

Got 50 rings? You're not going fast, you're going slow so you don't lose all that. I saw a post saying that the reason this game feels so good and Sonic games feel iffy to the average player is that in Sonic games, you're punished for going fast. It's a short game if you don't get all the extra ranks, but even if you don't do that, the animation is stellar and oozes soul, the music is the best I've heard in a game in years, and every level is built for speed. I went on to get 101% after that over the next week or so and it was just a magical experience.

It's one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. There is a gaming moment I will never forget, in the final level, as the music is climbing up, and I had that moment, I just understood every split second decision I was making, even in a level that was still unfamiliar to me.

I think there's a point that you'll experience, somewhere around the end of it, where you just GET IT. The game's difficulty isn't completing it, it's getting a high rank. One of the most fun platformers I've ever played where the emphasis is on going fast. Easily my GOTY 2023, beating out Pikmin 4 unless a major surprise happens.
