Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has been going strong for more than two decades, and while Sonic 2 may not be the best game ever made, it remains an incredibly enjoyable platformer.

The story follows Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) and his new friends as they continue their fight against Doctor Robotnik’s forces. This time around, they have Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessy) by their side.

Gameplay

Sonic 2 is a classic 2D platformer that sees Sonic racing through levels collecting rings (similar to Mario’s coins). Each world or “zone” ends with an epic battle against Robotnik at the end.

Though the game can become difficult in later stages, it’s an enjoyable experience for two players to play co-op.

This update to Sonic 2 introduces several new features. Sonic can now accelerate from a standing start by holding down and repeatedly pressing the jump button – an invaluable feature when trying to make Sonic’s spin jump work in difficult terrain.

Other new features in the game include Challenge Mode, which lets players compete against their friends or the online leaderboards. This mode consists of three stages from single-player game and requires you to collect 100 rings as quickly as possible.

Soundtrack

Sonic has always had some of the finest music in video games. You’ll definitely love the 123 Movies Sonic 2 video collection. His fast-moving character also demands that his soundtrack match that speed. It only makes sense that Sonic should have such amazing sounds to accompany him on his adventures!

Tom Holkenborg (Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Godzilla vs. Kong and Alita: Battle Angel) is back for the sequel and he knows exactly what he’s doing.

The score is composed around two main themes; one for Sonic and one for Dr. Robotnik. These themes appear in many thrilling orchestral moments throughout the game.

Sonic’s theme is a straightforward five-note motif with plenty of energy, while Robotnik’s is more complex at 7 notes with an evil vibe. Both themes are masterfully employed in Sonic 2, with the brass fanfare version at 1:19 as well as string versions later in the score. Together with videogame-esque electronics that accompany it, these all work together to heighten tension and enhance enjoyment from Sonic 2’s many thrilling action setpieces.

Graphics

Sonic 2 built upon the foundations of its predecessor, making minor improvements and providing what may be the best Sonic experience ever. It featured an all-new sidekick named Tails, two player mode and a spindash move that allowed Sonic to curl into a ball and accelerate quickly without needing to build up momentum first.

Sonic 2 boasts impressive visuals. Sprites are vibrant and colorful, animations are smooth, backgrounds are vibrant, and sound is much livelier than in its predecessor.

However, there are some issues with the graphics. While it’s still an impressive 8-bit title, they aren’t as polished as Sonic 1 and levels seem dull overall. Thankfully, things improve towards the end of the game and there are some power-ups like invincibility which help alleviate some of these concerns.

Anniversary Mode

Sonic 2’s Anniversary Mode is an essential aspect of the game, changing up gameplay by switching from 4:3 to widescreen resolution and providing infinite lives and continues.

Coins allow you to retry special stages as many times as desired, giving the chance to collect Chaos Emeralds and Time Stones – these items unlock secret zones within the game.

Sonic Origins is an impressive compilation of Blue Blur’s classic games. It may not be as impressive as some other re-releases out there, but it should still be more than enough to get any fan excited. Unfortunately, the Deluxe Edition excludes some bonus content which should have been included in the standard version.