Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Review

By Ellie Gibson Published 17 September, 2007

Party like it's 1992.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Has it really been 15 years since Sonic the Hedgehog 2 first hit screens? Yes, buy a calendar. Then look how far games have come. 3D graphics! Free-roaming environments! Intense online multiplayer battles for up to 32 racists at a time!

All very well but sometimes you want to be reminded of how good games used to be. When they were good, obviously, not when they were Top Gun movie tie-ins or had the word "Gex" in the title. The new Xbox Live Arcade version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 shines as a candidate for the job.

Primarily because SEGA has been sensible enough to Leave Things Alone. All the original levels are present and correct. They are as expansive and exciting as ever. The sheer speed of the game still has the power to thrill as you send Sonic zooming, spinning and bouncing in all directions.

The variation in level design is also just as impressive as it was in 1992, all spikes and springs, cannons and levers, pinball flippers and floating platforms. Racing furiously through the Green Hill Zone is still fantastic fun, as is pausing to rack up stupid amounts of points in the Casino. Each environment features a host of hidden areas and secret shortcuts. Completists will want to find them all, but to be that good takes ages.

Fast and furious

'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' Screenshot 1

They should show this image to women in labour to remind them it's all going to be all right.

Those who feel the need for speed rather than the need to find every last invincibility power-up may even find the XBLA version of Sonic 2 more enjoyable than the original. Way back then, racing along without a care wasn't always possible. With no save points, you were forced to seek out extra lives and focus on ring collection in order to reach the later levels.

The option to save your progress at any moment in the XBLA game means there's much more freedom to zoom on through. Purists might complain this takes away the challenge, but you don't have to keep saving and they're probably people who also complain those new two pound coins are too big and why can't you pay cheques into the post office any more and whatever happened to On the Buses.

Just as the great things about the original Sonic 2 have made it into the new version, so have the flaws. Including the biggest flaw, whose name is Tails. Or to give him his full title, Miles 'Tails' Prower. The fact alone he bothers with a proper name proves Tails is pretentious and hateful. It's just stupid, like it would be if the game also starred Ian 'Sonic' Davies or it turned out Dr Robotnik's real name was Steve.

But the main problem with Tails is he's bugger all help. Yes, he'll collect the odd ring, but that's not going to help you kill a fat man in a space helicopter. He's just an irritating distraction who makes you think those country people are right about foxes after all and wouldn't it be nice to see Tails's blood smeared all over Camilla Parker-Bowles's face.

Waiting game

'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' Screenshot 2

To be honest I'm sick of the sight of him, Steve, go for your life.

There's an option play without Tails in single-player if you really hate him, but not so in Co-op mode where he is even less use than usual. There's no split-screen and the camera follows Sonic if Tails gets left behind or too far ahead. This means the player controlling him has to sit there and wait for him to come back into play, again and again.

Sonic 2's Co-op mode isn't quite unplayable, but it's certainly no fun for the person controlling Tails. Nor for the person controlling Sonic as they constantly have to keep slowing down. Not to mention the endless conversations you have to have about where you should go next and why did you do that I said that way NO THAT WAY YES I DID OW OWOW I'M TELLING MUM ANYWAY LET'S TURN IT OFF PRESS GANG'S STARTING. Or so it was in 1992 anyway. Nowadays the kids are probably all watching Skins and Channel Five documentaries about women who can turn themselves inside out.

Anyway, SEGA has missed a trick here. An online Co-op mode could have been good fun. There might still be an issue with one of you racing ahead, but at least the other one wouldn't have to constantly wait for Tails to float into view with all the urgency of a feather.

At least the online Versus mode works well. Quite simply, you race against an opponent to see who can complete levels fastest. Seeing as speed is such a key element of the Sonic games this makes perfect sense. An option to play in full-screen might have been good, but split-screen does have its advantages. Along with keeping an eye on your opponent's progress, you can laugh down the headset when they get stuck in a tricky area.

Race riot

'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' Screenshot 3

Fun to play, but a bit like being punched in the eyes.

There are three zones to race through in Versus mode: Green Hill, Casino (much potential for headset-focused laughing here) and Mystic Cave. Even better, you can compete in the Special Stage. Here the camera is behind Sonic and Tails and you're running down a half-pipe trying to collect the most rings. It makes a nice change from straightforward racing and it's superb for multiplayer. You have to jump in front of the other player to get first dibs on rings, and consequently both characters end up bouncing around like water off a mogwai's back.

Unfortunately the Special Stage levels are dreadfully blocky. It's odd, because everything else in Sonic 2 for XBLA is nice and smooth. Here Sonic and Tails are running along tracks made out of Ceefax. If the Rainbow Road in Mario Kart gives you a headache, this will give you a brain tumour.

