Knuckles, Fang and Metal Sonic join the second drift. Bigger, faster and meaner than the first game, and this time the rest of the world got to play it too.
Released17 Mar 1995 (JP) · Apr 1995 (EU) · Nov 1995 (NA)
DeveloperSega
PublisherSega
RacersSeven
Courses18, plus the Final GP
EuropeSonic Drift Racing
Title
Sonic Drift 2; Europe: Sonic Drift Racing; Japan: ソニックドリフト２
Platforms
Sega Game Gear (1995). Later in Sonic Adventure DX: Director’s Cut (GameCube, PC), Sonic Gems Collection (GameCube, PlayStation 2), Sonic PC Collection, several plug-and-play consoles, the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console and Sonic Origins Plus
Developer
Sega
Publisher
Sega
Key staff
K. Hasegawa (director); M. Hokoyama (producer); N. Katoh (planner); A. Morino (programmer); K. Tamura, H. Takano, A. Tezuka (artists)
Music
M. Nagao and S. Kobayashi
Players
1–2 (Versus over the Gear-to-Gear Cable)
Released
Japan 17 March 1995 (¥3,800); Europe April 1995 as Sonic Drift Racing (UK £24.99; 28 April by Wikipedia, our original page said March); North America November 1995
Cartridge
4 megabits (512 kB) by Sonic Retro’s ROM record; our original page gave 8 megabits
Genre
Racing
Overview
Sonic Drift 2 arrived a year after the first game, on 17 March 1995 in Japan, and this time Sega sent it overseas: to Europe as Sonic Drift Racing that spring and to North America in November. That makes it the first Sonic racing game most Western players ever saw.
The four original drivers are back, joined by Knuckles, Fang the Sniper and Metal Sonic, which gave Fang and Metal Sonic their first playable roles. The eighteen courses mix Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 locations with plenty of new ones, some looping circuits and some point-to-point dashes, with plenty of road hazards on the way. Power-ups now wait until you choose to use them, and the computer drivers fight much harder.
Win all three Chaos GPs with every Chaos Emerald and one more race is waiting: a final showdown on the Death Egg. British magazines in particular rated it far above the first game.
Emerald Hill.Casino Night.Milky Way.
Once these drivers hit the track, those who were friends become rivals.
The North American manual, which our original page reproduced, sells it as a free-for-all: Sonic and six friends and enemies bring their souped-up machines to the track, there are 18 courses to master against the clock and sometimes the weather, the Chaos GP pits you against three other drivers over six races, and Versus mode lets a friend join in. Speed is not enough, it warns, because every racer will use every dirty trick going.
— Official description: Sega, Sonic Drift 2 North American instruction manual (1995), as reproduced on our original page and transcribed by Sonic Retro. One line quoted; the rest summarised.
Quick Answers
The short answers, with the detail further down the page.
When did Sonic Drift 2 come out?
On the Game Gear in Japan on 17 March 1995, in Europe that April as Sonic Drift Racing, and in North America in November 1995. More →
Who can you play as?
Seven drivers: Sonic, Tails, Amy and Dr. Eggman from the first game, plus Knuckles, Fang the Sniper and Metal Sonic. More →
What is Sonic Drift Racing?
The European title of Sonic Drift 2. Elsewhere it kept the number, even in North America, where the first game was never released. More →
How many courses are there?
Eighteen, six in each of the Purple, White and Blue Chaos GPs, plus the Final GP race on the Death Egg for players who collect every Chaos Emerald. More →
What changed from Sonic Drift?
Three new drivers, power-ups you store and fire when you choose, smarter rivals, linear courses as well as circuits, and an option to switch track obstacles off. More →
Was it well received?
Much better than the first game. British magazines scored it between 67% and 92%, though Famitsu’s panel gave it 19 out of 40. More →
Can I play it today?
It is included in Sonic Origins Plus (2023). Earlier re-releases include Sonic Gems Collection (2005) and the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console (2012–2013). More →
Plot / Story
Sonic and the Cyclone.
The Japanese manual opens with an announcer welcoming everyone to the second Chaos Grand Prix and introducing the field one by one. Sonic is back to win it all again and cannot see a real rival among the newcomers. Tails has built himself another custom car. Amy is racing alongside Sonic once more, half worried she might overtake him by mistake.
Dr. Eggman declares himself ruler of the world and promises a one-two finish with Metal Sonic, who says nothing at all. Fang complains about the noisy old man but perks up when he hears the winner takes the Chaos Emeralds, and Knuckles reckons none of them is fit to race him. With seven cars on the grid, the race is on.
