With the original trilogy constantly building and improving upon the prior entry, it proved that Sonic was here to stay. Ultimately, Sonic 2 proved that the blue hog wasn’t just a flash in the pan. A noticeable step-up from the first game’s already solid efforts, Sonic 2’s soundtrack is undeniably catchy, with each Zone featuring its own iconic theme. Of course, you can’t really talk about Sonic 2 without mentioning the exceptional soundtrack.

Tails wouldn’t become very useful until the next game in the series, but his debut here started the near-ceaseless trend of anthropomorphic allies being added to the Sonic roster. Sonic 2 introduced the first of many of Sonic’s friends and sidekicks: the delightful Tails. Many of these stages remain some of the most iconic in the series to date, such as the pollution-heavy Chemical Plant and the spooky Mystic Cave Zone. Sonic 2 is a much longer game than its predecessor, boasting over ten wildly varied Zones for Sonic to speed through.

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