If you’ve been wishing since your childhood that Sega would make a sequel to Sonic and Knuckles, then my friends, your prayers have been answered.

Sonic Mania sees the return of the iconic hedgehog in a way that has thus far only been seen in fan-made remakes of the original Genesis games. Instead of being a high-speed rodent in a 3D world, Sonic Mania goes back to those simple sprites zooming at insane velocities in a world as 2D as paper. You can practically hear the hum of your old CRT TV just looking at screenshots.

Not only will the game go back to Genesis-era graphics, it’ll also feature remastered versions of your favorite levels from Sonic 2, 3 and Sonic and Knuckles. But don’t think this is all just waxing nostalgic since this is still a brand new game with both brand new levels and a brand new story.

RELATED: THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

Sonic Mania takes place right after the events of Sonic and Knuckles. Dr. Robotnik has apparently survived his showdown with the Blue Blur after the events of the previous game (previous in this case is almost 23 years ago) and has sent his evil henchmen, the Hard-Boiled Heavies, to a mysterious new land with an even more mysterious new power. Sonic will team up with longtime friend Miles “Tails” Prower and Knuckles the Echidna to get there first and stop whatever nefarious scheme the evil doctor has in store.

The game’s aesthetic looks as much like the original Genesis games as possible, right down to using the same sprites and level textures. One of the more interesting aspects of the game is the new bonus stages, which now set Sonic and friends on a twisting and turning track rather than a sphere. It’s amazing how this game remains faithful to classic games while at the same time providing brand new experiences for old and new players alike to fall in love with the spiky blue streak.

Best of all is you won’t have to wait long to get your hands on it. So dust off your old gamepad and get ready to grab a few rings, as Sonic Mania is set to release Aug. 15, 2017, on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation Network, and Nintendo Switch.