View source for Software:Sonic the Hedgehog 2

{{Short description|1992 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Sonic the Hedgehog 2
| image = Sonic 2 US Cover.jpg
| caption = US cover art by Greg Martin
| alt = Sonic (an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog, right) and Tails (an anthropomorphic fox, left) stand confidently in front of a massive, checkered "2". A giant hand grips the top of the "2" on the left, and the face of Doctor Robotnik, a scowling, mustached mad scientist, looms in the background. Below Sonic and Tails, the words "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" sit. A black-and-gray checkered border surrounds the illustration, and Sega's seal of quality sits on Sonic's right.
| developer = <!--DO NOT ADD SONIC TEAM. SONIC TEAM DID NOT DEVELOP THIS GAME.-->[[Organization:Sega Technical Institute|Sega Technical Institute]]
| publisher = [[Company:Sega|Sega]]
| director = Masaharu Yoshii
| producer = Shinobu Toyoda
| designer = {{Unbulleted list|Hirokazu Yasuhara|Yutaka Sugano}}
| artist = Yasushi Yamaguchi
| programmer = Yuji Naka
| composer = Masato Nakamura
| series = ''[[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
| released = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|November 21, 1992}}|
'''Sega Genesis'''{{Video game release|JP|November 21, 1992|WW|November 24, 1992}}'''Arcade'''{{Video game release|WW|1993}}'''Android''', '''iOS'''{{Video game release|WW|December 12, 2013}}'''Nintendo 3DS'''{{Video game release|JP|July 22, 2015|WW|October 8, 2015}}'''Nintendo Switch'''{{Video game release|JP|February 13, 2020|WW|February 20, 2020}}
}}
| genre = [[Software:Platform game|Platform]]
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
| platforms = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Engineering:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]]}}
|{{ubl|[[Software:Arcade cabinet|Arcade]]|[[Software:Android (operating system)|Android]]|[[Software:IOS|iOS]]|{{wipe|Nintendo 3DS}}|[[Engineering:Nintendo Switch|Nintendo Switch]]}}
 }}
}}

{{nihongo foot|'''''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'''''|ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ{{ruby|2|ツー}}|Sonikku za Hejjihoggu Tsū|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 1992 [[Software:Platform game|platform game]] developed by [[Organization:Sega Technical Institute|Sega Technical Institute]] (STI) for the [[Engineering:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]]. Players control Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space station. Like the first ''[[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (1991), players traverse [[Software:Side-scrolling|side-scrolling]] [[Software:Level (video games)|levels]] at high speeds while collecting rings, defeating enemies, and fighting [[Software:Boss (video games)|bosses]]. ''Sonic 2'' introduces Sonic's sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower and features faster gameplay, larger levels, a multiplayer mode, and [[Software:Bonus stage|special stages]] featuring [[Pre-rendering|pre-rendered]] 3D graphics.

After ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' greatly increased the popularity of the Genesis in North America, [[Company:Sega|Sega]] directed STI founder Mark Cerny to start ''Sonic 2'' in November 1991. Members of the original development team—including programmer Yuji Naka and designer Hirokazu Yasuhara—moved from Japan to California to join the project. ''Sonic 2'' was intended to be faster and more ambitious than the first game. The development suffered setbacks, including cultural differences between the Japanese and American staff, and numerous levels were cut due to time constraints and quality concerns. As with the first game, Masato Nakamura, a member of the J-pop band Dreams Come True, composed the soundtrack.

''Sonic 2'' was widely anticipated, and Sega backed it with an aggressive {{US$|10 million|long=no}} marketing campaign. It was released in November 1992 to acclaim and received numerous year-end accolades, including two Golden Joystick Awards. Critics considered ''Sonic 2'' an improvement over the first game and praised the visuals, level design, gameplay, and music, though the low difficulty level and similarities to its predecessor were criticized. ''Sonic 2'' broke video game sales records and became the fastest-selling game at the time, grossing over {{US$|450 million|long=no}}. With six million copies sold worldwide, it is the second-bestselling Genesis game behind the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.

''Sonic 2'' solidified ''[[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]]'' as a major franchise and helped keep Sega competitive during the console wars of the [[Engineering:Fourth generation of video game consoles|16-bit era]] in the early 1990s. It continues to receive acclaim and is considered one of the greatest video games of all time. ''[[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog 3|Sonic the Hedgehog 3]]'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles'' followed in 1994. ''Sonic 2'' has been rereleased on various platforms via [[Product bundling|compilations]] and emulation, and a [[Software:Video game remake|remake]] for [[Software:IOS|iOS]] and [[Software:Android (operating system)|Android]] devices, developed using the [[Software:Retro Engine|Retro Engine]], was released in December 2013. A number of ''Sonic 2'' [[Engineering:Prototype|prototype]]s have leaked since the release; the first, discovered in 1999, played a significant role in the development of a game datamining community.

== Gameplay ==
[[File:Aquatic Ruins from Sonic 2 for Mega Drive.png|thumb|left|alt=From a side-scrolling perspective, Sonic and Tails hop across pillars from ancient ruins floating in water while collecting golden rings. A waterfall flows behind them and vegetation sits in front of them.|Sonic and Tails jumping across pillars in Aquatic Ruin Zone]]

''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' is a [[Software:Side-scrolling|side-scrolling]] [[Software:Platform game|platform game]].<ref name="IGNWiiRev">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/06/11/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/06/11/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' Review |access-date=January 28, 2019 |date=June 11, 2007 |first=Thomas |last=Lucas M. |work=IGN }}{{cbignore}}</ref> It features a story similar to the first ''[[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''{{'s}} (1991):<ref name="NLife3DS" /> Doctor Robotnik, a [[Social:Mad scientist|mad scientist]], seeks the Chaos Emeralds to power his space station, the Death Egg,<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/> and traps the animal inhabitants of West Side Island in aggressive robots.{{sfn|Sega|1992|p=4}} As Sonic the Hedgehog, the player embarks on a journey to collect the Chaos Emeralds and stop Robotnik.{{sfn|Sega|1992|p=4}} The [[Software:Player character|player character]] can run, jump, crouch, and attack by curling into a ball.{{sfn|Sega|1992|pp=5–6}} ''Sonic 2'' introduces the spin dash, which allows the player to curl while stationary for a speed boost,<ref name="IGNWiiRev" /> and Miles "Tails" Prower, a fox with two tails who acts as Sonic's [[Social:Sidekick|sidekick]]. In the default single-player game mode, the player controls Sonic and Tails simultaneously; a second player can join in at any time and control Tails separately.<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/> The player can also choose to play as Sonic or Tails individually.<ref name="IGNWiiRev" /><ref name="IGNX360Rev">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/12/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review-2| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/12/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review-2| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' Review |access-date=November 22, 2019 |date=September 12, 2007 |first=Craddock |last=David |work=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The game takes place across 11 zones with 20 [[Software:Level (video games)|levels]] ("acts").{{sfn|Rich|1992|p=10}} The acts are larger than the first game's,<ref name="HardcoreGamer3DS" /> and the player navigates them at high speeds while jumping between platforms, defeating robot enemies, and avoiding obstacles.<ref name="GSpotWiiRev" /> Springs, slopes, bottomless pits, and vertical loops fill acts, as do hazards like water and spikes. The player passes [[Software:Saved game#Checkpoints|checkpoints]] to save progress. The last act of each zone ends with a boss battle against Robotnik.{{sfn|Sega|1992|pp=11–12}} ''Sonic 2'' features twice as many unique level themes compared to the first game,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} and most zones end after two acts rather than three.<ref name="HG101: Sonic2">{{cite web |last1=Kalata |first1=Kurt |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-the-hedgehog-2/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-the-hedgehog-2/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |date=July 6, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The player collects rings as a form of [[Software:Health (game terminology)|health]]: if they have at least one ring when they collide with an enemy or obstacle, they will survive, but their rings will scatter and blink before disappearing.<ref name="NLife3DS" /> The player starts with three [[Software:Life (video games)|lives]], which they lose if they are hit without a ring, fall down a pit, get crushed, drown, or reach the 10-minute time limit; they receive a [[Software:Game over|game over]] if they run out.{{sfn|Sega|1992|p=9; 13; 18}} [[Software:Power-up|Power-up]]s like shields and invincibility provide additional layers of protection, and lives are replenished by collecting 100 rings or a [[Software:Life (video games)#Extra lives|1-up]].{{sfn|Sega|1992|p=10}}

[[File:Sonic 2 SpecialStage.gif|thumb|right|alt=From a third-person perspective, Sonic and Tails run through a pink-and-orange halfpipe while collecting golden rings.|The special stages, in which the player collects rings to obtain a Chaos Emerald, are presented in 3D, unlike the rest of the game.]]

If the player passes a checkpoint with 50 or more rings, they can warp to a [[Software:Bonus stage|special stage]] for an opportunity to collect one of the seven Chaos Emeralds.<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/> The player runs through a [[Engineering:Half-pipe|half-pipe]] course, collecting rings and dodging bombs. A set number of rings must be collected to obtain the emerald.<ref name="NLife3DS" /><ref name="USG3DS">{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Kat |title=Virtual Spotlight: 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is Still Peak Sega |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/virtual-spotlight-3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-still-peak-sega |website=USgamer |access-date=April 4, 2022 |date=October 9, 2015 |archive-date=April 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424211518/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/virtual-spotlight-3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-still-peak-sega |url-status=dead }}</ref> If the player collides with a bomb, they lose ten rings and are immobilized momentarily. The stages rise in difficulty and the player cannot enter any stage without passing the previous one. After finishing, the player is transported back to the star post they used to enter, with their ring count reset.{{sfn|Sega|1992|p=17}} When all the Chaos Emeralds have been collected, Sonic can transform into Super Sonic by collecting 50 rings. Super Sonic is nearly invincible, runs faster, and jumps farther, but loses one ring per second and reverts to normal when his rings are depleted.<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/>

''Sonic 2'' introduces a multiplayer game mode where two players compete against each other in a [[Software:Split screen (video games)|split-screen]] race across three levels.<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/><ref name="GSpotWiiRev" /> After one player finishes a level, the other player must finish within a minute. Players are ranked in five areas (score, time, rings held at the end of the level, total rings collected, and the number of item boxes broken). The player who excels in the most categories wins.{{sfn|Sega|1992|pp=20–21}} Players can also compete to obtain the most rings in the special stages.<ref name="EuroGRev" />

===''Knuckles in Sonic 2''===
''Sonic & Knuckles'' was released in 1994, two years after ''Sonic 2''. The ''Sonic & Knuckles'' [[ROM cartridge|game cartridge]] features a "lock-on" adapter that allows players to insert other [[Engineering:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]] cartridges.<ref name="HG101Knuckles" /> Attaching ''Sonic 2'' unlocks ''Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Romano |first1=Sal |title=Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog 2 includes Knuckles in Sonic 2 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2020/01/sega-ages-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-includes-knuckles-in-sonic-2 |website=Gematsu |access-date=April 18, 2023 |date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> a variation of ''Sonic 2'' in which the player controls the ''[[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog 3|Sonic the Hedgehog 3]]'' (1994) character [[Social:Knuckles the Echidna|Knuckles the Echidna]].<ref name="HG101Knuckles">{{cite web |last1=Kalata |first1=Kurt |title=Sonic & Knuckles |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-knuckles/ |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=April 3, 2022 |date=July 10, 2018 |archive-date=November 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119113439/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-knuckles/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The levels are identical, but Knuckles can glide and climb walls, allowing him access to areas inaccessible to Sonic or Tails.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kahn |first1=Jahanzeb |title=20 Years Ago: Sonic & Knuckles |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/features/articles/20-years-ago-sonic-knuckles/80530/ |website=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=April 3, 2022 |date=April 11, 2014 |archive-date=April 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404021940/https://hardcoregamer.com/features/articles/20-years-ago-sonic-knuckles/80530/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, he cannot jump as high, making some areas, such as certain boss fights, more difficult.<ref name="HG101Knuckles" />

==Development==
===Conception===
{{multiple images
| direction = horizontal
| align = right
| total_width = 300
| image1 = Yuji Naka' - Magic - Monaco - 2015-03-21- P1030036 (cropped).jpg
| image2 = Mark Cerny, Gamelab 2018 (cropped).jpg
| footer = ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' programmer Yuji Naka (''left'') and STI founder Mark Cerny (''right'')
| alt1 = Photograph of Yuji Naka, a middle-aged Japanese man with glasses, a black suit, and a red tie.
| alt2 = Photograph of Mark Cerny, a middle-aged American man holding a microphone wearing glasses, a blue t-shirt, and a black coat.}}

The original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' was published by [[Company:Sega|Sega]] for the Sega Genesis in June 1991. It was developed by [[Company:Sonic Team|Sonic Team]], led by programmer Yuji Naka, artist Naoto Ohshima, and designer Hirokazu Yasuhara.{{sfn|''Game Informer'' staff|2003|pp=114–116}} ''Sonic'' greatly increased the Genesis's popularity in North America and is credited with helping Sega gain 65% of the market share against then-industry leader [[Company:Nintendo|Nintendo]],<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mFs2v7XM4o|title=Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective Pt. 3/4|date=February 17, 2009|publisher=[[Software:GameTap|GameTap]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721184052/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mFs2v7XM4o|archive-date=July 21, 2016|url-status=live|medium=[[Company:YouTube|YouTube]]}}</ref> making Sega a formidable competitor. The success meant that a sequel was inevitable, but shortly after the release, the team disbanded: Naka quit Sega due to disagreements over his salary, dissatisfaction over the time and effort it had taken to finish ''Sonic'', and a lack of support from management,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=21}} while Yasuhara moved to America to join Mark Cerny's California-based [[Organization:Sega Technical Institute|Sega Technical Institute]] (STI).<ref name="Beep21">{{cite web |title=スマホ壁紙付録つき！『Beep21』B-SPEC 斗々屋堂─第4回「ソニック2編(前編)」Cover Illustration : ソニック&テイルス─ |url=https://note.com/beep21/n/nc711d5372986 |website=Beep21 |access-date=November 3, 2023 |language=Japanese |date=October 19, 2023 |trans-title=With smartphone wallpaper appendix! "Beep21" B-SPEC Dooyado ─ Vol. 4 "Sonic 2 (First Part)" Cover Illustration : Sonic & Tails ─}}</ref>

