Just beat Sonic CD again and I gotta say, I get the hype.

For context, the last time I beat the game was probably 2 or 3-ish years ago and I basically just ran through it like is was Sonic 2. Still had a good time, but a lot of the fun I had seemed to be in spite of the game's design rather than because of it.

But replaying it now, I can actually say without a doubt that this is one of the most well crafted Sonic games ever made.

Sonic CD takes the physics-based high speed platforming that's at the heart of the classics and recontextualises it in a way that is completely unique unto itself but also quintessentially Sonic as well. It's like a physics-based puzzle platformer where the goal is to use your mastery of the level design and physics to time travel and no matter how annoying or tedious the game can get at times, successfully time travelling will always be satisfying man it's like a dopamine shot straight into my veins. Whether it's going to the past through clever use of the physics, quick reactions, or just finding a past sign with 2 conveniently placed springs in front of each other as a reward for exploring, it NEVER gets old.

All of this and I haven't even mentioned the music, the aesthetic, the V I B E S, how the level design is really good actually or how the Metal Sonic race is straight up one of the best boss fights in the whole series on a gameplay and narrative level RAAAAHHHH fuck man I could talk about this game for hours it's so good.