Revisiting Sonic 2 after a couple decades, I'm once again struck by how this is both a perfect sequel and a conservative one. There's been a huge expansion in level variety over the first game, reimagined (but not necessarily better) bonus modes, tons of new ideas in the stage designs, a great new sidekick (Tails rules) and a soundtrack that somehow tops the legendary original.

On the flip side, there's only one new move (the now-iconic spin dash), zero new power ups, and gameplay that is only subtlety - those smartly - refined. And the traumatizing drowning music is still there, so that's a half star gone right there.

Otherwise, yeah, this is a stunning platformer and still a reference point for how to make a great sequel: do everything the original did, only bigger and better, and don't screw up anything it did well.

Played on Genesis mini.