Cerny had established STI during the development of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' because Sega wanted to develop more games in America, and his aim was to establish an elite studio that would combine the design philosophies of American and Japanese developers.<ref name="S-16: DevDen"/> During a trip to Japan, Cerny visited Naka's apartment, listened to the reasons why he left, and convinced him to join STI in America to fix the problems he had had with Sega in Japan.<ref name="S-16: DevDen">{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Developer's Den: Sega Technical Institute |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2007/06/developers-den-sega-technical-institute/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.sega-16.com/2007/06/developers-den-sega-technical-institute/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Sega-16 |access-date=April 4, 2021 |date=June 11, 2007}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Other members of the ''Sonic'' development team joined Naka.<ref name="S-16: DevDen"/><ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes">{{cite magazine |last1=Shea |first1=Brian |title=The Behind-The-Scenes Story Of How Sonic 2 Became Sega's Ace In The Hole |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/11/21/the-behind-the-scenes-story-of-how-sonic-2-became-sega-ace-in-the-hole.aspx| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/11/21/the-behind-the-scenes-story-of-how-sonic-2-became-sega-ace-in-the-hole.aspx| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |magazine=Game Informer |access-date=March 22, 2021 |date=November 21, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Ohshima stayed in Japan to work on ''[[Software:Sonic CD|Sonic CD]]'' (1993),{{sfn|''Sega Magazine''|1997|pp=9–13}}<ref name="HG101: CD">{{cite web |last1=Kalata |first1=Kurt |title=Sonic CD |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-cd/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-cd/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |date=July 8, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> so Yasushi Yamaguchi replaced him.<ref name="Beep21" />

In September 1991, Cerny pitched ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' as STI's project for the 1992 Christmas and holiday shopping season—giving the team 11 months of development—but Sega of America considered it too soon for a sequel and was still unconfident in the Sonic character.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=21}}{{sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=87}} Cerny was not surprised since he believed the marketing executives who controlled game development did not understand the process.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}} STI explored other concepts,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}} but in November, Sega reversed course and told Cerny that it needed ''Sonic 2'' for the 1992 holiday season.<ref name="S-16: DevDen"/> Cerny said that this did not cost STI any game ideas since they had yet to come up with one on par with ''Sonic'', but they lost two months of development.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}}

Now with a nine-month schedule, full-scale development started in early 1992.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|p=13}} ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} development team was much larger than the first game's and consisted of both American and Japanese developers, although the majority of the team was Japanese.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020b|p=20}} Cerny's idea was to have around a dozen of the original game's staff move to STI. Development began with only Americans because the Japanese faced immigration problems. According to Cerny, Sega had applied for O-1 expert visas, for "nationally or internationally recognized" people with "a record of extraordinary achievement", unaware that the Japanese developers did not qualify.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}}

===Design=== 
[[File:Hirokazu yasuhara gdc 2018.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Photograph of Hirokazu Yasuhara|''Sonic 2'' designer Hirokazu Yasuhara in 2018]]

Sega of America marketing director Al Nilsen said that STI wanted "to go all out" to ensure ''Sonic 2'' would be as successful as the original ''Sonic'', since sequels were generally not well regarded.<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes"/> STI brainstormed various ideas to improve the first game's formula, beginning with making Sonic faster.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}}<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes"/> In the first game, the developers limited Sonic with a cap that prevented players from running at his maximum possible speed; STI lifted the cap for ''Sonic 2''.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}} Naka conceived the spin dash to remove the need to backtrack for momentum, which he observed was a common criticism of the first game.{{sfn|''Sega Magazine''|1997|pp=9–13}}

STI's first step was to create a game outline for the developers to flesh out with "a book-length report" detailing the characters, story, and levels.{{sfn|Rich|1992|p=14}} Yasuhara had ambitious plans for ''Sonic 2'' and designed it with {{" '}}blue sky' ideas".{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}} Assuming STI had two years of development, he conceived a plot in which Robotnik took over the world and Sonic used [[Physics:Time travel|time travel]] to stop him.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}} Yasuhara's concept featured a world map that would change in every time period and provide access to different levels. The idea was cut as it required too many levels and too much development time.<ref name="Beep21" /> However, many of ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} levels were taken from it; for example, Hill Top Zone (which features dinosaur enemies) was intended to be a past version of Green Hill Zone,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}}<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/> while Chemical Plant and Casino Night came from the Robotnik-ruled future.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}}

Yasuhara designed the stages thinking in the context of a [[Three-dimensional space|3D world]] to work out elements such as corkscrew loops and pipes.<ref name="GDev: Yasuhara">{{cite web |last1=Sheffield |first1=Brandon |title=Game Design Psychology: The Full Hirokazu Yasuhara Interview |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/game-design-psychology-the-full-hirokazu-yasuhara-interview |website=Game Developer |access-date=August 9, 2022 |date=August 25, 2008 |archive-date=August 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809112645/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/game-design-psychology-the-full-hirokazu-yasuhara-interview |url-status=live }}</ref> He was inspired to design Casino Night because he found ''Sonic''{{'s}} springs similar to the gimmicks of pinball tables, while Sky Chase—which features Sonic riding a biplane as he attempts to reach Robotnik's base—was inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's anime ''Future Boy Conan'' (1978).{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} The first [[Software:Game demo|game demo]] was playable around six or seven months after the initial outline's creation and featured a few levels without sound effects or significant detail. STI assembled [[Focus group|focus group]]s to play the demo for feedback and created the alpha build afterward; by this point, 80% of programming had been finished.{{sfn|Rich|1992|p=14}}

Yasuhara wanted to add a second playable character so siblings could play together.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}} Naka suggested the second character be endearing, similar to  the ''[[Unsolved:Kitsune|kitsune]]'' from ''Urusei Yatsura'', and beginner-oriented rather than Sonic's rival.<ref name="TimeExtensionTails">{{cite web |last1=Yarwood |first1=Jack |title=Tails Designer Shares Character's Origins 30 Years After Sonic The Hedgehog 2 |url=https://www.timeextension.com/news/2022/11/tails-designer-shares-characters-origins-30-years-after-sonic-the-hedgehog-2 |website=Time Extension |access-date=November 25, 2022 |date=November 21, 2022 |archive-date=November 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121222925/https://www.timeextension.com/news/2022/11/tails-designer-shares-characters-origins-30-years-after-sonic-the-hedgehog-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> An internal contest was held to determine the new character, and the winning design was Yamaguchi's fox, which he named Miles Prower (a [[Philosophy:Pun|pun]] on "[[Miles per hour|miles per hour]]").{{sfn|Harris|2014|pp=244–247}} STI wanted the character to appeal to Japanese audiences, and Yamaguchi gave him two tails—inspired by the ''[[Software:Phantasy Star|Phantasy Star]]'' character Myau—to make the design more impactful.<ref name="TimeExtensionTails" /> Sega of America felt the name "Miles Prower" would not sell and suggested "Tails" as an alternative. Nilsen developed a character backstory to convince the developers to make the change; they compromised by making Tails his nickname.{{sfn|Harris|2014|pp=244–247}}

Tails was implemented using an [[Artificial intelligence|artificial intelligence]] routine that allowed him to mimic Sonic's movements.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}} He was also used in the multiplayer mode,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=23}} something that Naka had attempted to implement late in development of the original ''Sonic''.<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes"/> The multiplayer mode was one of Naka's primary motivations to develop ''Sonic 2'', since he felt multiplayer games were more fun.{{sfn|''Sega Magazine''|1997|pp=9–13}} Naka created split-screen gameplay with the Genesis' rarely used [[Interlaced video|interlaced mode]],{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=23}} since he found the standard display mode made it difficult to see the player characters.{{sfn|''Sega Magazine''|1997|pp=9–13}} Developing the multiplayer mode took six months.{{sfn|Rich|1992|p=10}}

=== Art direction ===
In addition to overseeing the level design and gameplay, Cerny acted as an art director.<ref name="SDB: Stitt"/> The initial level maps were drawn at Sega's headquarters in Tokyo.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Report: A guide to gaming in Tokyo |last1=Berlin |first1=Violet |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp-sEL-eavE  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Kp-sEL-eavE |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=October 14, 2021 |series=Bad Influence! |series-link=Bad Influence! |network=ITV |station=CITV |date=December 17, 1992 |series-no=1 |number=8 |time=6:01}}{{cbignore}}</ref> According to level artist Craig Stitt, the artists received the paper map with ideas regarding the level theme. Once the design was settled, the artist would draw the art pixel by pixel and then input the graphics in the game itself. The graphics and animations were implemented using the Digitizer, Sega's proprietary graphics system for the Genesis. The artists had to deal with [[Palette (computing)|palette]] limitations, as only 64 colors could be displayed on-screen.<ref name="SDB: Stitt">{{cite web |author1=ICEKnight |title=Interview with Craig Stitt |url=http://www.sonicdatabase.com/interviews/craig.htm| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/http://www.sonicdatabase.com/interviews/craig.htm| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Sonic Database |access-date=April 13, 2021 |date=January 23, 2001}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Rieko Kodama, who worked on the first game as an artist, helped design the levels.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Sega Stars: Rieko Kodama |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2004/08/sega-stars-rieko-kodama/ |website=Sega-16 |access-date=April 4, 2022 |date=August 6, 2004 |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422182311/https://www.sega-16.com/2004/08/sega-stars-rieko-kodama/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Yasuhara said meshing the Americans' art with art by Yamaguchi was the development's largest hurdle.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} Yamaguchi had to check the teams' enemy and stage designs while producing his own. Stitt called Yamaguchi, who mostly worked alone, "a machine" who spent hours reworking other artists' levels repeatedly to ensure quality.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} For example, Stitt felt disappointed when Yamaguchi redid his background art for the Oil Ocean level, but did not argue because he was not satisfied with the original background and Yamaguchi's was much better.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} The title screen and Casino Night level art were both completely reworked shortly before release.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=27}}

Tim Skelly designed the appearance of the pseudo-3D special stages,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=23}} based on a tech demo created by Naka.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SQJ8XeArso |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/2SQJ8XeArso |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|title=G4 Icons Episode #37: Yuji Naka|publisher=[[Company:YouTube|YouTube]]|date=April 5, 2013|access-date=March 15, 2018}}{{cbignore}} Event occurs at 8:50.</ref> The special stages, designed by ''[[Software:Shinobi (1987 video game)|Shinobi]]'' (1987) director Yutaka Sugano,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=23}} were created from [[Pre-rendering|pre-rendered]] [[3D computer graphics|3D polygons]], video of which was compressed and halved vertically and horizontally to fit in the game cartridge.<ref name="Sega3DClassicsInterview">{{cite web |author1=Sara |title=3D Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Included in the SEGA 3D Classics! |url=http://blogs.sega.com/2015/10/06/3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-included-in-the-sega-3d-classics |website=[[Company:Sega|Sega Blog]] |access-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127061448/http://blogs.sega.com/2015/10/06/3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-included-in-the-sega-3d-classics |archive-date=November 27, 2015 |date=October 6, 2015}}</ref> Cerny said the developers chose the 3D look to make the stages appear extravagant. In retrospect, he felt the stages were visually impressive but did not have as much gameplay depth as the original ''Sonic''{{'s}} special stages, which featured Sonic navigating a rotating maze.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=23}}

=== Conflicts and cut content ===
The development was complicated by the cultural and language barriers between the Japanese and American developers.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} The Japanese were used to crunch conditions,{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|p=14}} with Cerny noting they often worked through the night and slept in their cubicles.<ref name="S-16: DevDen" /> In contrast, the Americans locked the STI offices at night.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|p=14}} Cerny had envisioned the Japanese acting as mentors to the Americans, but cooperation was difficult since the Americans could not speak Japanese.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} Stitt recalled Yasuhara as easy to work with, but Naka as "an arrogant pain in the ass" not interested in working with Americans.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} Skelly said that Naka would have been happier working with an all-Japanese team.<ref name="S-16: DevDen" />

[[File:Hidden Palace Sonic 2.png|thumb|right|alt=Sonic runs through ancient ruins with an emerald-colored bridge and golden platforms. Waterfalls flow behind him, water sits beneath him, Tails stands behind him, and a dinosaur robot walks in front of him.|A screenshot of Hidden Palace Zone, one of the cut ''Sonic 2'' levels. Found in prototype cartidges, it is featured in prerelease advertisements, and was restored in the 2013 ''Sonic 2'' [[Software:Video game remake|remake]].]]

