Sonic Mania Plus

A genuinely great Sonic game and the best the series has played in decades, essentially the classic trilogy reworked and expanded into something fresh, fast, and smooth. The blistering, seamless high-speed runs feel fantastic, the many branching level paths reward exploration, and the animation and constantly shifting soundtrack are superb. The main gripe is the lack of a physical release, but at its price it is more than worth it, especially for old-school fans.

ZP: faithful Genesis recreation; level design obfuscates exploration.

Faithfully recreated classic Sonic with brilliant level design and gorgeous pixel art; best Sonic since 1994.