The Chaos GP and the Final GP
The three Chaos GPs are named after the purple, white and blue Chaos Emeralds, and each runs six races scored three, two, one and zero points as before. Emeralds go to race winners. Collect all six by the end of the Blue GP and one more race awaits: the heroes take on Dr. Eggman on the Death Egg, while Eggman, Metal Sonic and Fang face Sonic.
Choosing a driver.On the podium.The Death Egg.
Courses
Eighteen courses across three cups, some laid out as closed circuits and some as point-to-point runs. A few borrow their names from zones in Sonic 2 and Sonic 3; most are new to this game.
Emerald HillPurple GP race 1 · White GP race 6Named after Sonic 2’s first zone.
Hill TopPurple GP race 2 · White GP race 4Named after Sonic 2’s Hill Top Zone.
Dark ValleyPurple GP race 3 · Blue GP race 1New to Sonic Drift 2.
Casino NightPurple GP race 4Named after Sonic 2’s neon casino zone.
Desert RoadPurple GP race 5 · White GP race 1A desert course, new to this game.
Iron RuinPurple GP race 6The last race of the Purple GP.
Rainy SavannaWhite GP race 2New to Sonic Drift 2.
Ice CapWhite GP race 3A snow course sharing its name with Sonic 3’s IceCap Zone.
Mystic CaveWhite GP race 5Named after Sonic 2’s Mystic Cave Zone.
Quake CaveBlue GP race 2New to Sonic Drift 2.
Balloon PanicBlue GP race 3New to Sonic Drift 2.
Emerald OceanBlue GP race 4New to Sonic Drift 2.
Milky WayBlue GP race 5A race among the stars.
Death EggBlue GP race 6 · Final GPNamed after Dr. Eggman’s space station from Sonic 2. The last race of the Blue GP, and the setting of the Final GP.
Free Run returns for solo practice with best-time records, and Versus links two Game Gears for head-to-head races. The options add a switch to turn the track obstacles on or off, alongside Normal and Hard difficulty.
Sonic the Comic“Review Zone” · April 1995The British Sonic comic reviewed the game in its Review Zone pages (issue dated 14 April 1995) and gave it 67%.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2CoursesEmerald Hill, Hill Top, Casino Night, Mystic Cave and the Death Egg all take their names from its zones.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3CoursesIce Cap borrows the name of its snowy zone; Knuckles, who debuted in Sonic 3, joins the racing.
Sonic DriftGame Gear · 1994The Japan-only original, with the same four starting drivers and cars.
Sonic Gems CollectionGameCube and PlayStation 2 · 2005One of the Game Gear games in Sega’s compilation.
Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console2012–2013Released in Japan on 14 November 2012 and in the West on 4 July 2013.
Plug-and-play consoles2006–2009Built into Coleco Sonic, the PlayPal, Tectoy’s Master System 3 and the FunPlay 20-in-1.
Characters
Seven drivers, each with a car and a special move paid for in rings. Stats are from Sonic Retro’s table; artwork from Sonic Scene’s own gallery.
Character
Who they are
In this game
Stats & abilities
Sonic the HedgehogCar: Cyclone
The defending champion, who sees no real rival in the new field.
His Dash is a short, sharp burst that blows past other drivers.
Acceleration: high
Speed: high
Handling: low
Miles “Tails” ProwerCar: MTP-02 Whirlwind S7
Has customised another car for the second Grand Prix.
His Jump clears obstacles and rival cars, and works even in the middle of a turn.
Acceleration: medium
Speed: medium
Handling: medium
Amy RoseCar: Breeze
Racing Sonic again, and nervous about overtaking him by accident.
Her heart attack throws rivals off course, and she slips past while they recover.
Acceleration: high
Speed: low
Handling: medium
Dr. Eggman (Dr. Robotnik)Car: Egg Typhoon
The self-styled ruler of the world. The North American manual still calls him Dr. Robotnik, adding that the other drivers know him as Eggman.
Lays mines that stop any car that hits them. He plans a one-two finish with Metal Sonic.
Acceleration: low
Speed: decent
Handling: very high
Knuckles the EchidnaNew driver · Car: Tempest
Introduced in Sonic 3, and convinced that nobody here is fit to race him.
Punches a rival who is close enough, otherwise jumps; handy for hopping over mines. The game spells him “Knucles” to fit the screen.
