Hey! this video blew up out of nowhere recently so just a couple things: 1. If you enjoyed this vid check out my new video on Sonic Unleasheds brutal DLC: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y6dnfcZqypaWoo0.html 2. A lot of you have corrected this and pointed it out but dimps didn't actually develop this game, they only made the level design for the day stages, the rest was all sonic team. 3. I know my intro is wayyy too long, this video is over 2 years old and i have ditched that intro long ago. Thanks for all the support!

I got the PS2 version and I swear I’m not crazy when I say it looked like the 360 version to me back then, when I recently saw gameplay of it I was so confused as to why it looked like this.

While Dimps was involved in the Wii/Ps2 version, they only made the level design for the daytime stages. The rest was entirely handled by Sonic Team. Not quite sure if somebody already pointed that out. I'm too lazy to scroll down. Fantastic and much needed video, this version rarely gets even mentioned on the internet. I, personally, feel incredibly nostalgic about the Ps2 version, so I'm glad it gets some recognition.

I absolutely love the Wii/PS2 version. (I actually grew up with the Wii version but these 2 versions are the same so the same rules apply.) I feel like this version of the game is way underrated and is in someways better compared to the 360/PS3 version. Like the medals aren’t required and you also just get them from doing well in stages. The final boss is much better imo, and isn’t as long and tedious as the PS3/360 version. The night stages are much shorter and have breaks in between. And you get to hear the Gaia Gate music In full.

Man, i have so many memories of the PS2 version of Unleashed i could write a damn essay about it but to keep it short i loved it as a kid and was technically my introduction to the Sonic series. Really good to see somebody talking about this version, especially in 2021. Great review 👍.

As a poor kid who's parents couldn't afford to get a PS3, I will forever be grateful for the PS2 ports of next gen-games. I have so many memories playing this version as a kid, and despite having recently finally played the 360 version, THIS is still my favorite, mainly bc of nostalgia glasses. Also one of the first games I ever 100%ed Great video!

As a brazilian kid who grew up too poor for videogames I'm glad the PS2 version exists. My mom got a pirated disc of it when I returned from my vacation at my grandparents at the beginning if 2009. Back then I had no Internet access, so a new Sonic game was always magical to me. I played a lot of this game, mastering and S ranking every stage, challenge, and all gaia temples, upgrades and extras. I'm not sure if my disc was bugged, but to this day I never unlocked the final challenge. According to many guides there should be one item on Dragon Road Day, but it never spawned to me. I even restarted the entire game to be sure, nothing. The final mission unlocks after 100% the game, it is one extra new level in Jungle Joyride.

This was definitely not forgotten by me. Me & my brother played this version at the Dentist's waiting room everytime we went. They had a PS2 kiosk set up for people to play on.

Just a note, the Dimps thing is a misconception. While Dimps was who worked on the daytime stage layouts, Sonic Team still did the rest. Also, did you know that the cinematic aspect ratio of the HD version's CG intro is a _crop?_ The 16:9 transfer of the SD version is the full frame as originally mastered.

As a kid, I only had the ps2. I freaked out when this game came out and cherished it.

Glad to see people covering this version of the game. This is the one I grew up with and I had no idea there was a different version. The first time I watched a video of the game, I was shocked at how different it was. I also never got very far in the game, I beat the egg beetle and that was it.

I REALLY like how boost is handled in Wii/PS2 Unleashed. Pretty much the opposite of “boost to win”, it’s much more of a risk/reward mechanic. Especially when going for those S ranks: you have to boost as much as possible, which means really optimizing where you can boost and streamlining your own play to get away with it in risky spots.

Heck yes I asked for this game. I remember staying up until 2 AM on Christmas playing it. I probably cried with joy. To this day, I'd still choose this version over the PS3/360. Also, both your acceleration and speed are tied to the number of rings you have. The boost is fine, I used to speedrun this game and that involved chaining the boost. It's very possible.

The way you described the PS2 story vs the PS3 / 360 story feels similar to how I feel about manga and anime. My wife doesn't read manga, but she does watch anime, so when she watches Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, or The Promised Neverland, or Bakuman with me there's always this niggling feeling in my mind that she's experiencing a compromised version compared to the manga.

