By just about every metric Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a superior game to it's predecessor. This is the game where SEGA leaned-into Sonic's speed. Thanks to the new, genius spin dash mechanic and the vast, sprawling levels (with lots of thrilling ramps and loop-de-loops that aid in building momentum), the game feels satisfyingly fast to blast through. The run of levels, starting with Emerald Hill and ending with Mystic Cave, is unbelievably fun.

The brighter, bolder graphics feel like a step up from the first game and I think the soundtrack is better too. There are no misses, every tune is great. The addition of some little extras (a second playable character, a nice little competition mode, a treat for collecting all of the chaos emeralds) is just the cherry on top.