Vectorman 2 was released in 1996 for the Sega Genesis, which technically makes this one of the last Sega Genesis games. And you can see Vectorman rocking out in celebration. When this game was released, the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were already on the market. Technically this is one of the strongest offerings on the mighty 16‑bit Sega Genesis. Vectorman is a remarkable accomplishment, harnessing the power of blast processing to bring you visuals that look like this. Wow.

The question is whether the rest of the game lives up to its technical prowess and its stunning graphics and art design. I’m a huge fan of the original Vectorman. I think it’s remarkable, and maybe it’s just me, but I feel like the developers got right to the end of this game and cut it off short since it was released at the tail end of the Genesis life cycle. It’s so close to being great, but not quite there. The level designs are awkward and unbalanced, and that really impacts your adventure through the game.

Some of the forest levels are too dark compared to the rest of the visuals. Level three is enormous. There’s a mechanic where Vectorman can absorb enemy attacks, kind of like Kirby. There’s a temporary Rhino power that lasts about fifteen seconds, and later in the game you can play as a tank. Vectorman 2 follows the original Vectorman, one of the most ambitious Sega Genesis releases. I recommend the sequel, but don’t expect it to be as good as the original.

It’s fun to see what the developers were able to pull out of the Genesis so late in its life. Some of the levels are downright remarkable, and I love that one end boss that looks like you’re trying to tune in old‑fashioned television. The game is fun and the gameplay is very similar to the original Vectorman. Some of the levels provide ample opportunities for exploration and collecting all the orbs and additional life containers.

Vectorman 2 won’t cost you very much. It’s actually a pretty affordable game, and you can even find it on many of the Sega Genesis collections like Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection. This is one of those series and one of those characters that I’m sad to see vanish into obscurity, because Vectorman clearly had a lot of potential. For those looking for more challenge, Vectorman 2 is harder than the original. There are numerous scenes where you really have to stay alert.

I’m playing this with SCART cables from RetroGamingCables.co.uk, and the game looks and sounds great. This is the last release in the Vectorman series. I recommend it for Genesis and Mega Drive fans. It has replay value, interesting level design, and point multipliers. Maybe someday we’ll get Vectorman 3 on the Sega 32X or a vector‑based console like the Vectrex. Until then, this is the progression of the Vectorman experience.