Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Review

In 1992, Sonic had become a full-blown phenomenon. His first game was causing the Genesis (Mega Drive to Europeans), and he had his own popular cartoon and other merchandise. So Sega made the release of the sequel unlike any other event. They called the event "Sonic 2sday", and the game sold several million copies. And it improved on the original in probably every way.

Sonic 2, first of all, includes a new feature: Tails. He follows you around (but never affects you), collecting rings and being your living shield. He even helps you in battling Robotnik's crazy machines. Another new feature is the Spin Dash. Now you can get a boost at anytime by holding down and jumping. The game still feels like the original Sonic, but it feels smoother and faster. In fact, this might be the fastest speeds ever on the Genesis, or any system. There's absolutely no sense of slowdown, making it still feel as fast today as it was 18 years ago.

The levels in this game are extremelly well-designed. Unlike the first game, there's only two acts per world, but the levels are so huge that it's not a problem. Some examples of levels are a giant Chemical Plant, a giant Casino, a City, and much more. There's tons of secrets in each level for you to explore. It's the perfect length for any platformer.

The music in this game is absolutely breathtaking. Seriosly, listen to this soundtrack on Youtube sometime; It's the single-greatest soundtrack for any game. Period. Words can't describe how good it is.

There are some bad spots in this game, though. Weird glitches sometimes may kill you, Tails feels kinda useless in some areas, and the Sky Pop levels aren't all that fun. Still, ignore these, and this is a great game.

VERDICT
Gameplay: Fun. Speeds developers are still trying to match. 9.75
Audio: Perfect. Still impresses 18 years later. 10
Overall: It's a great game, and the best you can buy for the Genesis. Buy it on the PS3, Wii, or 360 today for a low price, or play it on the Sonic Mega Collection.
9.75 out of 10