Vectorman 2 was developed by BlueSky Software and published by Sega for the Genesis in North America on 15 November 1996. Development was rushed because the Genesis was near the end of its life: Keith Freiheit took over from the first game's main programmer, Richard Karp, and the team built the sequel on the original engine. It became one of the last games Sega published for the console.
The game has 22 levels, up from 16 in the first game, though they are shorter and smaller. Defeating certain enemies transforms Vectorman, for example into a scorpion that can cross hot surfaces or a rhinoceros beetle that rams enemies, and Jon Holland returned to compose a more varied electronic soundtrack.
The game was not re-released until Sonic Gems Collection in 2005, followed by Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection and the Sega Genesis Mini 2. Several attempts at a Vectorman 3 were cancelled.1
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Vectorman 2 | Genesis | Nov 15, 1996 | Sega | 1 |
| WW | Sonic Gems CollectionCompilation | Other | 2005 | Sega | 1 |
| WW | Sonic's Ultimate Genesis CollectionCompilation, also on PS3 | Xbox 360 | 2009 | Sega | 1 |
| WW | Sega Genesis Mini 2Plug-and-play console | Other | 2022 | Sega | 1 |
Box art by region
NA Vectorman 2
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Reception
Reviewers praised how far it pushed the Genesis, especially the graphics, animation and bosses, and Electronic Gaming Monthly named it Genesis Game of the Year. It was still seen as weaker than the first game because of its small levels, and it struggled commercially against the Donkey Kong Country sequels.1
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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