Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Xbox 360)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Frank Provo
• Reviewed on: 09/13/2007
• Released on: 09/12/2007
• Originally published on GameSpot: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Xbox 360) Review

Sega has included Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in numerous collections throughout the years, so it's no surprise that the blue hedgehog's benefactors have made the game available for Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade service. Despite that fact that it is 15 years old and runs on the same machine you play Gears of War on, you may be surprised that this classic run-and-jump platformer is still fun, as well as visually engaging. And this version offers multiple save slots, achievements, and the competitive multiplayer aspects that you've come to expect from XBLA classic game releases.

Sonic 2 contains twenty levels of loops, launchers and bumpers you'll jump over, roll through and spin-dash under all while collecting rings and rescuing baby animals. Sonic also has a sidekick, in the form of a fox named Tails that follows you around. If you hook up a second controller, someone else can control Tails and make your job a lot easier.

Compared to many of the other games that are available for Xbox Live Arcade, the 16-bit 2D graphics do come across as rather plain, and a bit blocky in spots. You can enable a smoothing filter in the options menu that greatly reduces the blocky effect at a cost of slightly softening the overall image. What most people remember is the cute look of Sonic and the enemies. They also remember the blazing fast speed and the unique visual style behind each of the game's 10 environments. When you run through the jungles of the Emerald Hill zone or bounce off the bumpers in the Casino Night zone, there's no doubt in your mind that you're playing a Sonic the Hedgehog game. The same holds true for the lighthearted sound effects and the various musical themes. They make you feel happy and stick in your memory long after you shut the system off.

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