Acceleration: medium
Speed: medium
Handling: medium
Fang the SniperNew driver · Car: Marvelous Queen
Sonic’s new rival from Sonic Triple Trouble, in his first playable role. He is in it for the Chaos Emeralds.
Throws oil balls onto the track that send rivals spinning.
Acceleration: high
Speed: high
Handling: low
Metal SonicNew driver · Car: Blue Devil
Eggman’s robot double of Sonic, playable for the first time. “He doesn’t talk much!”, says his master.
His Super Dash outpaces Sonic’s but costs three rings instead of two. Shown on screen as “M.Sonic”.
Acceleration: very high
Speed: very high
Handling: very low
Power-ups
Monitors now hold their power-up until you press up to use it, and you can carry only one at a time. The Flash Star and Reverse Ball work the moment you hit them.
RingCollect themTwo pay for a special move (three for Metal Sonic). Collisions cost rings.
DashRed monitorA burst of speed.
InvincibleBlue monitorA few seconds of protection.
JumpYellow monitorBounces you into the air like a spring.
MineGrey monitorDrop a mine on the track.
SpringOn the trackLaunches you into the air.
Flash StarOn the trackTurns the screen white for a moment.
Reverse BallOn the trackSwaps left and right for a while.
The people who made it
From the in-game credits, as listed by Sega Retro. Director K. Hasegawa and composer M. Nagao both return from the first game.
K. HasegawaDirectorKatsuhiro Hasegawa, who also directed Sonic Drift.
M. HokoyamaProducerProduced the sequel.
N. KatohPlannerPlanned the game.
A. MorinoProgrammerThe only credited programmer.
K. Tamura, H. Takano, A. TezukaArtistsDrew the graphics.
M. Nagao and S. KobayashiSoundMasayuki Nagao, composer of the first game, with S. Kobayashi.
How it was made
Little has been published about how Sonic Drift 2 was made, but the credits and the game itself show a sequel built by much the same team. Sources: Sega Retro, Sonic Retro and Wikipedia.
A sequel built on feedback
Fang and the Marvelous Queen.
Director Katsuhiro Hasegawa and composer Masayuki Nagao came back from Sonic Drift, and the sequel answers many of the first game’s complaints. Three new drivers join, the computer racers are far more aggressive, power-ups are stored rather than used on contact, and the courses vary much more: some are circuits, others run from start to finish, and many come with hazards that can be switched off in the options.
Release around the world
The European box, as Sonic Drift Racing.
Japanese magazines previewed it from February 1995 and it went on sale in Japan on 17 March at ¥3,800. Unlike the first game it was released abroad: in Europe in April as Sonic Drift Racing, at £24.99 in the UK, and in North America in November. The American release kept the “2”, even though the first game had never come out there.
Firsts: what this game introduced
Sonic Drift 2 is a game of firsts for two characters and for Western Sonic fans.
1Fang’s first playable roleA year after his debut as a villain in Sonic Triple Trouble.
2Metal Sonic’s first playable roleThe first game to let you drive as Eggman’s robot.
3The first Sonic racer in the WestThe original Sonic Drift stayed in Japan, so this was the first Sonic racing game released in Europe and North America.
Cheats & secrets
There are no built-in cheat codes. Sonic Retro lists these unofficial Pro Action Replay codes, which also work in most emulators.
Choose your driver
00DCC4:0? sets the character; replace ? with 0 Sonic, 1 Knuckles, 2 Fang, 3 Metal Sonic, 4 Eggman, 5 Amy or 6 Tails. Turn it off while the opponents are chosen.
Choose your course
00C100:?? picks the course, from 00 (Emerald Hill 1) to 11 (Death Egg) in hexadecimal, in the order the cups play them.
Infinite rings
00DCC3:63
Codes checked against Sonic Retro, November 2026.
Videos & media
A full playthrough, and a review.
The whole game from start to finish, from the World of Longplays archive.
Classic Game Room’s review.
Trivia & facts
There was never a Sonic Drift released in North America, yet the game still arrived there as Sonic Drift 2.
The driver select screen.Space on screen was so tight that Knuckles and Metal Sonic appear as “Knucles” and “M.Sonic”.
Mean Machines Sega gave it a Mega Game award and 92%, the highest score in Sega Retro’s review index.
Famitsu’s four reviewers scored it 5, 5, 5 and 4 out of 10.
In the Japanese manual, Metal Sonic’s introduction is just an ellipsis.
Media & artwork
Box art, artwork and screenshots from Sonic Scene’s own galleries, with cartridges and the European logo from Sonic Retro. Select any image to view it larger.
