Play Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Nick Arcade Prototype) Online

I picked up the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Nick Arcade Prototype a while back, a 2006 release for the Sega Genesis. It's an early build of the game, put out by Sega, and it feels like stepping into a time machine with a few loose wires. This was from an era when games were often shown off in unfinished states at events, and playing it now is like uncovering a piece of that history, not a polished product but a glimpse into how things were put together.

You control Sonic, and sometimes Tails, running through zones that are familiar but filled with oddities. The main goal is the same: get to the end of the act, defeat Robotnik, but the path is full of surprises. Springs send you flying in unexpected directions, some enemy placements feel experimental, and there are graphical hiccups everywhere. The pacing is uneven, with some sections flowing smoothly and others halting due to bugs or incomplete elements. It's a strange mix of recognition and discovery, like visiting a familiar place where all the furniture has been slightly rearranged.