Wii

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

So it's more, more and more. That's Sonic the Hedgehog 2, all summed up. It's a true sequel to an established hit game – taking the characters, gameplay and overall feel of the original and enhancing each one. Sonic 2 became even more of a hit than its predecessor, probably thanks to word of mouth praising the first game and converted fans wanting to get in on the ground floor once the sequel hit. And because this one was such a big seller in its original release, it's since been included in a wealth of retro re-releases and classics compilations. This Virtual Console version is an easy thumbs-up, as the game itself is spectacular. But check to make sure you don't already own this same game in five other ways first – because, if so, you may want to use those 800 Wii Points for another purpose.

Time may have eroded Sega's prominence, but it hasn't done much to diminish how sweet Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is. Play through it and you'll understand why it helped sell a ton of Genesis consoles back in the day. It's a fun platformer and does everything a sequel is supposed to do. It resolves many of the first game's shortcomings and incorporates a slew of minor upgrades that cumulatively amount to a fresh experience. The 800 Wii points ($8) price tag may seem steep considering Sega has included Sonic 2 with a number of multigame collections over the years, but that's a totally justifiable price to pay for a game that'll take you a few solid play sessions to beat and keep you coming back for more.