Since it was the last Sonic the Hedgehog game on Sega’s final home system, the Dreamcast, Sonic Adventure 2 was a fitting send-off. Sonic 06 was meant to be a franchise relaunch, arriving on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, however it was not well received. However, since it was released five years after SA2 and on more capable technology than the Dreamcast, it had superior visuals and bigger levels.
So it’s very remarkable that someone has modified one of Sonic 06’s finest levels, Wave Ocean, for Sonic Adventure 2. The mod was created by DEXTERITY, who is also responsible for Modern Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Solaris Project, among other SA2 modifications that modernise the game. However, what the modder has accomplished by introducing Wave Ocean to Sonic Adventure 2 must be seen.
On their YouTube channel, we can see how the modder incorporated Wave Ocean into Sonic Adventure 2: Solaris Project. As Sonic rushes across the islands comprising this level with his trademark speed, the gameplay seems to be rather fluid. Warning: falling into water will result in instantaneous death for the blue blur.
Continue reading to view our recommendations for the greatest Sonic Adventure 2 modifications to enhance your gaming experience.
1) SA2 Mod Loader
The SA2 Mod Loader by MainMemory is a programme that will automatically organise and install your modules. This handy utility will keep track of your modifications, allow you to activate and disable them at whim, control their load order, and even modify their configuration file if you so choose.
Among the most recent enhancements to the mod loader are one-click install capabilities with mod hosting site GameBanana and an auto-update mechanism that will keep the loader and each of your modules updated to the most recent version automatically.
2) Cream the Rabbit
Cream is a notable character in the Sonic world, despite not being the most well-known. This mod allows users to play as Tails throughout his hero campaign.
Customized components include a modified version of her Sonic Heroes model, voice lines, user interface elements, and refined animations. Model-swap modifications often seem sloppy or thrown together, but this one gets it properly.
3) HD GUI
For its PC release in 2012, Sonic Adventure 2 may have undergone minor adjustments. However, the most of it was kept untouched, including the GUI components. The HD GUI mod performs as expected. It replaces the majority of UI components for HD versions.
It consists of the Pause Menu, the information breakdown at the conclusion of a level, and portions of your HUD, such as your total ring count, time, score, remaining lives, and even emerald pieces on Rouge and Knuckles missions. It’s rather modest. However, this should be expected when converting an older game to PC.
4) Blaze the Cat
Blaze the Cat is a model-swapping modification that enables players to play as the purple kitty instead of Sonic or Amy in narrative campaigns. With over 80 customised voice clips, a secondary outfit, a new mechanism, and other additions, the designer put a great deal of effort into this one.
The gameplay of Sonic Adventure 2 is already endlessly replayable, but custom characters give the 30th playthrough a whole new experience.
5) Menu Overhaul
In a similar spirit, we have the Menu Overhaul: a basic hack designed to make the Main Menu clearer and more akin to the Dreamcast version of Sonic Adventure 2.
It reduces some clutter from the Main Menu and Pause Menu, and reintroduces the Omochao Tutorial and World Ranking buttons, which were absent from the original PC edition (which opens the leaderboards). In addition to these features, there are other optional ones, such as the opportunity to choose between the original SA2 menu visuals and those from SA2: Battle.
6) Highest Quality Textures
Highest Quality Textures makes Sonic Adventure 2’s visual presentation more uniform by upgrading each file and replacing low-resolution ones with high-resolution versions.
Similar to GUI components, game graphics might be uneven. It detracts from the seamlessness of the player’s experience when they are abruptly confronted with grass or facial textures of sub-PS2 grade. This is not an upgrade or ReShade; it just replaces files that the developers should have changed.
7) Physics Swap
Have you ever felt that a certain character runs too slowly, leaps too low, or moves in an unsatisfying manner?
There’s a mod for it, so don’t worry. Physics Swap allows you to manipulate the physics values of the characters, dramatically altering their movement across the stages. I like using it to make Rogue and Knuckles fly quicker, but it has several additional applications.
