Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Genre: Platformer

Players: 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen), Online Leaderboards

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Review:

Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a port of the classic Sega Genesis platformer from 1992. While this game is also included in the Sega Genesis Classics collection (you can read my review here), the Sega Ages version has its own bells and whistles that may make it worth a look separately.

For those unfamiliar with Sonic 2, this installment added the helper character Tails, a split-screen 2-player “competitive” mode (preserved here just as it was in the original), and is overall generally considered an improvement over the first game thanks to improved stage design and some helpful added moves, like the “spin-dash” move that allows Sonic to gain speed from a standstill. In fact, up until the much more recent Sonic Mania (which I would argue tops Sonic 2 in every way), Sonic 2 was generally seen as the highlight of the entire series.

That said, I would argue that Sonic never reached the same heights as Mario – Sonic has a focus on speed rather than Mario’s focus on exploration and precision platforming, but a typical Sonic level has all sorts of traps to punish you for taking it too quickly, with even a single run-in with a spike or enemy losing you most of the rings you’ve collected thus far. Sonic games are at their best when you can just run forward and blaze through a level… but that also means you’ve not really interacting with the game as much.

However, don’t make mistake my criticisms above – this game is still a superb platformer that stands the test of time, with some top-notch game physics, memorable levels and characters, great music, and fun and challenging gameplay.

The Sega Ages version of the game brings some interesting new features to the table here as well, and many of these will be familiar to those who played the first Sonic game in the Sega Ages series.

Notably, there’s the addition of the drop dash move, originally added in Sonic Mania. It’s nothing that radically alters how the game plays, and doesn’t make the game especially easier, but it’s a way to keep the momentum going and it’s a nice touch (which purists can disable in the game menus if they prefer). There’s an optional stage select, as well as an optional “ring keep mode”, where getting hit only halves your ring count, rather than nearly eliminating it.

Included here are the Genesis and Mega Drive versions of the game, for those who nitpick over the little details that differ between them. This release also includes the Knuckles version of the game that was unlocked by plugging the cartridge into a copy of the Sonic & Knuckles game cartridge. But in addition to this, there is a new 100 Ring Challenge Time Attack mode with online leaderboards, for those who want to challenge the Sonic skills of players around the world. Players can also use multiple save states, just as in the Sega Genesis Classics collection.

Also, for those looking to compare this release to the Sega Genesis Classics version of the game, this game doesn’t have the rewind/fast forward feature of that collection, although I would argue that’s the only thing that version of the game has going for it over this one. Otherwise, this version of the game has a far superior set of features.

In the end, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 remains a platforming classic, and this version of it adds enough features that it’s more than just a lazy port. Are they enough features that you should get it even if you have the Sega Genesis Classics collection? Wellllll… I suppose that depends how big a Sonic fan you are.

tl;dr – Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a classic Platformer originally released on the Sega Genesis, and it has aged pretty well. This release of the game adds in a slew of special features and challenge modes that aren’t in the Sega Genesis Classics collection. This is one of the highlights of the series, and well worth grabbing for any fan of Platformers.

Grade: A-

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