Sonic Unleashed is such a great game. Best modern Sonic game in my opinion.

Idk where the “ps2 games around 2008 were usually in widescreen” thing came from, the ps2 library has pretty few games that support widescreen. It was kind of a rare novelty when a game had a 16:9 mode

Actually the game does have progressive scan, you just have to press and hold a combination of buttons when you boot the console and when the game finishes loading it will ask you if you wanna activate it.

In the PlayStation 2's defense barely any games supported 480p, I highly doubt any games after 2009 support it.

I actually grew up playing the ps2 version, loved it. Played it over and over as a kid.

What I love about the PS2/Wii version is the different art direction for each stage. Cool Edge for example is more outside on the HD version and more cave-like in the SD. Also the gaia gates, Lives system and Ranking system are superior IMO (also I honestly prefer the night levels in the SD version)

The unleashed ps2 model looks great something about the long hanging spikes gets me everytime

Good video. I always love hearing people talk about these "alternative" versions of games.

15:00 The differences in the controls shown here are done because this version of the game is optimized for the Wii Remote and Nunchuck. with this controller boosting and the light speed dash are done by shaking the wii remote and the slide, stomp and the drift are all mapped to z. just something i thought i should point out. Edit: 30:20 that's also why the werehog sprint is a double-tap.

Absolutely amazing video, Lemon. There's a lot of great things I can say about this video, but to avoid my comment becoming an essay, all I want to say is thank you for shedding more light on the PS2 port of Unleashed. It's such an interesting port and I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembers it.

Reading the title of the video and I'm like, "Forgotten? That's the version I've always played!" All the way back, in the ps2, and nowadays I'm still rocking it on an original Wii. Graphics may be outdated, but it does gives it some charm. It's still a banger of a game, and its really nice to see it getting recognized.

as a testament to how good this game is, this is the version I grew up on, and still loved the game lmao

I personally really liked the segmented boost gauge of the non HD versions. In my mind it turns getting good times/ranks a puzzle. As you have to make the most out of your boosts and in stages like eggman land you're using your first few attempts to learn the stage and see where you can squeeze boosts to lower your time

Grew up with the ps2 version, underrated

I bought this at a Car Boot sale a couple of months ago. I reserve the right to change my mind on this later, but at the moment I would say I personally prefer it to the PS3 version. I do like, and admire, the ambition of the HD game, and I like it on the whole too but there are certain parts of the hub world levels and warehog stages that I find a little tedious and frustrating. While I agree the controls on the PS2 game can be a bit wonky and a the slideshow hubworlds feel kind of cheap, I find it to be a more straightforward and fun experience on the whole. I'm an old man by Sonic fan standards, I can remember when Knuckles was added to the franchise and when Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog premiered on Channel 4, and my tastes lean pretty 90s too, so I may be looking for something a bit different than the fans who were kids when Unleashed came out. I'll have to pick up the Wii version some time. I believe at the time Unleashed came out, and certainly while it was in development, in addition to having a huge install base the PS2 was still outselling the PS3 most months, this being while the PS3 was still recovering from sluggish sales following the astronomical launch price (whereas a PS2 Slim could be picked up for around £100 new), so I can certainly understand why they made this.

The PS2 version was the first ever version of Unleashed I played, and I forgot how terrible the graphics were, but I still get tons of nostalgia from it. Also one thing to note is that the medals on the PS2 version do unlock bonus puzzle rooms in the gaia temples, something not on the HD version.

The PS2 version of this game is the first one I had gotten and I enjoyed it. And in a few months later I got the Wii version. I have the PS3 and the 360 version but I've never played them.

I'm new to this channel but hearing Green Hill from Sonic Chronicles immediately after the intro already tells me this is gonna be great; I unironically loved Chronicles and replayed it less than a week ago

you make videos going over things in depth so interesting! id love to see you discuss other stages in the franchise or maybe even different ports/obscure games

Circle is the punch button. Hold triangle and x during startup to activate progressive scan mode. Apreciate the video. Great bit of coverage on my favorite version of Unleashed.