That's one of only a few complaints we have about Sonic 2, though. Yes, the Co-op mode is rubbish and it's a shame there's no online option. True, there could have been more level choice in Versus mode. And okay, Tails is shit.

None of that matters when you're in single-player mode, zooming left and right and upside down and smashing open a tunnel and spinning round an s-bend and hitting a springboard and soaring into the air. All in the space of two seconds. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was brilliant in 1992, and it's brilliant today.

It's also much cheaper. Just GBP 4.25 will buy you hours of fun. Not millions of hours, because games were shorter in those days. Not all of them were better, but Sonic 2 is an all-time great.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (69) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • andromeda #1 4 years ago

    first! on a sonic thread!
    /gives self peanut.

  • Kryon #2 4 years ago

    9/10 eh! Sooo....Better than every single PS3 game ever made then?

  • hugejeans #3 4 years ago

    second will eat shell

  • Eraysor #4 4 years ago

    Sonic 2 is better than most of the games ever made to be honest.

  • Arkanite #5 4 years ago

    Isn't this already available on the Wii?

  • souljacker2000 #6 4 years ago

    i love this game, used to play it for hours taking turns with my little bro.... memories

  • morriss #7 4 years ago

    Thanks Ellie. You've twisted my arm...

  • Xerx3s #8 4 years ago

    9/10 eh! Sooo....Better than every single PS3 game ever made then?

    Stop please. :/

  • Zomoniac #9 4 years ago

    That's one point less than it should've got. Although maybe that was from sheer frustration at those starfish things in Metropolis.

  • RedPanda #10 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • Xerx3s #11 4 years ago

    Actually, I booted up the original yesterday and I think it's slightly better because of the controls.

  • Rirekon #12 4 years ago

    So glad they've not messed with it /buy

  • BBIAJ #13 4 years ago

    Never had a problem with Sonic 2's Special Stages to be honest...

    ...Apart from Tails being an utter cock and hitting every bomb on screen, and losing all my rings!

  • spidermanalf #14 4 years ago

    Can anyone else remember this game being on Watchdog as people were complaining that they were completeing it within 2-3 hours after buying it?

  • smoothpete #15 4 years ago

    Press gang was cack

  • BBIAJ #16 4 years ago

    I don't remember the Watchdog thing, but I do remember some guy being on Gamesmaster for completing it on the same day that he had bought it.

  • Les #17 4 years ago

    "because games were shorter in those days."

    What, it's even shorter than Heavenly Sword or Gears?! ;)

  • daedalus2 #18 4 years ago

    Ellie, that was a hilarious review. Nice one.

  • Twinkle #19 4 years ago

    Although maybe that was from sheer frustration at those starfish things in Metropolis.

    +1

    I hated that whole zone :-(

    I think it was the only one to have 3 acts as well.

  • chicknstu #20 4 years ago

    I'm not convinced by this. There's a really annoying jumpy biton level 3 which is a NIGHTMARE!!!!!!! I haven't played it since failing 20 times.

    And playing co-op with one person as tails is totally pointless. They're on the screen for less than a second at a time.

  • GrandpaUlrira #21 4 years ago

    Miles Prower... lolza!

    Seriously, Tails is cool, why all the hate?

  • Steroyd #22 4 years ago

    9/10 eh! Sooo....Better than every single PS3 game ever made then?

    Haha it's so funny cos it's not true.

    I loved Sonic 2.... is it possible for Sega to see sense, give up on making a 3D Sonic and just make 2D ones from now on, same with Capcom and Castlevania franchise. :/

  • Big-Swiss #23 4 years ago

    Intense online multiplayer battles for up to 32 racists at a time!

    its funny cos its true =D



    why is that true?

  • Monkey_Puncher #24 4 years ago

    400 MS points is actually £3.40 in real money

  • DanWhitehead #25 4 years ago

    Press gang was cack

    Careful. If you say that into a mirror five times, Dexter Fletcher appears behind you. Of course, it's not like he's got anything else to do...

  • the-fell #26 4 years ago

    @ Big Swiss

    The racist comment is no doubt a description of playing Xbox Live against Americans, where a worrying amount used racists slurs almost constantly.

  • afghan_jones #27 4 years ago

    This reads worryingly like something off of Uk:R

  • BM #28 4 years ago

    And okay, Tails is shit.


    Hahahahahhahaa, quality review
    Edited by 1 at 17/09/07 @ 10:55

  • viper_h #29 4 years ago

    Emerald Hill in Sonic 2, not Green Hill.

