Sonic Mania: 11 Easter Eggs & References You Need To See

10. The Hooligans/Team Hooligan

Talk about your deep cuts.

Team Hooligan first appeared back in 2014, in the Sonic Universe comics. Comprising Nack the Weasel, Bean the Dynamite and Bark the Polar Bear, in Sonic Mania they factor into the boss battle against Mirage Saloon's Egg Magician, who transforms into each one in quick succession.

Easily defeated, this is one hell of a reference for long-time Sonic fans, or those who've grown up reading the more recent comic output. It also marks the first time this lot have been seen in any pixellated game, bringing together the multi-decade long timeline of Sonic into one unified whole.