This port really fascinates me in a peculiar way, and yet I do wanna try this PS2 version out one day along with Rayman Raving Rabbids on PS2, since the fact that I did grow up playing both those games on the Wii at a young lad age. I mean yeah, I would like it if the PS2 port was optimized and compressed loads better from it's technical side and merely everything else here and there to be almost like the Nintendo Wii version of the game(because, looking back at the port and everything it has going for on your video of all things is just... Yikes.), but like you had said, it is a fascinating piece of history of the hedgehog's life on the console. And I do wanna see much more people who are curious about it (like me) to check it out and discuss about the PS2 port of Unleashed and to go deeper as to why it's forgotten.

man i was looking for a video on this port as a old friend of mine used to have it while i had the 360 version great to see this!

Fun fact: the Wii/PS2 version is affectionately known by the fans as Sonic UnWiished.

As a kid I didn't even know there was a PS3/360 version of it, and I played the hell out of Sonic Unleashed on the PS2. I fucking loved it and I even played the WII version as well, its my favorite Sonic game, plus, in each Gaia temple there was locked doors that would open as you reached certain stars in Day and Night temples, that included really cool puzzles to play with both Sonic and Werehog Sonic. Needless to say, when I played the PS3 I was blown up by how much better it was.

Calling the PS2 Port “forgotten” is like not knowing there’s a plate of corn from Encanto. Not kidding.

I love this game so much I picked it up at a yard sale for $2 bucks and I always play it with my backwards compatible ps3

You forgot mentioning the mini obstacle courses found inside each of the Gaia temples, i thought that was cool back then. Anyways, great video. This version is basically my childhood, and both this game and Sonic Riders is what piques my interest in Sonic, and now i'm a big fan, 12 years later after playing it.

I dont know how to describe it, but it looks like a PS1, N64, Dreamcast, and PS2 game simultaneously.

This is delightful and uplifting. Thank you.

This was my childhood I grew up with the ps2 version of this game and I remember I thought it was awesome. I can imagine me probably not liking the 360/wii version off the game, because when you are like 9 years old and don’t know English it’s kinda hard to understand where you are supposed to go. The simplicity of the ps2 game probably helped me a lot. I didn’t even know there was a ps3/wii version off the game before I searched sonic unleashed online. This port will always have a special place in my heart.

One of the best Sonic Unleashed Videos I've ever seen, really liked the way you talked about the game. I REALLY love this game as well, I had my first contact with it in the PS2 version, when i got to play it on Xbox 360 and later on PS3 it just felt like I've entered a brand new world. Although I really like the PS2/Wii version, it is just not the same thing. Beyond all the points of what make this game amazing that you mentioned in the video, I fell like the Hub worlds in the HD version are something VERY underrated, I am glad you talked about it here, some of the sub-plots of helping people with their own problems are rad and really make the game world fell alive, like the one you help that Spargonia family to prepare a birthday party for a mother, have some good memories in those hubs.

This is the version I grew up with, and the only version I've played, I had no idea it was scaled back or anything. Must try it again sometime soon

"Even the Dreamcast games" proceeds to show Sonic Adventure DX for Gamecube/Ps2/PC

0:23 I’m here because I need a voice to keep me company while I eat breakfast and I don’t really cares who, your video just happened to show up in my recommended with a vaguely interesting title today

Dude I played the hell out of the game on the ps2 didn’t even know there was a ps3 version till like 5 years ago lol

I got the ps2 version but only got through the first few day levels. When it got to the night levels i didnt even get past the tutorial because of not knowing how to sprint. I can still hear chip say “move the left analog stick rapidly in the same direction twice to do a dash” my 8 year old self didnt know what that meant 😔

I loved the PS2 version as a kid, but eventually I looked it up on youtube around 2009 and saw how different it looked as well as the mysterious hub world and was so intrigued

This is how I played the game. I also played it on a crt, so it didn’t look nearly as crunchy.

