<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
the	O
8-bit	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
(	O
1991	O
)	O
and	O
follows	O
Sonic	B-Application
as	O
he	O
attempts	O
to	O
get	O
the	O
Chaos	O
Emeralds	O
back	O
to	O
find	O
his	O
friend	O
Miles	O
"	O
Tails	O
"	O
Prower	O
from	O
Dr.	O
Robotnik	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
first	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
,	O
players	O
run	O
through	O
levels	O
at	O
high	O
speeds	O
while	O
collecting	O
rings	O
and	O
defeating	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
it	O
shares	O
the	O
same	O
title	O
with	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
and	O
their	O
releases	O
coincided	O
,	O
the	O
games	O
have	O
little	O
in	O
common	O
and	O
share	O
no	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
the	O
first	O
8-bit	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Ancient	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Aspect	O
,	O
which	O
did	O
not	O
interact	O
with	O
the	O
Sega	O
Technical	O
Institute	O
team	O
developing	O
the	O
Genesis	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
1992	O
to	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
considered	O
it	O
an	O
improvement	O
over	O
the	O
first	O
8-bit	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	O
praised	O
its	O
visuals	O
and	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
has	O
been	O
rereleased	O
in	O
numerous	O
formats	O
,	O
including	O
Sonic	B-Application
compilations	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2s	I-Application
gameplay	O
is	O
largely	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
its	B-Application
1991	I-Application
predecessor	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
side-scrolling	O
platformer	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
as	O
he	O
runs	O
at	O
high	O
speeds	O
,	O
defeats	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
overcomes	O
obstacles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
takes	O
place	O
following	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
last	O
game	O
;	O
Sonic	B-Application
returns	O
home	O
to	O
find	O
that	O
Doctor	O
Robotnik	O
has	O
kidnapped	O
Miles	O
"	O
Tails	O
"	O
Prower	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
Sonic	B-Application
heads	O
off	O
to	O
find	O
him	O
before	O
it	O
's	O
too	O
late	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
original	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
collects	O
power-ups	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
boosts	O
of	O
speed	O
and	O
invincibility	O
)	O
that	O
give	O
him	O
temporary	O
powers	O
,	O
and	O
rings	O
to	O
protect	O
himself	O
from	O
being	O
hit	O
by	O
enemies	O
or	O
obstacles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
starts	O
with	O
three	O
lives	O
;	O
if	O
he	O
is	O
hit	O
without	O
carrying	O
any	O
rings	O
,	O
falls	O
into	O
a	O
bottomless	O
pit	O
,	O
drowns	O
,	O
or	O
goes	O
past	O
the	O
act	O
's	O
10-minute	O
mark	O
,	O
he	O
loses	O
a	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Losing	O
all	O
lives	O
results	O
in	O
a	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
some	O
changes	O
however	O
;	O
checkpoint	O
and	O
shield	O
item	O
boxes	O
are	O
absent	O
,	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
can	O
now	O
collect	O
rings	O
he	O
drops	O
when	O
damaged	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Certain	O
elements	O
present	O
in	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
are	O
also	O
implemented	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
smash	O
through	O
walls	O
and	O
run	O
through	O
vertical	O
loops	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
features	O
modes	O
of	O
transportation	O
for	O
Sonic	B-Application
in	O
which	O
to	O
maneuver	O
the	O
levels	O
,	O
including	O
minecarts	O
and	O
hang	O
gliders	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
8-bit	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
stages	O
borrowed	O
thematically	O
from	O
those	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
16-bit	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
features	O
original	O
levels	O
to	O
differentiate	O
itself	O
from	O
its	B-Application
16-bit	I-Application
counterpart	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Aspect	O
with	O
co-operation	O
from	O
Sega	O
,	O
unlike	O
its	O
predecessor	O
which	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Ancient	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Craig	O
Stitt	O
,	O
who	O
worked	O
as	O
a	O
stage	O
artist	O
with	O
Sega	O
Technical	O
Institute	O
(	O
STI	O
)	O
on	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
,	O
stated	O
that	O
there	O
was	O
little	O
interaction	O
between	O
Aspect	O
and	O
STI	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
versions	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
were	O
released	O
in	O
PAL	O
territories	O
in	O
November	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Master	O
System	O
version	O
remained	O
exclusive	O
to	O
PAL	O
territories	O
until	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
December	O
2008	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Game	O
Gear	O
version	O
was	O
included	O
as	O
an	O
unlockable	O
bonus	O
in	O
Sonic	B-Application
Adventure	I-Application
DX	I-Application
(	O
2003	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
compilation	O
Sonic	B-Application
Gems	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
(	O
2005	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
3DS	I-Application
eShop	I-Application
in	O
June	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
all	O
versions	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
(	O
including	O
the	O
16-bit	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
)	O
combined	O
topped	O
the	O
Christmas	O
1992	O
sales	O
charts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
the	O
month	O
of	O
December	O
1992	O
,	O
the	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
ranked	O
number	O
one	O
,	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
version	O
number	O
three	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
version	O
number	O
four	O
,	O
while	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
Land	I-Application
2	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
was	O
number	O
two	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
the	O
bestselling	O
Game	O
Gear	O
game	O
,	O
having	O
sold	O
over	O
400,000	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
praised	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
version	O
as	O
an	O
improvement	O
over	O
the	O
first	B-Application
Sonic	I-Application
game	I-Application
on	O
the	O
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
Power	O
called	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
the	O
best	O
Master	O
System	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
were	O
impressed	O
with	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
even	O
leading	O
some	O
Mean	O
Machines	O
Sega	O
staff	O
to	O
think	O
they	O
were	O
viewing	O
a	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
journalists	O
felt	O
the	O
game	O
ran	O
faster	O
and	O
smoother	O
than	O
Sonic	B-Application
1	I-Application
,	O
which	O
Computer	O
and	O
Video	O
Games	O
credited	O
to	O
there	O
being	O
less	O
enemies	O
populating	O
the	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
Power	O
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Zone	I-Device
enjoyed	O
the	O
secret	O
rooms	O
that	O
could	O
be	O
found	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
Force	O
and	O
Sega	O
Pro	O
both	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
especially	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
character	O
sprite	O
,	O
were	O
notably	O
larger	O
than	O
in	O
the	O
first	B-Application
Sonic	I-Application
Game	I-Application
Gear	O
game	O
and	O
the	O
home	O
version	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePro	O
and	O
Computer	O
and	O
Video	O
Games	O
felt	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
an	O
improvement	O
to	O
the	O
first	B-Application
Sonic	I-Application
game	I-Application
on	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
their	O
1992	O
game	O
awards	O
,	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
honored	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
as	O
their	O
"	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
among	O
portable	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Hardcore	O
Gaming	O
101	O
found	O
the	O
core	O
gameplay	O
good	O
,	O
they	O
felt	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
weaker	O
than	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
criticizing	O
the	O
level	O
design	O
and	O
art	O
direction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kotaku	O
called	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
the	O
hardest	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
on	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
because	O
of	O
its	O
labyrinth-like	O
levels	O
paired	O
with	O
its	O
small	O
visual	O
field	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
Life	O
recommended	O
it	O
to	O
Sonic	B-Application
fans	O
looking	O
to	O
become	O
better	O
acquainted	O
with	O
8-bit	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
