| |||||
Nor does the game feel dated in any way due to the gameplay aspect. Playing Sonic Advance brings back all those memories of playing Sonic the Hedgehog on your own Mega Drive, and still hits you with a fresh new experience which funnily enough you don't seem to get when playing SA2. The main reason for this may be the sudden realisation that you are actually playing a Sonic game on a teeny tiny handheld, with the graphical quality of a cross between a Mega Drive and a Sega Saturn.
All the animations that you see make you thank god you were born, let along thank god you bought the game. Completing Act 1 will get your character to do a little pose while running (Sonic will give you the peace sign, Tails will wave etc). But its not just after a level that it gets impressive. Each move is pant-wettingly cool to see that sometimes it's better to watch someone play it rather than play the game yourself. Then there's the bosses. Yes, Eggman does make an appearance, at the end of every Second act of each Zone, in various different guises, as you would expect. Each level the bosses get harder, so you have to stay on your feet.
And, yet again, there's the little problem of getting the Chaos Emeralds. Everyone should know about these gems by now but for those new to the Sonic scene (hey, there's gotta be some Nintendo fans out there not knowing the background to Sonic) Chaos Emeralds are powerful gems that contain ultimate power. If all 7 Emeralds are collected, then the holder can cause either peace or chaos. Eggman wants these for chaos, obviously. Sonic has to collect these (but any other character can too) to stop Eggman getting them instead. Where are they?
The VS mode is a pure joy to behold! Get a mate or three with a copy of Sonic Advance each and link up for two multi-player options - a straight race to the end of any completed level, or a Chao Hunt, in four exclusive multi-player specific levels. In this mode players look for a flying Chao, and the player holding it at the end of the timer wins - however if you get hit by another player, they steal it off of you. It's sheer unadulterated pleasure, and make no mistake. If only one of you has Sonic Advance, then you can still link up for a solo-pak exclusive muli-player, where up to four players collect as many rings, or steal as many rings from others, as we have found most pleasing, within the time limit. The final option however, is something rather special indeed.
You can buy food and extra items from the shop select screen. You can enter this by pressing L button. You can see all sorts of fruit and other items such as trumpets and eggs to buy. But, to buy them you need rings. You can use the rings you collect in the Main Game, or to get an extra bit of cash on the side, you can play the mini games available to you. To access this, simply press A button on either one of the Game Boy Advance logos you can see at the top of the screen. Each one is a different mini game. The two you get from the start are memory games and match up games, in which you can win rings for. You'll need to collect a lot for the eggs and trumpet though. As your child grows up it will begin to talk to you, much like in Chao Adventure on your VMU, only it makes a little more sense. Not much, but still. It's a nice little addition, and what's more, when Sonic Adventure 2 Battle comes out, you can use Sonic Advance as a replacement for a VMU, so you can train your current Chao now, bring it to 3D on SA2B, or raise chao on SA2B and send them to your GBA for your current chao to have someone to talk to.
However refreshing this game may be to play, there are a few dents in the armour of this otherwise excellent must buy. First of all, the sprite rotation is all well and flashy when you zip a loop-de-loop, but it doesn't half make the game look a tad 'bitty' at times, although that's hardly noticeable once you get into the game. The real problem comes as a Sonic Team standard in 2D Sonic games - it's just too damn easy. Even on 'Normal' setting, you'll whizz past this game if you are experienced in the field of Sonic gamesplaying (don't expect mercy on the last Special Stage however!). But maybe when Sonic Adventure 2 Battle arrives on GameCube, it'll show that there's more latability to this game than meets the eye. Still, however easy it is, once you complete it about ten times, you're still going to want to play it for that high-speed platforming fix that only Sonic can provide, and that in my eye, is a winning formula. Sonic Advance - the best 2D outing I have seen. Ever. Get it if you have a GBA. If you don't, shell out for a Game Boy Advance simply to have this game. Sonic the Hedgehog has not only beaten Mario at his own game, but he's beaten Mazza at his own game on his own console! Sonic fans rejoice, the blue one's here to stay!
Sonic Score: 7 out of 10!
Agree? Disagree? Submit your own review!
