Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is the second installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise. The trailer dropped in late-2021 and showcased some familiar faces from the Sonic video game series, such as Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna.
As a sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 manages to toss in plenty of nods to the games that veteran fans and newcomers will undoubtedly recognize. Some are more obvious than others and were upfront and center in the 2021 trailer. However, viewers will be pleased to know Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has shown its work by including multiple video game references from the classic and modern eras of the Sonic franchise.
The following list contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
9 Mushroom Planet & Mushroom Hill Zone
Following his defeat by Sonic at the end of Sonic the Hedgehog, Dr. Robotnik found himself stranded on a planet covered in giant mushrooms suitably called "Mushroom Planet."
The Mushroom Planet is a reference to Mushroom Hill Zone in Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic 3 & Knuckles, which serves as the first and seventh zone respectively. In the games, Mushroom Hill Zone is a part of Angel Island.
8 Splash Hills Spring Water
This is a very blink-and-you'll-miss-it Easter Egg, but when Knuckles is chasing after Sonic and Tails, there's a water tank truck that briefly cuts off his pursuit. Right before Knuckles smashes through the truck, the words "Splash Hills Spring Water" can be seen on the side of the tank.
Like Mushroom Planet, Splash Hills Spring Water is a reference to a level in the games, specifically "Splash Hill Zone," which serves as the first Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1.
7 The Miles Electric
While not exactly the same device that appeared in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors, Tails has a yellow device that looks like a smaller version of the Miles Electric. When Sonic and Tails rest at a bar in Siberia, Tails uses the device's language function to communicate with the waitress. Of course, this doesn't go as planned, and he unintentionally offends her with the wrong translation.
In Sonic Colors, Tails uses his Miles Electric to translate Yacker's "wisp speech" with little success. It isn't until the end of the game that the Miles Electric starts giving accurate translations.
6 Sonic and Knuckles Snowboarding
After Robotnik and Knuckles ambush Sonic and Tails, Sonic breaks one of the former's robots and uses it as a snowboard with Knuckles following suit. It is one of the more exciting action set-pieces in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Snowboard/Skateboard levels were common in the Sonic series, but this scene alone will bring to mind the Ice Cap stage and the IceCap Zone from Sonic Adventure and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 respectively.
5 Classic Eggman's Suit
When Wade goes to interrogate Stone, he enters the Mean Bean Cafe (which is a reference to Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine) and Stone is seen scrolling through pictures of different suits for Dr. Robotnik. One of these pictures depicts Robotnik's suit from the Classic Sonic era.
Unfortunately, the movie version of the villain doesn't wear the classic suit, but it was a nice reference to the video game Robotnik/Eggman. Jim Carrey also wanted to wear Robotnik's classic round suit in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
4 Sonic Inhaling A Bubble Underwater
Dr. Robotnik betrays Knuckles by taking the Master Emerald for himself and leaving both him and Sonic to drown in the temple. Like the video game Sonic, movie Sonic hates water and can't swim. When Knuckles is trapped under a pillar, Sonic dives in to help him. As he starts running out of air, a bubble floats up to him, and he inhales it, quite literally catching his breath.
This is a reference to the Air Bubbles in the Sonic games. If the Blue Blur stays underwater for too long, the "Drowning" music kicks in until Sonic either comes up for air or swallows an Air Bubble. It should also be noted that Sonic can't swim, but Knuckles can, which is true to the games as well.
3 GUN's Helicopter
When Tom and Maddie arrive in Green Hills, they are seen departing from a GUN helicopter with the initials SA-2 on the side. The look of the helicopter and the initials are a reference to the Sigma-Alpha 2 helicopter from Sonic Adventure 2.
In Sonic Adventure 2, Sigma-Alpha 2 was the helicopter that Sonic escapes at the start of the game. Given Sonic the Hedgehog 2's mid-credits scene, this Easter Egg is an obvious foreshadowing to the third Sonic movie.
2 Robotnik's Robot
With the power of the Master Emerald, Robotnik creates a giant mech that may look very familiar to longtime fans. While the robot itself doesn't have a name, it's an obvious callback to the Death Egg from the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 video game.
The Death Egg Robot serves as the second-to-last boss in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2's Death Egg Zone. In the movie, it's near impenetrable and requires the teamwork of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles before any damage can truly be done.
1 Super Sonic's "Foot Tap"
After using the Chaos Emeralds to go Super, Sonic obliterates the Death Egg with ease. With the Death Egg completely immobilized, all it takes is a light push for it to fall apart.
Super Sonic literally taps the Death Egg with the toe of his shoe to tip it over, and the shot is similar to how Sonic defeated one of Eggman's robots in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).