During development, Cerny left STI;{{sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=87}} he said that he left as development concluded,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=Interview: Mark Cerny (Founder of STI) |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2006/12/interview-mark-cerny/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.sega-16.com/2006/12/interview-mark-cerny/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Sega-16 |access-date=April 18, 2021 |date=December 5, 2006}}{{cbignore}}</ref> though Sega executive Masaharu Yoshii recalled that he departed around halfway through.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|pp=13–14}} Cerny left partly because of the rising tensions between the Japanese and American developers, feeling the Americans were not treated respectfully. Further complicating this was STI's involvement with the ''Sonic'' franchise and Naka's desire to oversee development personally, as well as Sega of America's initial hesitation to assist given their lack of confidence in the Sonic character.{{sfn|Horowitz|2016|p=87}} Yoshii was installed as the temporary head of STI and was credited as ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} director. He said that the situation was severe because Sega of America was "betting everything" on ''Sonic 2'', but the STI staff did not display any stress and remained optimistic that the project would be finished.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|p=14}}

A large amount of content was cut, mostly due to time constraints.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} Nilsen said ''Sonic 2'' "probably could have been three times the size if we left in everything that was there. Naka and team... weren't afraid to say, 'I've been working on this for four months, it's not working. Let's take it out.{{'"}}<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes"/> One cut stage, Hidden Palace Zone, featured extensively in prerelease advertisements. It was planned as a secret stage accessed by collecting Chaos Emeralds; according to Naka, it would explain the origin of the Chaos Emeralds and grant Sonic his Super Sonic powers.<ref name="GSpy: Talks">{{cite web |last1=Kemps |first1=Heidi |title=Sega's Yuji Naka Talks! |url=http://uk.xbox.gamespy.com/articles/654/654750p4.html| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/http://uk.xbox.gamespy.com/articles/654/654750p4.html| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=GameSpy |access-date=April 4, 2021 |page=4 |date=September 30, 2005}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Stitt created the Hidden Palace art and considered its foreground among his favorite work.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} Though Hidden Palace was one of the first levels implemented, work on it stopped in mid-1992,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=27}} and it was removed shortly before completion for a lack of time and cartridge space.<ref name="GSpy: Talks"/>

Other cut levels included a forest level, which was implemented but hardly worked on,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=27}} and a desert level.<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/> One cut level, Genocide City, was renamed Cyber City because the Japanese developers had not understood the connotations of the word ''genocide''. Its level layout was used in the Metropolis Zone level.<ref name="HG101: Sonic2"/> Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske, product manager Madeline Schroeder, and Nilsen worked closely with STI; Nilsen said the feedback loop helped the team determine what needed to be cut.<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes"/> Most cuts were made to the Americans' designs, and many were furious when they learned their work had been cut.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} One artist, Brenda Cook, had all three levels she worked on cut.<ref name="VGHF" /> Stitt said that he may have been the only American whose art was used in the final game.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}}

===Music===
As with the first game, ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} soundtrack was composed by Masato Nakamura, a member of the J-pop band Dreams Come True.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} Nakamura became famous in Japan after the release of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' and increased his asking price considerably.<ref name="S-16: DevDen" /> According to Yamaguchi, Sega of America wanted to use music composed in-house instead. After the team rejected it as "awful", Sega rehired Nakamura.{{sfn|Yuzumo Design|2018|p=96}} Nakamura began composing early in development with only concept art for reference. He treated ''Sonic 2'' like a film and attempted to reflect the atmosphere he felt in the concept art.{{sfn|DCT Records|2011|p=8}}<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine |title='Sonic the Hedgehog' Music Creator Masato Nakamura Reflects on Video Game's 30th Anniversary |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/sonic-the-hedgehog-music-masato-nakamura-interview-30th-anniversary-9632034/ |access-date=March 5, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |date=September 17, 2021 |archive-date=March 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305053649/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/sonic-the-hedgehog-music-masato-nakamura-interview-30th-anniversary-9632034/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Nakamura composed ''Sonic 2'' simultaneously with the 1992 Dreams Come True album ''The Swinging Star''.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=25}} As a gift to the developers, he produced an alternate version of the ''Sonic 2'' ending theme, "Sweet Sweet Sweet", for the album.{{sfn|DCT Records|2011|p=7}}

Since ''Sonic 2'' was more technically advanced than its predecessor, Nakamura "wanted to create music that showed progress... It was like the ''Indiana Jones'' sequels. Same concept, but with more fun and excitement."{{sfn|DCT Records|2011|p=9}} Nakamura felt considerable pressure, as he understood that expectations were high due to the first game's success.{{sfn|DCT Records|2011|p=9}} STI let Nakamura work freely, which he felt allowed him to create melodic tunes and unusual rhythms.{{sfn|DCT Records|2011|pp=10–11}} He composed using a Roland MC-4 Microcomposer; composing was challenging due to the Genesis' limited sound capabilities, but this encouraged him to be more inventive.{{sfn|DCT Records|2011|p=10}} Five or six people worked to convert Nakamura's music to the Genesis format.{{sfn|Yuzumo Design|2018|p=96}}

===Completion===
''Sonic 2'' did not become playable from start to finish until the last 48 hours of development, in September 1992.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} The team planned to use a 4MiB cartridge, the same cartridge size as the first game,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=23}} but STI ran out of space towards the end of development.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|p=14}} To make sure the game would be finished in time for Thanksgiving, Yoshii went to the Japanese side of Sega for help. Managing director Daizaburou Sakurai contacted Sega Enterprises president Hayao Nakayama, who allowed the team to double the ROM size to avoid a delay.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|pp=14–15}} In total, over 100 people worked on ''Sonic 2'' and the main team comprised 20 developers.{{sfn|Rich|1992|p=16}} The development schedule was shorter than the first game's,{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=20}} and Yasuhara said STI worked under a lot of pressure due to Sega's competition with Nintendo.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=22}}

Yoshii said that ''Sonic 2'' would not have been ready for release without Sega of America's [[Software bug|bug]]-checking process.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020b|p=21}} STI videotaped testers' gameplay so the developers could easily locate bugs.{{sfn|Rich|1992|p=14}} Around 50 developers worked as bug checkers, and the process took two to three weeks.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020b|p=20}} Yoshii felt that despite the staff conflicts, the bug-checking made developing ''Sonic 2'' in the US worth it, as Sega of America's process was much more thorough than the one in Japan.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020b|p=21}} When ''Sonic 2'' was shipped to Japan for production, copies of the [[Source code|source code]] were sent on separate planes to ensure that the game would arrive in case of an accident.<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes" /> On the day the code shipped, the STI staff gathered in the warehouse and celebrated with a Sonic-themed cake.{{sfn|Shigehara|Ikuine|Shimizu|2020a|p=16}}

==Release==
===Marketing===
[[File:Sega-Genesis-Mk2-6button.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A Sega Genesis Model 2 console and controller.|''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' was released for the Sega Genesis (pictured) in November 1992, accompanied by a $10 million marketing campaign.]]

Sega aggressively promoted ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'', spending approximately $10 million on advertising.{{sfn|Biddle|1992|p=Economy 43}}  Promotion began in early 1992, when Sega sent [[Mockup|mockup]] screenshots to magazines.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} An early version appeared on the Nickelodeon game show ''Nick Arcade'' several times, including in a competition between the ''Clarissa Explains It All'' (1991–1994) stars Melissa Joan Hart and Jason Zimbler.<ref name="Kotaku: 7Protos">{{cite web |last1=Kemps |first1=Heidi |title=7 Sonic The Hedgehog Prototypes You Were Never Meant To Play |url=https://kotaku.com/7-sonic-the-hedgehog-prototypes-you-were-never-meant-to-1844382305 |website=Kotaku |access-date=April 15, 2021 |date=July 15, 2020 |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411093430/https://kotaku.com/7-sonic-the-hedgehog-prototypes-you-were-never-meant-to-1844382305 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hart struggled to play it since she was unaware of the spin dash.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}}<ref name="Kotaku: 7Protos" />

As ''Sonic 2'' was Sega's biggest game of 1992,<ref name="NextWeb2sday" /> its marketing team, as ''Game Informer'' wrote, sought to make the release "as much a celebration as it was a product launch".<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes"/> Sega gave away T-shirts as preorder gifts and sent stores dry-erase boards to count down the days to release.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} Teaser posters bore the slogan "Are You Up 2 It?".<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes"/> Sega of America collaborated with Emery Worldwide to produce stickers celebrating the "Great ''Sonic 2'' Shipment", and 50 people dressed as Sonic greeted the three planes carrying copies of ''Sonic 2'' at Heathrow Airport. Sega considered shipping the cartridges with [[Holography|holographic]] labels, but decided it was too expensive.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}}

At the last moment, Sega canceled a tour of shopping malls across the US, deciding it would be inadequate. Instead, it made ''Sonic 2'' available in the West in all stores on the same day.<ref name="NextWeb2sday">{{cite web |last1=Bryant |first1=Martin |title=What Sonic 2 taught me about making a real impact with marketing |url=https://thenextweb.com/news/miles-prower-is-still-a-terrible-name |website=The Next Web |access-date=April 5, 2022 |date=July 25, 2015 |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405164124/https://thenextweb.com/news/miles-prower-is-still-a-terrible-name |url-status=live }}</ref> This was an unusual practice at the time; generally, international game release dates depended on the region. Sega reconfigured its distribution system and used air shipping to ensure that copies were available in all major stores. The North American and European release date, Tuesday, November 24, 1992, was marketed as "Sonic 2sday".{{sfn|Harris|2014|pages=227–228, 273–275, 372}}<ref name="VB: Kalinske" /> In Japan, the game was released three days earlier, on November 21.<ref>{{cite web |title=ソフトウェア一覧（セガ発売） I メガドライブ I セガハード大百科 |url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html |publisher=[[Company:Sega|Sega]] |access-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720095133/https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html |archive-date=July 20, 2020 |trans-title=Software List (Sega Released) I Mega Drive I Sega Hard Encyclopedia |url-status=live}}</ref> Initial copies of ''Sonic 2'' had several bugs; later copies used a [[Patch (computing)|patch]] developed a few days after completion.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=26}} The Western cover art was illustrated by Greg Martin,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=David |title=Sonic 2 cover-artist Greg Martin dies |url=https://www.vg247.com/sonic-2-box-artist-greg-martin-dies |website=VG247 |access-date=March 20, 2022 |date=January 6, 2014 |archive-date=March 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321034007/https://www.vg247.com/sonic-2-box-artist-greg-martin-dies |url-status=live }}</ref> while the Japanese cover art was illustrated by Akira Watanabe.<ref>{{cite web |title=L'histoire des boitiers et jaquettes du jeu vidéo : Artistes, mystères et anecdotes |url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/news/1551322/l-histoire-des-boitiers-et-jaquettes-du-jeu-video-artistes-mysteres-et-anecdotes.htm |trans-title=The history of video game cases and covers: Artists, mysteries and anecdotes |website=Jeuxvideo.com |access-date=March 10, 2023 |language=French |date=April 3, 2022 |archive-date=March 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310160427/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/news/1551322/l-histoire-des-boitiers-et-jaquettes-du-jeu-video-artistes-mysteres-et-anecdotes.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Sales ===
''Sonic 2'' broke video game sales records and became the fastest-selling game at the time.{{sfn|''Mean Machines Sega'' staff|1993|p=13}}{{sfn|''Mega'' staff|1993a|p=22}} In the US, it sold 600,000 copies within a day in addition to 400,000 preorders.{{sfn|Kragen|Graham|1995|pp=124–125}} In the UK, it sold 750,000 copies within a week, accounting for 48% of all UK software.{{sfn|''Mega'' staff|1993a|p=22}}{{sfn|''Mean Machines Sega'' staff|1993|p=13}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rabinovitch |first1=Dina |title=A prickly object of desire: Zapped "A prickly object of desire: Zapped – Sonic the hedgehog beats Mario the Italian plumber at his own game |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/a-prickly-object-of-desire-zapped-sonic-the-hedgehog-beats-mario-the-italian-plumber-at-his-own-game-1564010.html| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/a-prickly-object-of-desire-zapped-sonic-the-hedgehog-beats-mario-the-italian-plumber-at-his-own-game-1564010.html| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |access-date=September 15, 2021 |work=The Independent |date=December 17, 1992}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It was the top-seller on Gallup's Sega charts for the UK,{{sfn|''Mega'' staff|1993b|p=12}} Japan, and the US for months.{{sfn|''Mega'' staff|1993c|p=10}} ''Sonic 2'' grossed {{US$|450 million|long=no}} in 1992 ({{US$|{{Inflation|US|450|1992|r=-1}} million|long=no}} adjusted for inflation),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Peter H. |title=Sound Bytes: A Man With Many Ideas for Addicting Americans |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/01/business/sound-bytes-a-man-with-many-ideas-for-addicting-americans.html |access-date=February 13, 2021 |work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |date=August 1, 1993 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110214184128/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/01/business/sound-bytes-a-man-with-many-ideas-for-addicting-americans.html |archive-date=February 14, 2011 }}</ref> and its release-day revenue exceeded the total revenue that the bestselling music CD of 1992, Simply Red's ''Stars'', had earned throughout the year.{{sfn|Straw|1995|p=51}} ''Sonic 2'' sold six million copies worldwide by August 2006,<ref name="GameDevelopSales">{{cite web |last1=Boutros |first1=Daniel |title=A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/a-detailed-cross-examination-of-yesterday-and-today-s-best-selling-platform-games |website=Game Developer |access-date=May 20, 2022 |date=August 5, 2006 |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120113519/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php?page=2 |url-status=live }}</ref> making it the second-bestselling Genesis game behind the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwards |first1=Benj |last2=Minor |first2=Jordan |title=The Best Sega Genesis Games |url=https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-sega-genesis-games |website=PCMag |access-date=May 17, 2022 |date=April 29, 2021 |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517041843/https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-sega-genesis-games |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Reception ==
{{video game reviews
| CVG = 94%{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}}
| EGM = 35/40{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}}{{efn|''Electronic Gaming Monthly''{{'s}} four reviewers gave ''Sonic 2'' two 8/10 scores, one 9/10 score, and one 10/10 score.{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}}}}
| GameFan = 98.5%{{sfn|Halverson|Brody|1992|p=9}}{{efn|''Diehard GameFan''{{'s}} reviewers provided two scores of 98% and 99%.{{sfn|Halverson|Brody|1992|p=9}}}}
| GMaster = 65%{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=58}}
| GamePro = 19.5/20{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}}{{efn|''GamePro'' gave ''Sonic 2'' three 5/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and a 4.5/5 for sound.{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}}}}
| MMS = 96%{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|p=63}}
| rev1 = ''Electronic Games''
| rev1Score = 91%{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|p=74}}
| rev2 = ''Mega''
| rev2Score = 94%{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=41}}
| rev3 = ''Beep! Mega Drive''
| rev3Score = 9/10{{sfn|''Beep! Mega Drive'' staff|1992|p=29}}
| award1Pub = ''Chicago Tribune''
| award1 = Best Game of the Year ({{nowrap|runner-up}})<ref name="ChicagoTribune">{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=Chip |last2=Carter |first2=Jonathan |title=The Best of '92 That Kept You Playing and Playing... |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-12-25-9204270261-story.html| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-12-25-9204270261-story.html| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |access-date=September 15, 2021 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=December 25, 1992}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
| award2Pub = Electronic Gaming Awards
| award2 = Video Game of the Year (nomination), <br /> Best Electronic Game Graphics{{sfn|''Electronic Games'' staff|1993|pp=38–39}}
| award3Pub = ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (''EGM'')
| award3 = Best Game of the Year (Genesis){{sfn|''EGM'' staff|1992|p=14}}
| award4Pub = Golden Joystick Awards
| award4 =  Best Original Console Game, Promotional Campaign of the Year{{sfn|''CVG'' staff|1993|p=10}}
}}

