Sonic Mania includes a tribute to a member of the Sonic hacking community who passed away

The Heavy Rider boss from Sonic Mania rides a panicked Motobug called Jimmy. This is a reference to Polygon Jim, a member of the Sonic hacking community who died in a car crash in 2013.

Jim’s most prominent hack was Motobug the Badnik in Sonic the Hedgehog. The Motobug will extend its wheel out to jump, which the Heavy Rider’s Motobug also does.

from GoNintendo