Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II
| Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II | |
|---|---|
Digital cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Dimps Sonic Team |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Director(s) | Makoto Suzuki |
| Producer(s) | Takashi Iizuka Hiroyuki Kawano |
| Designer(s) | Kenji Ayukawa |
| Programmer(s) | Kōji Okugawa |
| Artist(s) | Hideaki Moriya Yuji Uekawa Satoshi Takemura |
| Composer(s) | Jun Senoue |
| Series | Sonic the Hedgehog |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Android, iOS, Ouya, Shield Portable, Shield Android TV |
| Release | May 15, 2012
|
| Genre(s) | Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II is a platform game developed by Dimps and Sonic Team, and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, and Windows in 2012. It was ported to the Ouya and Nvidia Shield in 2013.
Set after Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (2010), it follows Sonic and Tails as they attempt to once again stop Doctor Eggman and a revived Metal Sonic from using Little Planet to power the Death Egg mk.II space station. Like its predecessor, Episode II is a 2D side-scrolling video game with players guiding Sonic and Tails through levels, collecting rings and rolling into enemies. Collecting Chaos Emeralds also requires players to access special stages by ending a stage with enough rings.
Development began shortly after the release of Episode I in late 2010 and lasted around a year and a half. The developers altered the gameplay after negative feedback for Episode I. In addition to the return of Tails, Episode Metal was created for players who had purchased both games, allowing players to play as Metal Sonic through shortened versions of stages from the first game. Additional ports to the Windows Phone and Wii as part of the WiiWare service were cancelled due to space constraints. In preparation for the release of Episode II, Sonic CD (1993) was re-released to act as a "prequel".
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II received generally average reviews; many critics cited it as an improvement, with praise for its better physics engine, visuals, and multiplayer functionality, but criticism for its music, boss fights, and level design. While a moderate commercial success, Episode II sold fewer copies than Episode I, and Episode III was cancelled shortly after. In spite of the relatively poor performance, it influenced the development of Sonic Runners (2015). Another major 2D Sonic game was not released until Sonic Mania in 2017.