I think it helps that the Taxman port of Sonic 1 is probably the least overwhelming, as in it's still lavish, but has a less insane overhaul of goodies and upgrades to compete with over the other two. Taxman Sonic 2 had HIDDEN PALACE ZONE. How do you compete with that? I think if SEGA AGES Sonic 1 got patched with a bugfixed Spin Dash/Drop Dash and maybe a couple updates other releases have got since then like Sonic 2's Rumble feature, it could almost contend as a solid rerelease. It at least has a fair few features and engaging qualities that the Taxman port doesn't to balance it out.
Because Sega doesn't take pride in their IP, and having M2 develop this emulated version was likely less expensive (read: more profitable) than having someone get the Whitehead version working on the Switch. Who knows how much work would have been required to get it working on the Switch. I seriously doubt there was some kind of legal or licensing reason for not doing it. A company of Sega's size and type would be on top of their stuff and ensure they have full rights to do whatever they want with the 2013 version. It's frustrating considering how much work was likely put into carefully creating a solid, definitive version of Sonic 2 only to have it slowly become neglected and forgotten on iOS and Android over the years. I can't even find the version on the Google Play store anymore unless I'm looking in the wrong place. This release was for the casual Switch gamer that doesn't know they're missing 16:9, smooth special stages, Hidden Palace Zone, or anything else that the clearly definitive 2013 release of Sonic 2 had. If Sega was made up of people today that enjoyed Sonic games as much as we do, this is not the version of Sonic 2 that would have been released on the Switch this week. This a decision that smells like it was made by people high up at Sega that just don't care. These are the kind of people you could show a screenshot of a level in [insert Genesis Sonic game here] and they'd have no clue what game it comes from (other than knowing it's from an early Sonic game). This is why Sonic Mania was such a different kind of game from the other stuff Sega has pushed out over the last 10 20 years. It was made by people that actually know a thing or two about Sonic IP and want to do it justice. Sega's goal wasn't to release a great version of Sonic 2 for the Switch. I don't think there were any technical or legal limits stopping them from using the 2013 version. They just wanted to make a little extra cash, get another Sonic title in the Switch library, and just didn't see what the point would be of using the 2013 version because they don't take pride in what Sonic IP they have. None of this is M2's fault -- they did the best with the budget and requirements they were given, and this is what we get as a result.
After mania doing super well I honestly though we might have seen a taxman collection, digital and on cartridge for switch and even ps4/xbox but hey, sega are weird.
I know M2 is capable of adding Hidden Palace Zone back into the game in its emulation form, but I suppose that would take more development time and costs to do so.
All I want is an option to turn off the Super Sonic song. Sega, that's all I'm asking for next time please.
Mega-bump - I decided to check this out, so I got it and have spent some time with it. Overall... it's alright. I mean, a port of the Taxman/Stealth remake certainly would've been preferable, but this is still a solid port that's definitely better than the version they included in that Sega Genesis Classics collection a while back. The rumble feature is a nice touch and having Knuckles in Sonic 2 is always a good time. And at the end of the day, it's still Sonic 2, which remains a fantastic game in this day and age. If you've got a modded Switch (I'm probably not going to mod mine) installing the decompiled remake is probably the better option to play Sonic 2. But if you don't I don't think you can really go wrong here. It's only $8, which I think is reasonable.
I think the M2 Switch ports of Sonic 1 and 2 are good. They are far better than most versions. I played them both and enjoyed them.
The drop dash alone make them more interesting than most port of Sonic 1/2. They're my go-to version of the games because the Taxman/Stealth remasters are STILL stuck on mobile devices... and probably will forever, since Sega clearly doesn't care about porting them to consoles.
To my surprise i've revisited sonic 1 and 2 on the ages collection quite a few times over the last year, lately for sonic 1 I have it set to megaplay rom so I can blast through it in 20 minutes, sonic 2 I always forget it has the cool rumble support and I wish it was in sonic 1 also. I also turn off sonic 1's spindash because it's buggy, game doesn't really need it anyway.
I like the M2 version as a purist one. The Taxman port is superior but is obviously drastically changed. Sometimes I want to play base Sonic 1.
