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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |
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Developers: Christian Whitehead, Headcannon This game has unused areas. |
SONIC® will make reasonable efforts to update product information, but delays may occur before changes are made. Visit sonicdrivein.com for more complete and current products, ingredients, nutritional information and photography. Actual food product may vary from food photography. Ask for a manager or call 866-OK-SONIC (866-657-6642). S2 Signpost, HUD, Star Post. Check Out This Mod. Take a trip down to memory lane and play Sonic Mania with a touch of Sonic 2. This changes the signpost, the game’s HUD and the Star Post sign into the same versions that were included back in the old game. Chhota Bheem Kung Fu Dhamaka Official Game v1.2.4 Mod Menu 321; Megatramp – a Story of Success! V2.7 Mod Menu 379; Offroad Outlaws v2.6.1 Mod Menu 336; Piano Fire v1.0.2 Mod Menu 19; Eyes – Scary & Creepy Survival Horror Game v6.0.42 Mod Menu 198; Tips For Metal Slug 3 v1.0 Mod Menu 207. Level Select (When Locked-On to Sonic & Knuckles) At the title screen, press Up, Up, Up, Down, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right. Then, hold A and press Start to be taken to the level select.
The 2013 mobile remake of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is the third game in the Taxman/Stealth collection of remastered Sonic games. Like the 2013 Sonic 1 before it, the Sonic 2 remake replaces the rudimentary emulated version originally on the App Store and adds Knuckles, auto-match multiplayer, and widescreen support as well as running on the fan-made Retro Engine.
The remake is most notable for including a completed version of the famed Hidden Palace Zone, accessible in normal gameplay...although it uses the 2-player Mystic Cave tune (like the Simon Wai prototype of the Genesis original) rather than the otherwise-unused Song #10 that plays upon loading the Zone in the final, because they felt it was a better fit.
To do: Figure out how to access the dev mode shown in the Egg Gauntlet/Proto Palace video. |
- 8Unused Sprites
Level Select
The level select can be accessed the same way as in the 2013 Sonic 1 – start a 'No Save' game and choose a character. On the SEGA logo screen, tap the letters S-E-G-A in that order once the entire word appears. If done correctly, you will hear a ring chime. Then hold two fingers on the bottom of the screen and wait. After the title screen appears, you'll be taken to the level select. Oddly, Hidden Palace is accessible, but only after beating it in a save game or exiting the Proto Palace Zone (listed below). Otherwise, trying to select it just makes a buzzing noise. Debug Mode does not change anything either, unlike a similar issue in Sonic & Knuckles.
If using a controller, press Up, Up, Up, Down, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right at the title screen while in No Save mode.
Game Config Menu
Play sound 00 three times in the Sound Test to bring up a 'Game Config' menu. It replaces the more rudimentary menu from the 2013 Sonic 1.
- Player: Similar to the player select in the Genesis game's options menu, this allows you to play with Knuckles with Tails following, à la the default Sonic and Tails option.
- Items: Lets you choose between Sonic 2 items, hidden Sonic 2 items (all monitors display a '?' graphic), Sonic 3 items, and hidden Sonic 3 items.
- Flight: Toggles Tails' signature ability.
- Air Cap: Toggles the air speed cap.
Debug Mode
Play sounds 01, 09, 09, 02, 01, 01, 02, 04 (the US/European release date of the original Genesis game) in the Sound Test. During gameplay, tap the upper-left corner of the screen to access the debug mode. To change the item you are placing, press the + or - on the top of the screen.
Tapping the lives counter in Debug Mode will take you back to the Level Select.
Selecting 2P VS after playing a No Save game with Debug Mode will allow you to enter a two-player game without connecting with another player online. While on the Stage Select screen, press Y on a physical controller, or L or 3 on a keyboard and a random character will join the game. The second player will always hang out at the starting point of a level, though, and will never move.
Eighth Special Stage
Similar to how the 2013 Sonic 1 added a hidden seventh Special Stage, this port adds an eighth in Sonic 2. By selecting sounds 00 through 07 in the Sound Test, you can change which Special Stage you go to. Playing sound 00 and selecting Special Stage takes you to Special Stage #1, 01 takes you to #2, and so on, with 07 taking you to #8.
