like getting hidden points at the end of acts in Sonic 1.
Not to be that guy, but totally being that guy--that's the sound of those curvy light transports in the S&K Death Egg Zone.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Frieza2000 »

Jingles wrote:I know they basically had to make the personalities of both of these characters up, but surely they could have been something other than alt-design Tails and Knuckles.
I don't know how intentional this was, but I thought their portrayal was very similar to the late-era Archie comics, where Ray was effectively Mighty's little brother, doing his best to keep up with the big boys, and Mighty was the guy with more physical strength than anyone in the setting.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by big_smile »

These traits are hinted at in Sonic Arcade. Ray seems to be slightly more "zany" the rest in his animations and so fits the little boy role very well. On the character selection screen Mighty flexes his muscles to show he's the strong guy. It's vague but it looks like that's what they built the personalities of.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by cjmcray »

Finale.
https://youtu.be/3HSc3ASFoG8

I really liked this fun little series. Probably the best Sonic cartoon ever made. I really hope Sega will do something similar if a Mania sequel is released.

But umm.. anyone else notice something 'off' @0:12 in the video? o_o

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Jingles »

The finale was cute, few niggles asides. (What was up with Tails coughing right at the end?) It was pretty weird that the credit montage didn't include any Knuckles gameplay, though...

While I still consider AoSTH (and the OVA) better than this series, I can say I thoroughly I enjoyed every episode and, if nothing else, think this is the pinnacle of Classic Knuckles' characterization. I know the whole "he's crazy about the Master Emerald!!!" thing is a one-note joke, but it's a good note. The whole thing has been compiled into one video, and it's an excellent piece of promo material.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Wombatwarlord777 »

I liked the bits throughout this where Sonic and Tails really don't know what to do with Mighty and Ray. The four of them eating chili dogs in silence together was probably the best way these vignettes could have concluded.

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the dome where the final Metal fight takes place strongly resembles where Sonic and Co. are introduced to Metal Sonic in the OVA.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Malchik »

The end was a bit of a copout.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Frieza2000 »

Was anyone else bothered by how jazzed Sonic looked at the idea of fighting a super Metal Sonic? Classic Sonic was a glutton for adventure, but dealing with Eggman always seemed like more of a chore for him, and a threat he took seriously. He's not...well, Goku. This is more like something Pontac's Sonic would do. Same with Tails facepalming at him.

The whole thing has been brilliant, I'm just being a pedantic Sonic fan.

Cred for using the Super Saiya-jin aura sound effect @1:25, though. I don't know how they got away with that. It's probably an imitation made inhouse.

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Re: Sonic Mania Adventures

Post by Locit »

Frieza2000 wrote:Was anyone else bothered by how jazzed Sonic looked at the idea of fighting a super Metal Sonic?
Nope!

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