My first ever game. EDIT: This was a very informative video. One thing you didn't cover though that I remember from back when I was 8 years old is how dark the cutscenes were, which this video reminded me of especially by comparison to the HD version. Your ranting about the graphics and SFX did make me think about whether this game being my first actually impacted my lack of care for graphical fidelity, but the SFX in my opinion were more satisfying in this version as opposed to the SD version. Case in point, how the basic strikes felt more punchy in the PS2 version of the night stages where they sound and feel weak in the PS3 version.

They should have done something like a pixelated SNES Zelda like topdown perspective hub world for each country. Would've been nice.

Fico feliz de mais pessoas citarem essa versão, foi a primeira que joguei de Unleashed seguida da de X360.

I have a lot of nostalgia for the PS2 version of Unleashed, back when the game as a whole was in development still I got really hyped for it from seeing the trailers, and then when I had finally saved up enough, the PS2 version was the first game I ever bought with my own money. I've had a lot of fun with it over the years, but I still haven't finished it to this day because I would always get stuck on the Dark Gaia Moray fight, but I would gladly replay some levels like the first few day stages and the Holoska stages. Edit 1: I despised the Werehog stages in the PS2 version, especially the later ones as they just took forever to get through (some taking me over 30 minutes to get through), but I much preferred how the level ups worked compared to the 360/PS3 version. Edit 2: The PS2 version does support Progressive Scan mode, but it's a popup that only shows up when starting the game from a fresh boot (in the US version at least).

I had the wii version way before the 360 version and weirdly enough i actually thought the wii and ps2 ones were the original and the 360 and ps3 versions were remasters that came out at a later date to the other two for the longest time i realised a bit later on they all came out at the same time which was mind-blowing because the graphical difference was unbelievable.

Damn no wonder it looks better than I remember and that it really looked like that on the ps2 lol. I would just play it all day

Sonic unleashed confused the hell out of me as a kid, I only had a ps2, so I bought the ps2 version, but eventually I visited someone with the ps3 version, and seeing them play almost a different game was wild. Glad to be older and know I'm not crazy lol

as a kid I only had this version and didn't even know there was a ps3 version, I thought it was ps2 only

I was quite poor as a kid. At the time I only had a PS2 and this was only version of the game I knew and played. I could really enjoy it.

,,Forgotten PS2 Port" I literally didn't know it even released on anything besides playstation. I have a trailer of it on demo disc

boss video man, watching this gave me proper nostalgia because of how the Wii version of sonic unleashed was my very first sonic game seeing footage of it and this PS2 version took me back hahaha great analysis as always, u can really tell this game was a cash grab on a system that couldn't handle it properly imo, would rather just play the Wii version

I remember I was FASCINATED with this game when I was a kid I played when I was about 5 or 6 years old and I played it on my PS2 and honestly I am so damn surprised this is what it looked like, I swear to god I remember this game like a 4K experience I thought it looked so good back then and I remember it so vividly, it’s surely just my memory and I was a kid back then I probably didn’t have high stardands and was just happy being able to play sonic, but man I really wish I could play it now on my pc

This is the version i had, never even knew the versions were different when i was young

Forgotten? Man this is where Unleashed started for me. Had to play through it again on the ps3 when I learned that there was another version on that console

you can cancel out of ps2 boost w/o jumping. you just press back on the stick. Each time you level up the boost gauge it maxes it out again. You can get some serious speed going. Boost is deemphasized but I wouldn't say it's solely for straight lines.

It's so weird. I had the Playstation 2 version as a kid and I didn't find out about the ps3 version until 2017. I honestly really enjoyed the ps2 version. I understand it's definitely probably not as good, but it's just odd to find out it's not that important in the grand scheme.

I played this game on the ps2 as well, I didn't have a ps3 that day and I got it cheap on the ps2 and I even managed to 100% it. it was so hilarious back then when I used to see the cinematics that was using the ps3 and Xbox 360 graphics on the ps2 port and couldn't believe that those was the ps3 version real time graphics. it looked almost like a Pixar film.

bro it was still fun ngl, i have so many memories of the PS2 version, last time i played it was relatively recent (like 2017 tho i only played for the nostalgia) and it was still fun

This was my first contact with Sonic Unleashed and no matter what people say, I will always love this version.

