Sonic Mania is sweeping the nation. The nostalgic adventure brings back the classic trio of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles as they race through new, old, and upgraded stages, grabbing rings and busted Dr. Eggman’s robots. There’s more than just old-school charm though — there’s a secret special mode you can unlock too. And we’re not talking about Super Sonic.
Now, this is “& Knuckles” — and getting it is pretty simple. It’s totally a spoiler, too.
Sonic Mania might look old-school, but its a totally new game. You play as one of three hyper-speed mascots — Sonic, Tails or Knuckles — sprinting through high-speed stages with various paths. There’s no single way to complete a level, and all three heroes get their own special abilities to make things more interesting. It’s a big of nostalgic fun, but some say Sonic Mania is the best in the franchise. It might be worth unlocking cool little extras like this after all.
More Sonic Mania guides on Gameranx:
- Sonic Mania: “What Nintendon’t” Studiopolis Easter Egg Guide
- Sonic Mania: How to Fight the Secret Final Boss | True Ending Guide
- Sonic Mania: How To Beat Every Boss | Battle Tips Guide
- Sonic Mania: 7 Chaos Emerald Locations | Super Sonic Guide
- Sonic Mania: All Blue Sphere Bonus Stage Rewards | Unlock Guide
- Sonic Mania: How To Access Level Select | Cheat Code List
- Sonic Mania Trophy List
How To Unlock “& Knuckles” | Secret Bonus Mode
What is “& Knuckles” mode? Think back to the “& Tails” part of “Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Sonic & Tails” — in Sonic 2, an erratic AI partner Tails followed Sonic everywhere. Now you can do the same with, only this time Knuckles is the one following you around.
It’s completely new, and no other game in the series lets this happen — you can play as Sonic & Knuckles, Tails & Knuckles, or Knuckles & Knuckles for maximum ridiculousness.
- How To Unlock “& Knuckles” Mode: The mode is unlocked by completing Bonus Stages (Blue circles, not the Chaos Emerald stages) — complete enough and eventually “& Knuckles” will unlock.
Those aren’t the only moves you’ll unlock in Sonic Mania. For completing Bonus Stages, you can also earn bonus moves from previous Sonic games. Finish Blue Circle bonus stages to get an Insta-Shield, or the Super Figure 8 Peel-Out.
Debug Mode is the grand prize for finishing all the bonus stages, and it’s a classic call-back to previous games, filled with strange secrets and interesting tidbits. It’s absolutely worth the price of admission.
