Today, the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel uploaded the trailer for Sonic Mania Plus. With this trailer, we also have a confirmed release date: July 17. In a little under three months, fans will be able to play as Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel for the first time in years.

Sonic Mania originally released last year in August for digital platforms. Now with Plus, fans will be able to pick up physical copies of the acclaimed game. The physical release will contain an artbook, special holographic packaging, and a reversible cover, according to the official Sonic the Hedgehog account. For the many that had already purchased the game on the PSN, eShop, Xbox Live or PC, Plus will be available as DLC. Everyone will have the chance to play as two classic characters, as well as enjoy additional features, such as an expanded Competition Mode that allows up to four people to play together.

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The trailer highlights Mighty and Ray as playable characters. This is a big deal for longtime Sonic fans. These characters have appeared in cameos, but not in a playable capacity for years. Mighty was last playable in the 1995 game, Knuckles' Chaotix. That game has begun to fade into obscurity due to no re-releases. Meanwhile, Ray has only been playable in one game, the rather obscure SegaSonic the Hedgehog. As seen in the trailer, Ray's flying squirrel ability adds a new dimension to the gameplay.

via sonic the hedgehog, youtube

Sonic Mania has proven to be a hit with many. It has a score of 86 on Metacritic, the highest score for a Sonic game (aside from Sonic & SEGA All-Star Racing for IOS, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the 3DS, and the IOS remaster of Sonic CD) since 2002's Sonic AdvanceMania has also sold extremely well. According to Famitsu, the game has seen over 1 million sales worldwide. It is easy to see why many appreciate the game. It brought back true, classic Sonic gameplay. It looked and played like something straight out of the Genesis era. The new zones, as well as the remixed ones, were well designed and genuinely challenging. It's a shame that the most recent Sonic game, Forces, did not have the same level of passion Mania had.

In a little under three months, players will be able to pick up Sonic Mania Plus for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.