  • Wrestlevania #30 4 years ago

    "They should show this image to women in labour to remind them it's all going to be all right."

    Best picture caption yet, EG. *clap*

  • The-Bodybuilder #31 4 years ago

    I liked tails.

    At the time, it was the first and only co-op platform game (as far as I'm aware) at the time, and we actually used to fight over who would play tails, as when it came to robotnik (or eggman), whoever was sonic would just get into a nice corner and let tails fight him (seeing as he was invincible).

    And sonic 2 > sonic 1. It's so much better, larger, faster, varied and fun.

  • Hughes. #32 4 years ago

    Of course it's not quite as cheap as if you get it on the Mega Drive Collection, but there's a lot to be said for being able to launch a game quickly from the hard drive without having to find a disc. Well, there is if you're as lazy as I am.

    Sonic Twosday!

    /nostalgia fuelled stupor

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #33 4 years ago

    I had an Amiga back in 1992, and therefore was contractually obliged to hate both Mario and Sonic. Which is a shame, coz when I went round my cousin's house, I used to love playing it on his Megadrive, even if I was only ever allowed to be Tails.

    Anyway, Tails is OK, Knuckles is just about OK, it's after that when they start turning into a bunch of pathetic, rejected first draft anime dregs.

  • FabricatedLunatic #34 4 years ago

    Nostalgia indeed. Time to dig out my Xbox version of Sonic Mega Collection \o/

  • DUFFMAN5 #35 4 years ago

    I thought i would clear this and Sonic 1 in no time, how wrong can I be, feckin flying things shooting at me. Tried to host/join a game yesterday and no one was about or at least didn't want to play me. At least I beat someone at chess!

  • wowami #36 4 years ago

    Sonic Twosday FTW!
    Mitching School to get to WH Smith's in Plymouth before they sold out
    no wonder my grades were so shite!

  • Nithron #37 4 years ago

    The Special Stage multiplayer is still awesome, blocky or not.

    I like the idea of Ceefax being some kind of tangible material though. Maybe they should put it on the periodic table?

  • zErOb_cOOl #38 4 years ago

    Lol @ women in labour comment

  • bunglebonce #39 4 years ago

    Great review, I haven't giggled at words like that for a while.

  • the_dudefather #40 4 years ago

    "Can anyone else remember this game being on Watchdog as people were complaining that they were completeing it within 2-3 hours after buying it?"

    saw something like that but for sonic 3, and it was a regional news thing from what i remember

    and people say heavenly sword is short :p

  • Machetazo #41 4 years ago

    I wouldn't go as far as to call Tails cool, Ulrira. I'll give you that he's more use than Knuckles, though, ok? :) As soon as I can get the points, I'm buying this asap, for the fun I've had with the demo.
    Edited by 1 at 17/09/07 @ 12:48

  • Pulsar_t #42 4 years ago

    S3&K>S1>S2

  • FenderMaster #43 4 years ago

    Miles "Tails" Prower is actually a pun, which NOBODY EVER GETS!!!

    miles per hour/miles prower

  • ElectricDemon #44 4 years ago

    This is making me seriously want to dig out Sonic Mega Collection on the GC........

    Is it just me or is the music in the 2D Sonics fucking brilliant? The Marble Zone in Sonic 1 being a particular fave

    I actually quite like the cheesy rock of the 3D ones too, but I realise I'm in a minority there

    /hums "It's Doesn't Matter"

  • crazyhorse174 #45 4 years ago

    Is it just me or did anyone else think that Miles "Tails" Prower really needed an "L" in his surname after the "W"?!?

    Just me? Thought so!

    I seem to remember this getting panned when it came out - reviewers didn't think it was as good as the original. Could be wrong though, as I so often am!

  • dsmx #46 4 years ago

    9/10 better than gears and halo then?

  • Kami #47 4 years ago

    I used to get through this whole game in about half an hour tops, getting the emeralds in the first zone and then blitzing through everything else, learning the short-cuts and how to handle Super-Sonic speed...