''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' received acclaim. Numerous critics considered it better than the first ''Sonic''.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''CVG'',{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}} ''Electronic Games'',{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|p=74}} ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|pp=46–47}} ''Mean Machines'',{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|p=63}} ''Mega'',{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=41}} and ''Beep! Mega Drive''{{sfn|''Beep! Mega Drive'' staff|1992|p=29}}}} ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (''EGM'') wrote that it could "best be described with a lot of 2s", being twice as long and fun as its predecessor.{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}} Reviewers noted ''Sonic 2'' was similar to ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' in appearance and gameplay.{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|p=74}}{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|pp=56–57}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}} The similarities did not bother ''Electronic Games'', which said the level variety and multiplayer made it an improvement,{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|p=74}} but ''Mega'' and ''GamesMaster'' considered them a detriment.{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|pp=56–57}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}} In particular, ''GamesMaster'' felt that ''Sonic 2'' was just more of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' and did not improve much.{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=57}}

Critics commended the presentation,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''CVG'',{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}} ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}} ''Electronic Games'',{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|p=74}} ''Mega'',{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}} ''EGM'',{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}} and ''Beep! Mega Drive''{{sfn|''Beep! Mega Drive'' staff|1992|p=29}}}} with ''EGM'' describing ''Sonic 2'' as an impressive showcase of the Genesis hardware.{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}} The visuals were praised as colorful and detailed,{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}}{{sfn|Halverson|Brody|1992|p=9}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}} and ''EGM'' and ''Mega'' highlighted the backgrounds for their intricacy.{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}} ''GamePro'', ''Mean Machines Sega'', and ''Mega'' wrote that the updated sprites were larger and better animated.{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}}{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|p=61}} ''Mean Machines'' said Sonic's new animation frames made for a smoother appearance.{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|p=61}} Several critics said the graphics were better than the first game's,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}} ''EGM'',{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}} ''Mean Machines'',{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|p=63}} and ''Mega''{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=41}}}} though ''Computer and Video Games'' (''CVG'') and ''GamesMaster'' felt they were about the same.{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}}{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=57}} ''CVG'' said this was not a problem since ''Sonic''{{'s}} graphics were already excellent.{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}} The music was also commended,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''CVG'',{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}} ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}} ''EGM'',{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}} ''Electronic Games'',{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|p=74}} ''Mega''{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=41}}}} though ''CVG'' said it was not as memorable as the first game's and ''GamePro'' found it less impressive than the visuals.{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}}{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}}

Reviewers enjoyed the level design and gameplay.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''CVG'',{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}} ''GameFan'',{{sfn|Halverson|Brody|1992|p=9}} ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}} and ''Electronic Games''{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|pp=72–74}}}} Critics said ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} levels were larger and featured more variety than the first game,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''CVG'',{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=24}} ''GameFan'',{{sfn|Halverson|Brody|1992|p=9}} ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}} and ''Mega''{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|pp=39–40}}}} which ''CVG'' and ''GamePro'' wrote incentivized exploration and [[Software:Replay value|replayability]].{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}}{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=24}} ''Mean Machines'' and ''Mega'' said it was clear that Sega sought to address the criticisms levied against the first game regarding its length and low difficulty,{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}}{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|pp=61–63}} though ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} easiness was still criticized.{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}}{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|pp=56–57}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=40}} ''Mega'' and ''GamesMaster'' wrote that despite ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} larger size, it could still be completed fairly quickly,{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=57}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=40}} and one of ''GamesMaster''{{'s}} reviewers said they finished it in one sitting without receiving a single game over.{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=57}} ''CVG'' said the difficulty was ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} only major problem,{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}} but ''GamePro'' and ''Mega'' said the difficulty was remedied by the replay value that the levels' branching paths and various secrets provided.{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=40}} Critics considered the special stages a highlight,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=47}} ''GamesMaster'',{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=57}} ''Mean Machines'',{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|p=61}} and ''CVG''{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|pp=24–25}}}} though ''Mega'' felt they lacked the skill curve of the first game's.{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=40}}

Reviewers called the multiplayer mode one of ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} best additions,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=46}} ''EGM'',{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}} ''GamesMaster'',{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=57}} ''Electronic Games'',{{sfn|Carpenter|1992|p=74}} ''Mean Machines'',{{sfn|Davies|Rignall|1992|p=63}} and ''Mega''{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}}}} though some disliked the split-screen effect.{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=46}}{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=39}} ''Mega'' said that the ability to race against a friend rather than just the in-game timer added substantial depth,{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=39}} and ''EGM'' said it would double the amount of fun players would have.{{sfn|Alessi|Harris|Semrad|Sushi-X|1992|p=26}} Multiple critics praised Tails,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''CVG'',{{sfn|Anglin|Boon|1992|p=25}} ''GameFan'',{{sfn|Halverson|Brody|1992|p=9}} ''GamePro'',{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=46}} and ''Mega''{{sfn|Cook|Dyer|Mellerick|West|1992|p=38}}}} with ''GamePro'' and ''Beep! Mega Drive'' calling him cute.{{sfn|The Unknown Gamer|1993|p=46}}{{sfn|''Beep! Mega Drive'' staff|1992|p=29}} Conversely, ''GamesMaster'' said Tails was briefly fun but ultimately little more than a sprite-swapped Sonic.{{sfn|Douglas|Ellis|Leach|Lowe|1993|p=57}}

===Accolades===
''Sonic 2'' received numerous year-end accolades and nominations. It received the Golden Joystick Awards for Best Original Console Game and Promotional Campaign of the Year,{{sfn|''CVG'' staff|1993|p=10}} and was a runner-up for the ''Chicago Tribune''{{'s}} Best Game of the Year award after ''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'' (1991) and the console version of ''[[Software:Street Fighter II|Street Fighter II]]'' (1992).<ref name="ChicagoTribune" /> ''EGM'' named it the best Genesis game of 1992.{{sfn|''EGM'' staff|1992|p=14}} At ''Electronic Games''{{'}} Electronic Gaming Awards, it won Best Electronic Game Graphics{{sfn|''Electronic Games'' staff|1993|p=39}} but lost the Video Game of the Year award to ''Street Fighter II''.{{sfn|''Electronic Games'' staff|1993|p=38}}

==Post-release==
Naka refused to develop another ''Sonic'' game if he had to work with the Americans again.{{sfn|Thorpe|2017|p=29}} When [[Company:Atari|Atari]] veteran Roger Hector became the division's head, STI split into two teams: the Japanese developers led by Naka, and the American developers.<ref name="S-16: DevDen" /> The Japanese team started working on ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' in January 1993; it was conceived as an isometric game that used the [[Engineering:Sega Virtua Processor|Sega Virtua Processor]] chip, but was retooled to reuse the ''Sonic 2'' [[Software:Game engine|game engine]] after it became apparent that the chip would not be finished in time.{{sfn|''Sega Magazine''|1997|pp=9–13}} Many of ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} unused concepts were incorporated into ''Sonic 3'' and the next game, ''Sonic & Knuckles'',{{sfn|Gordon|2007|p=141}} including the Hidden Palace level.<ref name="GSpy: Talks" /> Like their predecessors, ''Sonic 3'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles'' were critical and commercial successes when they were released in 1994.{{sfn|Gordon|2007|p=142}}

While the Japanese worked on ''Sonic 3'', the American team developed the spin-off ''[[Software:Sonic Spinball|Sonic Spinball]]'' (1993),<ref name="S-16: DevDen" /> a pinball game commissioned after Sega's research determined that Casino Night Zone was one of the most popular levels in ''Sonic 2''.{{sfn|Machin|2011|p=37}} Following the completion of ''Sonic & Knuckles'', Yasuhara quit, citing differences with Naka, and went on to develop games for Sega of America. Naka returned to Japan with developer Takashi Iizuka to work with Sonic Team, and was reunited with Ohshima.{{sfn|Smith|2006|p=26}} A concept developed during ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} production formed the basis of the Sonic Team game ''[[Software:Nights into Dreams|Nights into Dreams]]'', released for the [[Engineering:Sega Saturn|Sega Saturn]] in 1996.{{sfn|''HobbyConsolas''|1996|pp=28–29}} The American team developed ''[[Software:Comix Zone|Comix Zone]]'' (1995), ''[[Software:The Ooze|The Ooze]]'' (1995), ''[[Software:Die Hard Arcade|Die Hard Arcade]]'' (1996) with [[Company:Sega AM1|Sega AM1]], and ''[[Software:Sonic X-treme|Sonic X-treme]]'', which was canceled in 1996. STI was disbanded in late 1996 as a result of changes in management at Sega of America.<ref name="S-16: DevDen" /> Meanwhile, Cerny worked with [[Company:Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony Interactive Entertainment]] and helped create the [[Engineering:PlayStation|PlayStation]] franchises ''[[Software:Crash Bandicoot|Crash Bandicoot]]'' and ''Spyro''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ivan |first1=Tom |title=Who is Mark Cerny, the man behind PS5? |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/who-is-mark-cerny/ |website=Video Games Chronicle |access-date=March 24, 2022 |date=February 13, 2020 |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401105451/https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/who-is-mark-cerny/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Cerny and Yasuhara remained friends and reunited to work with [[Company:Naughty Dog|Naughty Dog]] on the ''[[Software:Jak and Daxter|Jak and Daxter]]'' series in the 2000s.{{sfn|Horowitz|2016|pp=81–82}}

