Sonic Mania's Chemical Plant Zone Is A Blast From The Past

We aren't going to need to wait too much longer to experience old-school bliss with Sega's Sonic Mania, since it's set for release in August. But with E3 around the corner, the publisher decided to get our retro vibes going with a new trailer for the game, showing off an old-but-new level from Sonic's past.

We're talking about the Chemical Plant Zone, which originally made its debut back in the 90's in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, before making a more elaborate return with Sonic Generations. It's featured in Sonic Mania, and has some familiarity with the original level, but with a few perks that make it fit more into the modern mold.

For instance, there appears to be gooey-like Jello launchers scattered throughout the state, which can launch you in the air and off walls, as you can see in the trailer above. In addition, you can travel in tubes that appear to be shaped like DNA strands, which actually break apart after you fly through them. It's definitely a blast from the past – and this is just the second part of the stage, as you'll be able to play in another area before you get to this one.

Plus, the gameplay also features Tails the Fox, aka Miles Prower, in action. Previous videos featured Sonic and Knuckles at the forefront, but here, we can easily see Tails in action, running around at top speed and collecting coins.

For those that missed it, the description of Sonic Mania can be found below:

"Sonic Mania is the ultimate celebration of past and future, blending Genesis-era Sonic platforming with New Zones, Powerful Bosses, and three Playable Characters, all presented at a gorgeous 60 FPS. In the span of 25 years, Sonic has collected countless rings across various Zones, and Sonic Mania revisits what it was that first made Sonic great, giving old and new fans alike an experience that will leave them smiling."

Sonic Mania should have no trouble stealing the show at Sega/Atlus' booth next week, especially with nostalgic fans getting back up to speed with the hero. (Don't forget Sonic Forces is playable as well!)

The game will release on August 15th for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC.