sonic : Into the Void, is a refreshing reboot to the classic game.

It merges the best of the (then) newer title's gameplay features with the original Sonic the Hedgehog's classic environment and playability. 

The refreshed combat system lifts features found in titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and allows for  more varied (and challenging) combat. However, these new moves do not detract from the one button simplicity of the original title, and the controls are accessible and intuitive. Having a fresh arsenal is a requirement though, as enemies seem more frequent and numerous, and the levels have been mapped out with more treacherous obstacles, such as the infamous spikes.

The sound is as fluid as the original, retaining all of the quirky jingles we remember from the classic. An interesting feature I noticed is that when charging a Spin-Dash there is a sonic-boom moment where the audio seems to surpass the classic frequency, and you truly feel "sonic".

The graphics are essentially the same, and quite rightly so in order to match the proposed back-story. The colouring however is much more menacing and voidly, and the greens and blues you know from the original are much inverted to purples and blacks. I myself rather like this as it contrasts with our little blue hero nicely, making him appear quite luminescent against the apocalyptic backdrop. The colours also add slightly to the difficulty, making prominent ledges and such more conspicuous, and thus traversing even the initial zone without plummeting to ones doom can be a challenge. But fear not - in no way are the new colours game breaking. On the contrary I find they fit the hack well, as well as maturing the gaming experience via darker ambiance. All is still visible though, and old school gamers should immediately get their bearings within each zone.

Conclusively, sonic : Into the Void, offers a refreshing and varied take on the original game: boasting new combat features that all Sonic fans should recognise and enjoy; an interesting and darker colour palette; more challenging gameplay; and arguably, a more balanced and intriguing experience than the classic.

sonic : Into the Void is a must-play for any retro-games/Sonic fan alike - So check it out!  

alex! : Hey thanks for that great review! I'm still working on the hack, but there are and going to be drastic changes based upon the feedback from my page on SonicRetro.org. I have no idea when I'm going to release it. LOL that shows how drastic those are going to be!

Thanks again! ^^

@BlueBlur93:

Any sneaky hints as to the nature of these upcoming changes? What else can possibly be done?!

Still enjoying the hack,

Looking forward to the next version!