[ashthedragon]

I got him to appear ONCE in my master System version of the game. I've played it to death, since it's my favourite game ever, and only ONCE I've seen it show up.

[Jen]

I had Sonic 2 for the Master System when I was a kid and I really didn't enjoy it very much back then. I'd find myself getting to Sky High Zone and then giving up because it was way too hard for me.

Nowadays though, I don't think it's that bad. I actually completed it for the very first time a couple of years ago (with all the Chaos Emeralds as well, which I couldn't be bothered to even attempt when I was younger), it was a great feeling to finally do it after all that time. I like the fact that it's a challenge, even if it can be bloody cheap at times.

I much prefer Sonic 1 though, it's brilliant As for Chaos - I like it. Yes, it's extremely easy (I got it for Christmas when I was around 7 or 8 and I'd completed it by the end of the day =P). But it's still good fun.

[Cooljerk]

Uberham, on 24 August 2012 - 07:42 PM, said:

Sonic 2 8 bit is meh until the last level, then it is shit.

I want to be able to pass a level via skill, not a fucking crapshoot and learning levels.

fuck you sonic 2.

Sounds like you're playing the Game Gear version. That version is full of blind leaps of faith. I remember being stuck on Green Hills Zone for AGES because of this part where you have to jump from spring to spring before the boss, and if you miss the jumps, you fall into spikes.

It gets said quite a bit, but it bears repeating - the SMS version is MILES better than the game gear version. And not just because of the added visibility - certain parts of levels or bosses are also changed which results in a better balanced game. The first boss, for example. In the game gear version, in addition to not being able to see the bouncing balls coming until they're right up on you, they also bounce at random heights. They all bounce at the same height in the SMS version, making it the second easiest boss in the game (with Aquatic Lake being the only one that's easier).

I did beat the game gear version as a kid, though. All the way, with all the emeralds. I must have played the shit out of that game when I was younger, and I doubt I still have the skill to do so. I can do that regularly on my SMS, but the GG version is just so much harder.

EDIT: Speaking of Sonic Chaos, I agree that it's much too easy, but it still has to be one of my most memorable sonic games ever. I'll always associate that game with Sonic CD, because I got them both at the same christmas. While I dislike the Sonic sprite, I love the actual look of the game. The visuals in both that game and Sonic CD are the epitome of the Sonic Style, IMO, which also pervaded other genesis games of the time, like Ecco the Tides of Time (which was released a year later). Aqua Planet Zone in particular is goddamn gorgeous, probably the best looking 8-bit level in the entire series. The parallax clouds at the top of the level are really striking especially for the hardware. I beat the game within an hour of receiving it (I actually got it the night before at christmas eve, which is custom for my family to exchange one gift before christmas) but I'll always cherish it.

This post has been edited by Cooljerk: 25 August 2012 - 12:00 PM

[muteKi]

Honestly one of the most annoying parts of the game is probably the hidden spring sequence to get the emerald in sky high 2. That's annoying, and so is the spring jump marathon before the boss in green hills.

Of course, I say that playing the SMS version, which assuredly is much fairer than the game gear version. Still not especially easy, but definitely fairer.

[Cooljerk]

muteKi, on 25 August 2012 - 04:31 PM, said:

Honestly one of the most annoying parts of the game is probably the hidden spring sequence to get the emerald in sky high 2. That's annoying, and so is the spring jump marathon before the boss in green hills.

Of course, I say that playing the SMS version, which assuredly is much fairer than the game gear version. Still not especially easy, but definitely fairer.

The much easier way to reach that emerald is to grab the first hang glider in the level and ride it all the way to the end. If you do it correctly, you can catch every piece of wind in the level which will easily push you to the very top of the screen (to the point where your main concern is going too high and thus falling to the ground). After that, it's just a simple matter of steering yourself into the emerald.

With green hills zone, on the SMS version, provided you jump to the middle of the first set of springs, and not to either the left or right side of the set of springs, you can just hold right and you're always assured to hit the next batch of springs. On the game gear version, IIRC, this doesn't work because the springs are arranged differently.

