Top 15 Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed In 'Sonic The Hedgehog 2'
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has been a huge success since its release, with it now approaching $141 million at the box office internationally. The movie, more than just being a successful video game film, is a love letter to the franchise. It is filled with references and Easter Eggs to not only the video games and other media upon which the film is based, but other aspects of pop culture as well. In this article, we'll detail 15 easter eggs you might have missed in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
15. The Worst: Sonic calls back to Schwartz's breakout role.
The sequence after Sonic is left home alone is full of "blink it and you'll miss it" moments. This one, however, stands out among the rest. Upon choosing a movie to watch, Sonic declares that he and Ozzy, the family dog, won't be watching the 2002 film Snow Buddies, as he finds it to be “the worst”, repeating the phrase in a manner similar to Ben Schwartz's character in the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation, Jean-Ralphio. This moment is a callback to the character in every way, with Sonic donning the cadence and mannerisms of Schwartz's breakout character.
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14. Sonic the Hedgehog 2's first boss
Robotnik mainly uses his egg mobile for transportation in addition to other airships. However, the scientist is nothing if not resourceful. As Sonic and Tails fly off, Robotnik gets on a riding lawn mower in order to catch up to them. This is perhaps a nod to the vehicle Robotnik uses to fight Sonic and Tails in Emerald Hill Zone in the 1992 Genesis/MegaDrive game Sonic the Hedgehog, in which the rotund scientist uses a tractor-like vehicle with a large drill on it. Though it might look intimidating, it is a pushover to the player. This was a clever reference to the boss.
13. "Uh, meow?"
Similar to the first movie, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 contains a barfight scene. Sonic and Tails make this pit stop on the Siberia leg of their journey in order to take shelter. They are disguised as humans in large snowsuits as they enter the bar/restaurant, but after a mix-up due to the translator on Tails' Miles Electric glitching out, what was meant to be him telling the waitress they got the wrong order is turned into an insult. When Sonic tries to calm everyone down, the translator once again glitches, escalating the situation even further to the point a fight breaks out, and their disguises are torn off. In response, Sonic utters the now iconic, "Uh, meow?" This line is a callback to not only the first movie but also the first trailer for the said movie in which that line is paired with the horrifying pre-redesign look of Sonic. The line itself is also a reference to the 2003 anime Sonic X in which the deuteragonist of the show, Chris Thorndyke, explains to his parents that he found a "cat" in the family pool, that "cat" obviously being meant to refer to Sonic the Hedgehog.
12. Miles Electric
Going back to the scene in the restaurant in Siberia, the device Tails uses to attempt to translate their English to Russian is a direct reference to the Miles Electric used in the Sonic games since first making its appearance in 2008's Sonic Unleashed. This tablet device has many functions, including video communication, radar operation, interfacing with the red biplane known as the Tornado, and translation. That last function was introduced in the 2011 Wii title, Sonic Colors, with similar comical glitching.
11. The Sonic vs Knuckles battle
Eagle-eyed fans of the 2003 anime Sonic X were sure to spot this one! The most obvious one is even shown off in the trailer. Knuckles attempts to punch Sonic as Sonic dodges in a manner similar to the fight displayed in episode 5 of the anime, Clash!! Sonic vs Knuckles (US Title: Cracking Knuckles). However, what might have been missed is the hedgehog climbing up a tree in a similar manner to how he admires the "great view" in the anime episode.
10. Death Egg Robot
The final battle between Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles vs Robotnik is full of clever references to the games, but the biggest (no pun intended) has to be the giant robot that the mad scientist controls using the power of the Emerald. This is directly lifted from the 1992 Genesis/MegaDrive game, Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Similar to its appearance in the film, it is the final boss that Sonic and Tails must defeat in order to stop the 300 IQ-wielding madman's schemes. The design of the robot in the film is also nearly identical to how it appears in the games, only on a larger scale.
