Sonic Hacking Contest 2022 is live right now

As of Monday, October 20th 2022, Sonic Hacking Contest 2022 is now open, with all the many fan hacks and mods developed by some of the most creative Sonic fans out there ready to try. There are tons of mods from every Sonic game from the original Genesis classic to Sonic Forces, all of which change up each game in many creative ways. Some of them even create a brand new experience off of the foundation of a classic Sonic game you may be well familiar with already from start to finish. Even if you don’t have time to try every game for yourself, (And there are already so many that you most likely don’t have that kind of time. After all, I’m still going through some games from this year’s Sonic Amateur Games Expo.) many online content creators have been streaming these games throughout the week, including favorites like Blue Vivacity, Sam’s Procrastination Station, SomeCallMeJohnny, MegaGWolf, and up-and-coming YouTube personality Chaomix.

Since this is a contest, the creators of each of these mods are also being judged on their creations. Everyone is encouraged to vote for each of their favorite mods in a variety of prestigious awards, so if any of them has you particularly impressed, make sure you vote for it in whatever award it may be nominated for.

See beyond the break for a few of my personal highlights of this year’s mods. Otherwise, click here to check out the website to download these mods for yourself or to see who is currently streaming.

Sonic Forces Re-imagined – SHC 2022 Demo

Many fans believe Sonic Forces to be a bit of a disappointment, to put it mildly. Even those who did enjoy the game are mostly in agreement that it was an undercooked experience, with levels too simple and short. Sonic Forces Re-imagined is the labor of fans like brandonj acting on their frustration with the game’s levels as they originally were by rearranging them to be a bit longer and more challenging by changing the placement of objects, items, and enemies, and by adding in new paths, events, and custom objects and terrain. This mod also includes a special save file with all Avatar cosmetics and Wispon weapons unlocked, just so you can immediately recreate your Avatar character you may have already used in the original version of the game for levels that require him or her. Even as someone who is very familiar with the dedication of Sonic fans who mod the games, this is an especially impressive undertaking. Of course, it is not yet complete, so only six levels are available, including those from the 2020 and 2021 demos, but seeing what was already done already shows a delightful alternative look at the game. Regardless of your opinion of Sonic Forces, if you already own the game on Steam anyway, this is worth a try.

*Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – Anniversary Edition – Pink Update

Have you realized that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 turned 30 years old this year? SophieDude has, and they have created a special enhancement romhack of this beloved classic for you to re-experience it in an all new light. This is not it’s first showing at SHC, but this year’s update is a big one. It now includes Amy Rose as a playable character option, who uses her Piko Hammer in a moveset that will be very familiar to anyone who’s played the Sonic Advance trilogy. There is also an updated hard mode as well as some dialogue from Dr. Eggman following his defeat during boss fights. Other updates from previous showings include Hill Top Zone being accessible in 2P mode, the option to play the 8-bit Sonic 2 soundtrack with a 16-bit FM makeover, and Cyber City and Hidden Palace Zones available in the main game. If you’ve played Sonic 2 to death in it’s original form, either on Genesis or as part of the many Sonic and Genesis game compilations released over the years, this should provide a fresh new experience to help appreciate the game further as it celebrates 30 years on this planet.

SM64 Generations

For one of the strangest mods showcased in the contest, here is a Sonic Generations mod that allows you to play as Mario as he appeared and functioned in his own first 3D adventure from the Nintendo 64, courtesy of Skyth, best known for creating the Better FX Pipeline, also for Sonic Generations. Now you can go through the game as Mario, who can only run at a fraction of Sonic’s top speed, but you can make use of his impressively large swath of maneuvers from Super Mario 64 to find your way past obstacles that Sonic could normally navigate with the greatest of ease. Mario also has access to some of his special hats from Super Mario 64, such as the Wing Cap which lets him soar through the air. When that isn’t enough, don’t be afraid to exploit certain glitches to progress in ways only a Mario 64 speedrunner could. For Nintendo fans looking for an unusual challenge, this is for you.

Note: This one not only requires ownership of Sonic Generations on Steam, but also a US NTSC copy of a Super Mario 64 rom file. I’ll trust you have a perfectly legal copy of one at your disposal.

