Well Sonic, it's good to have you back after all these years.
The game definitely brings a lot of references and returns to the past three games in music, stages, enemies, and best of all, the gameplay. Actually, the gameplay has some twist to it, as just running from one end to another is not quite simple. The platforming mainly relies on timing jumps, using homing attacks, and choosing directions. Speed is still the ground of the gameplay, but the new obstacles require some building on top of that, which isn't bad really as Sonic swings, bounces and runs in his trek. Makes the game feel brand new and classic at the same time.
The music hit the nostalgic spot the most. Though the songs are brand new, the beats and sounds bring back memories of the past. It felt as though I was a 3 year-old playing Sonic 2 again. The music is quite catchy and has great upbeats and smooth moments.
The graphics are amazing and smooth. And for a console like the Wii, it did very well displaying such art. The stages are colorful and bright. Also, the designs on the characters and enemies looked spanking new, but at the same time reminded you a bit of what it was like back then.
The challenge of the game went up a bit compared to the past three, which wasn't a problem for me. The boss battles at first were easy to deal with as they first use strategies from the first 3 Sonics. But then, some new twists added to the second half of the battles, which caused some quick thinking and skills that surprised me.
One downside is that the game was short, but it's expected since it is just the beginning.
Overall, SEGA finally went back to Sonic's roots and returned him to the beloved blue hedgehog we all came to know and love. Good job SEGA.