Being a Sonic the Hedgehog fan has been a frustrating ordeal ever since the franchise transitioned into 3D. The speed and intensity of the original Sega Genesis games have been largely unable to translate into the third dimension. But now, there’s a new fan game available that may be the most successful attempt at bridging the gap between old and new.

Green Hill Paradise Act 2 is a new fan-created PC game that its creators say was born from a “question that has all but torn the Sonic the Hedgehog community asunder: Can a Sonic the Hedgehog game be made such that it supplies a rich and robust experience in a fully 3D environment while staying true to its platforming roots?”

Watching the trailer above, it looks like the answer may finally be “yes.” The worlds look true to their source material, and the levels appear to be fast and relatively linear while maintaining the ability to explore and find new things, also like the original games. The game was created by a few hard-working Sonic fans, and while we haven’t had much time to try it out for ourselves yet, it looks like the game managed to create the experience we all thought was possible before being disappointed again and again and again by titles like Sonic and the Black Knight and 2006’s Sonic The Hedgehog.

Grab a download for yourself here and let us know how it plays: Based on the trailer above, we’ll be joining you after we finish writing this post.

Featured image: SuperSonic68