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RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

Continuing my journey into the Sonic series I dive into a classic, refreshing after talking about a specific train-wreck.

Sonic 2 is a game so many of us grew up on and is the Classic Era Sonic game that I have the strongest connection to; played through this a lot of times both when I was little and when I was in high school XD!

This is one of the sequels to Sonic 1, as while production of Sonic 2 progressed, ideas about time travel and level design ideas/concepts were brought to the table. At some point, Sega was like "You know what, lets make this two games" and thus Sonic 2 was split in half. One half was a platforming-focused time traveling adventure that really pushes the mechanics from Sonic 1 (momentum physics) while the other half was a speed focused sequel with level designs pushing for more forward-focused platforming (though extra paths and exploration was still present).

Will cover CD latter, as I love that game a lot, but Sonic 2 rocks and I want to talk about that first

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The core gameplay is the same, Sonic runs super fast & rolls around....but he has a new move; the spin-dash. He can rev-up in place by mashing the button while holding down on the D-Pad. Letting go lets you move with a burst of speed, allowing you to really take advantage of the level design and get through lops even faster.

Sonic also has a new friend this time out; Miles 'Tails' Prower. He is a two tailed fox that was bulled growing up and after being inspired by Sonic's heroic's, started following him around. He kept up and Sonic to him in as his side kick and younger brother. Together, they fight Dr. Robotnik who is attacking South Island.

The set up is the same as Sonic 1, but with the third act for each stage cut (outside of one zone toward the end of the game). You have two acts, with a boss at the end as special stages to complete by collecting 50 rings and jumping through a ring that generates after hitting a checkpoint. Its simple, so you can just jump in and have fun

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What Sonic 2 does so well is the focus on speed. Sonic 1 has levels like Green Hill, Spring Yard and Starlight Zone that pushes speed but it doesn't compare to Sonic 1. Chemical Plant, Casino Night, and more push speed far more then any stage in Sonic 1 and it feels so great rolling super fast down hill.

Sonic 2's stages are really ironic as well, considering many of its level themes are still used today in the series:

I love many of these zones and they are such a blast to process.

*Cough*

Anyway, the music here is fantastic, like any Sonic title.

Emerald Hill
Chemical Plant
Aquatic Ruin
Casino Night
Mystic Cave
Secret/Unused Track: Hidden Palace Zone

Really great soundtrack and each track fits its stage like a glove.

Overall, wonderful Sonic game and something I'm sure we all played before

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If you have a 3DS, play the 3D Classic's version or if you have a Smart Phone, play the release head by Taxman and Stealth.

That version is special, as not only can you play as all the Classic Era cast (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles) but you have Hidden Palace Zone fully restored! Its a two-act zone like the others and its great to see original content being added-in to a decade-old game

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Here is gameplay footage if you are interested

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORt1VhKP7hI

Have a great day everyone and I hope you look forward to the Sonic 3&K Thread coming soon

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RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

Forgot to mention other ways to play this outside of the retail Genesis version.

PS3: Digital PSN Release or part of Sonic Genesis Collection
360: Digital XBLA Release or part of Sonic Genesis Collection
X1: BC with Digital XBLA Release
PSP: Sega Genesis Collection
PS Vita (only if you have a PS3 hooked up for NA PSN): Sega Genesis Collection (via PS3-to-Vita transfer)
PC: Digital Version
iOS/Android: Digital Game
Nintendo Wii/Wii U: Virtual Console (Wii Mode)
3DS: 3D Classics Version

Hope this helps somehow

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RowdyReverb · Feb 9, 2016

As a longtime Mario fan who only got into the Sonic games recently, the stage design in Sonic 2 was very unusual. I've been conditioned to think in simple Left-to-Right terms, but it seems like there are a ton of different routes through these stages. Often I'll feel like I'm going to wrong way and yet I'll find myself reaching a one-way tube or something that indicates I must be headin the right way. I'd love to see somebody go into detail about the stage design of this game because I've had trouble making sense of it.

