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Sonic ManiaVSSonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Which is the smarter buy right now? We crunched all the metrics.

Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania

Quality
91Popularity
35Value
76
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
Ends in≈1d
-73% $5.37
Buy Now
VS
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Quality
65Popularity
26Value
67
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
Historical Low!
-58% $4.21
Buy Now

Winner

Sonic Mania wins the comparison based on the metrics. Takes 12 of 15 head-to-head metrics.

The stars are aligning for this one. At this moment, the game is delivering well and the price feels right.

12
Sonic Mania
12 of 15 metrics
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II
3 of 15 metrics
3

Head-to-Head Metrics

Direct metric-by-metric breakdown · no weights applied

Value
Pricing & Deals
Current Best Price (USD)
$5.37 -
$4.25 Wins
Historical Low Price (USD)
$4.50 -
$4.21 Wins
Best Current Discount
-73% Wins
-57% -
Sales Frequency
84 price changes Wins
23 price changes -
Quality
Critical & User Reception
Metacritic
84/100 Wins
54/100 -
Steam Review Score
94.3% positive Wins
77.6% positive -
Total Steam Reviews
23.4K Wins
1.7K -
Positive Steam Reviews
22.1K Wins
1.3K -
Negative Steam Reviews
1.3K -
373 Wins
Popularity
Community & Activity
Average Concurrent Players (14 days)
92 Wins
4 -
Steam Recommendations
23.2K Wins
1.7K -
Features
Features & Content
Achievements
18 Wins
12 -
Supported Languages
9 languages Wins
5 languages -
Release Date
Aug 2017 Wins
May 2012 -
GameValio Recommendation
Worth ItSonic Mania

The stars are aligning for this one. At this moment, the game is delivering well and the price feels right.

MaybeSonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Worth keeping an eye on. Currently sitting in a decent spot, but not quite a must-buy just yet.

Statistics Over Time

Synchronized historical data for both games

Time Range:
Sonic Mania
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Player Count Trends

— Concurrent players over time

Review Score Trends

— Positive review ratio over time

Review Volume Trends

— Total reviews accumulated over time

Price Comparison

Current deals and best prices side by side

Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania

3 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin -73% $5.37Buy Now
Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming +272% $19.99View
Steam
Steam +272% $19.99View
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

2 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin -58% $4.21Buy Now
Steam
Steam +137% $9.99View

Score Breakdown

Side-by-side value analysis for each game

Sonic Mania

Quality

Excellent community reception — players and critics agree on the quality.

94% positive (23,384 reviews) — very positive reception
Metacritic 84/100 — high marks from professional reviewers
23,384 reviews — very trustworthy data

Value

Acceptable value right now — fair price for the content.

$5.37 — very accessible price
73% off — solid discount
Historical low: $4.21 — room for better deals

Popularity

Smaller but still existing player base — longer wait times for multiplayer.

Player count surging +168%
107 concurrent players — smaller but active
23,384 total reviews — proven game with large community

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Quality

Divided opinions — worth researching more before deciding.

78% positive (1,662 reviews) — mostly positive
Metacritic 54/100 — mixed reception from critics
1,662 reviews — solid data foundation

Value

Price is reasonable for what the game offers.

$4.21 — very accessible price
58% off — solid discount
All-time low price — rare opportunity

Popularity

Declining player base — could be a problem for multiplayer-dependent games.

-20% minor player decrease
4 concurrent players — niche audience

Game Details

Release information and metadata

Game DetailsSonic ManiaSonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II
Release Date
August 29, 2017
May 15, 2012
Developers
Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games
SEGA
Publishers
SEGA
SEGA
Platforms
Windows
Windows
Achievements
18
12

System Requirements

PC minimum and recommended specs

Sonic Mania

No PC requirements data available

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II

Recommended

Recommended:
  • OS *: Windows 7
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 DUO @ 2.4 GHz/Athlon 64 X2 4200+ & above
  • Memory: 2 GB+
  • Graphics: 512 MB (NVIDIA GeForce 8800/ATI Radeon HD 3800) & above
  • DirectX®: DirectX 11
  • Hard Drive: 6 GB Free
  • Sound: DirectX Compatible
  • Additional Notes: Microsoft no longer supports Windows 10 or older versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Sonic Mania or Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II?

Sonic Mania won the comparison against Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II based on the head-to-head metric breakdown. Check the metrics table above for a full side-by-side analysis.

How is the comparison calculated?

The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table — no weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.

Is Sonic Mania worth buying over Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II?

Based on the metrics, Sonic Mania won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.

Which game has better player reviews?

Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.

Which game offers better value for money?

The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. Sonic Mania currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.

Analysis updated: Jun 11, 2026, 10:41 AM UTC

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Disclaimer

Data sourced from Steam, Metacritic, and various stores. Not affiliated with Valve Corporation. Scores updated daily to keep recommendations fresh.

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