Sonic 2: Battle Race

Sonic 2: Battle Race is a two-player Sega Genesis ROM hack created by ColinC10 in 2012. Built from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, it replaces the usual race to the finish with a competitive scoring system where players earn points by outrunning each other.

How Battle Race Works

Two players control Sonic and Tails in the same stage. Unlike Sonic 2's original split-screen Competition Mode, both characters share a scrolling view as they race through the level.

The goal is to move far enough ahead that your opponent falls behind the visible play area. Doing so scores a point, and the trailing player respawns so the race can continue. The player with the most points at the end of the round wins.

This changes how familiar Sonic 2 stages are played. Instead of simply reaching the signpost first, players compete for the lead throughout the level. A fast start helps, but maintaining momentum and recovering after falling behind are just as important.

Stages and Level Selection

Battle Race includes a level selection screen that lets players choose stages directly without entering a cheat code. The available zones include Emerald Hill, Chemical Plant, Aquatic Ruin, Casino Night, Hill Top, Mystic Cave, Oil Ocean, Metropolis, and Wing Fortress.

Most listed zones offer their original two acts, while Metropolis has three. Sky Chase and Death Egg are excluded from the playable race selection.

Each environment presents different challenges. Chemical Plant features fast slopes and hazardous sections, Mystic Cave has narrow passages and traps, and Casino Night adds bumpers and springs that can disrupt a close race.

Two-Player Competition and Strategy

The hack uses the familiar movement of Sonic 2, including running, jumping, rolling, and the Spin Dash. However, success depends on staying ahead of another human player rather than simply surviving the stage.

Knowing the level layout is especially useful. Alternate paths, shortcuts, and well-timed jumps can help one player build enough distance to earn a point. A mistake that would cost only a few seconds in the original game may give the opponent a scoring opportunity here.

Item monitors also affect the competition. Extra-life monitors award an additional point, making them valuable targets during a close match.

Battle Race is designed for two players. It is best played with a friend, using separate controllers or keyboard mappings supported by the emulator.

Development and ROM Preservation

Sonic 2: Battle Race was created by ColinC10 and released in 2012 as a competitive modification of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The hack changes the original two-player experience by placing Sonic and Tails on a shared screen, where the player who moves far enough ahead earns a point.

The project was documented by Sonic hacking community members in July 2012, with contemporary reports highlighting its fast-paced multiplayer competition. The hack also introduces a stage selection menu and special commands for restarting checkpoints or returning to the level selection screen.

The preserved ROM is 2 MiB in size and has a CRC32 checksum of BE6D9178. It retains the original Sonic the Hedgehog 2 internal title and September 1992 Sega copyright header. The exact revision of this ROM has not been independently verified.