Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)

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This article is about the 8-bit game. For the 16-bit game, see Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit).

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Developer(s)	Aspect
Publisher(s)	Sega
Release date(s)	October 29, 1992 November 17, 1992 November 21, 1992
Genre(s)	Platform game
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	None (game predates ESRB and ELSPA systems)
Platform(s)	Game Gear, Master System
Media	Cartridge

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a side-scrolling platform video game developed by Aspect and released by Sega for their Master System and Game Gear formats. The Master System version was released in Brazil on October 25, 1992, and in Europe around the same time. The Game Gear version was released in Europe on October 29, 1992, in North America in November 17, 1992 and in Japan on November 21, 1992. Being released before the 16-bit version for the Mega Drive (Genesis), the 8-bit editions of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 represent the debut of character Miles "Tails" Prower, Sonic the Hedgehog's best friend who became a recurring character in the series. It is considered by many fans to be among the most challenging of the Sonic series.

1 Storyline
2 Gameplay
3 Zones
4 Differences between versions
5 Later re-releases
6 External links

[edit] Storyline

Sonic decides to come back home after a short errand, but is shocked to see the place almost deserted. On the floor is a note written by Tails, explaining that he and the animals of the island have been kidnapped by Dr. Robotnik, and that his own safe return is exchanged for six Chaos Emeralds, to be given to six robots. There was no time to waste! Immediately Sonic once again is out to thwart the evil scientist's plan for global domination!

(The storyline above comes from the game's instruction booklet. It is contradicted by an opening cinematic where Tails runs ahead of Sonic, and Sonic witnesses his kidnapping.)

[edit] Gameplay

Advances made in this game include Sonic's ability to grab back rings scattered when hit by an enemy as well as being able to smash through certain walls, capabilies not implemented in the 8-bit versions of the original title. Oddly enough, there apears to be no Spin Dash, though this may be because this game was released before the Genesis version, which introduced the Spin Dash. Uniquely, this game includes levels in which Sonic must ride a mine cart, and a hang glider, the latter under full player control and a reasonable simulation of physics.

There are seven zones in total, each comprising three acts. In the final act, that level's boss is faced, but not even a single ring is available to Sonic, making defeating the boss an incredible challenge.

Item boxes are largely the same as the first game (although the restart marker and shield devices have been removed), and as usual, Chaos Emeralds are scattered throughout the stages. Each is found in the second act in each of the first five zones. If the player collects these five and then destroys Mecha Sonic (called "Silver Sonic" in the English manual) in the sixth zone, the sixth is awarded and the player may access the final stage (Crystal Egg), in the third act of which Doctor Robotnik is faced in a climatic boss battle. Players able to complete the full task are rewarded with the game's "good ending"; for those who fail to collect all of the emeralds, play ends after Mecha Sonic's destruction with a more downbeat end sequence (in which Tails is assumed to be dead).

[edit] Zones

Gimmick Mountain Zone

Under Ground Zone: An underground zone near the side of a volcano. Mine carts can transport Sonic across the map but some of them lead straight into pools of lava. The Chaos Emerald can be found in Act 2; it can be obtained by jumping off the last cart upwards then on a high platform above the exit.
Sky High Zone: This level takes place on a high mountain top and all the way into the clouds. Sonic can latch on gliders and move along the wind. Act 1 is bright and sunny, but Act 2 takes place in a thunderstorm. The Chaos Emerald is way up in the clouds near the end of Act 2, and can be reached by springing through a series of cloud platforms.Act 1 of this zone also resembles Hill Top Zone from the Genesis/Mega Drive Version, minus the lava.
Aqua Lake Zone: In this zone Sonic can skip along the surface of the water if he hits it with enough speed. In addition to the normal bubbles that replenish Sonic's oxygen, special bubbles can transport Sonic to the top of the screen. In the last pipe near the end of Act 2, holding left on the D-pad will zip Sonic down a branching chute that leads him to the Chaos Emerald.
Green Hills Zone: The familiar Green Hill setting from Sonic the Hedgehog returns and Emerald Hill Zone from Sonic the Hedeghog 2. It's a seaside setting with many loops and springs, filled with plenty of golden rings as well as dangerous spike pits. The Chaos Emerald lies on a high ledge near the end of Act 2, and can only be reached by some blind spring-jumping starting with a platform about halfway through the stage. The BGM for this zone is later used for "Sonic - You Can Do Anything", the music from the FMV intro in the Japanese version of Sonic the Hedgehog CD.
Gimmick Mountain Zone: Gimmick Mountain is another one of Robotnik's scrap waste facilities, full of conveyor belts, flywheels, mine carts, and confusing pattern platforms. The Chaos Emerald lies near the beginning of Act 2: just after Sonic climbs up the first long incline, by avoiding the badniks and leaping toward the left just above the spikes. There's a trick wall that can be leaped right through, followed by a short obstacle course leading to the Emerald.
Scrambled Egg Zone: One of the more frustrating zones in the game, Scrambled Egg Zone is a huge maze of warp pipes, some of which lead to certain death. By holding up, down, left or right Sonic can change the direction while he's in them. The boss of this level is Silver Sonic, who will surrender the last Chaos Emerald when he's defeated, but only if the player has collected all previous emeralds.
Crystal Egg Zone: Crystal Egg is only accessible if the player has collected all six Chaos Emeralds. It's a shining palace full of falling blocks and breakable ones. Flying fish roam this place. Sonic can use the floating blue orbs to get to other places. Act 3 takes place in Robotnik's factory, for the ultimate showdown to save Tails.

[edit] Differences between versions

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Master System version box art

The Game Gear, with its lower screen resolution, naturally results in the Game Gear version having a smaller visible screen area than the Master System edition, causing many to consider the Game Gear version the more challenging title - when facing the boss of the Underground Zone, for example - the reduced screen area either side of Sonic gives the player less time to react to hazards moving onto the screen. Other bosses were also affected: the Green Hills Zone battle takes place in a smaller, steeper arena; the escape chute cannot be seen while fighting Robotnik in the final Crystal Egg stage.

The music for the intro sequence is also different, the Game Gear version using the Scrambled Egg music for the scene showing Robotnik escaping with the captive Tails, with the tune that was played in this prelude in the Master System version instead employed on the title screen. The handheld edition also features dark blue (instead of green) water in the second Act of the Aqua Lake Zone, and omits the game's only "High Speed" item box, which may be found in the Master System version of this stage.

In addition, the two versions have different themes for boss battles (the Game Gear version featured what would later be Metallic Madness from Sonic CD's original soundtrack.), as well as for their endings (the Master System uses a somewhat sad sounding tune for both the bad and good endings, whereas the Game Gear has a separate more upbeat tune for the good ending). This is strange since the Master System version actually contains both of the ending music in the game's code, but only one of them is used. A rather interesting note was that the music for Green Hill Zone was featured as the theme song for the PC/PAL version of Sonic CD, and a remix of the tune is used for Mecha Green Hill Zone in Sonic Chaos.