Sega in collaboration with Nitro Fun, PagodaWest Games and Hyper Potions, announced that Sonic Mania is coming in the spring of 2017. The new game sees Sonic going back old-school with a 2D, side-scrolling adventure centered around the kind of gameplay that made the blue hedgehog famous back during the era of animals with attitudes.

It’s a sprite-oriented platforming romp, with all new zones and levels based on some of the more popular themes and challenges that were present in Sonic 1, 2, 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. Instead of pursuing some strange storyline or some ridiculous, over-the-top 3D adventure, Sega decided to keep it simple and finally give the fans something that they’ve wanted for ages. I can’t wait to play Sonic Mania and you can see why if you check out the trailer below.

Some of the remixed levels from the classic games will allow players to take them head-on as either Sonic, Knuckles or Tails. It’s a little bit like Sonic Generations insofar that it’s a bit of an anthology centered around the 2D classics, yet at the same time it’s also designed to be its very own game.

The graphics are perfect… absolutely perfect. Sega has gone back old-school, using parallax level designs, HD sprites and stages built for speed.

It seems like a refreshed take on the Sonic brand following all the abysmal releases over the past couple of years, from Sonic 06 to Sonic Unleashed to Sonic and the Black Knight to Sonic Boom, the character has been put through the ringer of shame and poor business decisions for the past decade. I’m glad someone at Sega decided to take things down a notch and bring it back old-school.

It’s pretty cool and an exciting time to be a Sonic fan… something that’s become a rarity these days.

We’ll keep you tuned in for more info on Sonic Mania and what else they’ll have to reveal about the game as it makes the long journey toward spring, 2017.