The rivalry between Mario and Sonic seems settled these days, with Mario being the clear winner. But everything wasn’t so cut and dry.
Released in 1992 for the Sega Mega Drive, Sonic 2 went on to sell an impressive 6 million copies and became the consoles second best selling title of all time. Second that is to the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, which sold 15 million copies. Which isn’t that surprising, as it came bundled with the console.
Sonic 2’s success did however settle Sega’s American development studios initial worries, that bringing out a sequel to the first Sonic, only 12 months later, seemed a bit too soon.
In fact Sega’s American development arm, known as the Sega Technical Institute, had halted the studios producer, Mark Cerny, from working on the second game and so he set about working on the studios other titles. That was until two months later, when his management had told him their supervisors were expecting the game to be going ahead, so the studio would have to refocus their efforts.
This loss of time meant content was cut from the game‘s final release. Initially time travel was meant to be a feature of Sonic 2, something that was set to one side and would later become the basis for a separate Sonic title, that being Sonic CD. A secret stage called Hidden Palace Zone, was set to be accessed when you collected all the Chaos Emeralds and would serve as an explanation where the Chaos Emeralds came from. A different version of this level would later emerge on another game in the franchise, that being Sonic and Knuckles.
It’s thought at least three levels were cut from the final game, Hidden Palace as already mentioned, Wood Zone and also a location known as Genocide City. However Sonic fans argue that the number of levels cut is higher, from concept sketches and other evidence they’ve collected from developers from over the years.
Released in 1992 for the Sega Mega Drive, Sonic 2 went on to sell an impressive 6 million copies and became the consoles second best selling title of all time. Second that is to the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, which sold 15 million copies. Which isn’t that surprising, as it came bundled with the console.
Sonic 2’s success did however settle Sega’s American development studios initial worries, that bringing out a sequel to the first Sonic, only 12 months later, seemed a bit too soon.
In fact Sega’s American development arm, known as the Sega Technical Institute, had halted the studios producer, Mark Cerny, from working on the second game and so he set about working on the studios other titles. That was until two months later, when his management had told him their supervisors were expecting the game to be going ahead, so the studio would have to refocus their efforts.
This loss of time meant content was cut from the game‘s final release. Initially time travel was meant to be a feature of Sonic 2, something that was set to one side and would later become the basis for a separate Sonic title, that being Sonic CD. A secret stage called Hidden Palace Zone, was set to be accessed when you collected all the Chaos Emeralds and would serve as an explanation where the Chaos Emeralds came from. A different version of this level would later emerge on another game in the franchise, that being Sonic and Knuckles.
It’s thought at least three levels were cut from the final game, Hidden Palace as already mentioned, Wood Zone and also a location known as Genocide City. However Sonic fans argue that the number of levels cut is higher, from concept sketches and other evidence they’ve collected from developers from over the years.
Sonic 2 lost level sees him visit Hollownest zone
It wasn’t just time constraints that affected Sonic 2’s development. The merger of both American and Japanese developers didn’t go all that smoothly. To start off, Hirokazu Yasuhara, Sonic’s lead level designer was delayed from entering America for 3 months because of travel restrictions surrounding the illegal Gulf War. What’s more, Sonic 1’s programmer, Yuji Naka, was positioned to be the lead on the Sonic 2 project after earlier walking out on Sega.
It was said that Naka would have preferred an all Japanese team if he had the choice. A bias that would ripple through the whole company.
Still with all those set backs Sonic 2 is still one of the most enjoyable platformers of all time. Which brings us to the story.
You play as Sonic, a super fast blue hedgehog, as he zips around a multitude of brightly coloured levels, hot on the heels of the evil Dr Robotnik. Robotnik’s plan is simple, capture the local wild life and imprison them in his mechanical servants, all in the aim of helping him take over the world and acquire the Chaos Emeralds.
Sonic's mission is equally as simple, free the animal prisoners and destroy the evil Robotnik's giant robot suits. This all culminates with a battle that takes places in space, where you face off against a robot version of yourself and a giant robot version of Robotnik.
