SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 (MS)

MASTER SYSTEM/GAME GEAR, 1992

The development studio Aspect was given the job of creating the 8-bit versions of Sonic The Hedgehog 2, and right from the start it planned a wholly different game to the Mega Drive version. This time out, Sonic’s goal is to rescue Tails, who has been kidnapped by the nefarious Dr Eggman (or Robotnik, if you’re old school). The game managed to incorporate the series’ signature loops into stages and also introduced vehicles to the series, including mine carts and hang-gliders. It’s also the first time that Eggman takes a back seat, instead sending a variety of animal-themed robots into battle for boss encounters. The 8-bit versions of Sonic 2 are very good, but they’re also representative of Sonic games at their absolute hardest – particularly in the Game Gear version, where the reduced screen size causes difficulties right from the first boss. You’ll also need to collect all the Chaos Emeralds to see the final stage, no matter which version you’re playing.