Your comment on reddit brought me here lol. Nice video. 🙂

I'll always support this version as much as the original, superior version. I've said it a million times but I love how the game tries to be different with things like the gameplay and visuals, I know I know, the graphics aren't that good but they still show the same environments but from its own perspective, you fight in giant trees in adabat at night, run and grind inside caves/temples at day, etc. As for the Werehog I love both versions, the PS3 more because it gives you the option to NOT upgrade your strentgth to ONLY get the moves, PS2 doesn't, it just forces you to one-shot enemies before you can do your favorite move. But the combat is still satisfying especially because you can cancel ANY ground attack by blocking, it makes the whole thing more fast paced and it's great. There's also the fact that when you grab something like a pole, it keeps the momentum from your jump so you can reach places you KNOW you can without having to necessarily touching anything

We had the PS2 version because we only had a PS2 and Wii back then. I bought it at Walmart with my Christmas money. We were then given the Wii version by a friend. We never beat it on either platform, made it to Eggmanland on PS2, and I honestly don’t remember where we were on the Wii. Very recently, I got Unleashed on the PS3, and finished it. A lot of the cutscenes actually make more sense playing the PS3 version. The mentioned cutscene with Chip and the camera made me go “OOOOOHHHHHHHH”. I glossed over Chip’s love of food in the ice cream cutscene, not realizing the game is trying to tell you to FEED HIM.

This was my favorite ps2 game of all time! Like of alll timee. The. Heroes. But unleashed for ps2 was my first experience and later on i played generations along with the mod to play unleashed stages. I felt the night stages were enjoyable to me as well. Especially once you got those crazy combos down pack. Playing I personally feel like i haven’t missed out on too much not playing the ps3 version. Did a good job as a port

This was the port I owned and I loved it. Then again I did play, enjoy, and beat Sonic Heroes on all 4 stories and Secret Ending before I bought this game.

I need to try this game tbh, the werewolf segments always kept me away tbh. it looks fun af in the Sonic parts but there werehog parts just seem to take up the pace. Anyways, what would you say the best way to play this is? I have the PS2 version in my collection, just never loaded it up before.. Wii version is probably sitting there too.. guess I'd need to break out my PS3? Or was there a PC version?

I was incredibly pissed, when I discovered, that there is an INSANE difference between the PS2 version and the other versions. BUT NOT IN PRICE! I bought a single bun for the price of a big mac. I get that this is ps2 etc etc, but COME ON

This was the first version I've played back in the day, and I loved it! I had no clue that the HD versions were different at the time. Since then, I've also played the PS3 version, and I can't really say which one I like more honestly. They both have their pros and cons : the HD versions are obviously prettier and have hubs and more levels overall, but the SD versions have better bosses and level design, as well as the Gaia temples. I'd say they're both worth a try, the HD version clearly has more content but it is also grindy as a result (especially for completionists), the SD version is more "condensed" but also feels like it's missing half of the levels (Mazuri only has a single level, Empire City is completely absent, etc...).

We have a lot of memorys of this game

I got the PS2 version of Sonic Unleashed back in 2008, and I still have it to this day. It's my most prized position when it comes to Sonic games. 😍

The only thing i hated about this version was the final boss and having to collect a million items in each stage to randomly get some keys for gates in the side puzzle rooms. Like seriously theres over FIVE HUNDRED OF THEM and i needed a guide so i could find them all Like, some of the keys you get just from playing stages normally but others are found in the side puzzle rooms but to get to said rooms you need medals, but what happens when you want to go to a puzzle room but don't have the medals? Play more stages. Well you may be at the final stretch like me and ask "well where are those stages, ive only got half the medals available in the game" to which i say "youre right, i didn't expect you to know that when you run out of stages before the final boss you need to collect a ludicrous amount of items between the day and night stages to get TWO KEYS which you have no other way of obtaining, not even through other side missions or the puzzle rooms up to that point". Which is bullcrap. Because youre not told that can happen the screen just randomly cuts to black twice to show you youve gotten keys. And what can trigger that? Who knows??? Like the items you collect in stages arent even the keys you just...get them sometimes, and i dont mean the ones for opening boss stages i mean the ones for side missions that can give you enough medals to 110% the game If you missed progression locking through REQUIRED content, well youre in luck because now theres progression locking behind OPTIONAL content, including a way to increase your max lives, a very valuable thing to increase as the crap controls in night stages are a leading cause of death Rant over