    Good days. But I'm sorry, Sonic 2 was great but as someone who really played this to death, there isn't really a lot TO explore generally. If you want that, it's Sonic 3 + Knuckles, where you generally got more rewards for nosing about and breaking from the path, in the form of 1-Ups or Giant Rings. Sonic 2, for me, was about great level design and the thrill of speeding through zones as quickly as possible. It's still awesome though. And I LOVED the special stage in Sonic 2 more than Sonic 3 + Knuckles.
    Edited by 1 at 17/09/07 @ 13:48

  • CatWeazle #48 4 years ago

    "but to be that good takes ages.."

    very good! ;-)

  • kissthestick #49 4 years ago

    Sonic 3 & Knuckles > Best 2d sonics

    havent played CD sadly :(

  • RM2KMaster #50 4 years ago

    "Yes, he'll collect the odd ring, but that's not going to help you kill a fat man in a space helicopter."

    gLOL

  • DFawkes #51 4 years ago

    I've always liked the co-op, and always will. Me and my sister played for hours yesterday, and it was awesome backing her up, collecting rings and taking out enemies while Sonic bolts past like a big blue hedgehog running on his hind legs for no apparent reason (the comics tried, but to little avail).

    That said, Tails can't fly on command. Love flying tails in Sonic 3.

  • Ryze #52 4 years ago

    All of that moaning about the special stage - what you meant to say, Ellie, was:

    It's identical to the MegaDrive version.

    /review finished.

    Damn, this cost £40 upon release.

    Bloody inflation!

    Plug:

    You might like to come and join the OutRun2006 Gamers Club, where we race online in Sumo Digital's fine conversions of Sega's amazing arcade game.

    You're into Outrun? Then jump in!

    Open to all!

    See ya there...

    Xbox / PS2 / PSP / PC

    [link url=h ttp://gamers.eurogamer.net/groups.php?group_id=181
    ]http://ga mers.eurogamer.net/groups.php?g...[/link]

  • dryden555 #53 4 years ago

    great game but int he last 2 years I'm counting one billion ported versions of Sonic 2 to one platform or another. How many times do I need to see a review of it?

  • JackyB #54 4 years ago

    is this game like Paper Mario?

  • Vin #55 4 years ago

    Fortunately, no.

  • JackyB #56 4 years ago

    fortunately for paper mario you mean?

  • The-Bodybuilder #57 4 years ago

    I never got to see super-sonic in my lifetime.

  • Nobuo #58 4 years ago

    When I first played this, I could never figure out who was controlling Tails in one player mode.

    To be six again. It was years before I finally discovered it was the sparkle fairies all along.
    Edited by 1 at 17/09/07 @ 17:06

  • ArtOfLife #59 4 years ago

    Aaaah that special stage; I remember as kids my sister and I fighting with each other by continually jumping so as to be the one in front (and therefore get all the incoming rings).

    First game I ever got for the Sega Mega Drive and one of my favourites of all time. I can forgive any and all of Sega's recent failures after going back and playing five minutes of this.

  • smelly #60 4 years ago

    I never got along with sonic..

    I'd love it.. then it'd get too confusing for me on later "maze-like" levels - and i'd long to go back to just running fast left to right.

    .. Then came sonic & knuckles and i beat it first go in woolworths one saturday afternoon (I had a lonely childhood), so i found that one too easy to like.

    (or was it sonic 3? I forget)

  • smelly #61 4 years ago

    >Sonic 2 is better than most of the games ever made to be honest.

    Uhu.. apart from mario 3 :-)

  • DUFFKING #62 4 years ago

    I haven't played sonic 2 before this.

    :)

    Anyway, Super Sonic is great fun, although apparantly I fell in the spike pit of doom on Mystic Caves 2 because I missed a switch :D

  • dsmx #63 4 years ago

    I've never really liked any of the classic mario games, the punishment for 1 hit on you was so great it ruined the fun for me. Sonic you just keep on going with the only punishment being look for more rings that's more fun in my opinion.

  • Waffleaber #64 4 years ago

    Oh my God I only just got Miles Prower.

    A whole 15 years later.

    I feel so fucking stupid right now.

  • 3william56 #65 4 years ago

    You and me both.

    Would have been good if they'd fully next-genned the special stage and left the rest though.

  • Ryze #66 4 years ago

    Yeah, I've never finished a Mario game due to never owning a Nintendo console (yet - Wii coming soon...)

    For a kiddies game company they've not 'alf churned out (brought up) some hard core game(r)s!

    Mario Kart is one of my all time favourites.

  • TripSkyway #67 4 years ago

    Heh great review, really funny.

  • Lov3 #68 4 years ago

    "Oh my God I only just got Miles Prower.

    A whole 15 years later.

    I feel so fucking stupid right now."

    Christ, I had to think about that! Thanks for pointing out what a pair of idiots we are.

    PS. A real copy of this game on a cartridge would probably only set you back about £1.

  • foolish_mortal #69 4 years ago

    The racist comment is no doubt a description of playing Xbox Live against Americans, where a worrying amount used racists slurs almost constantly.

    Said with absolutely no sense of irony whatsoever.