'Sonic Mania' release date, news: Game's launch to be delayed until summer

SEGA has officially announced that "Sonia Mania," which was originally slated to be released this spring, will instead be launched this summer. No exact date has been given on when it will come out, and the only thing revealed was that it will be delayed.

According to the company, they will need more time to produce the game at the level of quality that they are aiming for.

On the surface level, the look and feel of "Sonic Mania" might bring to mind its predecessors, given its 2D graphics and its setup as a platform game. However, initial reviews prove that "Sonic Mania" does not just rehash the previous games. While it brings forth the gameplay style that players of "Sonic" games have come to know and love, it also optimizes the system, enhancing the old games using a system that is the best that modern technology can produce. This is not just in terms of the graphics; even the audio has been boosted, even as it remains arranged in such a way as to recall the series' previous titles.

Other notable additions that the new game will introduce to the franchise are tools that Sonic can use to cross the different obstacles on-screen. According to an early review by GameSpot, the screen now shows new item boxes. Players can use a zip line tool to traverse across screens. Sonic is also said to be given a new ability called "Drop Dash," which allows the character to do a spin dash immediately after landing when they jump. New enemies, such as the Hard-Boiled Heavies, will also be added to the game. Old levels have also been re-imagined. New stages, or "Zones," have also been added, with previously not seen boss fights being added to the mix.

"Sonic Mania" will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

A brand-new Sonic game, titled "Sonic Forces," is also currently under development.