Sonic Advance

The real star here is the game's link capabilities. The Chao Garden allows you to raise your little critters and upload them to the GameCube via the link cable and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Having one cartridge allows up to four GBA players to compete in one mini-game; there are also two additional mini-games that can be played if each player owns a cartridge. Although the single-player game is quite good, the link options give the title tremendous value.

The only notable problem stems from the series itself: there are still entirely too many cheap deaths that are a result of the title's high-speed gameplay. You'll find yourself zipping along a level only to be hit by an obstacle you had little chance of seeing, let alone avoiding. Ultimately, the only way to get past these hazards is to memorise where they are. This minor flaw doesn't detract from the game's excellent value, though. Sonic Advance offers a very good single-player game and some of the best link options of any GBA title. --Raymond M Padilla

Everything you would have liked about the old Sonic is back. The level designs, the power-ups, the cool music and gameplay that next-gen consoles lacked.

However fun the game is to play, it doesn't have much replay value. There are secret entrances in every level to the special stage and I only found one of them. Sorry, but I'm not going to replay every level looking for the special stages. The special stages themselves are kinda hard and there's no way I'd be able to get through all of them. Although turning into Super Sonic, as a result of winning them, would have been cool.

Included on this cartridge is the Chao Garden. If you have a link cable to your Gamecube and you have Sonic Adventure 1 or 2, you can transport your Chao onto your Gameboy and keep it as a sort of Tamagochi. When transporting them a pipe will appear on both screens and suck them up and plop them down. It's really quite cool and one of the few reasons to keep going back to the game.

Still, I will without a doubt be getting Sonic Advance 2 and 3, regardless.

Graphics A
Sound A
Gameplay A
Lasting Appeal C


Classic Sonic Gameplay   July 9, 2004
Mark Foy (Fife, Scotland)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

First of all, Sonic The Hedgehog games are always best in 2-D, because this was Sonic that created the term of "Platform" games.

As a true Sonic fan, I love the originals and this just gives you what you want. It is brilliant to be able to play as Sonic and Tails once again in 2-D but we also get powerful Knuckles and sweet little old Amy to play with as well.

As usual Sonic has the power of the speed with hiugh powered jumps and spin attacks. Sonic can obiviously get to place that need speed and can clear an act quickly. Only Sonic and Amy can ride the grinders as Tails and Knuckles have their flying abilities.

Tails is just always Tails. A good runner with the ability to fly and good jumping skills. Tails is usually the person that can get to the most hidden places and secrets in the game. Also, Tails can attack using his tails but since Tails cannot fly underwater, he gain the ability to swin which is really handy if anyone remembers the Labirinth (sp?) zone in the first Sonic.

Knuckles introduces a whole lot of new controls for the game play. Krucles can glide over the level which is useful for get over spikes and what not. But Knuckles can also grab and climb walls which can really save you at times. Knuckles lets his fist do the talking which makes him a bit slowly but he is one of the best characters when fighting Eggman (Robotnik).

Last but not least is Amy. Now, Amy may be the slowest character and is not a very good jumper but her Piko Piko Hammer makes up for this. Amy can do many things with her weapon as she can use it in the air, do double hits with it and even use it as a protection shield. But one really useful thing is, that Amy can go flying high if she hits a spring with her hammer. This can get her to reach extremely hard to get places.

The zones are very colourful and has lots of tricks and trap and power ups but also has lots of high speed action. Special stages introduce many new ways of how to clear them and they are very well hidden so you'll have to look for them.

As usualy you'll only get the secret ending if you collect all seven Chaos Emeralds but this is Sonic we are talking about.

To close this review, I'm offering a cheat.

If you want to get Tails following Sonic like in Sonic 2 and 3...here's what you have to do.

At the character selection screen, prees up at Sonic, then move to Tails and press down, then go to Knuckles and press L and finally to Amy and press R. Then go to Sonic and selected him, if you hear a sound which is like you are collecting a ring at the stage selection, Tails will follow Sonic wherever he may go.

Just one thing, Tails rules! ^_^


Disappointed   May 10, 2004
2 out of 5 found this review helpful

Was a big fan of Sonic on the Megadrive and so tried this for my GBA, was very disappointed and returned it the next day for Super Mario Advance 4!!! Game play is very fast and it takes luck not skill to progress. I think you could move as quickly through the game with your eyes closed. Often, completely unavoidable spikes and other obstacles appear in your track. Using the springs etc that are in the levels often plunges you to your death, leaving the player not trusting the tools that the game provides. Again, this game is more about luck than skill. Pointless. Suitable for young kids. everyone else, I recommend Mario!!