Customizable Sonic

Speaking of Sonic Generations, Lady_Lunanova has created an homage to generations of different outfits from each of Sonic’s short-lived stints of wearing something other than just sneakers and gloves. While it doesn’t change the gameplay in any meaningful way, this lets you mix and match several different articles of clothing and accessories that adorned Sonic throughout the decades. Want to dress him in his SOAP shoes from Sonic Adventure 2? (And can’t wait a month to do it in Sonic Frontiers?) Go right ahead. Wanna put him in his Phantasy Star Online-like bonus outfit also from Sonic Adventure 2? No problem. Itching to give him his Bounce Bracelet or Flame Ring from that same game? How about the Gravity Bracelet from Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity? The Werehog Cleats from Sonic Unleashed? Perhaps his Link costume from the Legend of Zelda tribute DLC from Sonic Lost World or even his fanmade Beat costume, based on the Jet Set Radio character? Knock yourself out. This is possible with a new Fitting Room option that can be pulled up anytime during gameplay with the Select/Back/- button. Use this to create interesting screenshots, which you can share online however you may, use in YouTube video thumbnails, create silly memes, or to create reference images for fan artwork. Otherwise, you can just play the game normally, but with a new look for Sonic.

Frozen Hill

Want something new for Sonic Generations? Here’s a brand new level, not directly based on any existing level from any other Sonic game. Created by first-time Generations level mod designer Nikauu, Frozen Hill is an arctic paradise navigated by Modern Sonic and full of ice crystals, twisting grind rails, large stretches of freezing water, and Eggman submarines deploying lots of badniks. The level is full of branching paths to explore and has five red rings scattered about to look for, just like the original levels of Generations. For a first time effort, the level shows some incredible creativity and challenge. Make the time to give this one a go if you’re looking for a new, completely original level to explore.

Modern Sonic Adventure 2 v6: The Trial [SPEED STAGE DEMO]

This is an enhancement mod for Sonic Adventure 2 HD, created by a team of modders led by -[Dexterity[-, better known as MentorDex. While it is still an ongoing development, with this demo only showcasing the Sonic/Shadow stages as the title implies, it does add the option to play as Amy in any of these levels. On top of that, you’ll find many new visual and audio effects, improved sound mixing, familiar remixes of stage themes in place of the original songs, bugfixes, and new character models and animations. The overall goal is for this to be a modern reimagining of Sonic Adventure 2 and a definitive way of experiencing the game with a fresh presentation, while still keeping it recognizable to the original Dreamcast classic. It will be a bit unstable in certain areas, and you may have to download some other Sonic Adventure 2 mods you might not already have and configure them a certain way for it to work, but like Sonic 2 Anniversary Edition above, this should provide a fresh new experience for Sonic Adventure 2 fans that may enhance your appreciation of the game and it’s legacy.

*Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts

Here is a brand new Sonic experience built off of Sonic 1 that is still work-in-progress, Created by a team of modders named Neo Team Kyukyoku, Isle of Magnetic Artifacts places Sonic in a single level called Blossom Gardens Zone, which is based off of Japanese forest shrine settings. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are all playable, but Sonic has new, unique sprites and is armed with the Drop Dash ability. He is also joined by a new companion named Abbey the Flicky. Abbey cannot be controlled, but they will help Sonic by picking up nearby rings and pointing him toward hidden items. There’s a lot or potential in this brand new retro adventure, so hop in and see what Neo Team Kyukyoku has planned for Classic Sonic. Be sure to check out the sound test in the options menu to hear some extra brand new songs and arrangements not available through normal gameplay for a hint on what the team has in store for future updates.

* donates games coming in the form of Genesis rom files. You can play these in your favorite Genesis/Mega-Drive emulator or use a flash cartridge, such as the Mega Everdrive line, to play on original hardware.

These are just seven highlights from the contest, but there are many other impressive entries for you to check out for yourself. Don’t forget to check out the “Expo” page on the SHC website as well for extra mods which are either not as ambitious as the ones entered into the contest or are just joke mods designed for some cheap laughs. These include a Spanish translation for Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, a Russian translation for Sonic & Knuckles, a Sonic 1 hack letting you play as Klonoa, the central character of the Bandai-Namco game series of the same name, a hilarious “Chaos” mod for the original Nintendo Gamecube version of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, and a proof-of-concept Sonic 1 mod placing Sonic in the environment of the original Metroid game from NES.

You can also look at the “Vault” page to check out the many mods from previous years of SHC.

Be sure to tell us all about your favorite mods in the comments below and, once again, don’t forget to vote for your favorite mods in the contest.