Blue,white, feet like Dynamite
Written: Feb 28 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast,fun,platforming fun in it's most refined form
Cons: Tails is pretty annoying,a 'bit simple'
The Bottom Line: Fans of platformers will want one of the greatest examples of the genre ever, and in fact anyone not put off by 2D games will find something enjoyable.
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| flash-hammer's Full Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Sega Genesis |
When Sega created Sonic, they finally had a mascot worthy of the title, and it wasn't too long before he got his second Megadrive/Genesis game in the form of the imaginitively titled Sonic The Hedgehog 2, or Sonic 2 for short. This quickly became a pack-in title for the console, and almost everyone of my age group was introduced to the console, and in some cases videogaming in general, by this game.
The basics of Sonic 2 remain the same as the first game, the idea is to get from one end of the level to another, collecting rings and killing enemy robots on the way,facing a boss every 2 stages and trying to collect Chaos Emeralds via bonus games. Because the basic gameplay of the first game wasn't broken, Sega opted not to fix it, but just improve.
Added with this entry is now something synonimous with the series, and character, the Spin-Dash, which allows Sonic to roll into a ball,charge up and fire himself at high speed along the ground.
That's the major change, but the game also 'boasts' the introduction of Sonic's sidekick, Miles 'Tails' Prower, a fox with two tails that follows him around the stages. The neat thing about Tails was, that if a second controller was plugged in, a second player could control him and play Co-operatively with Sonic. His introduction also saw the inclusion of a 2-Player racing Versus mode.
While the basics of Sonic remain identical to it's prequel, Sonic 2 just seems to work so much better than the already enjoyable first game. The design of the stages is excellent, with Casino Night zone paving the way for similar levels in almost every Sonic game since, complete with interactive slot machines and so on, and would even inspire a Spin-off titled Sonic Spinball. The game may be gaming in one of it's most simple forms, get from one side of the stage to the other, occasionally taking on a boss, but Sonic 2 is one of these games, along with Super Mario Bros. 3, where the simplicity doesn't matter, because it's simply enjoyable to play.
The game Has 10 'zones', which comprise of any number between 1-3 levels each, and each zone differs not only in appearance, but also in terms of what enemies appear in it. The power ups, of which there are many, including invincibility and Speed-shoes to make you even faster, are not level specific.
The game also boasts new bonus stages, which are accessed by having over 50 rings when you pass a checkpoint, and jumping above it. The new stages take you to what looks like a large halfpipe, where the computer challenges you to dodge bombs and collect a set amount of rings, complete challenge and recieve on of the 7 Chaos Emeralds for your troubles.
The gameplay of Sonic 2 is simply fantastic, end of story. It truly is a timeless game that I doubt I will ever tire of playing, no matter how many times I beat it. It may not have the complexities or awesome plots of some games, but in terms of sheer adrenaline rush excitement, this leaves the majority of games, even Sega's own recent sequels, in the dust.
I have to admit that the 2-Player Versus mode seems a bit tacked on, but to be honest, I can't say it's ever been used much on my
cartridge,but it's nice that Sega actually did put it on the cart, even if it isn't a feature I've took advantage of very often.
Controls are exactly the same as the first game: Every button jumps. In addition, holding down and pressing a button initiates the Spin-Dash.
Can't complain about layout on this subject, and there ain't any response issues, so controls are as good as can be asked for.
Graphically, the game is a marked improvement over the original. While the sprite of Sonic has only undergone a few alterations, the stages and enemies are now far more detailed, and the game has thankfully toned down a bit on the bright colours, which are still bright to help keep the cartoon feel alive and well, but aren't quite at the garish contrasts of the original game.
One thing that needs mentioned that really took off in this game is the eye-candy sequences, you know, the parts of the game where you aren't doing anything, but Sonic is being carried by momentum and does crazy and awesome looking stunts, these really took off here and there are plenty of them to keep you amused.
The sound in the game carries on a lot from the first title, although the music has been changed, for the better in my eyes. I once went a good few years without playing this game, but Im positive I could have hummed near enough all of the excellent tunes from Sonic 2, especially the Casino Night theme, which is just too cool to be believed.
On the whole, Sonic 2 is, in my eyes, one of the best games ever, and by consequence, one of the greatest platformers ever. It may not seem like much on paper, but Sonic games never did seem like much until you actually played them, and to be honest, I don't think anything the series did post-this game could match the sheer playability of the game. It's impossible to describe why, in a long winded way, what is so great about this game, all that can be said is that it is fun. Really,really fun. And anyone who is a fan of the series, or 16-Bit platformers, really should already own a copy, or at least be trying to get their hands on one. It's simple,fast and just damn addictive, and one of the key reasons to hold onto your Megadrive/Genesis.
Other Sonic Reviews
Sonic The Hedgehog for Game Gear
Sonic the Hedgehog for Sega Genesis
Sonic Adventure for Dreamcast
Sonic Heroes for XBox
Recommended:
Yes
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flash-hammer
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