Sonic has definitely gotten back on his feet with this one.
But enough about the past. This review is about Generations, and I have to say, this should have plenty of things both old and new fans will enjoy. Just to remind everyone, this games features two Sonics: Classic and Modern. Classic Sonic brought back the old-school Genesis gameplay that I know many fans have been asking for. No Homing Attack, no Light Speed Dash, none of the added controls. All the player has is Sonic's original Spin Dash and races across a 2D side-scrolling map to the goal sign. Modern Sonic uses the Unleashed/Colors gameplay and switches from 3D to 2D and vice-versa and has the other moves Sonic has picked up over the years. Either one you choose, there is only one rule in playing: High-speed running to the finish.
There are nine stages to race through: Green Hill (Sonic the Hedgehog), Chemical Plant (Sonic the Hedgehog 2), Sky Sanctuary (Sonic and Knuckles), Speed Highway(Sonic Adventure), City Escape(Sonic Adventure 2), Seaside Hill (Sonic Heroes), Crisis City (Sonic '06), Rooftop Run (Sonic Unleashed), and Planet Wisp (Sonic Colors), Not much can be said about the stages from SA on since they were in 3D to begin with, but the former three stages have been beautifully replicated in this game and both Classic and Modern Sonic have their own track to follow, so you won't feel like you're replaying the same stage again.
Each stage has the same enemies from the game they feature with some enhancements from the game. There is also the Rival Battle, where you face off against one of Sonic's rivals and each rival has his own unique gameplay and tricks. However the 3D rendition of the Death Egg robot is what really caught my eye. He looks simply amazing.
For music, each stage has two versions, a groovy tune for Classic Sonic and an upbeat track for Modern Sonic. However, if you don't like either, you can also unlock songs and listen to those in-stage instead. Either way, the soundtrack is definitely a beautiful composition.
One thing that I would definitely like to see the return of is breeding chao. I enjoyed breeding chao in SA and I long for the day that Sega brings this back. I would also like to see DLC for other playable characters and for other stages. I would love to race on the Sky Deck from SA or jump from ship to ship in Soinc Heroes' Egg Fleet and Final Fortress
I think this is a game that really defines Sonic. I'm sure many who played this will think so, too. Sega may be learning from past mistakes and patching this hedgehog together. Hopefully, this blue blur will keep running on the higher ground for a long time.