===Other media===
An [[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit video game)|alternate version of ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'']] was developed by [[Company:Aspect Co.|Aspect Co.]] for Sega's [[8-bit|8-bit]] consoles, the [[Engineering:Master System|Master System]] and the handheld [[Engineering:Game Gear|Game Gear]]. The 8-bit version features different levels and music, as well as a different plot in which Sonic must rescue a kidnapped Tails.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chungus |first1=Apollo |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit) |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-8-bit/ |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=February 10, 2019 |archive-date=October 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211001/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-8-bit/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was later included in ''Sonic'' compilations, such as ''Sonic Adventure DX'' (2003) for the [[Engineering:GameCube|GameCube]] and [[Software:Windows|Windows]] and ''[[Software:Sonic Gems Collection|Sonic Gems Collection]]'' (2005) for the GameCube and [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ronaghan|first=Neal|date=June 21, 2013|title=Grinding Game Gears: An Overview of Sonic's Portable Origins|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/34741/grinding-game-gears-an-overview-of-sonics-portable-origins| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211001/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/34741/grinding-game-gears-an-overview-of-sonics-portable-origins| archive-date=October 1, 2021|url-status=live|website=Nintendo World Report}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Davis|first1=Ryan|title=Sonic Gems Collection Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-gems-collection-review/1900-6131881/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817040455/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-gems-collection-review/1900-6131881/|archive-date=August 17, 2017|website=GameSpot}}</ref> Sega released an [[Software:Arcade cabinet|arcade cabinet]] version of ''Sonic 2'' using its Sega Mega Play [[Software:Arcade video game#Technology|arcade system board]] in 1993.<ref name="KLoVG">{{cite web |title=Sonic The Hedgehog 2 |url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=18000 |website=International Arcade Museum |access-date=April 21, 2021 |archive-date=May 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517204400/https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=18000 |url-status=live }}</ref> Another version planned for the Genesis's [[Engineering:Sega CD|Sega CD]] accessory was replaced by ''Sonic CD''.{{sfn|Rich|1992|pp=8–9}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kalata |first1=Kurt |title=Sonic CD |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-cd/ |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=April 3, 2022 |date=July 8, 2018 |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020151207/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sonic-cd/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2011, Sega released ''Sonic the Hedgehog 1&2 Soundtrack'', a three-disc album compiling music from ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' and ''Sonic 2'', interviews with Naka and Nakamura, and concept art. The first disc contains the in-game tracks and the second contains Nakamura's demo recordings produced during development. The third disc contains "Sweet Sweet Sweet" by Dreams Come True, its English-language version "Sweet Dream", and remixes of both songs that Akon produced for ''[[Software:Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (2006).<ref>{{cite magazine |title=『ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ 1＆2 サウンドトラック』発売決定 |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201110/12051735.html |magazine=Famitsu |access-date=January 21, 2023 |language=Japanese |date=October 12, 2011 |trans-title='Sonic the Hedgehog 1&2 Soundtrack' will be released |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075949/https://www.famitsu.com/news/201110/12051735.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Rereleases===
''Sonic 2'' has been [[Porting|ported]] to multiple platforms. A Sega Saturn port included in the compilation ''[[Software:Sonic Jam|Sonic Jam]]'' (1997) introduces an alternate difficulty mode that alters stage layouts and removes some levels for an easier experience.{{sfn|O'Leary|1997|pp=72–73}} Other compilations featuring the game include ''Sonic Classics 3 in 1'' (1995) for the Genesis;<ref>{{cite web |title=Sonic Classics 3 In 1 (Sonic Compilation) |url=https://www.ign.com/games/sonic-classics-3-in-1-sonic-compilation |website=IGN |access-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322161336/https://www.ign.com/games/sonic-classics-3-in-1-sonic-compilation |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Software:Sonic Mega Collection|Sonic Mega Collection]]'' (2002) for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and [[Engineering:Xbox (console)|Xbox]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/377/377158p1.html|title=Sonic Mega Collection Review|access-date=December 4, 2008|last=Mirabella III|first=Fran|date=November 12, 2002|website=IGN|archive-date=March 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331062814/http://cube.ign.com/articles/377/377158p1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Software:Sega Genesis Collection|Sega Genesis Collection]]'' (2006) for the PlayStation 2 and [[Engineering:PlayStation Portable|PlayStation Portable]];<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldstein |first1=Hilary |title=Sega Genesis Collection Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/16/sega-genesis-collection-review-2 |website=IGN |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=November 15, 2006 |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224105520/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/16/sega-genesis-collection-review-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Software:Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection|Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection]]'' (2009) for the [[Engineering:Xbox 360|Xbox 360]] and [[Engineering:PlayStation 3|PlayStation 3]];<ref>{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Greg |date=February 12, 2009 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/02/12/sonics-ultimate-genesis-collection-review |title=Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection Review |website=IGN |access-date=October 4, 2017 |archive-date=September 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920110549/http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/02/12/sonics-ultimate-genesis-collection-review |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Software:Sonic Classic Collection|Sonic Classic Collection]]'' (2010) for the Nintendo DS;<ref name="ClassicCollection">{{cite web|last=Harris|first=Craig|date=March 5, 2010|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/03/06/sonic-classic-collection-review|title=Sonic Classic Collection Review|website=IGN|access-date=November 10, 2018|archive-date=November 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128225823/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/03/06/sonic-classic-collection-review|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[Software:Sega Genesis Classics|Sega Genesis Classics]]'' (2018) for the [[Engineering:Nintendo Switch|Nintendo Switch]], [[Engineering:PlayStation 4|PlayStation 4]], and [[Engineering:Xbox One|Xbox One]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Shive |first=Chris |date=May 25, 2018 |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/2018/05/25/review-sega-genesis-classics/299894/ |title=Review: Sega Genesis Classics |website=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=May 25, 2018 |archive-date=December 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225192207/https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2018/05/25/review-sega-genesis-classics/299894/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Jam'', ''Mega Collection'', and ''Classic Collection'' include ''Knuckles in Sonic 2'' as a bonus.<ref name="ClassicCollection" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Armstrong |first1=Jason |title=Sonic Mega Collection Review (GCN) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2006/10/sonic_mega_collection_gamecube |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=October 14, 2006 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322161326/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2006/10/sonic_mega_collection_gamecube |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sonic Jam review: Where's the Sonic Peanut Butter?|url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/sonic-jam|website=Game Revolution |access-date=November 11, 2016|date=June 6, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117022458/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/sonic-jam|archive-date=November 17, 2015}}</ref>

A [[Software:Video game remake|remake]] of ''Sonic 2'' was released for [[Software:Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[Software:IOS|iOS]] devices on December 12, 2013,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nelson |first1=Jared |title='Sonic The Hedgehog 2' Remastered Hitting this Week, Features Long Lost Hidden Palace Zone |url=https://toucharcade.com/2013/12/11/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-remastered-hitting-this-week-features-long-lost-hidden-palace-zone/ |website=TouchArcade |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=December 11, 2013 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322145751/https://toucharcade.com/2013/12/11/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-remastered-hitting-this-week-features-long-lost-hidden-palace-zone/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and for [[Engineering:Apple TV|Apple TV]] on March 24, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dotson|first1=Carter|title='Sonic the Hedgehog' Remaster Now on Apple TV, 'Sonic 2' and 'Sonic CD' Later This Month|url=http://toucharcade.com/2016/03/17/sonic-the-hedgehog-remaster-now-on-apple-tv-sonic-2-and-sonic-cd-later-this-month/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/http://toucharcade.com/2016/03/17/sonic-the-hedgehog-remaster-now-on-apple-tv-sonic-2-and-sonic-cd-later-this-month/| archive-date=November 11, 2021|website=TouchArcade|date=March 17, 2016|access-date=March 31, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The remake was developed by Christian "Taxman" Whitehead and Simon "Stealth" Thomley using the [[Software:Retro Engine|Retro Engine]], previously used in Whitehead's 2011 ''Sonic CD'' remake.<ref name="PowerUpWhitehead" /> The remake adds enhancements such as [[Engineering:Widescreen|widescreen]] support, Knuckles as a playable character, time and boss attack modes, online multiplayer, additional multiplayer stages, and Tails's flying and swimming abilities from ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3''. It also restores Hidden Palace Zone as an optional, secret level.<ref name="TARemakeReview">{{cite web |last1=Musgrave |first1=Shaun |title='Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Remastered' Review – Setting Right What Once Went Wrong |url=https://toucharcade.com/2013/12/16/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-remastered-review-setting-right-what-once-went-wrong/ |website=TouchArcade |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=December 16, 2013 |archive-date=September 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190909213538/https://toucharcade.com/2013/12/16/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-remastered-review-setting-right-what-once-went-wrong/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Whitehead redesigned Hidden Palace with input from Sonic Team, which informed him that STI had been dissatisfied with the original level design.<ref name="PowerUpWhitehead">{{cite web|url=http://powerupgaming.co.uk/2015/04/02/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-remastered-interview/|title=Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Remastered Interview With Christian 'The Taxman' Whitehead|last1=Mawson|first1=Chris|date=April 2, 2015|website=Power Up Gaming|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110085120/http://powerupgaming.co.uk/2015/04/02/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-remastered-interview/|archive-date=November 10, 2016|url-status=live|access-date=December 1, 2016}}</ref> The Android version sold more than 100,000 paid downloads on the Google Play Store by 2017,<ref>{{cite web|title=Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - Android Apps on Google Play|url=http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sega.sonic2|website=Google Play Store|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116184917/http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sega.sonic2|archive-date=November 16, 2017|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref> and received more than 10{{nbsp}}million downloads by 2019 after it was made [[Finance:Free-to-play|free-to-play]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Classic - Apps on Google Play|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sega.sonic2.runner|website=Google Play Store|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013012011/http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sega.sonic2.runner|archive-date=October 13, 2019|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref> The remake was included in the 2022 compilation ''[[Software:Sonic Origins|Sonic Origins]]'' for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, [[Engineering:PlayStation 5|PlayStation 5]], Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parrish |first1=Ash |title=Sonic Origins launches in June with remasters of four classic games |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/20/23033583/sonic-origins-sega-hedgehog-ps5-xbox |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=April 20, 2022 |date=April 20, 2022 |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422051050/https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/20/23033583/sonic-origins-sega-hedgehog-ps5-xbox |url-status=live }}</ref> An updated version of ''Origins'' includes Amy Rose as a playable character.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/03/23/sonic-origins-plus-adds-amy-as-playable-character-game-gear-games-and-more-this-june |title=Sonic Origins Plus Adds Amy As Playable Character, Game Gear Games, And More This June |magazine=Game Informer |access-date=June 28, 2023 |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323162108/https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/03/23/sonic-origins-plus-adds-amy-as-playable-character-game-gear-games-and-more-this-june |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

A {{wipe|Nintendo 3DS}} port was developed by [[Software:M2 (game developer)|M2]] and released as part of Sega's ''3D Classics'' line in Japan on July 22, 2015, and elsewhere on October 8.<ref name="NLife: Overview">{{cite web |title=3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (3DS eShop) Game Profile |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/games/3ds-eshop/3d_sonic_the_hedgehog_2 |website=Nintendo Life |date=June 22, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423155624/https://www.nintendolife.com/games/3ds-eshop/3d_sonic_the_hedgehog_2 |url-status=live }}</ref> The port features stereoscopic 3D visuals, the option to switch between the game's regional variants, alternate sound and visual modes, and cheats.<ref name="NLife: 3DSReview">{{cite web |last1=Town |first1=Jonathan |title=3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Review (3DS eShop) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/3d_sonic_the_hedgehog_2 |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=April 23, 2016 |date=October 12, 2015 |archive-date=February 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220073006/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/3d_sonic_the_hedgehog_2 |url-status=live }}</ref> M2 was originally hesitant to port the game, and it took the most effort of the ''3D Classics'' line due to its large size and elaborate levels. Several technical tricks, such as the interlacing in the multiplayer mode and the pre-rendering in the special stages, had to be reprogrammed so they could be retained.<ref name="Sega3DClassicsInterview" /> M2 also developed a Nintendo Switch port for the Sega Ages line, released in February 2020. It includes most of the additions from the 3DS version, as well as the option to use Sonic's Drop Dash ability from ''[[Software:Sonic Mania|Sonic Mania]]'' (2017), a time attack mode, and ''Knuckles in Sonic 2''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wong |first1=Alistar |title=Sega Ages' Sonic 2, Columns II, Out Run, Thunder Force AC Gets New Info And Screenshots |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2018/09/13/sega-ages-sonic-2-columns-ii-out-run-thunder-force-ac-gets-new-info-and-screenshots/| url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914002044/http://www.siliconera.com/2018/09/13/sega-ages-sonic-2-columns-ii-out-run-thunder-force-ac-gets-new-info-and-screenshots/| archive-date=September 14, 2018 |website=Siliconera |date=September 13, 2018 |access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref><ref name="SegaAgesReview">{{cite web |last1=Scullion |first1=Chris |title=SEGA AGES Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Review (Switch eShop) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/sega_ages_sonic_the_hedgehog_2 |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322144629/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/sega_ages_sonic_the_hedgehog_2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Emulated versions of ''Sonic 2'' have been released on [[Digital distribution|digital distribution]] platforms. It was released on the [[Engineering:Wii|Wii]]'s Virtual Console on June 11, 2007,<ref name="NWR">{{cite web |last=Rodruiguez |first=Steven |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=13596 |title=Virtual Console Mondays: June 11, 2007 |access-date=October 21, 2007 |work=Nintendo World Report |date=June 12, 2007 |archive-date=December 13, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213082003/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=13596 |url-status=live }}</ref> the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade on September 12, 2007,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Boyer |first1=Brandon |title=Online Sonic 2 Headlines Xbox Live Arcade Update |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/online-i-sonic-2-i-headlines-xbox-live-arcade-update |website=Game Developer |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=September 10, 2007 |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401105515/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/online-i-sonic-2-i-headlines-xbox-live-arcade-update |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Software:Steam (service)|Steam]] on January 26, 2011,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chalk |first1=Andy |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is free to keep on Steam |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-free-to-keep-on-steam/ |website=PC Gamer |access-date=March 25, 2022 |date=October 9, 2020 |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325154035/https://www.pcgamer.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-free-to-keep-on-steam/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the PlayStation 3's PlayStation Network on April 19, 2011,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2011/03/02/new-playstation-plus-content-for-march-april-2011/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404034732/https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2011/03/02/new-playstation-plus-content-for-march-april-2011/| archive-date=April 4, 2019 |title=New PlayStation Plus Content For March & April 2011|publisher=PlayStation Blog|date=March 2, 2011|access-date=January 8, 2014}}</ref> and for Nintendo Switch Online's "Expansion Pack" subscribers on October 25, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Peters|first=Jay|date=September 23, 2021|title=Nintendo Switch Online is getting an 'expansion pack' with N64 and Genesis games|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/23/22688780/nintendo-switch-online-expansion-pack-64-sega-genesis-controllers| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/23/22688780/nintendo-switch-online-expansion-pack-64-sega-genesis-controllers| archive-date=November 11, 2021|access-date=October 6, 2021|website=[[The Verge]]|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Wii and Xbox 360 versions allow users to play ''Knuckles in Sonic 2'' if they also own ''Sonic & Knuckles''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Balicki |first1=Lukasz |title=Sonic & Knuckles for Virtual Console Detailed |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/20184/sonic-n-knuckles-for-virtual-console-detailed |website=Nintendo World Report |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=October 23, 2009 |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401105542/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/20184/sonic-n-knuckles-for-virtual-console-detailed |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hatfield |first1=Daemon |title=Sonic & Knuckles Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/14/sonic-knuckles-review-2 |website=IGN |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=September 14, 2009 |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401105536/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/14/sonic-knuckles-review-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> An emulated version for iOS was released in April 2010,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hodapp |first1=Eli |title='Sonic 2' – Another Genesis Game Wrapped in Sega's Emulator |url=https://toucharcade.com/2010/04/19/sonic-2-another-genesis-game-wrapped-in-segas-emulator/ |website=TouchArcade |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=May 7, 2010 |archive-date=December 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229224804/http://toucharcade.com/2010/04/19/sonic-2-another-genesis-game-wrapped-in-segas-emulator/ |url-status=live }}</ref> but was replaced by the remake in 2013; those who purchased the original version were offered the remake for free.<ref name="TARemakeReview"/> The Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and Steam versions were delisted in 2022 ahead of the release of ''Sonic Origins'',<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Stewart |first1=Marcus |title=Sega Is Delisting Classic Sonic Games From Digital Stores Ahead Of Sonic Origins' Launch |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2022/04/26/sega-is-delisting-classic-sonic-games-from-digital-stores-ahead-of-sonic-origins-launch |magazine=Game Informer |access-date=April 27, 2022 |date=April 26, 2022 |archive-date=June 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626000217/https://www.gameinformer.com/2022/04/26/sega-is-delisting-classic-sonic-games-from-digital-stores-ahead-of-sonic-origins-launch |url-status=live }}</ref> which received criticism on [[Social:Video game preservation|video game preservation]] and consumer protection grounds.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Ian |title=Sega's Pulling Standalone Sonic Games Ahead Of Sonic Origins' Arrival |url=https://kotaku.com/sonic-origins-hedgehog-sega-delist-digital-denuvo-contr-1848844057 |website=Kotaku |access-date=April 26, 2022 |date=April 26, 2022 |archive-date=July 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722154436/https://kotaku.com/sonic-origins-hedgehog-sega-delist-digital-denuvo-contr-1848844057 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Legacy==
''Sonic 2'' was a major factor in keeping Sega competitive during the console wars of the [[Engineering:Fourth generation of video game consoles|16-bit era]] in the early 1990s,<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes" /> and ''GameSpot'' and ''IGN'' described it as the game that solidified ''Sonic'' as a major franchise.<ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Connor |first1=James |title=Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Is Free On Steam Right Now, Grab It While You Can |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-free-on-steam-right-now-grab-it-while-you-can/1100-6483172/ |website=GameSpot |access-date=July 27, 2022 |date=October 11, 2020 |archive-date=September 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907143717/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-free-on-steam-right-now-grab-it-while-you-can/1100-6483172/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Kat |title=New Sonic 2 Movie Poster Is a Tribute To the Classic Boxart |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-movie-classic-boxart |website=IGN |access-date=March 22, 2023 |date=March 14, 2022 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322171747/https://www.ign.com/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-movie-classic-boxart |url-status=live }}</ref> It boosted Genesis sales enough to nearly equalize Sega with Nintendo and cemented Sonic as a video game mascot on par with Nintendo's Mario.<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes" /> Further, the Sonic 2sday promotion has been credited for originating the concept of the "[[Finance:Street date|street date]]" in the video game industry, in which games are made available worldwide in all stores on the same day. The practice was uncommon before ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} release and became a widespread industry trend in the following years.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: Kalinske in ''VentureBeat'',<ref name="VB: Kalinske">{{cite web |last1=Grubb |first1=Jeff |title=Sega Genesis genius Tom Kalinske on its 25 year legacy: Battling Nintendo, launching Sonic, and birthing the 'street date' |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/sega-genesis-genius-tom-kalinske-on-its-25-year-legacy-battling-nintendo-launching-sonic-and-birthing-the-street-date/ |website=VentureBeat |access-date=February 16, 2023 |date=August 14, 2014 |archive-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216141926/https://venturebeat.com/games/sega-genesis-genius-tom-kalinske-on-its-25-year-legacy-battling-nintendo-launching-sonic-and-birthing-the-street-date/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Dustin Hansen in the book ''Game On!'',{{sfn|Hansen|2016|p=91}} Greg Smith in ''Collider'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Greg |title=The Greatest and Most Influential Video Games of All Time |url=https://collider.com/galleries/greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |website=Collider |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=July 21, 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025213541/https://collider.com/galleries/greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |archive-date=October 25, 2020}}</ref> and Nick Thorpe in ''Retro Gamer''.{{sfn|Thorpe|2016|pp=18–25}}}}

