Sonic Hex Adventure

Sonic Hex Adventure is a fan-made game of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. RobiWanKenobi created the hack, which replaces much of the original Sonic 2 presentation with new zones, graphics, music, character sprites and a hub area. The documented final build also includes Tails Assist, character selection, a Sound Test and several visual and gameplay fixes.

🦔 A New Adventure Built on Sonic 2

Sonic Hex Adventure uses Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as its ROM base, but it is not simply a graphical modification.

The final build changes several parts of the original game:

• New Sonic sprites.
• New victory poses.
• A custom hub area.
• New zones.
• New zone artwork.
• Parallax artwork in Jade Valley.
• New title-card font.
• Modified music.
• New hub music.
• New hub artwork.
• DAC audio samples.
• Layout and artwork fixes.
• Minor bug fixes.

🌿 Explore Three Main Zones

The final-build walkthrough documents three main zones before the Hidden Palace section:

• Jade Valley Zone
• Act 1
• Act 2
• Secret Woods Zone
• Act 1
• Act 2
• Ruin Relix Zone
• Act 1
• Act 2
• Hidden Palace Zone

The game also uses a Hub Zone between sections of the adventure. Gameplay footage shows you returning to the hub before entering the next area.

🌴 Jade Valley Has Custom Artwork

Jade Valley is one of the clearest examples of the hack's visual changes.

The final build specifically includes:

• New Jade Valley artwork.
• Parallax effects.
• Custom level presentation.
• Two playable acts.

The use of parallax artwork gives the background more visual movement than a simple static backdrop.

🌲 Secret Woods

Secret Woods is another custom zone included in the final build.

You get:

• Two acts.
• Custom artwork.
• Modified level layouts.
• Updated visual elements.

The final build specifically lists fixes to the layout and artwork in Secret Woods.

🏛️ Ruin Relix

Ruin Relix provides another custom environment within the adventure.

The documented final build contains:

• Two acts.
• Custom level artwork.
• Modified layouts.
• Visual fixes compared with earlier versions.

🏰 Hidden Palace Zone

Hidden Palace appears after the three main two-act zones in the documented final-build walkthrough.

The gameplay sequence is:

1. Jade Valley Act 1
2. Jade Valley Act 2
3. Secret Woods Act 1
4. Secret Woods Act 2
5. Ruin Relix Act 1
6. Ruin Relix Act 2
7. Hidden Palace Zone

This makes Hidden Palace an important part of the final-build progression.

🦊 Tails Assist

One of the most notable changes is Tails Assist.

The final build specifically includes:

• Tails as an assist character.
• Tails can assist Sonic during gameplay.
• Player 1 controls the Tails Assist function.

This is different from simply selecting Tails as the main character in a standard Sonic 2 configuration.

🎨 Sonic Gets New Sprites and Victory Poses

The final version changes Sonic's presentation.

You get:

• A new Sonic sprite set.
• New victory poses.
• A new title-card font.
• Updated visual presentation throughout the custom zones.

The victory-pose change is a small detail, but it is one of the specific changes documented for the final build.

🎵 Music and Sound Changes

The audio presentation also received modifications.

The final build includes:

• Music changes.
• New hub music.
• DAC samples.
• Updated sound presentation.

The hub therefore has its own musical identity rather than simply using the standard Sonic 2 presentation.

🧭 The Hub Zone

The Hub Zone is an important structural change.

Instead of moving directly from one traditional Sonic 2 stage to another, the hack uses a central hub between sections.

The documented gameplay sequence shows:

• Opening screen.
• Hub Zone.
• Jade Valley.
• Return to Hub Zone.
• Secret Woods.
• Return to Hub Zone.
• Ruin Relix.
• Return to Hub Zone.
• Hidden Palace.

This hub structure gives the hack a different progression system from the original Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

🖥️ A Different Title and Menu Setup

The final build changes the original Sonic 2 menu structure.

Instead of the standard save screen, the hack uses:

• Character selection.
• Sound Test.
• Custom hub artwork.
• Custom hub music.

The final-build documentation specifically notes that the save screen was removed and replaced by a character-selection and Sound Test screen.

🕹️ Classic Sonic Platforming Remains

Although Sonic Hex Adventure changes the presentation and level content, its foundation remains Sonic 2.

Your core gameplay revolves around:

• Running through side-scrolling stages.
• Jumping across platforms.
• Avoiding hazards.
• Defeating enemies.
• Maintaining your speed through level sections.
• Reaching the end of each act.

The game retains the classic Genesis-era Sonic structure rather than switching to a modern 3D Sonic format.

🔧 Final Build Improvements

The 2023 final build was not simply the same ROM with a new label.

The documented changes include:

• Fixed minor bugs.
• Corrected parts of Secret Woods.
• Corrected parts of Ruin Relix.
• Updated Jade Valley.
• Added new Sonic sprites.
• Added victory poses.
• Added Tails Assist.
• Added new hub artwork.
• Added new hub music.
• Changed music.
• Added a new title-card font.
• Added DAC samples.
• Reworked the title-screen presentation.

🎮 Game Controls

Sonic Hex Adventure is a Sega Genesis/Mega Drive game, so it uses the Genesis control scheme.

Basic gameplay

• Arrow Keys: Move Sonic.
• Z: Use Genesis A button.
• X: Use Genesis B button.
• A: Use Genesis C button.
• Enter: Start / pause functions.

📱 Mobile Controls

If you run the Genesis ROM through EmulatorJS on a phone or tablet:

• Use the virtual D-pad to move.
• Use the virtual A, B and C buttons for gameplay.
• Use the virtual Start button for menu functions.
• The on-screen controls depend on the EmulatorJS configuration used on your page.