Sonic 2 enjoys a special attribute not shared by all games, in that it doesn’t have any bad levels. Sure some of the stages that have a fluid mechanic can be a bit frustrating, don’t get me wrong. The sound that play’s as Sonic is close to suffocating still makes me anxious to this day, but they are in no way bad.
In fact each new level introduces some fun new mechanic to interact with, while no level out stays it’s welcome. The zones are nicely rounded off with a fight against Dr Robotnik, who has a seemingly unending supply of different robot suits that he can plug into and challenge Sonic with. Each one with it’s own attack pattern to learn and over come. Defeating your foe sees Robotnik turn tail and run, then you can proceed and free the animals that are trapped in a huge metal container, just beyond the boundaries of the fight arena.
It was said that Naka would have preferred an all Japanese team if he had the choice. A bias that would ripple through the whole company.
Still with all those set backs Sonic 2 is still one of the most enjoyable platformers of all time. Which brings us to the story.
You play as Sonic, a super fast blue hedgehog, as he zips around a multitude of brightly coloured levels, hot on the heels of the evil Dr Robotnik. Robotnik’s plan is simple, capture the local wild life and imprison them in his mechanical servants, all in the aim of helping him take over the world and acquire the Chaos Emeralds.
Sonic's mission is equally as simple, free the animal prisoners and destroy the evil Robotnik's giant robot suits. This all culminates with a battle that takes places in space, where you face off against a robot version of yourself and a giant robot version of Robotnik.
Sonic 2 enjoys a special attribute not shared by all games, in that it doesn’t have any bad levels. Sure some of the stages that have a fluid mechanic can be a bit frustrating, don’t get me wrong. The sound that play’s as Sonic is close to suffocating still makes me anxious to this day, but they are in no way bad.
In fact each new level introduces some fun new mechanic to interact with, while no level out stays it’s welcome. The zones are nicely rounded off with a fight against Dr Robotnik, who has a seemingly unending supply of different robot suits that he can plug into and challenge Sonic with. Each one with it’s own attack pattern to learn and over come. Defeating your foe sees Robotnik turn tail and run, then you can proceed and free the animals that are trapped in a huge metal container, just beyond the boundaries of the fight arena.
Sonic Wallart
This clearly signals to the player that they have freed the inhabitants of this land and must follow Robotnik to the next area.
Visually Sonic 2 is stunning, in both it’s colour selection and character form. It still serves as a basis for modern developers and pixel artists to draw inspiration from when channelling their skills. Rather than looking dated, it’s aesthetic has become a clear movement of it’s own. With many choosing games with pixel based sprites over the latest 3d counterparts.
The limitations of the era only focused the developers of the day to get the best from what was available. While modern programmers and artists are now free to build upon this stable frame work.
While I don’t have a clear favourite level from Sonic 2 because I enjoy them all, the Oil Ocean zone does come close. It’s beautiful and weird, even for a fantasy game like Sonic. It’s pairing with an Arabian styled soundtrack also helps it jump out of the screen.
Again there isn’t a bad piece of music in the entire game. This of course is largely thanks to the game’s music composer, but also owed to the fact the Sega Mega Drive console was using a Yamaha developed sound chip. The YM2612 six channel FM synthesizer chip to be exact. Again, like the graphics, the sound has become so uniquely defined that it is used still today. To be clear this is more than emulation, the sounds and look of these games have become a movement of their own.
Visually Sonic 2 is stunning, in both it’s colour selection and character form. It still serves as a basis for modern developers and pixel artists to draw inspiration from when channelling their skills. Rather than looking dated, it’s aesthetic has become a clear movement of it’s own. With many choosing games with pixel based sprites over the latest 3d counterparts.
The limitations of the era only focused the developers of the day to get the best from what was available. While modern programmers and artists are now free to build upon this stable frame work.
While I don’t have a clear favourite level from Sonic 2 because I enjoy them all, the Oil Ocean zone does come close. It’s beautiful and weird, even for a fantasy game like Sonic. It’s pairing with an Arabian styled soundtrack also helps it jump out of the screen.
