Although it was originally scheduled to come out in the spring of this year and then became delayed until summer 2017, Sega has now finally confirmed the exact release date for its forthcoming 2D retro Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sonic Mania, as August 15, 2017. The company officially revealed the information by way of a new trailer which also announced that digital pre-orders for the title are available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

As seen in the video below, Sega has put together some footage depicting hand-drawn animations of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in action that is interspersed between several segments of gameplay from the upcoming title. As evidenced in the latest clip, Sonic Mania will allow fans to "run, fly, climb (and glide, and punch, too)" while playing through completely updated classic levels and taking on all-new bosses.

For those unaware, Sega's now-official launch time for Sonic Mania actually matches the release date accidentally revealed through Steam several days ago. As it so happens, the title's European Steam page hosted a video that ended by announcing the August 15, 2017 release date, much to the chagrin of Sega and its employees.

While the latest trailer for Sonic Mania posted above offers a solid look at some of the stages to come in the throwback title, some fans might want to get an even better understanding of the game's offerings. Thankfully, one of Sega's past pieces of gameplay footage focuses on Knuckles making a run through the updated version of the Flying Battery Zone, giving a good look at the character's capabilities in the new game.

All things considered, it seems as if Sonic the Hedgehog fans are quite excited by the impending launch of Sonic Mania, mostly due to the familiar style and flair it exudes. That said, though, it will be interesting to see if reception for the other Sonic game set to release this year–that is, the 3D Sonic Forces–will eventually be greeted with more positive criticism, as many gamers have expressed concern that it could ultimately make similar mistakes of past 3D platformers starring the Blue Blur.

Sonic Mania is set to release on August 15, 2017 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: Sonic the Hedgehog – YouTube