RK128 said:
Forgot to mention other ways to play this outside of the retail Genesis version.

PS3: Digital PSN Release or part of Sonic Genesis Collection
360: Digital XBLA Release or part of Sonic Genesis Collection
PSP: Sega Genesis Collection
PS Vita (only if you have a PS3 hooked up for NA PSN): Sega Genesis Collection (via PS3-to-Vita transfer)
PC: Digital Version

Hope this helps somehow .

It's also on Xbox One BC and iOS. I played the iOS port with a Horipad Ultimate controller and it was amazing!

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

RowdyReverb said:
As a longtime Mario fan who only got into the Sonic games recently, the stage design in Sonic 2 was very unusual. I've been conditioned to think in simple Left-to-Right terms, but it seems like there are a ton of different routes through these stages. Often I'll feel like I'm going to wrong way and yet I'll find myself reaching a one-way tube or something that indicates I must be headin the right way. I'd love to see somebody go into detail about the stage design of this game because I've had trouble making sense of it.

The way the level design works with Sonic 2 is that you have an upper, middle and lower path.

Each path has hidden goodies and different elements. Aquatic Ruin for example has long and lengthy underwater portions for the middle and bottom paths.....but the high paths have no water what-so-ever. If you are skilled enough, you never have to touch water in the zone at all.

Casino Night is another case for this, as the lower and middle paths are focused on traditional platforming but the higher paths have more pinball sections allowing you to get more points.

Sonic 2's level design is strong due to how each path feels so unique and different, and while this doesn't apply to every single zone, it effects enough of them to make it strong.

Hope this helps you

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Edit: Saw your edit and fixing the OP now. Thank you

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MAtgS · Feb 9, 2016

That fucking hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDabQqRykgo

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

MAtgS said:
That fucking hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDabQqRykgo

That.....sure was something XD!

Hated that hole in Mystic Cave Zone honestly and it felt horrible if you're Super Sonic for sure

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whipihguh · Feb 9, 2016

One of the first videogames I've ever played and still one of my favorites. A bunch of great music, a ton of great stages, a cool vs. mode; such a fantastic product through and through. Well, mostly.

MAtgS said:
That fucking hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDabQqRykgo

Case in point....

Wasn't this a remnant of earlier Sonic 2 using Sonic 1 physics, where spikes would kill you if you hit them after you lost rings? 'Cause that's the only way the pit's existence made sense to me beyond just simple sadism.

Ramune · Feb 9, 2016

whipihguh said:
One of the first videogames I've ever played and still one of my favorites. A bunch of great music, a ton of great stages, a cool vs. mode; such a fantastic product through and through. Well, mostly.

Case in point....

Wasn't this a remnant of earlier Sonic 2 using Sonic 1 physics, where spikes would kill you if you hit them after you lost rings? 'Cause that's the only way the pit's existence made sense to me beyond just simple sadism.

No, this was using Japanese Sonic 1 physics, where you have a moment of invincibility.

Sonic 2 was around when I finally got a Genesis for Christmas and I got the sequel for getting good grades. OMG, was this game fun! Definitely has a special place in my heart.

Sonic 2 (along with Mario's 3) were the games that opened my eyes to cut content in games. I remember everyone in my class wondering " Where the heck is that damn Desert level????!!!!" That missing track in the sound test certainly didn't help either. Debug mode was like a pre Mario Maker where I would place various obstacles and challenge my younger Brother to get through them and vice versa. And discovering Super Sonic.....

TriggerShy · Feb 9, 2016

I remember loving this game when I was younger, and used to play it with my brother. We never even got past Chemical Plant, but that song will forever be ingrained in my brain.

Mr-Joker · Feb 9, 2016

I love Sonic 2, the game is fun to play when you just want to play a video game but not a long one and having Tails following you was fun.

However whoever decided that for the final area you fight two boss in row with zero rings, it made fighting the Eggrobo slow and boring as I had to be patient as one hit was death.

