If you add loads of stuff to a game that's of lower quality than the rest of the game, it's no longer consistently excellent, and the overall quality of the product falls as a result. If used properly, Ray's fly/glide ability can cover most of Green Hill act one.More does not necessarily equal better. With enough momentum it's speed can match a spin dash and it can cross very large distances, even further than with tails' flight. If enough momentum is gained and it's angled properly, his glide is also the fastest mode of travel. Controlling Ray in flight requires a level of precision and accuracy that comes with practice, but considering he doesn't tire like Tails or lose altitude like Knuckles, the reward is great.

Ray's technical style of play is more complex than other characters, even though it is more suitable for speedruns than Mighty's. Ray's ability to float on the air without losing altitude gives him similar control to Tails' brand of flight while he can't ascend, he can decide when to dive, and his glide can carry him across distances perhaps even greater than Tails' flight and Knuckles' glide can if controlled properly. While his form of flight is more like gliding it doesn't have the properties of Knuckles' glide, most notably the slow descent. Ray is similar in appearance and gameplay to Tails, with a smaller size and flying capabilities. Ray, like Mighty, is introduced in Sonic Mania Plus, having previously made his only appearance in the 1993 arcade game SegaSonic the Hedgehog as an ally of Sonic. Thus, he's best played if you're looking for someone on the safer side. While Mighty has some advantages that make him strong and durable, they don't give him an edge when it comes to speedrunning (such as Knuckles' climbing and gliding, Tails' flying, or Sonic's Drop Dash and shield abilities). Mighty can also crash through breakable objects due to his strength. Secondly, Mighty's shell acts as a shield, making him immune to spikes when in ball form. Firstly, pressing an action button twice will cause Mighty to perform a ground pound, hurting all nearby enemies. In Mania Mighty plays in a manner similar to Sonic, though he has some different abilities up his sleeve that aid him in both offense and defense. His only other appearance between his debut and Sonic Mania was in Knuckles' Chaotix as an ally of Knuckles.

Mighty the Armadillo is one of two characters introduced in Sonic Mania Plus, though his first appearance was in the 1993 arcade game SegaSonic the Hedgehog as an ally of Sonic. Defeating the final boss in this zone will allow you to view the true ending of the game.

Additionally, just as in Sonic 3 & Knuckles, different types of shields give him unique abilities: the Fire Shield gives him the ability to perform an air dash, the Lightning Shield grants a double jump, and the Water Shield gives a bounce ability, alongside unlimited air underwater.Д¬ollecting all Chaos Emeralds through Special Stages unlocks a secret zone exclusive to Sonic at the end of the game. Collecting enough medallions in the Bonus Stages unlocks other abilities for Sonic in place of the Drop Dash, both available in No Save mode: the Super Peel-Out from Sonic CD and the Insta-Shield from Sonic 3 & Knuckles. It can be performed by holding an action button ( / / / / / / ) while in mid-air Sonic's ensuing speed will be so impressive that he leaves behind a dust cloud. He is aided by his new ability, the Drop Dash, a kind of mid-air Spin Dash that gives him a boost after returning to the ground from a Spin Jump. Sonic is the fastest of all playable characters, and is thus best at maintaining that speed.

Sonic is the primary hero of the game, having been pursuing Eggman longer than anyone else.

Sonic mania speedrun