9. The manual for the Death Egg robot
During the fight, Agent Stone has a hard time controlling the metal behemoth. Robotnik, clearly frustrated, asks Stone if he had looked through the manual. Stone responds by saying he did and holds up a rather bulky manual, which is designed to resemble a manual for a Genesis/MegaDrive game, a clever callback to the blue blur's 16-bit roots.
8. Sonic strikes a rather iconic pose
Going back to the fight in the restaurant in Siberia, the dispute between Sonic, Tails, and the restaurant-goers is settled by a challenge known as "Pivonka." This challenge is a dance-off between two parties. Though Sonic and Tails initially struggle to impress against the music chosen by their hosts, the pair begin to shine once Sonic hooks his phone up to the speakers, playing music that the fox and hedgehog can more easily dance to. It is during this impressive display of dance moves that Sonic strikes a pose that is a direct reference to his appearance on the cover for the 1998 Dreamcast title, Sonic Adventure. The title is a favorite of many Sonic fans, so having a clever nod to it was a nice touch.
7. Mean Bean (Coffee) Machine
While Robotnik was away, the doctor's former assistant, Agent Stone, opened a coffee shop. While that in itself is interesting, what is more intriguing is what he decided to call it: Mean Bean Coffee Cafe. Longtime fans of the franchise will quickly recognize the name as belonging to the 1993 Genesis/MegaDrive Tetris clone, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. In fact, during the film's production, fans excitedly spotted the coffee shop on the set of the film.
6. Robotnik's Iconic look
While waiting on the doctor at the Mean Bean, Agent Stones virtually goes through several outfits for the scientist. One of them is an outfit that bears a striking resemblance to his "classic" design that was used from 1991-1998. This is a clever call back to Dr. Robotnik's video game origins.
5. The Babylonians
The statues in the temple that contains the Master Emerald have a rather interesting language inscribed on them. This is a reference to the Babylonian language. The Babylonians were an ancient alien race who appeared in Sonic Riders as an ancestor to the Babylon Rogues.
4. Guardian Unit of Nations (G.U.N.)
Fans of the 2001 Dreamcast title Sonic Adventure 2 were quick to spot this reference even before release. The Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) in the film is an organization formed in the interim between the first and second film to protect the Earth from perceived alien threats, including Sonic. In the games, the organization exists to protect the Earth from a variety of threats, including the Black Arms aliens featured in 2005's Shadow the Hedgehog. Fans quickly spotted a helicopter bearing the organization's insignia in addition to its callsign: SA-2, a clever homage to the game in which G.U.N. made its debut.
3. Egg Mobile
In the games, Robotnik rarely uses his own two feet for locomotion. Instead, he opts to use a hovering vehicle known as the Egg mobile. This has been his main mode of transportation since 1991 and has now carried into the films, with its introduction in the sequel.
2. The Tornado
Robotnik isn't the only person who uses flying machines to get around. Tails is well known for flying the biplane known as the Tornado. Though depicted in the film as belonging to Tails, the Tornado shown in the film is actually Sonic's! Still, what would Tails be without his red biplane?
1. Sonic Heroes
Though the characters themes are iconic on their own, the trio of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles is famously featured as Team Sonic in the 2003 title Sonic Heroes. This game allows players to control the three at once, with one character being designated the leader at a time. Though it received a mixed reception at the time, the game is held in somewhat high regard by fans, and those eagle-eyed fans were quick to point out similarities between shots in the movie and shots in the game.
BONUS: Shadow the Hedgehog
This next one comes from the mid-credits scene. G.U.N. troops are on the scene searching for any sign of Dr. Robotnik. In the midst of this, however, an Agent approaches Commander Walters about a certain project that had been kept secret for 50 years: Project Shadow. Fans were excited to see this character make an appearance and are eagerly awaiting his proper debut in the third film.
Which easter egg was your favorite? Be sure to speed into theaters to catch Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and see if you find any we left out!
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Source(s): Collider, GamesRadar, RetroCrush, Sonic Stadium, ComicBook.com