490 Words About: Emerald Hill Zone - Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Somewhere in the assemblage of all the green, brown, and blue pixels that is Emerald Hill Zone, I think there might be some rings. I believe there should also be some power-item boxes, and even a few platforms. I believe there are several enemy non-playable characters (npcs) that are robot wasps, monkeys, and even jumping fish. I believe there are also supposed to be secret entrances to caverns where the player will find more rings, more power items, and even extra life tokens. And I say I believe those objects exist because I’ve never stopped while playing this first level of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to actually explore.
That last sentence is only mostly not-true.
I have never owned a SEGA Genesis, but my aunt had one growing up and apart from playing a few confusing hours of Kid Chameleon, I mostly remember playing her Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cartridge over and over again, only ever making it as far as Oil Ocean (I would usually die in the boss fight against Dr. Robotnik and his submarine). Because the cartridge didn’t come with progress saving hardware it meant that I would begin again at Emerald Hill Zone and have play it over and over again.
This is to note that I’ve had a lot of practice skipping through this region.
Any and all Sonic games (with some exceptions) are centered around movement. They encourage a player to speed through the level as quickly as possible. The springs, loops, and trampolines scattered throughout any Sonic level only reinforces this. Once a momentum is reached, trying to slow Sonic down is not only not fun, it’s borderline heresy. Even Sonic himself will become annoyed at the player should they stop moving him for too long, so much so that he will turn to the fourth wall and begin tapping his foot impatiently. And of course the music of the game is…well I mean, it’s a Sonic game for pete’s sake. The music is banging and makes me want to roll around at the speed of sound. These details reveal a design that prioritized continuous forward motion.
Why would I want to slow down?
Emerald Hill Zone is a gorgeously crafted world filled with small details, and it is possible to explore this area and discover secrets. But reflecting on its design doing so stands opposed to the entire aesthetic.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 doesn’t have a complex plot. The character himself isn’t meant to have a narrative depth either. Sonic isn’t trying to explore Emerald Hill because he’s just passing through it towards his next destination, and when he arrives there he’ll rush past it to the next one. Sonic is a hedgehog who does the running fast, and that’s not a criticism. Sonic games are fun because they provide an unparalleled motion simulator.
Emerald Hill Zone passes me by, and I’m halfway through Mystic Cave Zone before I even remember it.
Joshua “Jammer” Smith
12.12.2026
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