Sonic Advance Review

The transition from video game super power to just another publisher is rather harsh, especially for a company like Sega. I am still not used to playing Sega titles on Xbox and PS2, let alone the GCN, considering that Nintendo and Sega were rivals for somewhere around 10+ years. It seems as if Sega has become everyone’s new “best friend� sort of; Panzer Dragoon Orta for Xbox, Shinobi for PS2, Sonic Mega Collection, Sonic Adventure DX: Director’s Cut, and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle for the GCN, and Sonic Advance and Sonic Advance 2 for the GBA. Sega has most definitely been sleeping with the big three over the past two years, but only to gain some much needed revenue that it lost from both the Saturn and Dreamcast. Today I look at Sonic’s first experience on a Nintendo system, Sonic Advance for the Game Boy Advance.

Many of the ideas from Sonic Advance were taken from the Sonic the Hedgehog series on the Genesis. Established in 1991, Sonic has been a household name for years. Sonic Advance adds some flavor to the ill-faded Sonic license, which is needed more than ever after the demise of the Dreamcast. Sonic Advance takes you through 12 different levels in 6 separate environments.

Sonic has debuted on two other handhelds (that I know of), the Game Gear and NeoGeo Pocket Color, both systems of which failed. The Game Gear version sported sub-par graphics compared to that of its Genesis counter-part, but Sonic Advance actually improves on the Genesis titles. Don’t worry, there are numerous corkscrews, jumps, and springs to keep your furry friend entertained, while still being sure to have no blur whatsoever.

As in all Sonic games, your goal is to reach the end of the level unharmed. If you take a hit from an enemy, simply pick up some coins (all you need is one) and you will survive. Get hit without any coins and you will immediately die and either restart the level or start from a check point.

You will notice instantaneously that many of the levels from Sonic the Hedgehog were redone in Sonic Advance. The most obvious one is the casino level, which sends our hero bouncing around in a pinball machine-type-thing. Sonic without a casino? Oh please, give me a break! It wouldn’t be a Sonic game if it weren’t for the same level rehashes over and over, and yet we still love this blue hedgehog.

As for the game, you can play as Sonic, which will take you only two hours or less, which leads you to believe that it isn’t worth the $25 price tag. Good thing is, there are three other characters to choose from, Knuckles, Amy, and Tails. Unfortunately, you will have to go through the same exact 12 levels with these characters. The only difference is, they all have their own technique. Tails can fly, Knuckles can climb the side of walls, and Amy…well…she’s about useless. In the end, there is enough speedy action (from Sonic that is), that makes this game worth buying. I’m sure that you can get it for $20 or less in the used section by now, but anyway, I highly recommend this game to any Sonic fan.