Top 10 Video Game References in Sonic The Hedgehog 2

While there are plenty of new easter eggs in this movie, some nods to the Sonic video games that were either re-visited or made to the sequel. The blue blur’s new hometown, “Green Hills,” obviously references the Green Hill Zone. But now, we get to hear its theme as Sheriff Tom’s ringtone! In Sonic’s room, we see a lot of “speed” related paraphernalia. He even has a race car bed! Something which brings back memories of “Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing” or Sonic’s bed from Archie Comics. But perhaps the funniest returning reference has to be Sanic! The poorly drawn meme of the speedy hedgehog has transformed from a Crazy Carl drawing to a full fake Sonic doll.

Sonic is at the beginning of his alleged “Superhero” career when he first spots him in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”, chasing down baddies and saving the day. For anyone who played “Sonic Adventure” for the Sega Dreamcast, the Seattle chase scene might bring back memories of the opening scene from the classic game, where Sonic looks on from above as police chase down the “Chaos.” Even when Sonic’s half-hazard display of heroics leads to manholes exploding down the street, it seems like it took inspiration from the “Perfect Chaos’” attack on Station Square!

It was great seeing Sonic come to life on the big screen in the first movie, but the sequel offers even more nods that bring nuances from the games into live-action. A prime example is Sonic’s snowboarding segment, which calls back to some iconic sequences from games such as “Sonic Adventure” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3”. Sonic can also be seen using the “Bound Jump”, breathing underwater through an air bubble, and fighting alongside his pals in what might remind people of the classic “Sonic Heroes.” But what made us jump from our seats was when Sonic harnessed the Chaos Emeralds and became Super Sonic, just like the games. Now that was truly awesome.

What excited us the most about the sequel was seeing more characters joining the blue blur in live-action. One of those characters was Tails, Sonic’s brainy, double-tailed, fox sidekick. The movie doesn’t forget to pay homage to his “official” name, Miles “Tails” Prower (yes, just like “miles per hour”). This also isn’t the first time Tails has dawned a yellow backpack, with the one being seen in the 1993 “Sonic the Hedgehog” TV series. But perhaps the most legendary addition was the reference to Tails’ titular vehicle: The Tornado, which makes a brief appearance before being destroyed by Eggman. We think this won’t be the last we’ll see of the epic airplane.

Eggman’s back, and with his return, we see more faithful adaptations of video game Eggman tropes. We get the first appearance of the classic Egg Mobile, Dr. Robotnik’s floating method of transportation. We also see that some of his robots resemble the Wasp Badnick design, albeit still white and pristine. The “biggest” callback is the appearance of the “Death Egg Robot”. This is Robotnik’s titan sized machine that Sonic first encountered in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”. Finally, in a blink and you’ll miss it a moment, we see a digital Jim Carrey dawn the classic round Eggman outfit as Agent Stone tries to design his new look. This film knows how to give us good fan service.

While the characters get lots of love in this movie, the locations themselves reference several game stages and levels! During the car chase through Green Hills, Knuckles bursts through a water truck labeled “Splash Hills,” which is the name of a stage from “Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1”. The Mushroom planet Robotnik gets marooned on might remind gamers of the “Mushroom Hill Zone.” The icy mountain segment seems inspired by the “IceCap Zone.” But what’s really awesome is the homage to “Angel Island,” where the Master Emerald lies. The inside also resembles the “Labyrinth Zone”, with even some of the classic sound effects heard as Sonic speeds through it!

While this might not be a “video game” reference, it is something that all Sonic fans can enjoy. As Sonic gets ready to speed across the sea and face down Eggman and Knuckles, Ben Schwartz utters the hedgehog’s classic catchphrase: “Gotta Go Fast.” This itself is derived from the animated series “Sonic X,” where the English theme song says the phrase on repeat! Something else fans might recognize is when Knuckles uses a “rapid punch” attack. This calls back to a similar situation where Eggman manipulates Knuckles in the episode “Cracking Knuckles.” And as ridiculous as it sounds to say that Knuckles lifting a boulder is a reference, it does remind us of his attack from the GameBoy Advance game: “Sonic Battle.”

It’s not just the locations, props, and characters pulled from classic Sonic source material, but the lore itself! Anyone who has ever played a Sonic the Hedgehog game will recognize the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds. However, the gem’s origins might not seem familiar. The movie explains that the Echidna Tribe forged the Master Emerald and the Longclaw clan sealed it away to avoid misuse. In most games, the origins of the gems are a mystery, with Knuckles acting as the last of its protectors. But it could be an homage to a comic series that details a war between the Echidnas and the “Drakons.” Who knows, maybe those aliens Robotnik battle’s were more than just forgettable baddies.

While Agent Stone might have aided Eggman’s attempts to capture Sonic, that doesn’t appear to have stopped him from building a secret laboratory inside an independent coffee shop called “Mean Bean.” The title of this shop is a call back to Sega’s 1993 game called “Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine.” But this isn’t the only physical homage that Agent Stone gives us. Later in the movie, as he assists Eggman in operating the Death Egg, he shows off a manual for the killer robot, which looks a lot like a classic SEGA video game manual.

While the first Sonic movie set the scene for an expanded universe, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 did a lot of world-building during its fast-paced plot. The side plot reveals the creation of the Guardian Units of Nations. This human military group comes into conflict with Sonic and Eggman while trying to defend Earth from anything and everything. This will prove crucial for the sequel, as the end credits scene reveals “Project Shadow.” This could mean we might be in store for an adaptation of “Sonic Adventure 2”. We can’t wait to see the “ultimate lifeform” take on our new team of heroes and what the studios are planning next for this epic series of films.