The eighth Special Stage is purple, a color previously used exclusively in multiplayer Special Stages, and features a corkscrew loop, possibly a reference to Sonic 3D Blast's (Saturn) Special Stages [1].
Proto Palace Zone
As of Version 3.0.9, a code to access the original Hidden Palace Zone from the Nick Arcade, Simon Wai, and August 21st prototypes, complete with the 'unused' Track #10, has been inserted. After entering the debug mode cheat (shown above), play sounds 03, 03, 03, 0B, 10, 10, 10, 04 and choose 'Hidden Palace' on the stage select.
As with the stage's original incarnation, it's incomplete and stops at a certain point, although the water slide is now fully-functional, among other minor changes. Rather than the 'Master Emerald' acting as a breakable object, it instead warps the player back to the Stage Select.
Dying in Proto Palace Zone will not send the player back to the level select, nor reappear in Proto Palace Zone. Instead, the game will load the actual Hidden Palace Zone. Completing the stage by placing a goal sign or capsule leads to Oil Ocean Zone, much like the garbled version of Hidden Palace in the original game.
Egg Gauntlet Zone
A first attempt at a boss attack Zone, featuring some original artwork (including mechanical palm trees) as well as graphics from Sonic Crackers. SEGA did not approve of the level as they did not wish for the bosses and enemies to be seen outside of their usual environments, and was thus scrapped.
Data and artwork of Egg Gauntlet did remain and the Zone was fully playable, albeit inaccessible by normal means. It features all bosses in the game except for the one unique to Hidden Palace, and has no checkpoints (although there are rings between bosses). Unlike Boss Attack Zone, Egg Gauntlet features short platforming segments taken from the main zones, as opposed to ones in Boss Attack that bear little to no resemblance to the zones they are based on.
As of v3.0.9, this Zone was almost completely removed from the game, artwork and all. The only leftovers are: its name in StringList.txt, and in the bytecode files, where each stage object in the stage has 100% of its code intact which can be found by unpacking Data.rsdk.xmf.
Animations
Sonic's animation files list 'Super Peel Out' as an animation, though it is unlikely that this move was planned since it is just random parts. What is interesting about these parts, however, is that they match up exactly with the Super Peel Out frame locations on the Sonic CD (2011) sprite sheet, suggesting that it was used as a base. Tails' Super Peel Out animation is actually his top speed animation, and Knuckles' animation has no frames.
Unused Sprites
Most of these are, unsurprisingly, leftovers from the original Genesis game.
Monitors
Artwork | Name | Description |
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'S' Monitor | Makes the player Super when broken. Breaking this monitor is the only way to become Super Tails in this game. | |
Three Shields Monitor | Toggles the Items option when broken. Changes to the monitors will take effect when you restart the Act or advance to the next Act. | |
Emerald Monitor | Breaking it will give you all the Chaos Emeralds, allowing you to turn Super with 50 rings. Breaking it again will take away the Chaos Emeralds. | |
Spring Monitor | The only monitor that isn't used in Debug Mode. This monitor also exists in the Nick Arcade and Simon Wai prototypes. |
Zone-Specific
Artwork | Zone | Description |
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Emerald Hill Zone | The snail badnik from early prototypes of the game can be placed with Debug Mode. It retains its behavior. | |
Emerald Hill Zone | A prototype version of the Buzzer, now found in Debug Mode. This Buzzer behaves as originally planned in concept art, where its shots can burn bridges. The burning bridges are harmful unless the player has a Fire Shield. | |
Chemical Plant Zone | This three-eyed fish badnik is now fully functional and can be placed with Debug Mode. It flies around very slowly, but will speed up if it sees the player, dropping Bubblers as it flies. | |
Chemical Plant Zone | These are dropped by the Mother Bubbler badnik, and will quickly explode after touching the ground. You can also place them individually with Debug Mode. | |
Chemical Plant Zone | Can be placed with Debug Mode. These are merely decoration and don't do anything. | |
Chemical Plant Zone | Can be placed with Debug Mode. The fireball remains stationary, but is harmful unless the player has a Fire Shield. | |
Chemical Plant Zone | Can be placed with Debug Mode. The ball floats in the air, and will chase the player if approached. When it's above the player's head, it'll explode and drop chemicals on the player that will hurt unless the player has a Bubble Shield. | |
Chemical Plant Zone | This sprite is in the CPZ object sprite sheet, but is still unused. | |
