History MythologyGag / SonicMania

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

** Bean and Bark appearing on wanted posters with Nack in Mirage Saloon is a nod to ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations''[='=] own wanted posters, which were in turn a nod to the [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog Archie Comics]], where the three of them are a gang of mercenaries known as Team Hooligan.

* The second episode of ''Mania Adventures'' has Eggman battle Sonic and Tails in a machine consisting of his Egg-O-Matic with two drills on either side, very reminiscent of the [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure Egg Hornet]].

* The "?" monitor that originally appeared in the classic games as a Debug Mode / multiplayer power-up makes its first appearance in Encore Mode as a legitimate power-up. Popping it randomizes both the player character and the partner out of the currently-collected party.
** Ditto the "swap places" monitor, which is similar but only swaps out the player character.

* The animation Ray uses for moving between monkey bars like those seen in Flying Battery Zone is inspired heavily by the strange way he did the same in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjY8vgbSvWc SegaSonic]].

* The animation Ray uses for moving between monkey bars like those seen in Flying Battery Zone is inspired heavily by the strange way he did the same in [[youtube:jjY8vgbSvWc SegaSonic]].

* The animation Ray uses for moving between monkey bars like those seen in Flying Battery Zone is inspired heavily by the strange way he did the same in [[jjY8vgbSvWc SegaSonic]].

* The "?" monitor that originally appeared in the classic games as a Debug Mode power-up makes its first appearance in Encore Mode as a legitimate power-up. Popping it randomizes both the player character and the partner out of the currently-collected party.

* Encore Mode introduces a new pinball-themed bonus stage that brings to mind the bonus stages from ''VideoGame/SonicSpinball'' (albeit in full 3D). In addition, the minigame for earning powerups and new characters in said bonus stage mimics the Combi Catcher from ''VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix''.

* [[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://sonic.wikia.com/wiki/File:SonicMania_Ray.png 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]].

* The "Press Any Button" text at the title screen is written in the same font as the "Press Start Button" that was supposed to be shown at the start of the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (a bug in the game's production code caused it to be masked in the final ROM [[http://info.sonicretro.org/SCHG_How-to:Display_the_Press_Start_Button_text and can be restored]] as the text is still present in the game).

** Knuckles' Act 1 has him [[spoiler:traversing the ground below (the Heavy Magician knocks him off the back of the Tornado at the start of the act). Thus he fights a different mid-boss: the multi-segmented Caterkiller boss from [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogChaos Gigapolis Zone]]]]. Sonic and Tails also fight this guy, but because of the setting, the battle is entirely different (and somewhat reminiscent of the [[spoiler:Marble Garden Act 2 boss]] with its attack strategy).

* In the cutscene before the Titanic Monarch in ''Plus'', if Tails is there, he'll jump up in surprise at the lightning, a reference to his FearOfThunder that was prominently featured in ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie''.

** The Act 1 boss marks the return of [[spoiler:Red Eye from ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles''[='=] Death Egg Zone. The first phase of the battle is the same as it is in ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'', where you hit the eye and avoid the detonating eggs it shields itself with. However during the second part, the lift the characters stand on begins moving up and down wildly, which changes the effect of gravity inside the lift. The Red Eye, now detached, begins floating around and will lodge itself in the roof or floor and fire off projectiles]].

** Encore Mode in ''Sonic Mania Plus'' gives Green Hill a sunset backdrop, bringing Sunset Hill Zone from ''[[VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy Sonic Advance 3]]'' to mind.

** Act 1 of Press Garden contains the rotating cylinders from Launch Base Zone and the red-and-white parasol-like objects are reminiscent of the large spinning discs from Sky Sanctuary. During Act 2, you'll run across the Newton's cradle-esque swinging platforms (the pair of platforms that swing into each other with one always remaining stationary) originally from Mystic Cave Zone and also found in ''[[VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy Sonic Advance 3]]''[='=]s Toy Kingdom Zone. It also has logs you can run you the center of and statues that shoot projectiles which cling to walls and which you can stand on, like Aquatic Ruin Zone. Said projectiles also appear to be Asterons. The HarmlessFreezing gimmick is taken directly from Ice Cap, even using the same sound effect and graphic. Shattering an ice block produces the soundbyte that originates from popping bubbles in [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD Collision Chaos]]. Also, the Dragonfly Badniks from Mushroom Hill make an appearance here.

** An astute player will notice that Act 1 splits into three distinct paths about halfway through, with each route taking inspiration from similar stages from the Genesis games. To elaborate: the central route is a near pixel-perfect replication of Acts 1 and 2 of the original [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 Green Hill Zone]], the upper route bears a heavy resemblance to [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Emerald Hill Zone]] (with loops ending in downward slopes and the signature corkscrew roads), and the lower route uses [[VideoGame/SonicCD Palmtree Panic]] as its main inspiration (with complex, multi-layered ledges and twisting underground passages).

