Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II followed on from the first digital episode, and this time development was taken over directly by Sonic Team in collaboration with Dimps, which was meant to reinforce the impression that this was a full-fledged continuation of the classic series and not just a minor add-on. The game was again released digitally on Xbox Live Arcade and other online platforms of the time, and it also continues Episode I's story as a direct continuation of the fight against Doctor Robotnik.

Compared to the first episode, a number of changes were added to address criticism of the previous installment. The most notable addition is the companion character Tails, with whom players can perform combined moves — joint acrobatic maneuvers using flight and towing — which opens up new paths through the levels and changes the pace of the game compared to going it alone as Sonic. The movement physics model was adjusted to feel smoother and closer to the original games, and visually the game offered more elaborate, varied environments and visually more spectacular boss fights, including the return of the iconic rival Metal Sonic, who in one passage temporarily teams up with Sonic against a common enemy. The controls remain accessible, but the game also offers more demanding passages built around speed and precise jump timing, complemented by new types of obstacles that react to the presence of the two characters.

The reception was noticeably more favorable than for the first episode — reviewers praised the improved gameplay, the cooperative elements, and the visual side, although there were also voices pointing out that the series' ambitions remained fairly modest compared to the big action titles of the time. Episode II is now seen as the more successful of the two digital episodes and as proof that the concept of purely 2D Sonic with modern graphics still has its place among players, even though the planned continuation of the series in this episodic form ultimately did not proceed, and full-fledged new 2D installments only appeared many years later in a different form.