Sonic the Hedgehog 2

 

System: Sega Genesis
Genre: Platform
 

Thinking back to my childhood, this game clearly stood out in my mind. It’s hard to forget how huge this game was when it came out. Anyways my opinions:

Graphics and Animations (10/10)

The graphics for this game are outstanding. The levels are full of color and the animations are wonderful. Every level has drastically different designs ranging from the greenish Emerald Hill Zone to the urban Casinos. Everything is easy to distinguish and nothing seems too repetitive.

The animations are also well done. Sega added many small things that simply made a huge difference in the long run. If you stand still, Sonic will start tapping his foot impatiently. Running with Miles Prower causes his tails to turn. In the Wing Fortress Zone, Sonic spins horizontally as he tries to grab another piece of the airship. All of these details keep the game interesting and exciting to watch. 

Music and Sound Effects (8/10)

The music for this game is catchy, but not as memorable as Mario Bros. It fits in well with all of the levels and leaves little to complain about. The music from the Mystic Cave Zone really freaked me out at night when I was younger.

 

The sound effects are well done. Nothing seems to be missing. Sonic’s jumps, his spin dash, everything comes with a unique sound effect. If you come to a quick stop after running at top speed, you will hear what I guess is the friction between Sonic’s feet and the ground. You can hear Sonic drown when you spend too much time underwater. Once again, these are small things that Sega did that made this game that much better.

Storyline (2/10)

Most platformer games’ storylines are weak; this one is no different. If you want a good Sonic the Hedgehog storyline, I recommend some of the earlier Archie comics, especially the ones about Knuckles. Anyways, Dr. Robotnik has captured a bunch of animals and is trying to create a robot army to destroy Mobius (the planet in which this game takes place). In addition to this, Robotnik also is creating a new super weapon—the Death Star Egg.    

Gameplay (9/10)

 

The main reason you should play any game except the Legacy of Kain series is for the game play. There are about ten levels and most are divided into two acts. In the first act of the levels, you must guide Sonic to a spinning signpost. In the second acts of the levels you fight a boss and then free little animals from imminent robotization.

Basically you run and jump to the right and eventually you will probably beat the level. Like all Sonic games, speed is an important element in this game. It’s what makes this game fun, but it also usually is the reason you make mistakes. This game introduces the spin dash which can give you a quick boost to get over obstacles more easily. If you have ever played the first Sonic for the Genesis, you will greatly appreciate this ability.

Within the levels, Sonic must collect rings that can be used to protect himself from enemies. There are also power up boxes that can make you run faster, give you an extra life, give you a shield, and a few other effects. The bosses progress in difficultly. You should be able to beat the first few easily but you may spend a few lives on the few at the end. There are also special stages in which you can obtain chaos emeralds. If you obtain all seven, you can transform into Super Sonic, an invincible yellow glowing version of Sonic.

Sega added in a two player mode where players can control Sonic or Tails and race each other. This mode is fun but gets old quickly because there are only four levels.

Replayability/Conclusion (7/10)

 

In this section, I will compare this game to another game that has stood the test of time. I have played through Sonic 2 too many times. Its single and two player modes are lots of fun, but I have to admit that replaying it for the hundredth time is not as enjoyable as its Super Nintendo counterpart, Super Mario World. I see this as the best Sonic game and SMW as the best Mario game, so I think my comparison is fair. Though if I only played through each game once, I would definitely say Sonic 2 is better.

Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)

Final Score: 10/10

Rent or Buy?

Pshht, let’s be honest, we all know why we came to Nerologic in the beginning.