** The zip lines in Act 2 are similar to the ones seen in Angel Island Zone, but are also affected by momentum.

** A set of panels can be flipped over by passing over them. They read "Genesis Does," a reference to the famous "Genesis Does What Nintendon't" advertising campaign.

** Throughout the zone, there are screens with messages on them, such as "[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Lock-On Techonology!]]" or "[[VideoGame/SonicColors Good! Great! Awesome! Outstanding! Amazing!]]".

** Act 1 of Press Garden contains the rotating cylinders from Launch Base Zone and the red-and-white parasol-like objects are reminiscent of the large spinning discs from Sky Sanctuary. During Act 2, you'll run across the Newton's cradle-esque swinging platforms (the pair of platforms that swing into each other with one always remaining stationary) originally from Mystic Cave Zone and also found in ''[[VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy Sonic Advance 3]]''[='=]s Toy Kingdom Zone. It also has logs you can run you the center of and statues that shoot projectiles which cling to walls and which you can stand on, like Aquatic Ruin Zone. Said projectiles also appear to be Asterons. Shattering an ice block produces the soundbyte that originates from popping bubbles in [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD Collision Chaos]]. Also, the Dragonfly Badniks from Mushroom Hill make an appearance here.

** In Act 1, our heroes can climb onto a rocket firework and shoot into the sky, where they can find a set of rings patterned as diamonds. This is most likely referencing the ''VideoGame/SonicR'' song, "Diamonds in the Sky", the normal theme of the Radiant Emerald racetrack.

* The prelude to the Act 1 boss fight for [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Hydrocity]]]] plays almost identically to the prelude to the Act 2 boss fight from Marble Garden, with Eggman causing the ground to start rising and Sonic having to climb up rapidly to avoid getting crushed into the ceiling. The boss fight proper has you [[HoistByHisOwnPetard turning Eggman's machine from the original game against him]]. Meanwhile, the second half of the Act 2 boss is literally a carbon copy of the Act 1 boss from the original [[spoiler:Hydrocity]].

** Act 1 can aptly be described as [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Sky Chase]]: Desert Edition. Tails and Knuckles ride the Tornado as they did in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', with Tails flying the plane and Knuckles sitting on the back. There's even an enemy that's basically an armadillo version of the Turtloids, another that's a cactus version of Nebula, and a third that's a homing vulture version of Balkiry. And in its music, towards the end of the loop is a phrase from Sky Chase's own theme.
** Knuckles' Act 1 has him [[spoiler:traversing the ground below (the Heavy Magician knocks him off the back of the Tornado at the start of the act). Thus he fights a different mid-boss: the multi-segmented caterpillar boss from [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogChaos Gigapolis Zone]]]]. Sonic and Tails also fight this guy, but because of the setting, the battle is entirely different (and somewhat reminiscent of the [[spoiler:Marble Garden Act 2 boss]] with its attack strategy).

* Act 2 of [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Oil Ocean Zone]]]] marks the return of the light switch mechanic from [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sandopolis Act 2]], with the primary hazard this time being poisonous fumes that slowly drain your rings (but won't kill you) if they get too thick. Pulling switches scattered throughout the stage clears the fumes out. These switches are similar to the ones used to keep the torches lit and the ghosts at bay in Sandopolis Act 2.

* Act 2 of [[spoiler:Lava Reef Zone]] features conveyor belts taken from Quartz Quadrant, with switches that can reverse the direction of their travel. Also, the transition to the boss area references the transition from [[spoiler:Lava Reef Act 2 to Hidden Palace Zone from ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'']].
** Sonic and Tails face Heavy Rider for [[spoiler:Lava Reef]]'s Act 2 boss. She rides a Motobug that sometimes jumps over you using a telescopic wheel. This references a ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 Sonic 1]]'' ROM hack, "Motobug the Badnik in Sonic the Hedgehog", in which Sonic is replaced by a slow-moving Motobug who depends on a telescopic wheel to jump. Furthering the reference, the game's digital manual names the Motobug "Jimmy" -- [[InMemoriam a tribute]] to said hack's creator Polygon Jim, who passed away in 2013. The jump and revving sounds Jimmy makes are the jump and Spin Dash sounds used for ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogSpinball''.

* In Sonic Mania adventures. The Robotnik head on the spring after Sonic opens the capsule is almost exactly like the one that appeared in the Post Egg Albatross Cutscenes of Heroes.
* In the cutscene before the Titanic Monarch in ''Plus'', if Tails is there, he'll jump up in surprise at the lightning, a reference to his FearOfThunder in ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie''.
* Knuckle's Continue screen animation is very simmilar to his losing animation in Sonic the fighters/Sonic Championship
* Mighty and Ray's running animations are almost exactly like the universal one used in SegaSonicArcade. Mighty himself has gained a move that acts like Sonic Adventure 2's Bounce bracelet.