Sonic 2 also gave birth to the casino levels, a level that I never really liked in any Sonic game.

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

Lets talk about our favorite zones

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My favorite was always Chemical Plant, as it had such a great sense of speed, the extra paths were really well designed and I love the look of the zone.

Griss · Feb 9, 2016

I feel like one of the few for whom Sonic 2 is their least favourite of the Genesis games. Still good and all, but I'd take the slower platforming and prettier levels of the first or the massive epic levels of S3&K over Sonic 2.

Also one could argue that introducing Tails set the franchise on the long road to ruin but I won't go there...

Tizoc · Feb 9, 2016

The GOAT
Sonic 3&k is a worthy alternative but i like both equally altho i owned sonic 2 on my genesis

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

Griss said:
I feel like one of the few for whom Sonic 2 is their least favourite of the Genesis games. Still good and all, but I'd take the slower platforming and prettier levels of the first or the massive epic levels of S3&K over Sonic 2.

Also one could argue that introducing Tails set the franchise on the long road to ruin but I won't go there...

I love Sonic 2 a lot but Sonic CD is the 2D Classic Era game that is my favorite from that era

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Sonic 3&K is a classic and it will be a lot of fun revisiting that game

! But going to play more of S2 and Sonic CD first before tackling that one.

Regarding you're last point....it became an issue once Adventure rolled around but I found the Classic Era game did a good job limiting the cast. Sonic 1, 2, 3&K and CD had a nice line up of characters and they fit the franchise well. Even Chaotix (which I will cover, as I never played that before) seemed to be okay with this.

Extra friends are fine if they play like Sonic but with a gimmick (Tails = Flying, Knuckles = Gliding) to me honestly. Its if they play different, is when it becomes an issue.

RowdyReverb · Feb 9, 2016

My biggest gripe about the game were the "gotcha" moments. Like where you're cruising along and suddenly you get to a moving platform that insta-kills you with crush damage before you can even react. There's a box in Mystic Cave Zone that killed me several times for this reason.

TriggerShy said:
I remember loving this game when I was younger, and used to play it with my brother. We never even got past Chemical Plant, but that song will forever be ingrained in my brain.

I drowned in the Chemical Plant's purple water every damn time as a kid. I didn't realize you could use the bubbles to gain air until I was older

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

RowdyReverb said:
My biggest gripe about the game were the "gotcha" moments. Like where you're cruising along and suddenly you get to a moving platform that insta-kills you with crush damage before you can even react. There's a box in Mystic Cave Zone that killed me several times for this reason.

Or the Drill Badnik in Aquatic Ruin after running toward a hill popping up right in front of you.

Sonic 2 had issues and its not perfect. But it was a nice step forward for the series in a few ways honestly

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RowdyReverb · Feb 9, 2016

RK128 said:
Or the Drill Badnik in Aquatic Ruin after running toward a hill popping up right in front of you.

Sonic 2 had issues and its not perfect. But it was a nice step forward for the series in a few ways honestly .

Are your going to do similar threads for 3 and CD? I've actually been on a similar journey through the Sonic games myself. I did 1-3 and I'm on CD now but I've lost steam (and had my free time decimated by a new baby!). I had considered doing a LTTP, but I just don't have the time, so I'm glad there's someone out there putting them together. Keep up the good work!

SatelliteOfLove · Feb 9, 2016

Everyone who worked on Genny Sonic's graphics were on fucking fire.

You look at some of the competition and its a muddy flecked mess. Here it's clean lines, deft shading and tasteful polyhedrons.

kess · Feb 9, 2016

I still think there needs to be a game based on the intro screen sprites

god, look how sexy they look

Griss · Feb 9, 2016

RK128 said:
Extra friends are fine if they play like Sonic but with a gimmick (Tails = Flying, Knuckles = Gliding) to me honestly. Its if they play different, is when it becomes an issue.