Aquatic Ruin Zone | An unused door that can be placed with Debug Mode, which closes as soon as the player enters it. | |
Aquatic Ruin Zone | A green Grounder that you can place with Debug Mode. This was added in as an homage to Grounder from Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. | |
Aquatic Ruin Zone | A strange pillar that doesn't appear anywhere else. Found in ARZ's sprite sheets. | |
Mystic Cave Zone | An odd platform made of rings, which can be placed with Debug Mode. It can be stood on, and moves in a similar motion to the spiked balls in the level. | |
Oil Ocean Zone | The checkered ball can be placed with Debug Mode. However, it behaves like the rolling ball from Green Hill Zone rather than it did in the prototypes and original game. | |
Sky Chase Zone | The Balkiry's unused standing frame can, again, be seen through Debug Mode. | |
Sky Chase Zone | Like before, the turtle's walking animation cannot be seen without the use of Debug Mode. | |
Wing Fortress Zone | Can be placed with Debug Mode. It behaves like a badnik, just like it did in the original game. | |
Wing Fortress Zone | A platform that shoots a laser when it spins. Can be placed with Debug Mode like in the original game. |
Special Stages
Artwork | Name | Description |
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'HYPER' | A Hyper form might have been planned, but was eventually cut. | |
'GO TO HIDDEN PALACE' | You were probably able to enter Hidden Palace through collecting all the Chaos Emeralds (which was originally planned in the Genesis version) at one point in development, but was changed so you had to fall in the infamously inescapable pit in Mystic Cave Act 2. |
Miscellaneous
Artwork | Description |
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Leftover continue screen animation for Tails from the 2013 Sonic 1 port. Tails uses a different animation for the continue screen in this game. | |
Leftover Tails life icons from the 2011 Sonic CD port, present among Tails' sprites. | |
Leftover timer marks from the 2011 Sonic CD, present among the HUD sprites. | |
The default icon for sprites in the Retro Engine's Scene Editor, usually used for Objects that aren't seen/spawned. |
The Sonic the Hedgehog series | |
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Sega Genesis | Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Prototypes) • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Prototype) • Sonic & Knuckles (Prototypes) • Sonic 3 & Knuckles • Sonic 3D Blast (Prototypes) • Sonic Spinball (Prototype) Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Prototype) • Sonic Classics |
Sega Master System | Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 • Sonic Chaos (Prototypes) • Sonic Blast • Sonic Spinball Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine • Sonic's Edusoft |
Game Gear | Sonic the Hedgehog (Prototype) • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Prototype) • Sonic Chaos (Prototypes) • Sonic Triple Trouble (Prototypes) Sonic Spinball (Prototype) • Sonic Drift 2 • Sonic Labyrinth • Sonic Blast (Prototypes) Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine • Tails' Skypatrol • Tails Adventures |
Arcade | SegaSonic Cosmo Fighter • SegaSonic the Hedgehog (Prototype) • Sonic Championship • SegaSonic Bros. |
Sega CD | Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Prototypes) |
32X | Knuckles' Chaotix (Prototypes) |
Sega Pico | Sonic the Hedgehog's Gameworld • Tails and the Music Maker (Prototypes) |
Windows | Sonic the Hedgehog CD (1996, 2011) • Sonic's Schoolhouse • Sonic & Knuckles Collection • Sonic 3D Blast • Sonic R Sonic Heroes • Sonic Riders • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2004, Demo, 2011) • Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II (Prototype) • Sonic Generations (Demos) • Sonic Lost World • Sonic Mania • Sonic Forces • Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed • Team Sonic Racing |
Sega Saturn | Sonic X-treme • Sonic 3D Blast (Prototype) • Sonic Jam (Prototype) • Sonic R (Preview) |
Game.com | Sonic Jam |
Dreamcast | Sonic Adventure (Prototypes) • Sonic Adventure 2 (Prototypes) • Sonic Shuffle (Debug Version) |
Neo Geo Pocket Color | Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (Prototypes) |
Game Boy Advance | Sonic Advance (Prototype) • Sonic Advance 2 • Sonic Advance 3 (Prototype) • Sonic Battle • Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis |
GameCube | Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (Demo) • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (Prototypes) • Sonic Heroes (Prototypes) Shadow the Hedgehog • Sonic Mega Collection (Prototype) • Sonic Gems Collection • Sonic Riders |
PlayStation 2 | Sonic Heroes • Shadow the Hedgehog • Sonic Riders • Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity • Sonic Unleashed • Sonic Gems Collection |
