- This article is about the lock-on game. For other uses, see Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (disambiguation).
Knuckles in Sonic 2[note 1] is the result of combining Sonic & Knuckles with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 using the former cartridge's "lock-on" technology. It is virtually identical to Sonic 2, with Knuckles the Echidna being the only playable character and some secrets introduced in the levels to encourage exploration.
Gameplay[]

Knuckles in Emerald Hill Zone.
Knuckles in Sonic 2 is a 2D side-scroller platform video game with the exact same gameplay as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Knuckles. The only playable character here is Knuckles, who retains his moveset from Sonic & Knuckles.
Scoring system[]
Controls[]
Button formation | ![]() | |
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Run | |
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Look up | |
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Crouch | |
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Spin Jump | |
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Spin Attack | |
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Spin Dash | |
Jump > hold ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Glide | |
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Climb | |
START | Pause |
Changes[]
- The title screen shows Knuckles instead of Sonic and Tails. The game uses his sprites from the title screen of Sonic & Knuckles.
- The 2P Player VS and Options menu have been removed from the title screen due to only having one playable character. As such, there is only simply a "Press Start" option.
- The color palettes for the Act title cards are colored green, red and yellow instead of blue, red and yellow.
- The Shield is colored gray instead of its usual blue.
- The Goal Plate will land on Knuckles's portrait instead of Sonic's or Tails's. The Goal Plate sprit used in here is an altered version of the sprite from Sonic & Knuckles.
- Secrets such as 1-Up Item Boxes have been added in some of the Acts for Knuckles to discover using his abilities.
- When Knuckles respawns at a Star Post after losing a life or finishing a Special Stage, he retains the same number of Rings he had when he touched it rather than having zero Rings.
The first Special Stage.
- The Special Stages do not display Knuckles's name like Sonic's and Tails's.
- To transform into Super Knuckles, the player has to press
/
/
while in mid-air from a Spin Jump, as opposed to the original Sonic 2, where the player could turn into Super Sonic by simply jumping.
- In addition, the player cannot transform into Super Knuckles after touching a Goal Plate or pressing the switch on the Capsule.
- In Debug Mode, the player is limited to placing a Ring or a Super Ring Item Box.
Cheats[]
- Level Select: At the title screen, the player has to input the following in order:
↑ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ↓ ← → ← →. A Ring chime will sound if successful. Then, hold
and press Start to access the Act Select.
- Debug Mode: At the Level Select's Sound Test, the player has to play the following tunes in order: 01, 09, 09, 04, 01, 00, 01, 08 (1994-10-18, or 18 October 1994, the release date of Sonic & Knuckles). A Ring chime will sound if successful. Then, the player can highlight any Act and select it while holding
to play it with Debug Mode.
- All 7 Chaos Emeralds: At the Level Select's Sound Test, the player has to play the following tunes in order: 01, 06, 07, 07, 07, 02, 01, 06.
Re-releases[]
- Sonic Jam (1997)
- Sonic Mega Collection (2002)
- Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004)
- Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Super Monkey Ball Deluxe (2005)
- Xbox Live Arcade (2009)[note 2]
- Sega Fun Pack: Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Shadow the Hedgehog (2009)
- Sonic PC Collection (2009)
- PlaySega (2009)
- Sonic Classic Collection (2010)
- Wii Virtual Console (2010)[note 2]
- Sega Ages: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2020)
Trivia[]
- Though Sonic and Tails are replaced by Knuckles and locked by default, Tails is still piloting the Tornado in Sky Chase Zone and during the ending of the game.
- In the 2013 remaster of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Knuckles was added as a playable character, allowing the player to play as him the same way as in Knuckles in Sonic 2 with the same title screen. However, the color palettes of the Act title cards and the Shield were reverted back to their original colors when playing as Knuckles.
- In the v2.0.0 patch of Sonic Origins, the title cards were changed back to the Knuckles in Sonic 2 palette, although the Shield still retains its original color.
- Knuckles's arms are miscolored tan in the Special Stages.
- This is also the reference used to enable Debug Mode in Sonic 2.
See also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Also known as Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (ナックルズ・ザ・エキドゥナ イン ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ2 Nakkuruzu za Ekiduna in Sonikku za Hejjihoggu 2?)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 On this platform, Knuckles in Sonic 2 is available if Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Knuckles are downloaded on the same account.
References[]
V·T·E · {{Sonic 2 (8-bit) info}} · Category