While Nintendo's Mario games have almost always been held in higher regard than Sega's Sonic titles, the blue hedgehog always had one thing the Italian plumber didn't: speed.
It's what Sonic is known for — but not anymore. Thanks to a newly-released fan mod by Daku Neko for the PC version of Sonic Generations, players can now take control of Mario and have him run at never-before-seen speeds, just like his rival Sonic.
It's called Super Mario Generations, but it's not just Mario that has invaded Sonic's home turf. This mod replaces Sonic's cast of animal characters with friends from the Mushroom Kingdom, including Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad and more. It even replaces Sonic Generations' original bosses with new, Mario-themed ones, including Bowser. Players are no longer zipping through environments to gather rings, but instead seek to snag as many coins as possible. New music, sound effects and even a new HUD round out the package.
To call it impressive is a serious understatement. Mario and his animations look just as good in this mod as they do in a Nintendo-made Mario title, even if it is strange to see him skating down a city street or jumping onto a helicopter.
Sonic Generations may have released back in 2011, but this mod has definitely breathed new life into it. It's easy to imagine some hardcore Sonic fans might take offense at the idea of Mario replacing the hedgehog in his own game. Even if the two have become friends over the years after Sega's departure from the console market, old rivalries still run deep among some fans.
Regardless, it's still cool to see Mario dash through environments like we've never seen him before, even if he is stepping on Sonic's toes. Then again, Sonic did make an appearance in Super Mario Maker.
You can download the mod for free here.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