Xbox | Sonic Heroes • Shadow the Hedgehog • Sonic Riders |
Nintendo DS | Sonic Rush (Demo) • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Beijing 2008) • Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing • Sonic Classic Collection |
PlayStation Portable | Sonic Rivals |
Xbox 360 | Sonic the Hedgehog (Demo) • Sonic Unleashed (Preview) • Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing • Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic Generations (Demos) • Sonic Adventure 2 • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed |
Wii | Sonic Unleashed • Sonic Colors • Beijing 2008 • London 2012 • Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing • Sonic and the Black Knight • Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity |
PlayStation 3 | Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic Adventure 2 • Sonic Generations (Demos) • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed |
Nintendo 3DS | Sonic Generations • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed |
Wii U | Sonic Lost World • Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed |
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | Sonic Mania |
J2ME | Sonic the Hedgehog Mobile • Sonic Jump |
Leapster | Sonic X |
N-Gage | Sonic N |
iOS/Android | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 • Sonic the Hedgehog CD Sonic Jump • Sonic Dash • Sonic Runners |
Plug & Play | Super Sonic Gold |
Challenge yourself with the best remake of Sonic The Hedgehog that exists.
And once you’ve completed it, challenge yourself even further by downloading a ton of mods to add an even bigger challenge to the game.
Or simply change the tone of it by adding a few graphical enhancements to your Sonic Mania title. Gamer’s choice!
In any case, there are many types of Sonic Mania mods out there. And I’ve included a whole variety in this list so there should be something here for everyone.
Enjoy!
15. S1 Ending Flowers in Green Hill
Do you know those cool little flowers that popped up near the end of Sonic 1?
Well this mod made me remember the good old days that I spent playing that game when I was a kid, so I’ve added it to my list!
It brings back the flowers that you can see near the end of the first popular Sonic title and adds them to the Green Hill Zone in Sonic Mania.
This change is far from being a major one to the game, but it’s still pretty cool.
And the vibes alone make it deserving of a spot on my list.
14. S2 Signpost, HUD, Star Post
Take a trip down to memory lane and play Sonic Mania with a touch of Sonic 2.
This changes the signpost, the game’s HUD and the Star Post sign into the same versions that were included back in the old game.
Interesting note: this mod is an entire creation by its author, as the assets are all made by hand to mimic those that were included back in the older Sonic titles.
A fantastic mod, no doubt about it. And one of the best you can add if you used to play Sonic 2 back in the day.
13. Hedgehog Music Sprites
Alright, for a bit more of a light-hearted approach with mods it’s time for me to introduce to you the Hedgehog Music Sprites.
These replace the traditional Sonic victory dance with something a tad more inappropriate, putting it mildly.
This is one of those mods that changes almost nothing in the game, but you just feel compelled to adding it to a list just in case anyone wants so mindless fun in their Sonic games.
It’s just too fun for me to ignore. I know, I’m easily amused.
But this one still deserves a spot – even if not in one of the highest-ranking positions of my list!
12. Better Sonic Falling Animation
Aha, a falling animation mod. Now that deserves a spot on this list!
You have no idea how many of these mods I managed to come across while searching, but I didn’t want to add more than one here.
I picked this one because it honestly makes Sonic look way cooler than the others.
That’s all the reasoning that I put into selecting this mod. It simply makes Sonic falling look really, really cool. Awesome visual-themed mods are a fun addition to spice things up.
It sort of reminds me of how Shadow fell on Shadow The Hedgehog, for some reason.
11. Victory Floss
Well if the last dancing mod on my list made it because it was a fun little change, this one I’m adding because it’s going to piss off a lot of people.
What better way to celebrate the completion of a map than with a good old flossing dance?
Move those hands and act like a 12-year old after winning with the Victory Floss mod.
We can all be zoomers if we truly believe…
10. Blue Spheres Reignited
Blue Sphere stages can feel really boring at times, don’t you think?
There’s just something about the way these stages are that makes them quite boring.
They are just too similar for my liking (they’re basically the same – all of them). The creator of this mod had enough of that crap and decided to make entire new blue sphere maps.
