When it comes to retro-styled games getting published and put onto new platforms, there are always some technical aspects that don’t quite line up as conveniently as modern gamers would like, as the restrictions that held back titles made in the ’90s are no longer a concern. Yet, these retro games made in their image cannot overcome certain traits that bind them in some regards without being completely remade from scratch, which would ruin a lot of the nostalgic value that makes such games, likeSonic Mania, so desirable in the first place.
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One issue that is quite common with retro games published on different platforms is the resolution and window size, as this style of game was made with far lower resolution demands. This can result in the default windowed mode of games onPCbeing annoyingly tiny when compared to a gamer’s monitor, even if it looks fine when scaled up to encompass one’s entire screen.
When booting upSonic ManiathroughSteam, players will encounter this every time that they launch the game, however, there are thankfully some ways around this less-than-ideal function.
Updated on July 23, 2025, by Reyadh Rahaman:Sonic Mania was released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the franchise, and, as a nod to the earliest games in this legendary series, was created in the format of a 2D side-scroller.
Though, there was a lot more about the development of this game that some gamers may not know; particularly that a team of dedicated fans was a huge part of what made this game possible and successful. Hopefully, other such commemorative titles for other famous franchises will take a similar approach.
How To Switch From Windowed Mode To Fullscreen Mode
Thankfully, the developers ofSonic Maniaunderstand that people don’t want to play their game in a window that is a quarter of the size of the average monitor screen. When one opens the game and finds themselves at theMain Menu, they should navigate to theOptions.
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From there, selectVideoto open up the menu pertaining to the visual aspects of the game that one can adjust to their liking.The fourth option down, titled “Full Screen”, is what players inSonic Maniawill likely be looking for first, so simply turn this to the “ON” position for the game to instantly shift into Full Screen mode.
How To Make Sonic Mania Always Open In Full Screen Mode
How To Find The Correct File
If one does not want to manually switchSonic Maniainto Full Screen mode every time that they launch the game, they can manipulate a setting file of the game with subtle changes to make the game always launch in Full Screen mode.The file that one is looking to alter should be calledSettings.iniand the file path to find it should be as follows:
What Changes To Make To The File
There are three changes that players will need to make, though they are very simple, just be sure toonly touch the specified lines of text!Here’s each line that needs to be changed and how to make the simple changes:
After making these changes, reopen the game and it should start up in Full Screen mode every time that one launches it from Steam.
The Release & History Of Sonic Mania
Sonic Mania Critical Reception
Sonic Maniawas released on Jun 04, 2025, and was unanimously well-received by both critics and fans–many of whom praised it asthe bestSonicgameto be published in well over a decade. The gameplay, visuals, and audio were all very nostalgic and represented the origin of the franchise in a satisfying manner while also providing new, fun levels to enjoy.
There are still some who are disappointed with it, as the haters claim that it does not do anything original. Thankfully, few people pay much mind to such negative comments, as the quality and fun ofSonic Maniaspeak for themselves.
Interesting Game Development Choices
Interestingly, a lot of the development team that worked onSonic Maniawere individuals from the ROM hacking community as well as those who have worked on high-qualitySonicfangames. For those unaware, ROM hacking is the act of altering the existing files within a complete game to change the gameplay, visuals, or audio. ROM means “read-only memory” and, as such, the work that goes into manipulating such files is on par with professional video game development.
By having a dedicated group of long-time fans who are capable of handling and altering game files as the core of the team, Sega only needed to oversee things and take care of the marketing aspect–which turned out to be a solid plan, asSonic Maniasold over a million copies in 2017 despite being released halfway through the year.
Sonic Maniais available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.
