Sonic Generations: Classic Callbacks

CLASSIC

Characters

• Sonic
• Classic Sonic's idle animations such as tapping his foot, crossing his arms, and laying down all originated in the classic games. 
• Sonic 1 started the foot-tappping, Sonic 2 started the laid down one, Sonic 3 had the "shooter" pose, and Sonic 3D blast had the arms crossed. 
• He'll also pose in the same way as many of the 90s art, such as with a pointer finger or in an almost running position. 
• Tails
• Tails' animation likewise comes from Sonic 2.   
• Metal Sonic
• Sonic has to fight a metal version of himself, as he does in many classic games. 
• Amy
• Amy was saved by Sonic...once again. 
• Knuckles
• Knuckles likes grapes (according to the old manual).
• Knuckles was the 3rd character to appear. 
• Knuckles races Sonic; Knuckles is a long-time rival. 
• Knuckles' first idle animation with his fists is from Sonic and Knuckles and his other playable appearances. 
• Eggman
• He is called "Robotnik" for the first time in about 10 years. 
• He tries to use time travel to his advantage, as he did in Sonic CD. 

Level Appearances

• Green Hill
• Chemical Plant
• Death Egg (boss)
• Stardust Speedway (rival)
• Sky Sanctuary

Returning elements

• Lives (first appeared: Sonic 1)
• Basic Shield (first appeared: Sonic 1)
• Elemental Shields (first appeared: Sonic 3)
• Power Sneakers (first appeared: Sonic 1)
• Invincibility (first appeared: Sonic 1)
• TV Box (Challenge Act/Skills; first appeared: Sonic 1)
• 7 Chaos Emeralds (first appeared: Sonic 2)
• Super Sonic (first appeared: Sonic 2)
• Super Sonic in a final fight (first appeared: Sonic and Knuckles)
• Moving Goal Sign (Challenge Act; first appeared: Sonic 3)
• Homing Attack (first appeared: Sonic 3D blast--as a shield) 
• Drowning (first appeared: Sonic 1)

Music

• Standard (Remixes)
• Super Sonic Racing (theme of Sonic R) plays during some challenge acts.
• Green Hill
• Chemical Plant
• Death Egg (Sonic 2)
• Stardust Speedway Bad Future (JPN)
• Sky Sanctuary
• Sonic 2 2-Player (heard at store)
• Unlockables (some remixed)
• Green Hill Zone
• Marble Zone
• Starlight Zone
• Emerald Hill Zone
• Chemical Plant
• Sonic 2 Specail Stage
• Angel Island
• Hyrdocity
• Marble Garden
• Mushroom Hill
• Flying Battery
• Toxic Caves
• Sonic Boom (US)
• Stardust Speedway Bad Future (US)
• Palm Tree Present (JPN)
• Diamond Dust 
• Super Sonic Racing 

Level Mechanics

• Saws appear like in Scrap Brain Zone
• There is the see-saw element from levels like Star Light Zone
• The Spinning Tops are based on the ones from Marble Garden
• Underwater: 
• Spikes such as in Labyrinth, Hydrocity, Tidal Tempest, etc
• Water current/flow such as in Labyrinth and others
• Slide such as in Labyrinth and others  

Other Similarities

• Green Hill
• The "corkscrew" path is based off the ones in Emerald Hill. 
• Sky Sanctuary
• The spinning tops resemble the UFOs of Marble Zone.
• The insides of Sky Sanctuary resemble Hidden Palace.
• City Escape
• City Escape's crushers are similar to the finale of Sonic 1. 
• Seaside Hill
• There is an angel statue; it is a reference to the Wacky Workbench Easter Egg. 
• Crisis City
• Some of the set-up resembles Marble Zone as well as Laval Reef.
• Sonic runs upward, like he does in Palm Tree Panic. 
• Roof Top Run
• Roof Top Run's moving platforms are similar to the ones in Hill Top Zone. 
• Sonic skateboards in City Escape like he snowboards in Ice Cap.
• The Eggman ship in Roof Top Run resembles the Flying Battery ship.