''Sonic 2'' introduced many elements that defined the ''Sonic'' franchise. ''Game Informer'' wrote that it "expanded the formula in myriad ways, giving Sonic new moves like the spin-dash, bigger stages to explore with more branching paths, and more inventive boss battles."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Shea |first1=Brian |title=Ranking Every Mainline Sonic The Hedgehog Game |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2022/04/07/ranking-every-mainline-sonic-the-hedgehog-game |magazine=Game Informer |access-date=July 27, 2022 |date=April 7, 2022 |archive-date=July 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706132542/https://www.gameinformer.com/2022/04/07/ranking-every-mainline-sonic-the-hedgehog-game |url-status=live }}</ref> ''USGamer'' said that much of the series' most-loved elements originated in ''Sonic 2'' with the introduction of Tails, Super Sonic, and casino levels.<ref name="USG: 3DSonic2">{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Kat |title=Virtual Spotlight: 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is Still Peak Sega |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/virtual-spotlight-3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-still-peak-sega |website=USGamer |access-date=July 27, 2022 |date=October 9, 2015 |archive-date=July 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729164400/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/virtual-spotlight-3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-is-still-peak-sega |url-status=dead }}</ref> Tails became one of the most popular ''Sonic'' characters; according to Nilsen, Sega found that Tails was as popular as Sonic because he received nothing but praise through its 800 number phone line.<ref name="Poly: TailsMovie" /> Tails starred in two spin-offs, ''[[Software:Tails Adventure|Tails Adventure]]'' and ''[[Software:Tails' Skypatrol|Tails' Skypatrol]]'', for the Game Gear in 1995.<ref name="Poly: TailsMovie">{{cite web |last1=Patches |first1=Matt |title=How Tails became Sonic's sidekick, and worthy of a post-credit scene |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/2/14/21137563/sonic-movie-post-credits-scene-tails-origin-sequel-cliffhanger-explained |website=Polygon |access-date=July 27, 2022 |date=February 14, 2020 |archive-date=July 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728030423/https://www.polygon.com/2020/2/14/21137563/sonic-movie-post-credits-scene-tails-origin-sequel-cliffhanger-explained |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chungus |first1=Apollo |title=Tails' Skypatrol |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/tails-skypatrol/ |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=July 27, 2022 |date=February 26, 2019 |archive-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216225109/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/tails-skypatrol/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Retrospective assessments===
''Sonic 2'' continues to receive acclaim.<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes" /> Writing in retrospect, critics said it refined ''Sonic''{{'s}} formula with greater level diversity and design, better graphics, and quality-of-life improvements.<ref name="IGNWiiRev"/><ref name="GSpotWiiRev">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review/1900-6172587/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review/1900-6172587/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' (Wii) Review |access-date=November 21, 2019 |date=June 15, 2007 |last=Provo |first=Frank |work=GameSpot}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="GamesRadarRev">{{cite web|last=Towell|first=Justin|date=April 16, 2008|title=''Sonic'''s 2D classics re-reviewed|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/sonics-2d-classics-re-reviewed/5/?page=5|access-date=November 21, 2019|work=GamesRadar+|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807063533/https://www.gamesradar.com/sonics-2d-classics-re-reviewed/5/?page=5|url-status=live}}</ref> ''GameSpot'' said that ''Sonic 2'' "does everything a sequel is supposed to do. It resolves many of the first game's shortcomings and incorporates a slew of minor upgrades that cumulatively amount to a fresh experience."<ref name="GSpotWiiRev" /> ''IGN'' felt the emulated Wii rerelease was easy to recommend.<ref name="IGNWiiRev"/> ''TeamXbox'', ''Eurogamer'', and ''Hardcore Gamer'' said the level design, music, and fast gameplay still hold up exceptionally well,<ref name="HardcoreGamer3DS">{{cite web |last1=Creegan |first1=Dermot |title=Review: 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/2015/10/12/review-3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2/171703/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://hardcoregamer.com/2015/10/12/review-3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2/171703/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=February 16, 2021 |date=October 12, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="EuroGRev">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-review| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' |last=Gibson |first=Ellie |work=Eurogamer |date=September 17, 2007 |access-date=November 21, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="TeamXboxRev">{{cite web |url=http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1382/Sonic-The-Hedgehog-2/p1/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521073319/http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1382/Sonic-The-Hedgehog-2/p1/ |title=''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' Review (Xbox 360) |last=Eddy |first=Andy |work=TeamXbox |date=September 18, 2007 |archive-date=May 21, 2011 |access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref> and ''GamesRadar+'' called it "the most user-friendly of all the ''Sonic'' games, beautifully presented and still a challenge if you want to complete it properly."<ref name="GamesRadarRev" />

Retrospective objects of criticism include the multiplayer mode and the implementation of Tails. Reviewers disliked the image distortion brought about by the multiplayer mode's squeezed and flickering graphics,<ref name="IGNWiiRev" /><ref name="GamesRadarRev" /> while they considered Tails a burden due to his interference in boss battles.<ref name="EuroGRev" /><ref name="GamesRadarRev" /> Additionally, ''Eurogamer'' described the visuals of the special stages as "dreadfully blocky",<ref name="EuroGRev" /> and ''IGN'' felt that the inclusion of Tails in the stages was "detrimental at best" since he constantly hits bombs and makes the player lose progress.<ref name="IGNX360Rev"/> ''GamesRadar+'' said that the game "could be criticized for 'playing itself{{'"}} during sequences when Sonic careens at high speeds, but countered that it still felt as if the player retained control over him.<ref name="GamesRadarRev" />

The 2010 iOS and DS versions received middling reviews according to aggregator Metacritic,<ref name="mc_sonic2_ios">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/sonic-the-hedgehog-2/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/sonic-the-hedgehog-2| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for iPhone/iPad Reviews |work=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=November 27, 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name=MC>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/sonic-classic-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=ds|title=Sonic Classic Collection for DS Reviews|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=November 10, 2018|archive-date=April 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429222951/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ds/sonic-classic-collection|url-status=live}}</ref> with criticism for their quality and lack of multiplayer,{{efn|Attributed to multiple references: ''IGN'',<ref name="ClassicCollection" /><ref name="IGNiPhoneRev">{{cite web |url=http://wireless.ign.com/articles/108/1084753p1.html |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 2 iPhone Review |last=Buchanan |first=Levi |date=April 20, 2010 |work=IGN |access-date=April 28, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425025449/http://wireless.ign.com/articles/108/1084753p1.html |archive-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref> ''Destructoid'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/review-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-iphone-171311.phtml| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.destructoid.com/review-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-iphone-171311.phtml| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Review: ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' iPhone |last=Sterling |first=Jim |date=April 19, 2010 |website=Destructoid |access-date=December 5, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and ''Nintendo Life''<ref>{{cite web|last=Newton|first=James|date=March 22, 2010|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2010/03/sonic_classic_collection_ds|title=Sonic Classic Collection Review|website=Nintendo Life|access-date=November 10, 2018|archive-date=December 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212045608/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2010/03/sonic_classic_collection_ds|url-status=live}}</ref>}} but the 2013 remake was considered the definitive version.<ref name="TARemakeReview" /><ref name="PCGamerMod" /> ''TouchArcade'' called it a "beautiful remaster" that would appeal to old and new fans and found it surreal to finally play the once-removed Hidden Palace in an official capacity.<ref name="TARemakeReview" /> Critics praised the 3DS version for its implementation of the system's stereoscopic 3D and the added bonus features,<ref name="HardcoreGamer3DS" /><ref name="NLife3DS">{{cite web |last1=Town |first1=Jonathan |title=Review: 3D Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (3DS eShop) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/3d_sonic_the_hedgehog_2| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/3d_sonic_the_hedgehog_2| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=February 16, 2021 |date=October 12, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> with ''Nintendo World Report'' writing that the addition of cheats made difficult moments less frustrating.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grove |first1=Ryan |title=3D Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Review - Review |url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/41288/3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-3ds-review| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/41288/3d-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-3ds-review| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |website=Nintendo World Report |date=October 8, 2015 |access-date=February 16, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ''Nintendo Life'' was disappointed that the Switch version did not include the 2013 remake's features and felt that M2 should have chosen a lesser-known game to port, given the copious number of ''Sonic 2'' rereleases. Nonetheless, ''Nintendo Life'' felt it was an excellent port and a "must-have" for first-time players.<ref name="SegaAgesReview" />