This mod replaces all of the stages that come with blue spheres and changes them for entirely new ones, adding new layers of challenge to the game that weren’t possible when it first came out.
A pretty big update so it’s worth running this on a new save if you want to check it out.
9. Sonic Mania P4 Project
New music, custom palettes, and better compatibility.
This mod enhances Sonic Mania and takes it back to the Pre-Plus Porting of the game.
You’ll be able to feel much more challenged when in Encore mode, and the number of features that this mod adds on its own will make your game much more attractive to the average player.
8. The Pridelands Zone
Alright this one’s pretty cool – especially if you were raised watching the Lion King.
This mod basically adds an entire zone to the game based on The Lion King franchise.
You’ll get to play in the Pridelands! And even though this is one of those mods that you’re never sure that you want until you see it, it’s one that you’ll grow to love rather quickly.
Disney and non-Disney fans are sure to enjoy this.
It takes assets from The Lion King’s game, of course, but the map is pretty cool and rather well done. It’s also easily playable when you’re gunning it with someone as quick as Sonic.
7. Shadow Mania Revamped
I know Sonic is pretty cool. He is the protagonist, after all.
But you know who’s even cooler? The Internet’s favorite edgelord, Shadow.
This mod changes all of the basic assets of the game and turns them into Shadow.
No more Sonic Mania – it’s time for you to play Shadow Mania instead!
The creator of the mod has made sure to replace all of the sprites in the game and turned Sonic into Shadow. And they blend quite naturally.
Even the sphere maps have gotten a rework. They look lovely.
6. Sonic Mania XL
This mod adds a whole bunch of new featu- no, wait… What? Oh God.
This mod is even better than what its name suggests.
You might think that downloading this mod will give you a complete rework of Sonic Mania and add new maps, adventure, and quests; but nope.
With Sonic Mania XL you’ll be getting an XL version of Sonic instead.
Sonic 2 Dev Menu Download
Like, literally a larger version of Sonic.
This mod turns the Sonic sprite fatter and full of glee.
The changes only apply to Sonic, so your companions will always look at you in fear of what you’ve done (or eaten). Talk about useless fun.
5. Another Genesis Sonic
A simple mod, but one that goes quite well together with the S1 and S2 reworks that I’ve added further up on my list.
This mod changes every single asset in the game that was present in S1 and adds it to Sonic Mania, making the game feel much more like its original counterpart.
There are no changes to the gameplay included here – all you get are new sprites to be used in the game.
A new look that reminds us of the old Sonic we all love!
4. Sanic Monia
Why play with Sonic when you can play with the Internet legend that is Sanic?
This mod changes the base sprite of Sonic the Hedgehog and turns him into Sanic, the weird-looking dude that we’ve all grown to love in meme culture.
If you don’t know him, well, count yourself lucky.
This mod is goofy/cool and one that is entirely for the laughs. But if you’re looking to have a ton of fun and you have a sense of humor for memes then this is a mod you’ll want to try.
3. Casino Night Zone
Studipolis Zone wasn’t particularly impressive, as many Sonic Mania fans have stated in the past.
This changes the boring Studipolis Zone for the classic Casino Night Zone.
The mod is pretty new and only the first act has been done (as of the time of writing of this article), but be sure to check it out now. Chances are that it will be finished by the time that you’re reading this.
In any case, I’ve taken a glance at the first act and it looks fantastic.
And I know the rest of the mod will be just as good, if not even better.
2. Sonic Gold
Sonic Gold is a complete rework of the game. It tells an entire different story and comes packed with dozens of new areas to explore.
Truly this is a massive mod and it’s going to take a while to finish. But it would’ve been unfair for me to leave it out of this list because it’s just so in-depth.
And this will likely be re-worked many times over in the coming years so keep your eyes on this as time goes on.
1. Mega Mania
Mega Mania is an entirely new rework of the Sonic Mania story, much like Sonic Gold.
Sonic 2 Dev Menu
This mod attempts to tell a new story about Sonic that has never been told before. Obviously a fan-made one, but still working around the classic lore.
Sonic 2 Dev Menu Pc
An amazing mod that is rated pretty highly by the community, even though it’s on its early stages of development as of the time of writing of this article.
But it’s worth testing if you have time so launch up a new save and give this a go.