Totally agree. Sonic Advance (the best 2D Sonic game ever) handled it perfectly. 4 characters - no more - each play slightly differently, have access to slightly different routes, and each act as their own difficulty level, with Tails being easy, Kunckles being medium easy, Sonic being medium hard (but you can go faster), and Amy being a real challenge.

If they stuck to those 4 core characters I'd never really have had a problem with them. But they looked at the reaction to Tails in 2, and said 'we need another one'. Then Knuckles, who kids (and me) fucking LOVED. And from then it was set - every game needs at least one new friend.

entremet · Feb 9, 2016

RK128 said:
Forgot to mention other ways to play this outside of the retail Genesis version.

PS3: Digital PSN Release or part of Sonic Genesis Collection
360: Digital XBLA Release or part of Sonic Genesis Collection
X1: BC with Digital XBLA Release
PSP: Sega Genesis Collection
PS Vita (only if you have a PS3 hooked up for NA PSN): Sega Genesis Collection (via PS3-to-Vita transfer)
PC: Digital Version
iOS/Android: Digital Game

Hope this helps somehow .

It's on the Wii VC as well.

Of particular note for purists, the Wii (Not the Wii U) supports 240p, or original resolutions if you have a compatible display.

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

RowdyReverb said:
Are your going to do similar threads for 3 and CD? I've actually been on a similar journey through the Sonic games myself. I did 1-3 and I'm on CD now but I've lost steam (and had my free time decimated by a new baby!). I had considered doing a LTTP, but I just don't have the time, so I'm glad there's someone out there putting them together. Keep up the good work!

Thank you

!

Made threads on most of the 3D games already (Sonic Adventure 2, Heroes, 06, Colors, Black Knight) and have only a few left to cover (SA1, Shadow, Generations, Unleashed).

Making CD, 3&K, Knuckles Chaotix and the handheld games (Advance, Rush, Rivals, the Game Gear Games, ect) too.

Really looking forward to the Knuckles Chaotix one, as I never played that game before.

Edit: Congratulations on the baby

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petethepanda · Feb 9, 2016

For whatever reason I always had trouble with Chemical Plant Zone as a kid, so one of the most satisfying things I can do in gaming is occasionally fire it up and just tear through it, I could do it with one hand behind my back at this point. It's like returning to the starting area of a JRPG and trouncing everything, except instead of a JRPG it's twenty years of my life.

Edit: Talking online about the beta stages and cut content in Sonic 2 are some of my favorite early-internet memories. Getting to play some of that in the mid 00s was mindblowing, and it's cool as hell to have a restored Hidden Palace in an officially released version.

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

petethepanda said:
For whatever reason I always had trouble with Chemical Plant Zone as a kid, so one of the most satisfying things I can do in gaming is occasionally fire it up and just tear through it, I could do it with one hand behind my back at this point. It's like returning to the starting area of a JRPG and trouncing everything, except instead of a JRPG it's twenty years of my life.

Edit: Talking online about the beta stages and cut content in Sonic 2 are some of my favorite early-internet memories. Getting to play some of that in the mid 00s was mindblowing, and it's cool as hell to have a restored Hidden Palace in an officially released version.

I love talking about cut content and missing parts from games, so playing the hacked roms that restore the cut levels, playing the Lost Levels Acts in Sonic Before the Sequel and hearing about Hidden Palace being restored in the iOS version of Sonic 2 was awesome

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Sonic 2 is really replayable, so its a lot of fun just blasting through it every once in a while

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Brian_FETO · Feb 9, 2016

I still prefer Sonic 2 to any other platformer

I understand there's the narrative people like to throw around that "Sonic was never good" but those classic games looked, felt, and sounded awesome. Delicious pinball physics that have yet to be properly replicated, even by SEGA themselves.

1 hasn't aged well but 2 reigns supreme. 3 is fantastic but a downgrade from 2 in my opinion

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

Brian_FETO said:
I still prefer Sonic 2 to any other platformer

I understand there's the narrative people like to throw around that "Sonic was never good" but those classic games looked, felt, and sounded awesome. Delicious pinball physics that have yet to be properly replicated, even by SEGA themselves.

