History MythologyGag / SonicMania

** As the Sonic statues from the original zone's first act appear in Act 2, they are modeled after Sonic's sprites found in Mania, which are based on the first two games. This could be a nod to ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''' Main/GameMod ''Sonic 3 Complete'', where using the game's online customizer will allow players to change Sonic's sprite style to match that of Sonic 1 or 2, including the statues found in [[spoiler:Hydrocity]]'s first act.

*** As part of the ''Sonic Mania Plus'' update, the ''Knuckles Chaotix'' comparisons are taken even further: [[spoiler:prior to the final phase of the battle at the top of Stardust Speedway, Dr. Eggman tosses the Phantom Ruby to Metal Sonic and [[MakeMyMonsterGrow turns him into a Phantom Ruby-powered version]] of Metal Sonic Kai (while keeping his blue color scheme as opposed to the blood red design from ''Chaotix''). The battle also takes cues from the giant Death Egg robot from ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'', where Metal Sonic Kai stomps forward and destroys the ground while the protagonists try to keep ahead of it]].

** The first half of the boss fight against [[spoiler:Metal Sonic]] involves him [[spoiler:summoning clones of Silver Sonic from the ''8-bit'' iteration of ''Sonic 2'', [[{{Retraux}} complete with appropriate sound effects]]. You have to knock them into Metal Sonic while they're spinning. In addition, the machine Metal Sonic enters when summoning the Silver Sonic clones is similar to his machine from VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix]].

** At the end of Sonic/Tails' Act 1, [[spoiler:one of the three (chosen at random) will appear at random riding an Armadilloid, and then attack the Tornado with a popgun shot (Nack), bomb (Bean), or smashing the Armadilloid to make it fire (Bark), taking it down. They're of course most probably illusions of the Heavy Magician.]]

* [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/0/0f/SonicMania_Ray.png/revision/latest?cb=20180316210832 Ray's new design]] in ''Mania [[UpdatedRerelease Plus]]'' combines his [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/3/30/Ray_Bay.png/revision/latest?cb=20161010105318 original design]] from ''VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog'' with the blue shoes he gets for his [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog Archie Comics]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/f/f6/Ray_the_Flying_Squirrel_%28Archie%29_profile.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20171218201703 redesign]].

*** In ''Sonic CD'', [[spoiler:Metal Sonic dies by crashing into a wall.]] Here, [[spoiler:Metal Sonic dies by a wall crashing into him.]]

** Entering the revolving doors in Act 2 will produce the same sound as the cannons in [[Sonic3AndKnuckles Carnival Night Zone]].

*** It even uses the same rule set as ''Mean Bean Machine''.[[note]]The original ''Puyo Puyo'' rule set is very distinct from the current series standard introduced by its sequel ''Puyo Puyo Tsu'', still in use as of ''Puyo Puyo Chronicle''.[[/note]]

*** The Puyos also have idle animations, some of which are taken from ''Puyo Puyo Box'': Blue Puyos look from side to side, Yellow Puyos wink at the camera, and Green Puyos shuffle from side to side.

* The zone name Titanic Monarch is most likely a reference to the "Gigantic Angel Zone" from the obscure ''VideoGame/SonicPocketAdventure''. Gigantic Angel was a remake of Metropolis dressed up to look like Scrap Brain and one of its acts used the Chrono Gadget theme. Titanic Monarch can be described as a fully realized Chrono Gadget that is combined with both Scrap Brain and Metropolis.

** Cluckoid, a chicken weathervane Badnik that first appears in ''Sonic & Knuckles''[='=] Mushroom Hill Zone, appears on the big-screen monitor in the background as a reporter during the Act 2 boss battle.

** The mid-boss references the Iceball mid-boss from [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Ice Cap Zone]], particularly when it orbits a shield of blue chemical balls around itself.

*** It even uses the same rule set as ''Mean Bean Machine''.[[note]]The original ''Puyo Puyo'' rule set is very distinct from the current series standard introduced by its sequel ''Puyo Puyo Tsu'', still in use as of ''Puyo Puyo Chronicles''.[[/note]]

*** It even uses the same rule set as ''Mean Bean Machine''.[[note]]The original ''Puyo Puyo'' rule set is very distinct from the current series standard introduced by its sequel ''Puyo Puyo Tsu'', still in use as of ''Puyo Puyo Tetris''.[[/note]]

** The locomotive beacon on Eggman's train is the same one from [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Launch Base Zone]].

* The Dr. Eggman encounter in Flying Battery Zone Act 1 starts with a {{homage}} to the sequence in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1'' where Eggman, who is safely behind an energy wall, jumps on a button which destroys the floor Sonic was standing on.

Being a MilestoneCelebration, ''VideoGame/SonicMania'' has a ''lot'' of nods to previous games in the series:

** The [[spoiler:final boss takes place inside of a giant Eggman robot, a la [[VideoGame/Sonic3DFlickiesIsland Panic Puppet Act 2]]. The final boss itself is a round machine with Eggman inside, and every hit removes a piece of the machine, like ''Sonic CD''[='=]s final boss. The boss is the "heart" of the arena, shielded by a golden shield, like ''Sonic 4: Episode 2''[='=]s final boss, and when it's destroyed, the protagonists run from an encroaching explosion, like the end of ''Sonic 2''. It's also designed after [[http://info.sonicretro.org/File:SCDconcept-R8_BossFinal.jpg a sketch]] from ''Sonic CD'' that depicted that game's final boss as a bug-like battle suit]].

** Earlier prototypes for Sonic 3 and Knuckles have [[spoiler:Tails with a chaos emerald super form, also without flickies.]]

** An alarm beacon from [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Launch Base Zone]] appears on Eggman's locomotive.

* [[spoiler:Titanic Monarch, the final original and standard zone in the game]] references ''Sonic 3''[='=]s bonus stages with the side springs (also from Metropolis Zone in ''Sonic 2'') and electric orbs that can shoot Sonic omnidirectionally. It also includes enemies that imitate Star Light Zone's fans.
* The zone name Titanic Monarch is most likely a reference to the "Gigantic Angel Zone" from the obscure ''VideoGame/SonicPocketAdventure''.

** The [[spoiler:final boss takes place inside of a giant Eggman robot, a la [[VideoGame/Sonic3DFlickiesIsland Panic Puppet Act 2]]. The final boss itself is a round machine with Eggman inside, and every hit removes a piece of the machine, like ''Sonic CD''[='=]s final boss. The boss is the "heart" of the arena, shielded by a golden shield, like ''Sonic 4: Episode 2''[='=]s final boss, and when it's destroyed, the protagonists run from an encroaching explosion, like the end of ''Sonic 2''. It's also likely designed after [[http://info.sonicretro.org/File:SCDconcept-R8_BossFinal.jpg a sketch]] from ''Sonic CD'' that depicted that game's final boss as a bug-like battle suit]].