Epic Games Store Celebrates Sonic’s Anniversary With One of This Week’s Free Games

Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, and it seems the Epic Games Store may have strategically selected one of this week’s free games as a result. Starting today, users can claim the excellent Sonic Mania, which will be available through July 1st. Users that might not be feeling the Sonic love can always check out Horizon Chase Turbo, which will be available for the same length of time. Once claimed, these two games will remain a part of the user’s collection on the Epic Games Store forever, which means that there’s no rush to start playing them now.

The announcement from the Epic Games Store can be found embedded below.

For those unfamiliar with Sonic Mania, the game is a retro throwback to the character’s Sega Genesis roots. Released in 2018, the game features classic 2D Sonic gameplay, with a number of modern touches. Sonic Mania quickly proved to be a critical and commercial success for Sega, and those that haven’t played it yet will definitely want to do so now that the game’s $19.99 price tag has dropped to $0.00. Epic Games Store users that enjoy the title can also check out the Encore DLC, which is available for $4.99.

Sonic Mania is an intentional throwback to the Genesis days, while Horizon Chase Turbo is meant to evoke arcade racing games from the ’80s and ’90s. The game features split-screen multiplayer for up to four people, 33 unlockable cars, and a soundtrack from composer Barry Leitch, known for games like Rush, Lotus Turbo Challenge, and more.

The Epic Games Store also revealed its next free title: The Spectrum Retreat. Starting July 1st, the game will be free to all users, which also happens to be the day the game will release on the platform. As such, it’s impossible to say how good the game is just yet, but players will have the chance to find out for themselves next week!

Have you checked out Sonic Mania yet? What do you think of this week’s free releases on the Epic Games Store? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!