Here's a bunch more info about the game from IGN-
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/28/sonic-lost-world-taking-a-page-from-mario-galaxy
''“We wanted to create an all-new design for 3D Sonic games with Sonic: Lost World,” producer Takashi Iizuka told me via e-mail. “Ever since the first day of development, we were focused on creating new and unique levels to best fit this new style.”
That ‘style’ basically removes Sonic from the constraints of a cohesive, grounded world design. Instead, players will find themselves twisting, turning and jumping along floating constructs suspended in mid-air. Levels are now informed by gameplay needs, with some stages focusing on slower speeds with more platforming, and others pushing players to run as fast as possible. Aesthetic ideas are now more free, ranging from the more idyllic, grassy settings of Wind Hill to something like Desert Ruins 1, which consists of cakes, cookies, donuts and all manners of candy. And just to throw a curveball, Desert Ruins 2 drops the sweets theme entirely, and features an entirely different gameplay style, opting for the ‘tunnel racing’ concept that Sonic games have used for decades. Of course, all of this works within Sonic’s typical level designs, which feature a wide range of branching paths and exploration options.''