''Sonic 2'' is considered one of the greatest video games of all time.<ref>Attributed to multiple sources:
* {{cite magazine |title=100 Best Games of All Time |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=100 |publisher=Ziff Davis |date=November 1997|page=114}}
* {{cite web |author1=''GamesRadar'' staff |title=The 100 best games of all time |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-games-ever/ |website=GamesRadar |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=February 15, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140123082433/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-games-ever/ |archive-date=January 23, 2014 }}
* {{cite web |author1=''Polygon'' staff |title=The 500 best games of all time |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |website=Polygon |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=November 27, 2017 |archive-date=March 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303210843/https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Greg |title=The Greatest and Most Influential Video Games of All Time |url=https://collider.com/galleries/greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |website=Collider |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=July 21, 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025213541/https://collider.com/galleries/greatest-video-games-of-all-time/ |archive-date=October 25, 2020 }}
* {{cite magazine |date=August 2001 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=[[Company:GameStop|GameStop]] |volume=11 |issue=100 |page=28}}</ref> Listing the game at number 71 in its Top 100 Games of All Time list in 2001, ''Game Informer'' wrote that ''Sonic 2'' was the most challenging and polished ''Sonic'' game.{{sfn|''Game Informer''|2001}} ''Sonic 2'' took first place in a survey conducted by ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' to determine the fan-favorite ''Sonic'' game in 2010,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/17169/features/your-best-sonic-games/?page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009040750/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/17169/features/your-best-sonic-games/?page=3 |title=Nintendo Feature: Your Best ''Sonic'' games |last=East |first=Thomas |work=Official Nintendo Magazine |date=May 15, 2010 |archive-date=October 9, 2014 |access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref> and ''GameZone'' named it the second-best ''Sonic'' game (behind ''Sonic 3'') in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamezone.com/editorials/top_10_sonic_games_of_all_time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207060329/http://www.gamezone.com/editorials/top_10_sonic_games_of_all_time |title=Top 10 ''Sonic'' Games of All Time |last=Sanchez |first=David |work=GameZone |date=July 7, 2011 |archive-date=December 7, 2011 |access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref> ''GamesRadar+'' named ''Sonic 2'' the best ''Sonic'' game and the second-best Genesis game of all time (behind ''[[Software:Streets of Rage 2|Streets of Rage 2]]'' (1992)) in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-sonic-games/3/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.gamesradar.com/best-sonic-games/3/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=The best ''Sonic'' games of all time |work=GamesRadar+ |date=May 19, 2017 |access-date=November 21, 2019}} </ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/5/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/5/| archive-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time |work=GamesRadar+ |date=June 21, 2017 |access-date=November 21, 2019}}{{cbignore} ovember 2017, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka said that he felt ''Sonic 2'' "really is the best of the classic ''Sonic'' series. The level design is just really, really solid... All of the [Sega] staff would say it was a great game for Japanese tastes but also a great game for American tastes. ''Sonic 2'' really captured that global sense of game design and level design."<ref name="GI: BehindTheScenes" />

===Research===
[[File:Frank Cifaldi GDC 2023 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|upright|The Video Game History Foundation founder Frank Cifaldi (pictured in 2023) credited ''Sonic 2'' researchers with shaping how video game history is studied.<ref name="VGHF" />]]
''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' is famous for its amount of cut content,<ref name="VGHF">{{cite AV media|title=Sonic 2 Lost Stages Revealed|last=Cifaldi|first=Frank|publisher=Video Game History Foundation|via=[[Company:YouTube|YouTube]]|date=December 12, 2023|access-date=December 13, 2023|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfJ4uEcJJtA}}</ref> and a community dedicated to researching it developed.<ref name="AtlanticKemps" /> The video game historian Frank Cifaldi estimated that only half of the planned content was used in the final game.<ref name="VGHF" /> Interest in ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} development began after players discovered that Hidden Palace, which appeared in magazine previews, was missing from the released game. As anticipation for the first 3D ''Sonic'' game, ''[[Software:Sonic Adventure|Sonic Adventure]]'' (1998), rekindled interest in the franchise after several years of inactivity, rumors of [[Engineering:Prototype|prototype]] builds with cut content in circulation intensified.<ref name="AtlanticKemps" />

In 1999, a ''Sonic'' fan, Simon Wai, discovered the [[ROM image]] for an early prototype containing Hidden Palace, Wood, and Genocide City levels on a Chinese website and shared it with the Western ''Sonic'' fandom.<ref name="Kotaku: 7Protos" /><ref name="AtlanticKemps">{{cite web |last1=Kemps |first1=Heidi |title=A Quest for the Secret Origins of Lost Video-Game Levels |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/07/a-quest-to-find-the-secret-origins-of-lost-video-game-levels/373925/ |website=The Atlantic |access-date=March 22, 2022 |date=July 7, 2014 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322141859/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/07/a-quest-to-find-the-secret-origins-of-lost-video-game-levels/373925/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The discovery played a significant role in the development of a video game community in which players datamine games and document their prototypes to understand how they were developed.<ref name="AtlanticKemps" /> Journalist Heidi Kemps presented the prototype to Naka during a 2005 ''GameSpy'' interview and he identified it as originating from a preview cartridge that had been stolen from a 1992 {{wipe|New York City}} toy show.<ref name="GSpy: Talks" /><ref name="AtlanticKemps" /> A ''Sonic'' fan discovered the ''Sonic 2'' prototype featured on ''Nick Arcade'' in 2006 and raised over {{US$}}1,500 to buy the cartridge and release the ROM image online. The ''Nick Arcade'' prototype, while primitive and unpolished, showed fans how STI built the game atop the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.<ref name="Kotaku: 7Protos" />

In 2023, Cifaldi's Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) obtained design documents from one of ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} artists, Tom Payne, which included the Genocide City sprites, palettes and level layouts.<ref name="VGC: VGHF" /> They worked with Hez, a member of the ''Sonic'' [[Software:Fangame|fangame]] community, to create a playable reconstruction.<ref name="VGHF" /> The VGHF also obtained a [[VHS]] portfolio from Cook which contained animated artwork from the cut desert level, Sand Shower, and a previously unseen winter level.<ref name="VGC: VGHF">{{cite web |last1=Scullion |first1=Chris |title=Sonic 2 ‘lost stages’ discovered via old design docs and a VHS portfolio |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sonic-2-lost-stages-discovered-via-old-design-docs-and-a-vhs-portfolio/ |website=Video Games Chronicle |access-date=December 13, 2023 |date=December 13, 2023}}</ref> Cifaldi credited fans' research into ''Sonic 2'' with shaping how video game history is studied and said the VGHF has roots in his interest in ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} development.<ref name="VGHF" />

===Influence===
For ''Sonic''{{'s}} 20th anniversary in 2011, Sega released ''[[Software:Sonic Generations|Sonic Generations]]'', which features reimagined versions of stages from across the series' history. The PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows versions contain remakes of ''Sonic 2''{{'s}} Chemical Plant Zone and Death Egg Robot boss fight,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Romano |first1=Sal |title=Sonic Generations: Chemical Plant Zone, Stardust Speedway revealed |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2011/07/sonic-generations-chemical-plant-zone-stardust-speedway-revealed |website=Gematsu |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=July 22, 2011 |archive-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327003533/https://www.gematsu.com/2011/07/sonic-generations-chemical-plant-zone-stardust-speedway-revealed |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=Scott |title='Sonic Generations' levels, bosses leaked |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a326734/sonic-generations-levels-bosses-leaked/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=June 25, 2011 |archive-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327003533/https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a326734/sonic-generations-levels-bosses-leaked/ |url-status=live }}</ref> while the Nintendo 3DS version contains a remake of Casino Night.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2011/09/sonic_generations_shots_show_casino_night_action| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2011/09/sonic_generations_shots_show_casino_night_action| archive-date=November 11, 2021|title=Sonic Generations Shots Show Casino Night Action|last=Newton|first=James|website=Nintendo Life| date=September 5, 2011 |access-date=November 16, 2014}} </ref> Additionally, a Casino Night-themed pinball minigame was released as [[Software:Downloadable content|downloadable content]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Good|first=Owen|title=Sonic's Casino Night Pinball Comes to PC on Dec. 26|date=December 7, 2011|url=http://kotaku.com/5866163/sonics-casino-night-pinball-comes-to-pc-on-dec-26/| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/http://kotaku.com/5866163/sonics-casino-night-pinball-comes-to-pc-on-dec-26/| archive-date=November 11, 2021|website=Kotaku|access-date=November 16, 2014}}{{cbignore} nic Mania'' features reimagined versions of Chemical Plant and Oil Ocean,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Orry |first1=Tom |title=Sonic Mania Cheats: Level Select Code, How to Collect Chaos Emeralds, Super Sonic, Special and Bonus Stages |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/16-07-2018-sonic-mania-guide-release-date-ps4-xbox-one-switch-pc-zones-special-stages-soundtrack-everything-we-know |website=USgamer |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=June 7, 2019 |archive-date=November 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108171615/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/16-07-2018-sonic-mania-guide-release-date-ps4-xbox-one-switch-pc-zones-special-stages-soundtrack-everything-we-know |url-status=dead }}</ref> while ''[[Software:Sonic Forces|Sonic Forces]]'' (2017) features a reimagined version of Chemical Plant.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Espineli |first1=Matt |title=Watch Sonic Forces' New Chemical Plant Zone Level In Action |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-sonic-forces-new-chemical-plant-zone-level-i/1100-6454108/ |website=GameSpot |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=October 17, 2017 |archive-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327004325/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-sonic-forces-new-chemical-plant-zone-level-i/1100-6454108/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Some design elements from ''Sonic 2'' feature in Studio Pierrot's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (1996) original video animation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Patrick |title=A hedgehog for all seasons: Our guide to 20 manic years of Sonic cartoons |url=https://games.avclub.com/a-hedgehog-for-all-seasons-our-guide-to-20-manic-years-1798284993 |website=The A.V. Club |date=September 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030183427/https://games.avclub.com/a-hedgehog-for-all-seasons-our-guide-to-20-manic-years-1798284993 |archive-date=October 30, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The feature film ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' (2022) draws inspiration from ''Sonic 2'', though it is not a direct adaptation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Purslow |first1=Matt |title=Sonic the Hedgehog Movies Won't Follow The Games In Order |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-movies-not-in-game-order |access-date=April 4, 2022 |work=IGN |date=March 29, 2022 |archive-date=April 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404091921/https://www.ign.com/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-movies-not-in-game-order |url-status=live }}</ref> The Death Egg Robot and Super Sonic appear in the film,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anderton |first1=Joe |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 2 new look teases classic video game boss fight |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/trailers/a39074028/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-death-egg-robot/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=February 14, 2022 |archive-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327004317/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/trailers/a39074028/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-death-egg-robot/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Russell |first1=Bradley |title=Sonic 2 ending explained: your biggest questions answered |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/sonic-2-ending-explained-project-shadow-the-hedgehog-robotnik/ |website=GamesRadar+ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |date=April 7, 2022 |archive-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427152704/https://www.gamesradar.com/sonic-2-ending-explained-project-shadow-the-hedgehog-robotnik/ |url-status=live }}</ref> while one of its posters recreates Martin's ''Sonic 2'' box art illustration.<ref name="Sonic2MovieHomage">{{cite web |last1=Vincent |first1=Brittany |date=March 14, 2022 |title=New Sonic movie poster is a spot-on homage to the Sonic 2 game box art |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/new-sonic-movie-poster-is-a-spot-on-homage-to-the-sonic-2-game-box-art/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315195039/https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/new-sonic-movie-poster-is-a-spot-on-homage-to-the-sonic-2-game-box-art/ |archive-date=March 15, 2022 |access-date=March 20, 2022 |website=GamesRadar+}}</ref>

