Sonic Mania 2 Prototype Revealed: New Images Highlight Evening Star’s 2.5D Vision

Sonic Mania 2 has long been a topic of anticipation among Sonic fans, yet the acclaimed follow-up never officially materialized.

Now, the gaming community is getting its first glimpse at what could have been, as never-before-seen prototype images of Sonic Mania 2’s development have surfaced.

Celebrating the eighth anniversary of Sonic Mania, director Christian Whitehead shared several prototype screenshots on social media, offering insights into Evening Star’s vision following their success with Sonic Mania on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Evening Star, the developer formed by key members of the original Sonic Mania team, began working on Sonic Mania 2 shortly after the release of the first game in 2017.

The newly revealed images showcase a shift from the original title’s 2D pixel art style to a vibrant 2.5D approach.

Among the highlights is the debut of Kanga Clanga Badnik, a new enemy designed to add variety and dynamism to the gameplay.

Whitehead described the prototype’s Kanga Clanga as "balancing on its tail and kicking forward with elastic, kangaroo-like feet, delivering enough force to send Sonic hurtling to the left with significant kinetic impact." The story behind Sonic Mania 2’s cancellation has been addressed by both Whitehead and Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka.

In previous interviews, Iizuka indicated that there were concrete talks about reuniting with Evening Star to create a follow-up to Sonic Mania.

According to Iizuka, the teams discussed venturing beyond traditional pixel art, experimenting with a new 2.5D presentation to keep the franchise visually fresh.

Whitehead confirmed that the team explored such a direction, as reflected in the prototype images released this week.

Despite these promising beginnings, Iizuka explained that the collaboration "came to a stop" for reasons that were not detailed publicly.

With development halted, SEGA ultimately moved forward with Sonic Superstars, a new Sonic title developed in partnership with Arzest. Sonic Mania, which launched for Nintendo Switch and multiple platforms in August 2017, stands as one of the most celebrated entries in the modern Sonic franchise, receiving wide acclaim for its faithful yet innovative level design and pixel-perfect controls.

While Sonic Mania 2 was never completed, the uncovered prototypes serve as a powerful reminder of the series' creative potential and Evening Star’s contributions to the revitalization of classic platforming gameplay in the era of the Nintendo eShop and digital distribution.

As fans reflect on these newly revealed images and the untold story of Sonic Mania 2, the ongoing legacy of Sonic Mania continues to influence the direction of Sonic games and inspire both developers and players worldwide.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch Sonic Sonic Mania Evening Star Christian Whitehead Sonic Mania 2 SEGA Sonic Team Takashi Iizuka Sonic Superstars Arzest