first sonic game i’ve ever had played it because my dad had a ps3 when i was born and this game so i played it and it was amazing i love it so nostalgic

the thing is the dimps version was made for motion controls for the wii and I will say the werehog with motion controls is really fun. Just remember that your arms will get really tired. That explains the lack of combos and maybe the sprint being double tap L3.

I used to own the ps2 version but my disk got messed up over the years. Now I can play it again thanks to free MC boot and it still is how I remember it

The PS2 Port was my first introduction to Sonic Unleashed and I swear it looked like the next gen ports

My dad came with this game one day, my very first sonic game and if it weren't for that ps2 port I'd never be the person that I am today. I'll forever be 100% grateful to that game.

I remember playing a demo of this at the Playstation Store in SF when I was a kid lol. I totally forgot this game existed.

Finally somebody talks about this I grinded the hell out of this as a kid

When I was growing up I played the ps2 version and don’t even recall seeing the ps3 version since no one I knew owned one at the time. This video was a wild trip and awesome nostalgia, I’ll have to boot up my ps2 and give it another play!

This is literally how I first experienced the game and I have nothing but fond memories. The wherehog levels were too bloated I remember but that’s it. Finally playing the PlayStation 3 version a few years later was just mind blowing!

No joke, this is the first version I played. My Father had a PS2 back in the day, so he got me this game. I did eventually get the HD edition (Which it's dumb that there's no PC release, but that's besides the point), but back then this was all I had to base off of. I thought it was pretty neat, despite it being a massive downgrade from the HD release. You could still talk to the locals in the SD version, it was just a little more static. The Gaia Temple interiors are nice too. It's a shame that there are slightly less levels, but it's not too big of a deal. The "Incremental" boost is kinda weird though. I think the medals being collected automatically is a nice touch. I never minded the medals in the HD version, but it's still nice. The levels from both versions are pretty good. Not being able to skip cutscenes isn't that big of a deal, 'cause I actually like the story of this game. I don't really care about no widescreen. The final boss, despite being different, is still pretty good. I haven't played the phone version though. I actually didn't know that Dimps and Sonic Team both did part of the development of this version. But yeah, I think this is my favorite Sonic game too, if not my favorite game of all time. And yes, the Wii/PS2 versions are pretty good too. Just slightly less HD, different levels, slightly different Werehog, slightly different boost, actual Gaia Temples, etc. I'd probably play it again. The differences between the Wii and PS2 versions are miniscule to me.

I played all the Sonic Unleashed versions surprisingly enough. Wii as a kid, PS2 again as a slightly older kid, and HD as of last year via RPCS3.

This was the version I grew up with. I was in my early teens at the time. This was the version I was hype for upon release because I didn't have a 360 at the time. My friends told me how much the 7th gen version was better so I ended up getting an Xbox the next year.

When I was little I never knew sonic unleashed was originally on the ps3 I always used to think it was from the ps2 only ( also because I never got any next gen consoles past my pirated ps2 ) When I got older and I found out about the ps3 version I couldn't believe what I was missing on

Here’s another thing about sprinting, though. On Wii, to my memory, Werehog Sonic also sprints if you continue moving after dropping from a small ledge. I could be wrong, but I remember losing lives from that a lot

I have incredibly fond memories of this version. Loved it and loved the -at that point- next gen version when I finally got my hands on a ps3

Ahh yes one of my very last blockbuster rentals

the sonic chronicles music in the beginning gave me childhood flashbacks 😩

Sonic Unleashed and Call of Duty World at War Final Fronts are the best games that I played on PS2 I passed real World at War on PC but I never passed master version of Unleashed. Only what I can do is pray for Unleashed to be free on PS4 like Journey.