Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2866 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Atari
• Released on: 2002-03-08
• Platform: Game Boy Advance

Amazon.co.uk Review
Although it will seem very familiar to long-time Sonic fans, Sonic Advance is an entirely new creation that's been built from the ground up. The gameplay, graphics, and sound borrow from the classic Sonic games on the Megadrive and are successfully translated to the Game Boy Advance. The game's single-player modes are relatively short, 2-D platform rounds--each run takes two to three hours--but replay value is added through the game's various characters. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy each have different abilities that make getting through the game a different experience.

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

Manufacturer's Description
The latest action game in the Sonic series features fast-paced horizontal-scrolling action, which will take many fans back 10 years to the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Developers SonicTeam have maintained the overwhelming sense of speed, adding interesting stages which lend themselves to exploration, bonuses, and a host of bizarre characters that help make up Sonic's world. Utilising the four available characters you can run, dash, grind, climb, punch, swing and fly to help you navigate the stages. A link cable will give you access to multiplayer challenges for up to four players and you'll also be able to transfer Chao data with Sonic Adventure 2 Battle on the GameCube.

Customer Reviews

Go Sonic!
This is one of the best games for the gbadvance I have played! The gameplay is similar to the old sonic games. The controls are very easy to use. The graphics are brilliant, and are very colourful and lively. The only downside to the main game is that it's a little too short, although, once you've completed the game with one chaaracter, you can try completing the game with 3 others.
The multiplayer is also brilliant, and you only need to use one game cartridge to hook up to 4 players. My friends and I became addicted to the multiplayer!
Another extra to the game is the Tiny Chao Garden, which is where you can look after your very own cute little pet. You can play games to earn coins to be able to buy food and toys for it. The Tiny Chao Garden feature is also linkable to the Game Cube sonic game.
This game is brilliant for anyone who owns a gameboy advance!

mario beat on his own turf !!!
Sonic advance is the best sonic game, that has ever been made, no question!! It even manages to out perform the amazing sonic 2 on the mega drive. Believe me, if you want a platformer for yer advance, then leave mario and rayman behind and get sonic. There are 4 characters to play as, either Sonic, Tails, Amy orKnuckles, they all play through the levels in different ways and have a variety of moves. The speed is amazing and the advance handles it with no problem at all, THERE IS NEVER ANY SLOWDOWN!!

The music and sound effects are also very good, comprising of new and remixed tunes, with the invincibility sound effects still remaining.
The graphics are also very nicely done and the animations for the characters moves and their finishing poses add even more to the atmosphere.
There are many modes of play, such as time attack, normal mode,vs and you can even raise a chao and then transfer it back and forth to the GAMECUBE!! The lifespan of this game is endless, as the time attack is very addictive and if you've got a mate with the game then it will last forever.

Every single zone is also designed perfectly by the sonic team, with the usual set of loops, springs and speed pads that have made sonic so COOL in the past

SONIC TEAM have returned sonic to his 2d roots and have succeeded in PURE STYLE !!

...if you are a sonic fan, then this is a game for you...
if you are a sonic fan, then this is a game for you. its like the old mega drive game, with smoother much more groovy graphics. it may not do much for those who like sonic adventure on Dreamcast but it shows off the GBA again, and thats what we want!

for me, sonic was always better than mario. faster, cooler and no plumbers in sight! (sorry Nintendo fans) thats one of the reasons i would choose this over mario or wario. the graphics are smoother and curvier, the music is great, and the game somehow keeps pulling you in for another try at finishing it. YOU WON'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN! the games strongest point however, is the speed it travels at. blink and you smash into a bad guy, loosing all your rings! you'll almost become sonic as you run upside down through a loop-the-loop. its that quick.

theres no downers about this game, even when you finish it you'll just start again!

so, forget mario, pinobee and rayman, wait for sonic and have the most fun for ages!