Summary
Sonic Galacticby Starteam is aSonic the Hedgehogfan game that carries the same energy and vibes as 2017’sSonic Mania. TheSonic the Hedgehogfan community is always an active one, making different sequels and follow-ups to various titles in the franchise.Sonic Maniain particular is one of the most popular games in the series, being the ultimate celebration of the franchise’s 25th anniversary.Maniawas developed by Headcannon, Christian Whitehead, and PagodaWest Games, a team of passionateSonicfans who previously worked on beloved fan games likeSonic: Before the Sequel.
A sequel toSonic Manianever ended up materializing, due to a combination of Sonic Team wanting to move away from pixel art graphics for its games, along with Whitehead’s studio, Evening Star, wanting to move on to something else. As a result, 2023 saw the release ofSonic Superstars, a follow-up to the 2D entries that retained the Genesis-styled gameplay while implementing 3D graphics and cooperative multiplayer. However, fans believe thatSonic Mania’s graphics and pixel art style are still timeless. As such, various fan games likeSonic and the Fallen Starhave utilized this art style.Sonic Galacticby Starteam is looking to do a similar thing.
Sonic Galacticis a fan game that has been at least four years in the making, being first revealed at Sonic Amateur Games Expo in 2020.Sonic Galacticis a fan-made interpretation of theSonicseries as if it was a 32-bit game that was released on the 5th Generation of video game hardware, described as “what-ifSonicwas potentially produced on the Sega Saturn” console. As such, thisSonic the Hedgehogfan gamedraws from a number of inspirations and tries to be an authentic retro 2D platformer like the Genesis games, while adding their own spin on it.
What is Sonic Galactic?
Thesecond demo ofSonic Galacticwas released at the start of 2025, giving fans the chance to play as the classic trio of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in brand-new zones. Alongside those three,Fang the Sniper fromSonic Triple Troublehas been promoted to playable character status, teaming up with Sonic and pals in order to get revenge against Dr. Eggman.Sonic Galacticalso introduces a new playable character named Tunnel the Mole, a character who is native to Illusion Island.
Sonic Galacticfeels a lotlike aSonic Maniasequel, with each of the playable characters having their own paths that can be taken in each zone. The special stages feel veryMania-inspired, requiring players to collect a certain number of rings before time runs out in a 3D environment. Due to it being the second demo, a typical playthrough ofSonic Galacticwill last an hour in terms of getting through all of Sonic’s stages, while the other characters only have about one stage each. In total, it should round out to a couple of hours of playtime.
Sonic Mania
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience the ultimate celebration of past and future in Sonic Mania, an all-new 2D Sonic adventure running at a crisp 60FPS with stunning HD retro-style graphics. Multiple playable characters give you the ability to go explosively fast as Sonic, soar as Tails, or power through tough obstacles with Knuckles’ brute strength. You can re-live the Sonic of the past with an exciting new twist on classic zones while fighting against new bosses and Dr. Eggman’s evil robot army. Go head-to-head with players in Competition Mode or play in Co-Op Mode with a friend. Sonic Mania was developed by Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, and PagodaWest Games in collaboration with Sonic Team. Welcome to Sonic Mania!