Sonic the Hedgehog makes his debut on the small screen, and Sonic Team seem to be loving their presence on the Game Boy Advance, after the greatness that was 'Chu Chu Rocket!', released December 2001 in the UK.
Now their mascot wants a piece, and this will link up with Sonic Adventure 2 Battle on the GameCube, via the GC-GBA link up cable, for the special Chao Gardens, 'Tiny Chao Garden'. The gameplay much akin to the classic Sonic games we all grew up with and loved during the Mega Drive days, and a much better and complex version of Chao Adventure in raising your little cutey creatures on your GBA. An absolutely brilliant blast to the past!
Sonic makes his first appearance on the Game Boy Advance, and it's about flippin' time! Everybody's been waiting, anticipating this since the GBA was released. And now, I can finally tell you how well it plays. Many people may think that a return to the 2D Platforming venture for Sonic is not a good idea, especially seeing the greatness of Sonic Adventure 2. Well, don't even think about comparing the two, as they are meant to work together, on GBA and GameCube!
But once you actually turn on the Game Boy you realise that this won't be the same 2D games that were around the Mega Drive et al. Sure, the gameplay will always be there, but being on a 32-Bit handeheld, you would think that Sonic Team would use the technology to their advantage, and would the change from 3D back into 2D work well? Fret no more, I guarantee as soon as you start playing the game, your jaw will drop. The gameplay is identical to previous Sonic games, and this is only a good thing, as many people want a new platform Sonic adventure with that quality Sonic Team 'feel' to it.
There are five options to choose from as soon as you hit that Start button. 'Game Start' lets you play the normal game as one of four characters, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles or Amy. Each have their own special attributes and characteristics. Pressing the A button will make your character jump (obviously), and pressing it again in mid air will have a different effect (expect for Amy). Sonic does his famous split second shield, Tails flies and Knuckles Glides. Knuckles can climb onto walls also. B button is your attack move, and pressing it in quick succession makes your character do a flash attack move. And of course, there is the Spin Dash, only available to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles - Amy does a Hammer Flip with the same button combination. L and R seem to do nothing, while Start obviously pauses your game. Really, you'll be hard pushed to actually complete the level, as the character animations are excellently designed.
In the Special stages littered about the levels. In each level there should be one special odd-looking spring, all red and stuff. Bounce on that and you'll be taken to a special stage, on a surfboard, and the level starts, to play for a Chaos Emerald. The premise of the Special Stages are much like Sonic 2 for the Mega Drive - Collect a certain amount of rings that pass you in the Zone. Collect enough and you can proceed to the next part. In the end, you will get enough to grab the emerald. It is very much more difficult this time however, as since you are on a surfboard falling through the zone, it is difficult to tell where exactly the rings are, so even though you may be in the relevant direction, you have to be spot on to get them all. Pressing A button makes you do a little spin, which may be used to speed the direction you want to go, as the rings soon come thick and fast. Collect all seven for... a surprise. I don't even need to tell you what. SuperSonicFan#1 will be pleased though...
'Tiny Chao Garden' as it is called now, is a special little adventure in itself, where you start off with a Chao Egg and you have to raise it al by yourself. Pressing A does the actions and selecting - On the Chao you can pet it, and it will love you back (if it is in the mood), press A on the two GBA's at the top of the screen and you will access the mini games, and on the shop select screen, you can select what to buy with A button. At the right hand side you can see your Chao's name (which you can change by selecting the name with A button) it's age (given in generation terms, whether your chao is a 'Baby' or 'Adult') It also gives you your Chao's standard stats from Sonic Adventure and SA2 (Fly, Power, Swim, Run, and Stamina, now also given in levels) and two extra stats, 'Mood' and 'Belly'. 'Mood' tells you whether it is in a good mood or not, strangely enough ^_^ and 'Belly' tells you how hungry it is or how much it has eaten.
See other Sonic Advance Sections
'SSNG' © Dread & Andrew. 'Dreadknux' and 'The Sonic Stadium' © Svend VJ. 'Sonic News' is © Andrew P. Content © SVJ/AP. Sonic the Hedgehog © Sega.
