On Top of it All
In the years that followed, Nintendo and Sega fought tooth and nail. Yuji Naka moved to the United States and joined the Sega Technical Institute to create Sonic the Hedgehog 2, specifically created to maintain leadership in the American market (Sega was getting its proverbial ass kicked in Japan). The sequel introduced Tails, Sonic’s 2-tailed fox sidekick to the mix and included some of the most incredible, jaw-dropping levels ever seen. Gamers everywhere were having the time of their lives and Sega rode the wave of Sonic’s success. At this point, Sega was searching vehemently to find a way to hold on to that market leadership. Cue the Sega CD. While this Genesis add-on was a commercial failure (and ended up costing Sega big time in the future), the CD version of Sonic, imaginatively titled Sonic CD, was the greatest in the series. The time-traveling aspect and awe-inspiring bonus stages (which showcased the Sega CD’s impressive scaling and rotation effects) made for a platforming experience which, in my opinion, has yet to be equaled. If you haven’t experienced the Sonic vs. Mech-Sonic race, I pity you.