Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)

is a 1992 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) for the Sega Genesis. It follows Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Eggman from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space stationnamed The Death Egg. Like the first ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (1991), players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings, defeating enemies, and fighting bosses. ''Sonic 2'' introduces Sonic's sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower, new island West-Side Island and features faster gameplay, larger levels, a multiplayer mode, and special stages featuring pre-rendered 3D graphics.

Though the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' greatly increased the popularity of the Genesis in North America, Sega was slow to approve a sequel before directing 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 language and 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, Dreams Come True member Masato Nakamura composed the soundtrack.

''Sonic 2'' was widely anticipated, and Sega backed it with a marketing campaign. It was released in November 1992 to acclaim and received numerous year-end accolades. Critics considered ''Sonic 2'' an improvement over the first game and praised the visuals, level design, gameplay, and music. The implementation of Tails and the multiplayer mode received criticism, while the special stages divided opinion. ''Sonic 2'' broke video game sales records and grossed over in 1992. With six million copies sold worldwide, it is the second-bestselling Genesis game behind the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.

''Sonic 2'' played a major role in keeping Sega competitive during the console wars of the fourth generation of video game consoles in the early 1990s. It continues to receive acclaim, often cited as one of the greatest video games of all time. ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles'' followed in 1994. ''Sonic 2'' has been rereleased on various platforms via compilations and emulation, and a remake for iOS and Android devices, developed using the Retro Engine, and made by Christian Whitehead and was released in December 2013. A number of ''Sonic 2'' prototypes have leaked since the release.

Gameplay

''Sonic the Hedgehog 2'' is a side-scrolling platform game. It features a story similar to the first ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (1991): Doctor Robotnik, a mad scientist, seeks the Chaos Emeralds to power his space station, the Death Egg, and traps the animal inhabitants of West Island in aggressive robots. As Sonic the Hedgehog, the player embarks on a journey to collect the Chaos Emeralds and stop Robotnik. The player character can run, jump, crouch, and attack by curling into a ball. ''Sonic 2'' introduces the spin dash, which allows the player to curl while stationary for a speed boost, and Miles "Tails" Prower, a fox with two tails who acts as Sonic's sidekick. By default, the single-player controls both Sonic and Tails simultaneously; a second player can join in at any time and control Tails separately. The player can also choose to play as Sonic or Tails individually.

The game takes place across 11 zones with 20 levels ("acts"). The acts are larger than the first game's, and the player navigates them at high speeds while jumping between platforms, defeating robot enemies, and avoiding obstacles. Springs, slopes, bottomless pits, and vertical loops populate acts, as do hazards like water and spikes. The player passes checkpoints to save progress. The last act of each zone ends with a boss battle against Robotnik. The player collects rings as a form of 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. The player starts with three 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 game over if they run out. Power-ups like shields and invincibility