The replacement of Tails and Eggman’s mech mechanics with those of Gamma from SA1 is one of the most common. This will allow them to move quicker and leap higher, making their stages much more dynamic and allowing them to avoid the ridiculously little missiles your foes fire.
8) SA 2 Mod Loader
The SA2 Mod Loader is an application that, with a single click, can download and install modifications for Sonic Adventure 2.
The majority of modifications on the famous modding repository for this game give a one-click installation option directly from the website; nothing could be simpler. Recent AAA games often lack this feature.
9) Chao Stat Multiplier
In the past, it was almost hard to train a Chao in the Chao Garden if you did not know a specific exploit owing to the small number of stats most animals and drives granted the little creatures. Part of the experience was attempting to locate the optimal angle and distance for a Dragon to bounce off of your Chao while still granting them their stat boosts.
However, I no longer have the leisure to repeat it. Enter the Chao Multiplier for Stats. You may specify a value, and when you gift an item or animal to a Chao, its stats will be multiplied by that amount. It now seems much more balanced and will take just half as long as before.
10) Character Select PLUS
This is one of those modifications that adds a feature to the game that seems so natural, you wonder why the developers didn’t think of it. Character Select PLUS adds a character selection option at the beginning of each level and the chao world menu.
With a simple press of X or Y, gamers may transform their characters into their other outfits, which is a cool bonus feature. You can easily play the game without this mod, but if you want to often swap between characters or play in chronological sequence, it’s quite useful.
11) Chao Stat Menu
Back in the day, I was determined to be the finest Chao rancher in existence. All of my buddies were, but I was a little too enthusiastic about it. I have data sheets with information about my Chaos, including their specific lineages and inherited features, and much more.
The truth is that I needed all of these elements to push Chaos to its boundaries. In addition, the information had to be obtained by several visits to the Chao Kindergarten, experiments, and data analysis. Currently, just install the Chao Stat Menu mod.
Simply choose your preferred Chao, press the stop button, and you’ll discover the Chao Stat option, which reveals a variety of statistics. Their statistics, relationships with each playable character, favourite fruits, and even DNA information are clearly shown. Even their age and number of reincarnations are there at your fingertips.
12) Cutscene Revamp
This game’s arduous porting process has left modders with several loose ends to resolve. Cutscene Revamp modifies the game’s cutscenes to replicate their appearance in the original release.
Similar to the general texture pack and GUI aspects, the transfers of Sonic Adventure 2’s cutscenes were subpar. This mod adjusts the aspect ratio, adds imported assets, and offers solutions for items that don’t function properly. As expected, the ensuing sequences are straightforward to watch.
13) All Emeralds Trackable
Because the tracking mechanism is confined to a single, individual emerald shard at a time, one of the most irritating design choices in SA2 is that emerald-hunting levels take far longer than they should.
The All Emeralds Trackable mod improves the issue by displaying all three emerald shard indicators simultaneously, letting you know when you’re close to one of the desired jewels so you don’t have to retrace. This mod is essential, particularly for insanity-shattering levels like Mad Space.
14) Better Radar
The Emerald Radar is THE most annoying aspect in Sonic Adventure 2 Playing as Rouge and Knuckles is enjoyable, but may quickly become a nightmare. Better Radar improves the emerald radar for Knuckles the Echidna and Rouge the Bat, two emerald shard characters.
With Better Radar, gamers may simultaneously monitor all emeralds. In addition, new colour indications improve the accuracy of the tracking. As icing on the cake, spatial radar sound enables players to navigate with more ease.
15) Fast Somersault
I always thought it odd that the somersault motion slowed the blue blur to a predetermined pace. It makes the game feel more cumbersome than it ought to. And it discourages the use of the ability in battle.
This modification aims to relieve the problem by eliminating the somersault’s speed restriction. When it is enabled, you will continue going at about the same pace.
You may even add a slide motion before the somersault, which looks incredible at high speeds. In certain instances, it may seem a touch excessive. However, the extra fluidity and ability to perform the manoeuvre outside of problems that need it justifies the cost.