Taxman Sonic 1 has more differences that just a spindash option. Changes were made just for widescreen support.
The Star Light Zone boss one of the biggest examples of the game being changed for widescreen. The smoother rotation of the Special Stages affects the gameplay too.
The main appeal of base Sonic 1 and 2 is that some of the visual effects rely on the blurring of composite video to render as intended, it's unfortunate that there wasn't a good function for this in the Taxman remakes. The rushing water effects stand out the most, but in general everything looks pixelated on modern LED/LCD screens. The Taxman version of Sonic CD has a "nostalgia" screen filter, but the scanlines are neither necessary nor sufficient to improve the jaggedness. There is a "smooth" filter, that just completely smudges all of the sprites to hell and back. The problem remains wherever Sonic is played on an HDTV, but I still greatly prefer the Taxman versions to the originals because once you go to widescreen, there's no going back. I also love having a Time Attack mode because even though I'm not much of a speedrunner, I still enjoy speedrunning. EDIT: No spindash? But what about GOTTA GO FAST? :P
Um... no? The main appeal of base Sonic 1 and 2 is that they are the unaltered games, with the original layouts, graphics, and aspect ratio. What you're talking about is the main appeal of CRTs and composite or RF video. As someone who actually enjoys the Sonic 1 Special Stages, the smooth rotation bothers me a lot because it makes them more difficult to maneuver. It's especially weird because we know that the choppy rotation was possibly intentional and wasn't a hardware limitation.
1. This was definitely designed intentionally around blurry CRT screens and composite video: This wasn't my idea, someone else pointed out that this was dithering, and it makes sense. 2. The 4:3 aspect ratio is in no way more enjoyable, beyond the novelty of using late 80s/early 90s electronics. The widescreen Taxman version renders the same amount of vertical in-game space, and adds horizontal space. This does not make the game worse in any way. Again, the only appeal is the novelty. 3. Other than turning the cheap spike pit of death in Act 2 of Mystic Cave Zone into the entrance to Hidden Palace Zone, what layout changes are you talking about? And how does that one change make the game worse? Note that you can't see far enough below to know it's a death pit. Most people who fall into it only do so one time, and were understandably pissed at the cheap death. For the less-skilled people who fell in multiple times, it made the game much less frustrating. And more to the point, Taxman's Hidden Palace Zone is free extra content that is fun, and the HPZ boss is as good as the MCZ and OOZ bosses. 4. Even if I didn't make point 1, what semantic difference does it make to attribute the blurring to the device which receives a composite video signal rather than the device which transmits a composite video signal? What you said is basically equivalent to responding to the phrase: "I used the hose to put out the fire." With: "No you didn't. You used water to put out the fire."
The video signal has nothing to do with the ports, but with the hardware setup, which makes it completely irrelevant to the discussion of which modern port is better. Besides, pushing that forward as a crucial part of the purist experience but then saying changing the game's entire aspect ratio does nothing to affect the game is ridiculously inconsistent. Besides that, the Taxman version does change layouts, particularly boss arenas, to be able to fill the entire screen when the camera is locked. Also, the HPZ boss fucking sucks and makes me not even want to go to HPZ.
While I do appreciate the SEGA AGES versions authenticity, I think I've been left kinda lethargic by the fact that there are DOZENS of straight up unedited emulations of the game already, one of which is also available on the Switch. After a while I kinda want one that tries adding some extra QOL appeal to the game, and I feel the Taxman/Stealth version does that without breaking too much of the authenticity of the original besides minor elements. SEGA AGES did add SOME options as well, but they pale in comparison (and some blatant choices like Tails flying are bizarrely STILL exclusive to the Android port). Also as mentioned, the Android port truthfully adds much more in terms of replay value, due to Time Attack mode, expanded VS mode, and a couple extra levels. SEGA AGES adds Knuckles at least but besides a minigame, you're mostly just replaying the same campaign.
Ring Chain is an absolute game changer for anyone who wants to get extra challenge and replay value from these games. Between Sonic Jam, Switch Sega Ages and the Whitehead versions, there's no definitive version of these games. They all have unique features lacking in the others.