This post has been edited by Cooljerk: 25 August 2012 - 04:44 PM

[nensondubois]

Sonic 2 had decent level design, imbalanced difficulty, bare-basic physics, graphics seemed a bit less-like Sonic 1 though I don't see that as a bad thing as they were still pretty. Bad sound effects and pretty good music. I'm coming from owning Sonic 2 for the Game Gear at a very young age and really I enjoy the game overall, having pitfalls aside even now when when I'm older able to look in-depth.

[H Hog]

steveswede, on 24 August 2012 - 11:25 AM, said:

The only criticism I have for it is that it's shouldn't be played on the Game Gear as it was designed for the Master System with that resolution in mind.

This. So much this. I keep wondering why people keep making this mistake SO OFTEN. For the love of god, play this on Master System, not Game Gear. Your opinion of this game will become SO MUCH better, mainly because you'll actually be able to beat the first boss fairly easily.

[Cooljerk]

Alternatively, play the master system version on the game gear using a master gear converter. Best of both worlds :P

[Vangar]

Sounds like I should record my skills! I grew up with the GG versions before getting a megadrive in Grade 1 - I can show you guys how to really play! (At least, up until the water zone! haha)

[Skyler]

I will say this - the music for Scrambled Egg Zone is a complete clusterfuck during the first part.

[Mike Arcade]

H Hog, on 25 August 2012 - 05:49 PM, said:

steveswede, on 24 August 2012 - 11:25 AM, said:

The only criticism I have for it is that it's shouldn't be played on the Game Gear as it was designed for the Master System with that resolution in mind.

This. So much this. I keep wondering why people keep making this mistake SO OFTEN. For the love of god, play this on Master System, not Game Gear. Your opinion of this game will become SO MUCH better, mainly because you'll actually be able to beat the first boss fairly easily.

That is true, while I've dabbled in the SMS Version of the game, I mainly play the Game Gear Version. Why? Well I might be a little sadistic, but mainly because of the boss music in the Game Gear Version, the boss music is SOO GOOD on the Game Gear! Granted the Boss theme on the SMS is okay, but the GG Boss theme is JUST SO GOOD, it feels like your fighting an epic battle for your life, which is mostly the case because it's the Game Gear Version.

[steveswede]

Skyler, on 25 August 2012 - 06:35 PM, said:

I will say this - the music for Scrambled Egg Zone is a complete clusterfuck during the first part.

Yeah as much as I love Scrambled Egg Zone music, the start is a bit of a fuck up. Very odd to intentionally make the melody off beat.

[Hukos]

I enjoy it a lot, but coming from the likes of the Castlevania series, the difficulty in this game felt a bit blown out of proportion. It's challenging yeah, but this game doesn't touch Castlevania 3 in terms of difficulty.

It's a fun little romp that can be a little challenging. Not as good as the 16 bit Sonic 2, but it's a perfectly fine game as far as I'm concerned.

[Cooljerk]

Hukos, on 25 August 2012 - 08:40 PM, said:

I enjoy it a lot, but coming from the likes of the Castlevania series, the difficulty in this game felt a bit blown out of proportion. It's challenging yeah, but this game doesn't touch Castlevania 3 in terms of difficulty.

It's a fun little romp that can be a little challenging. Not as good as the 16 bit Sonic 2, but it's a perfectly fine game as far as I'm concerned.

This comparison is messed up. Castlevania is the good kind of difficulty - if you die, it's because you mistimed a jump, or couldn't react quick enough. You can die in a variety of ways in Sonic 2 GG that are not your fault - blind pits or jumps onto extremely specific areas that you can't see coming up. Castlevania isn't full of cheap deaths, Sonic 2 GG is.

[Sodaholic]

I dunno, I thought the entirety of SEZ's music was really good, even the intro. The off beat drums really don't sound that out of place. I will say that while I like the MS version for it's larger screensize and level layouts designed around this larger screen, the GG version was better in various ways. I liked the music arrangement much better on that one (music during the title, more appropriate sounding intro cutsene music, 808-state inspired boss music, actually using the two different ending themes instead of just one of them). That, and the palettes, but that's not really the MS version's fault, moreso that of the hardware.

It kinda pisses me off that the GG has a better palette than the MD. :P