Again there isn’t a bad piece of music in the entire game. This of course is largely thanks to the game’s music composer, but also owed to the fact the Sega Mega Drive console was using a Yamaha developed sound chip. The YM2612 six channel FM synthesizer chip to be exact. Again, like the graphics, the sound has become so uniquely defined that it is used still today. To be clear this is more than emulation, the sounds and look of these games have become a movement of their own.
Sonic hanging on to this site because he loves it so much
But is this a simple case of nostalgia goggles warping my perception. The answer is a clear and resounding no. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a true classic that holds up to modern games in its category. The problem is there aren’t that many modern games in its category. The odd poorly made indie-overlooked-ware or a supped up hybrid. The problem is the former is a victim of Steam and will never be found, while the latter is now a different beast.
As for customers, their sense of what is good or bad is bombarded day and night by around the clock advertising. It’s hype that sells a game now, as it did back in the day when Sonic the Hedgehog 2 spent $10 million on marketing. But that hype will only put the game in a players hands, it’s the gameplay that makes a game a classic or not.
While if Sonic 2 were released now I doubt the masses would batter an eyelid. However I would say anybody who played the game couldn’t help but enjoy the experience. And that, to me at least, is the measure of a good game.
I think one of the reasons Sonic 2 is so timeless is because it didn’t look to smother itself with other material of the time period.
Dr Robotnik’s space station is a gentle nod to Stars Wars Death Star, yes. But unlike, lets say Fallout 2, that falls over cultural references ever fives seconds, Sonic 2 leaves it there. Dr Robotnik is said to be modelled off a mash up between an egg and Mario. In fact originally he was going to be the hero, until they settled on the spikey blue Sonic. But as they pushed Robotnik to become the bad guy he took more of a Theodore Roosevelt look to him.
The notion that Sonic’s arch nemesis should look like a former US president, that put restrictions on Japan’s expansion is shrugged off - officially.
However when you consider the Oil Ocean level that juts out from the rest of the levels. Considering that levels look and Arabian sound and in the knowledge the illegal Gulf War was happening around this time and had delayed one of the team from entering the US. You start to see how they could put certain themes within the game. The types of themes only those who look beyond the surface level of games would see.
Regardless of which, Sonic 2 is one seriously fun classic game.
Three bonus facts, hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. They take their name from the fact they usually live in hedges and sniff a lot, like a pig might do when searching for food. And they used to be called urchins in old English times. That’s actually where sea urchins get their name from because they resembled a curled up urchins.
As for customers, their sense of what is good or bad is bombarded day and night by around the clock advertising. It’s hype that sells a game now, as it did back in the day when Sonic the Hedgehog 2 spent $10 million on marketing. But that hype will only put the game in a players hands, it’s the gameplay that makes a game a classic or not.
While if Sonic 2 were released now I doubt the masses would batter an eyelid. However I would say anybody who played the game couldn’t help but enjoy the experience. And that, to me at least, is the measure of a good game.
I think one of the reasons Sonic 2 is so timeless is because it didn’t look to smother itself with other material of the time period.
Dr Robotnik’s space station is a gentle nod to Stars Wars Death Star, yes. But unlike, lets say Fallout 2, that falls over cultural references ever fives seconds, Sonic 2 leaves it there. Dr Robotnik is said to be modelled off a mash up between an egg and Mario. In fact originally he was going to be the hero, until they settled on the spikey blue Sonic. But as they pushed Robotnik to become the bad guy he took more of a Theodore Roosevelt look to him.
The notion that Sonic’s arch nemesis should look like a former US president, that put restrictions on Japan’s expansion is shrugged off - officially.
However when you consider the Oil Ocean level that juts out from the rest of the levels. Considering that levels look and Arabian sound and in the knowledge the illegal Gulf War was happening around this time and had delayed one of the team from entering the US. You start to see how they could put certain themes within the game. The types of themes only those who look beyond the surface level of games would see.
Regardless of which, Sonic 2 is one seriously fun classic game.
Three bonus facts, hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. They take their name from the fact they usually live in hedges and sniff a lot, like a pig might do when searching for food. And they used to be called urchins in old English times. That’s actually where sea urchins get their name from because they resembled a curled up urchins.
By Roley
18/02/2021
18/02/2021