A [[Engineering:High-definition video|high-definition]] (HD) fangame remake, ''Sonic 2 HD'', entered development for Windows and [[Software:MacOS|macOS]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McWhertor |first1=Michael |title=Sonic 2 HD Tech Demo Released, Requires Serious Blast Processing |url=https://kotaku.com/sonic-2-hd-tech-demo-released-requires-serious-blast-p-5050852 |website=Kotaku |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=September 16, 2008 |archive-date=March 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326151743/https://kotaku.com/sonic-2-hd-tech-demo-released-requires-serious-blast-p-5050852 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="PolyHD" /> The project was canceled in 2012 after the release of a game demo that ''Retro Gamer'' described as "blighted by programming incompetence", due to high system requirements and [[Engineering:Digital rights management|digital rights management]] that inadvertently triggered [[Antivirus software|antivirus software]].<ref>{{cite web |author1=''Retro Gamer'' Team |title=Sonic 2 HD Back in Development |url=https://www.retrogamer.net/blog_post/sonic-2-hd-back-in-development/ |website=Retro Gamer |access-date=March 26, 2022 |date=June 27, 2014 |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401105631/https://www.retrogamer.net/blog_post/sonic-2-hd-back-in-development/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the project was restarted by a new team in 2014. It is planned to feature additional levels, multiplayer modes, and the option to play as Knuckles.<ref name="PolyHD">{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/6/24/5837612/the-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-hd-fan-project-is-back-from-the-dead| url-status=live | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211111/https://www.polygon.com/2014/6/24/5837612/the-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-hd-fan-project-is-back-from-the-dead| archive-date=November 11, 2021|title=The Sonic the Hedgehog 2 HD fan project is back from the dead (correction)|website=Polygon|access-date=October 9, 2017|last=Ray Corriea|first=Alexa| date=June 24, 2014 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> ''Sonic 2'' is also noted for its active [[Software:Video game modding|modding]] community, which releases ROM hacks featuring new game mechanics and playable characters.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Cork |first1=Jeff |title=Sonic 2 ROM Hack Sticks It To Dimps |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/08/06/sonic-2-rom-hack-sticks-it-to-dimps.aspx |magazine=Game Informer |access-date=March 25, 2022 |date=August 6, 2010 |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325154033/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/08/06/sonic-2-rom-hack-sticks-it-to-dimps.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Donnelly |first1=Joe |title=Sonic 2 Hack Gives Hedgehog A Portal Gun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/sonic-2-portal-gun-hack |website=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |access-date=March 25, 2022 |date=October 26, 2015 |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325154033/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/sonic-2-portal-gun-hack |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gerardi |first1=Matt |title=This fan hack lets you play as Yoshi in Sonic 2, and it's shockingly good |url=https://www.avclub.com/this-fan-hack-lets-you-play-as-yoshi-in-sonic-2-and-it-1798259840 |website=The A.V. Club |access-date=March 25, 2022 |date=March 31, 2017 |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325154032/https://www.avclub.com/this-fan-hack-lets-you-play-as-yoshi-in-sonic-2-and-it-1798259840 |url-status=live }}</ref> Modders [[Decompiler|decompiled]] the source code of the 2013 ''Sonic 2'' remake in 2021, allowing it to be unofficially ported to other platforms.<ref name="PCGamerMod">{{cite web |last1=Clayton |first1=Natalie |title=This high-res Sonic hack crams entire stages onto a single screen |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/this-high-res-sonic-hack-crams-entire-stages-on-a-single-screen/ |website=PC Gamer |access-date=March 25, 2022 |date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325154031/https://www.pcgamer.com/this-high-res-sonic-hack-crams-entire-stages-on-a-single-screen/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Works cited===
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Alessi |first1=Martin |last2=Harris |first2=Steve |last3=Semrad |first3=Ed |author4=Sushi-X |title=Review Crew: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |page=26 |date=December 1992 |volume=5 |issue=12 |publisher=Sendai Publications |location=Lombard |issn=1058-918X}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Anglin |first1=Paul |last2=Boon |first2=Tim |title=World Exclusive: Sonic 2 |journal=Computer and Video Games |date=November 1992 |issue=132 |pages=24–25 |publisher=EMAP |location=[[Place:London|London]] |issn=0261-3697}}
* {{cite magazine |title=BE Mega Dog Race |magazine =Beep! Mega Drive |date=December 1992 |issue=12 |pages=28–31 |ref={{SfnRef|''Beep! Mega Drive'' staff|1992}} |publisher=SoftBank |location=[[Place:Tokyo|Tokyo]] |language=Japanese}}
* {{cite news|last=Biddle|first=Frederic M.|date=December 8, 1992|title=Sega vs. Nintendo: The Rematch|page=Economy 43|newspaper=The Boston Globe|issn=0743-1791 |location=Boston |publisher=William O. Taylor II}}
* {{cite magazine |title=Can Mega Drive Street Fighter 2 Live Up To All The Hype? |magazine=Mega |date=July 1993 |issue=10 |page=22 |ref={{SfnRef|''Mega'' staff|1993a}} |publisher=Future Publishing |location=Bath |issn=0966-6206}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Carpenter |first=Danyon |title=Video Game Gallery |pages=60–84 |magazine=Electronic Games |volume=1 |issue=3 |date=December 1992 |publisher=Decker Publications |location=Lombard |issn=0730-6687}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Cook |first1=Amanda |last2=Dyer |first2=Andy |last3=Mellerick |first3=Paul |last4=West |first4=Neil |title=Game Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |pages=36–41 |magazine=Mega |date=November 1992 |issue=2 |publisher=Future Publishing |location=Bath |issn=0966-6206}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Davies |first1=Paul |last2=Rignall |first2=Julian |title=Megadrive Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |magazine=Mean Machines Sega |pages=60–63 |issn=0967-9014 |date=November 1992 |issue=2 |publisher=EMAP |location=[[Place:London|London]] }}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Douglas |first1=Jim |last2=Ellis |first2=Les |last3=Leach |first3=James |last4=Lowe |first4=Andy |title=Sonic 2 |magazine=GamesMaster |pages=56–57 |issue=1 |date=January 1993 |publisher=Future Publishing |location=Bath |issn=0967-9855}}
* {{cite magazine |title=EGM's Best and Worst of 1992 |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly 1993 Buyer's Guide |date=1992 |pages=14–24 |ref={{SfnRef|''EGM'' staff|1992}} |publisher=Sendai Publishing Group |location=Lombard |issn=1058-918X}}
* {{cite magazine|title=Electronic Gaming Awards|magazine=Electronic Games|date=January 1993|volume=1|issue=7|pages=38–39 |publisher=Decker Publications |location=Lombard |issn=0730-6687 |ref={{SfnRef|''Electronic Games'' staff|1993}}}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Halverson |first1=Dave |author2=Brody |title=Viewpoint |journal=Diehard GameFan |date=December 1992 |volume=1 |issue=2 |page=9 |publisher=DieHard Gamers Club |location={{wipe|Los Angeles}} |issn=1092-7212}}
* {{cite book |last1=Hansen |first1=Dustin |title=Game On!: Video Game History from Pong and Pac-Man to Mario, Minecraft, and More |date=November 22, 2016 |publisher=Feiwel & Friends |location={{wipe|New York City}} |isbn=978-1-250-08096-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Harris|first=Blake J.|title=Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation|year=2014|publisher=HarperCollins|location=New York, New York|isbn=978-0-06-227669-8|pages=244–247}}
* {{Cite book |last=Horowitz |first=Ken |title=Playing at the Next Level: A History of American Sega Games |publisher=McFarland & Company |location=Jefferson |year=2016 |isbn=9780786499946 |pages=78}}
* {{cite magazine|title=Game Masters: Interview with Yuki Naka|magazine=HobbyConsolas|publisher=Axel Springer|date=August 1, 1996|issue=59|pages=28–29 |language=es |issn=1134-6582 |location=[[Place:Madrid|Madrid]] |ref={{SfnRef|''HobbyConsolas''|1996}}}}
* {{cite magazine|editor1-last=Gordon |editor1-first=Jon |title=Sonic 3 & Knuckles - Behind the Scenes |magazine=GamesTM |date=August 2007 |volume=1 |issue=60 |pages=140–143  |location=Bournemouth |issn=1478-5889}}
* {{cite book |last1=Kragen |first1=Kenneth |last2=Graham |first2=Jefferson |title=Life Is a Contact Sport: Ten Great Career Strategies That Work |date=1995 |publisher=W. Morrow |isbn=978-0-688-14622-1 |pages=124–125 |location={{wipe|New York City}}}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Machin|first1=Cole|title=The Making of: Sonic Spinball|magazine=Retro Gamer|issue=85|date=January 2011|pages=36–39|issn=1742-3155|location=Bournemouth}}
* {{Citation|people=Nakamura, Masato; Naka, Yuji|title=Interview with Masato Nakamura|publisher=DCT Records|location=Japan|year=2011|pages=6–11|ref={{SfnRef|DCT Records|2011}}|work=Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 Soundtrack}} (album booklet).
* {{cite magazine |title=News: Sonic For Pope |magazine=Mean Machines Sega |date=January 1993 |issue=4 |page=13 |issn=0967-9014 |publisher=EMAP |location=[[Place:London|London]] |ref={{SfnRef|''Mean Machines Sega'' staff|1993}}}}
* {{cite magazine |title=News: The Polls Are In! |magazine=Computer and Video Games |date=July 1993 |issue=140 |page=10 |publisher=EMAP |location=[[Place:London|London]] |issn=0261-3697 |ref={{SfnRef|''CVG'' staff|1993}} }}
* {{cite magazine|date=March 1993|title=Official Gallup UK Mega Drive Sales Chart|magazine=Mega|issue=6 |page=12|ref={{SfnRef|''Mega'' staff|1993b}} |publisher=Future Publishing |location=Bath |issn=0966-6206}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=O'Leary|first1=Steve|title=Sonic Jam Review|magazine=Hyper|date=August 1997|issue=48|pages=72–73|publisher=Next Publishing|location=Strawberry Hills|issn=1320-7458}}
* {{cite book |script-title=ja:ファンタシースター ~31年めの原点~ |trans-title=Phantasy Star ~ 31st Year Origin ~ |date=May 20, 2018 |publisher=Yuzumo Design |location=Himeji |pages=96–97 |ref={{SfnRef|Yuzumo Design|2018}} |language=ja |asin=B07F9GKTCS}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Rich |first1=Jason R. |title=Backstage with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |magazine=Game Players Sega Guide! |date=December 1992 |volume=1 |issue=13 |pages=8–18 |issn=1087-2779 |location=Fair Lawn |publisher=GP Publications}}
* {{cite book |author1=[[Organization:Sega Technical Institute|Sega Technical Institute]] |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |date=November 24, 1992 |publisher=[[Company:Sega|Sega]] |location={{wipe|California}} |url=https://manuals.sega.com/genesismini/pdf/SONIC_THE_HEDGEHOG2.pdf |access-date=April 4, 2022 |ref={{SfnRef|Sega|1992}} |format=game manual |archive-date=April 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424211248/https://manuals.sega.com/genesismini/pdf/SONIC_THE_HEDGEHOG2.pdf |url-status=live }}
* {{cite book |last1=Shigehara |first1=Moriyuki |last2=Ikuine |first2=Fumihiko |last3=Shimizu |first3=Hiroshi |script-title=ja:吉井正晴インタビュー第2回前半：セガおよびセガ・オブ・アメリカにおけるゲーム開発・販売業務についての証言 |trans-title=Interview with Masaharu Yoshii 1st Half: Testimony about game development and sales operations at Sega and Sega of America |date=February 14, 2020a |publisher=Hitotsubashi University Institute of Innovation Research |location=[[Place:Tokyo|Tokyo]] |pages=13–16 |url=http://pubs.iir.hit-u.ac.jp/admin/ja/pdfs/show/2379 |language=ja |access-date=April 4, 2021 |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421062911/http://pubs.iir.hit-u.ac.jp/admin/ja/pdfs/show/2379 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite book |last1=Shigehara |first1=Moriyuki |last2=Ikuine |first2=Fumihiko |last3=Shimizu |first3=Hiroshi |script-title=ja:吉井正晴インタビュー第2回後半：セガおよびセガ・オブ・アメリカにおけるゲーム開発・販売業務についての証言 |trans-title=Interview with Masaharu Yoshii 2nd Half: Testimony about game development and sales operations at Sega and Sega of America |date=February 14, 2020b |publisher=Hitotsubashi University Institute of Innovation Research |location=[[Place:Tokyo|Tokyo]] |pages=20–21 |url=http://pubs.iir.hit-u.ac.jp/admin/ja/pdfs/show/2381 |language=ja |access-date=April 4, 2021 |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421062932/http://pubs.iir.hit-u.ac.jp/admin/ja/pdfs/show/2381 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite magazine|last=Smith|first=Sean|year=2006|title=Company Profile: Sonic Team|magazine=Retro Gamer|publisher=Imagine Publishing|issue=26|pages=24–29|issn=1742-3155|location=Bournemouth}}
* {{cite magazine|title=Sonic's Architect: GI Interviews Hirokazu Yasuhara|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=[[Company:GameStop|GameStop]]|issue=124|volume=13|date=August 2003|pages=114–116|issn=1067-6392 |location=Minneapolis |ref={{SfnRef|''Game Informer'' staff|2003}}}}
* {{cite magazine|script-title=ja:ソニックチーム物語|trans-title=Sonic Team Story|magazine=Sega Magazine|issue=3|pages=9–13|publisher=SoftBank Creative|location=[[Place:Tokyo|Tokyo]]|date=January 1997|lang=ja|ref={{SfnRef|''Sega Magazine''|1997}}}} ([http://shmuplations.com/sonicteam/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217211118/http://shmuplations.com/sonicteam/ |date=December 17, 2019 }}).
* {{cite book |last1=Straw |first1=Will |title=Popular Music: Style and Identity |date=1995 |publisher=International Association for the Study of Popular Music, Centre for Research on Canadian Cultural Industries and Institutions |isbn=978-0-7717-0459-8 |location=Liverpool}}
* {{cite magazine |title=The Story of Sonic the Hedgehog |magazine=Retro Gamer |publisher=Imagine Publishing |location=Bournemouth |issue=158 |year=2016 |first=Nick |last=Thorpe |pages=18–25 |issn=1742-3155}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Thorpe |first1=Nick |title=The Making of: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |magazine=Retro Gamer |publisher=Future plc |date=December 2017 |issue=175 |pages=20–29  |location=Bournemouth |issn=1742-3155}}
* {{cite magazine |date=August 2001 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=[[Company:GameStop|GameStop]] |location=Minneapolis |volume=11 |issue=100 |page=28 |ref={{SfnRef|''Game Informer''|2001}}|issn=1067-6392}}
* {{cite magazine|date=April 1993|title=Top 20: The Charts|magazine=Mega|issue=7|page=10|ref={{SfnRef|''Mega'' staff|1993c}} |publisher=Future Publishing |location=Bath |issn=0966-6206}}
* {{cite magazine |author=The Unknown Gamer |title=ProReview: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |magazine=GamePro |pages=46–50 |issn=1042-8658 |date=January 1993 |publisher=IDG Communications |volume=5 |issue=1 |location=Oakland}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[http://vc.sega.jp/vc_sonic2/ Official Sega webpage] {{in lang|ja}}
*[https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/Ep8oLkJXWlgKpLFfuEve8Gb_qEWumasV Official Nintendo webpage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113530/https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/Ep8oLkJXWlgKpLFfuEve8Gb_qEWumasV |date=March 4, 2016 }}

{{Sonic the Hedgehog|state=expanded}}
{{Sonic Team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (16-Bit)}}
[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:Video game sequels]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]

{{Sourceattribution|Sonic the Hedgehog 2}}