Gamers Can Grab Sonic Mania For Free
From the Green Hill Zone to the Casino Night Zone, Chemical Plant Zone to the Death Egg Zone, we've enjoyed some 30 years of spinning into action with Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. With the developer celebrating a whole three decades since the OG game launched on the Sega Genesis, you can now grab Sonic Mania for absolutely nothing.
2021 is a massive year for gaming anniversaries, as Pokemon celebrates 25 years, Sonic 30, and The Legend of Zelda 35. While Nintendo has taken most of the spotlight with its massive franchises, Sega is here to show why that blue speedster still has the legs to run to the top of the charts. If Sonic coming to Minecraft wasn't enough, how about revisiting a beloved corner of this world?
How can you get Sonic Mania for free?
While it's hard to determine what the "best" Sonic game of all time is, it's easy to declare Sonic Mania as the outright winner in modern times. Released in 2017 to celebrate the franchise's 25th birthday, the team comprised of big names that had worked on the Sonic fangame project. Letting you play as the titular hog, Tails, and Knuckles, the game borrowed iconic levels from the series' Sega Genesis games and gave them a revamp for a new generation.
Whether you're new to Sonic Mania or played it back in the day, the Epic Games Store is now offering it up for free. If you head to the Epic Games Store, you'll be able to download Sonic Mania without having to spend a single coin. You'll have to be quick though because Sonic Mania is only available for free until July 1.
If you weren't already excited, Sonic Mania's Epic description reads as follows: "The ultimate celebration of past and future. An all-new adventure full of unique bosses, rolling 2D landscapes, and fun classic gameplay. Sonic Mania brings retro fast-paced platforming into the future through pixel perfect 2D graphics running at 60FPS".
What's next for Sonic the Hedgehog?
Aside from the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and introduction of Knuckles into this live-action world, Sega is playing coy about where the games go next. Aside from Sonic Mania Plus adding some new content in 2018, rumours of a Sonic Mania sequel have sadly never amounted to anything. Elsehwhere, a remastered version of 2010's Sonic Colours will be landing as an Epic exclusive from September 7.
In terms of a fully next-gen Sonic title for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, there have been various reports that Sonic Rangers is ready to battle Doctor Eggman. Although details are still thin on the ground, Sonic Team leader Takashi Iizuka told Sonic Stadium how the next game will set the ball rolling for a reinvigorated Sonic series.
"The new title in development is progressing towards a 2022 release, so I can't really call it an Anniversary title", said Iizuka. "However, Sonic Adventure laid the foundation for 20 years of Sonic titles after its release, so in the same way I really hope that this new title releasing in 2022 lays the foundation for the following future Sonic titles - that is the idea behind the challenge for the team".
It's baffling to think the Sonic Team is already planning ahead to what would presumably be the likes of the PlayStation 8, but with more recent titles failing to live up to Sonic's speedy legacy, here's hoping this is the start of a bright future. Either way, Sonic Mania for free should keep us busy for a while.