1 hasn't aged well but 2 reigns supreme. 3 is fantastic but a downgrade from 2 in my opinion

After playing through Sonic 1 recently, I would disagree with the idea it didn't age well.

Its just focusing on different ways of rewarding the player; introduce the speed mechanics then have a slow platforming level, then reward completion of that with a speed-focused stage. Rense-and-repeat up until Scrap Brain, which balances speed/platforming decently well.

It shouldn't be like that but I had enjoyment with the slower levels, so different tastes I suppose

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Sonic 2 ages greatly due to how pick-up and play it is while Sonic 3&K feels so massive in scope/scale that it is really the A+ Sonic experience.

Sonic was always good and people do like the series. Honestly surprised with my Sonic threads on Gaf; a number of people love SA2, Colors, the Riders series, Heroes, and Sonic 1. Even Black Knight has a few people that liked it (and I personally thought I was the only one who enjoyed that game XD!).

Very interested when I get around to Unleashed and Adventure LTTPs........those tend to have the most divisive opinions.

Its just that the people that hate Sonic have the loudest voices, so that is the message people think is the case sadly

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Brian_FETO · Feb 9, 2016

RK128 said:
After playing through Sonic 1 recently, I would disagree with the idea it didn't age well.

Its just focusing on different ways of rewarding the player; introduce the speed mechanics then have a slow platforming level, then reward completion of that with a speed-focused stage. Rense-and-repeat up until Scrap Brain, which balances speed/platforming decently well.

It shouldn't be like that but I had enjoyment with the slower levels, so different tastes I suppose .

Sonic 2 ages greatly due to how pick-up and play it is while Sonic 3&K feels so massive in scope/scale that it is really the A+ Sonic experience.

Sonic was always good and people do like the series. Honestly surprised with my Sonic threads on Gaf; a number of people love Colors, the Riders series, Heroes, and Sonic 1.

Its just that the people that hate Sonic have the loudest voices, so that is the message people think is the case sadly .

Hmm...maybe it's less that it hasn't aged well, and more so that the things I really like from 2 and 3 aren't totally there. The platforming is the biggest issue for me, replaying on 3DS was rough

I'd jump between all of them on Genesis growing up so I basically had a blended together idea of how they all played. Most of my time was spent with 2 so that's pretty much how I view those games. 1 definitely has the best first level music though!

RK128 · Feb 9, 2016

Brian_FETO said:
Hmm...maybe it's less that it hasn't aged well, and more so that the things I really like from 2 and 3 aren't totally there. The platforming is the biggest issue for me, replaying on 3DS was rough

I'd jump between all of them on Genesis growing up so I basically had a blended together idea of how they all played. Most of my time was spent with 2 so that's pretty much how I view those games. 1 definitely has the best first level music though!

The 3DS and iOS versions of Sonic 1 having the spin dash help alot in making more in-line with Sonic 2-3&K mechanically at the very least.

The 2DS's D-Pad being good likely made playing Sonic 1 on that all the more enjoyable; hated playing the normal 3DS/3DS XL's in stores X(.

I love all three games but I will agree Sonic 2 and 3 are the stronger games. Its just impressive to see Sonic 1 get so much stuff right for a first in the series title.

In many ways, its like the Crash series, with the original having some really fun platforming, that despite the latter games being better, the original can still have a lot of fun moments.

Phreak47 · Feb 9, 2016

I still hear this theme in my head now and then...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns20nSt7Eso&t=13m42s

FadedRevolution · Feb 9, 2016

I like that they had different tracks for the single and vs modes.
Casino Night 2player > Casino Night 1player
Mystic Cave 1player > Mystic Cave 2player
Emerald Hill 1 player > Emerald Hill 2 player

RiderKairuu · Feb 9, 2016

Sonic 2 will always be my favorite. I was so hype for it after finishing the first game. I never got to try out 2 player mode

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