North American box.Japanese box.Japanese box, back.European box.European box, back.Japanese cartridge.North American cartridge.European cartridge.The Sonic Drift Racing logo.Sonic and the Cyclone.Sonic and the Cyclone.Knuckles and the Tempest.Fang and the Marvelous Queen.Metal Sonic and the Blue Devil.The title screen.The Sega logo.Choosing a driver.Racing on Emerald Hill.Racing on Emerald Hill.Screenshot.Screenshot.On the podium.Desert Road.Rainy Savanna.Ice Cap.Quake Cave.Balloon Panic.Emerald Ocean.
Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console2012–2013 – Japan 14 November 2012; North America and Europe 4 July 2013.
Sonic Origins Plus23 June 2023 – With the other Game Gear Sonic games, on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC.
After the Drifts
There was no Sonic Drift 3. Sonic’s next racing game was Sonic R on the Saturn in 1997, which swapped the cars for running in 3D.
How it is remembered
Period reviewers saw it as a clear improvement on the first game. Compilation reviewers were less kind: when it reappeared in Sonic Gems Collection, GameSpot’s Ryan Davis, reviewing the collection in October 2005, called it “unplayable because of poor handling and a really short horizon”.
Sales & reviews
Sales
We have not found reliable sales figures for Sonic Drift 2.
92%Mean Machines Sega
91%Computer & Video Games
19/40Famitsu
7Drivers
Reception and review scores
A selection from Sega Retro’s index of period reviews, converted to percentages.
Mean Machines SegaUK · Mega Game
92%
Computer & Video GamesUK
91%
Hobby ConsolasSpain
90%
Consoles +France
85%
Sega PowerUK
81%
GameProUS · February 1996
4, 3.5, 4, 4 out of 5
Sega MagazineUK
77%
Electronic Gaming MonthlyUS · four reviewers
7, 6.5, 7, 7.5
Sonic the ComicUK
67%
Mega FunGermany
67%
FamitsuJapan · four reviewers
19/40
British magazines were the most enthusiastic. Gus Swan and Steve Merrett at Mean Machines Sega found it great value and a good excuse to buy a link cable, and Mark Patterson in Computer & Video Games thought it a big improvement on the first game. In the US, GamePro’s ProReview in February 1996 marked it 4 out of 5 for graphics, gameplay and fun factor, and 3.5 for sound.
Others were cooler. Germany’s Mega Fun felt the changes were mostly a matter of quantity, more drivers and busier courses, Japan’s Famitsu panel was lukewarm, and Game Informer gave it 5.5 out of 10.
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet. Played it? Give it a score out of 10 and tell other fans what you think.
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources below. Sonic Retro and Sega Retro pages were read through Wayback Machine copies, because both live sites show a bot check; each link opens the nearest archived copy.
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Hill TopPurple GP race 2 · White GP race 4Named after Sonic 2’s Hill Top Zone.
Dark ValleyPurple GP race 3 · Blue GP race 1New to Sonic Drift 2.
Desert RoadPurple GP race 5 · White GP race 1A desert course, new to this game.
Iron RuinPurple GP race 6The last race of the Purple GP.
Rainy SavannaWhite GP race 2New to Sonic Drift 2.
Ice CapWhite GP race 3A snow course sharing its name with Sonic 3’s IceCap Zone.
Mystic CaveWhite GP race 5Named after Sonic 2’s Mystic Cave Zone.
Quake CaveBlue GP race 2New to Sonic Drift 2.
Balloon PanicBlue GP race 3New to Sonic Drift 2.
Emerald OceanBlue GP race 4New to Sonic Drift 2.
Sonic the HedgehogCar: Cyclone
Miles “Tails” ProwerCar: MTP-02 Whirlwind S7
Amy RoseCar: Breeze
Dr. Eggman (Dr. Robotnik)Car: Egg Typhoon
Knuckles the EchidnaNew driver · Car: Tempest
Fang the SniperNew driver · Car: Marvelous Queen
Metal SonicNew driver · Car: Blue Devil
RingCollect themTwo pay for a special move (three for Metal Sonic). Collisions cost rings.
DashRed monitorA burst of speed.
InvincibleBlue monitorA few seconds of protection.
JumpYellow monitorBounces you into the air like a spring.
MineGrey monitorDrop a mine on the track.
SpringOn the trackLaunches you into the air.
Flash StarOn the trackTurns the screen white for a moment.
Reverse BallOn the trackSwaps left and right for a while.
