Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)

Original Release: 21st November 1992
Developer: Sega Technical Institute
Publisher: Sega
Original Platform: Mega Drive
Version Played: Retro Engine (Xbox Series S)
Available to buy: Yes

The true successor to Sonic the Hedgehog. This refined the gameplay, adding the spin dash to get a lot of momentum from a standstill. The levels and music are all great – with Chemical Plant Zone being a big highlight in both areas, not to mention being extra memorable due to the short underwater section that catches many people out.

One major addition to Sonic 2 is Tails. Playing on your own, he follows Sonic, trying to copy his moves. It’s possible to use this to your advantage when attacking bosses, but for the most part he’ll lag behind and end up flying back into screen. On top of this, Tails could also be controlled by a second player for a sort of co-op action. The screen focused purely on Sonic, meaning Tails would often get left behind (then get flown in like the AI version), but for me growing up with this on the Mega Drive, it was perfect as I could let my younger sister “play” without having her cost lives or get in the way.

My only negative part of the game is the final zone. It features two difficult bosses that require a lot of trial and error. Get hit once, and you have to start at the first boss. Once you know what you’re doing, it’s not difficult, but figuring that out with limited lives is a nightmare.

The first game is still my favourite, purely for nostalgia reasons, but Sonic 2 is a phenomenal game that still holds up today.