Sonic: Before the Sequel

Sonic: Before the Sequel is a 2012 platform fangame created by the Brazilian student Felipe Daneluz (LakeFeperd) with the developers provided by Neversoft, Raven Software, Sonic Team and Radical Entertainment and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment with the distribution provided by Sega that is meant to explain the events that may have taken place between Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In it, the player plays as Sonic the Hedgehog and his sidekick Tails, alternating between the duo through numerous zones as Sonic the Hedgehog goes to stop Doctor Eggman from launching the Death Egg, with his sidekick Tails trying to keep up and eventually meet and team up with Sonic.

An update was released during SAGE 2012, adding improved graphics, an original soundtrack made the music score composed by Howard Shore, and a bonus boss if you reach the good ending. A sequel, Sonic: After the Sequel, and an interequel, Sonic: Before the Sequel Aftermath (which has now formed into another fangame by the Brazilian student Felipe Daneluz (LakeFeperd) with the new developers Vicarious Visions and High Moon Studios called Sonic Chrono Adventure), were released as well.

Gameplay
The game plays very similar to the games of the Genesis days. Sonic and Tails have the Spin Dash. Sonic has the Super Peel Out, but not in the form of a figure eight. Tails can fly, much like he did in Sonic 3. There are 3 acts per zone, with the boss having its own separate act. Bonus stages can be accessed at the end of Act 3 for Sonic and Tails (these acts only get you extra lives, not the Chaos Emeralds). Unique to Sonic BtS is the addition of "Time Points", which determine your ending at the end of the game. If you fail to complete the game in under 2 hours, you recieve the bad ending. If you do beat it in 2 hours or less, you fight a bonus boss and recieve the good ending.

Plot

 * See also: List of Sonic the Hedgehog characters

After the events of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic (voiced by Robbie Daymond) releases the Chaos Emeralds and is teleported to Hilltop Heights Zone. There, he catches sight of the nearly completed Death Egg and speeds off to stop it's impending launch. Later on after duking it out with Eggman (voiced by Christopher Lee), he heads off into Star Shore Zone. There, Tails (voiced by Eden Riegel) is looking awkwardly at a Motobug that seems to be asleep, and he tries to touch it, and it awakes, and just as it is about to attack Tails, Sonic comes out of nowhere, destroys the badnik, and hurries off. Tails, amazed at the sight, sets out to follow the blue bur.

Some time later, a robot (voiced by Clancy Brown with vocal effects by Fred Tatasciore) appears and begins to attack Tails, but he is able to defeat it. After a while, Sonic begins to feel that someone is following him. when he turns around, he sees Tails, who is very ecstatic to see him. Sonic tries to run away, but Tails just flies up to the platform Sonic is standing on. In an effort to escape, Sonic jumps into the water. Before Tails can follow him, he is captured by a flying capsule. Some time after that, Sonic and Tails meet up once again, and Sonic allows Tails to tag along with him.

Just as they are about to confront Eggman, Tails gets knocked off of the platform; with Sonic being unable to reach him in time. Tails falls into the clouds nearby, and learns how to use his tails to increase his speed. He then fights the orb robot for the last time, scrapping it. Sonic then faces off against Eggman, who is fighting him in a body armor.

After the first phase, the seventh Chaos Emerald appears, and Sonic transforms into Super Sonic, and battles against the doctor in his second phase. Sonic defeats Dr. Eggman, and powers down. As he falls to the ground, Tails appears and Sonic lands safely on the Tornado, Sonic's biplane. They then land in Emerald Hill Zone which leads the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Music
In the SAGE 2012 version, in addition to a graphical improvement, the game got an original soundtrack which contains the music score written and composed by Danny Elfman. The soundtrack is widely praised as being one of the best parts of the game, to the point that Daneluz has even admitted to liking of Elfman's score. However, the music for the cutscenes composed by Jerry Goldsmith, Alexander Courage, Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith and Harry Gregson-Williams and special stages from the 2011 version still remain intact.

Sequel
A sequel named Sonic: After the Sequel has been released, and a side game called Sonic: Before the Sequel Aftermath has also been released.