Thoughts and questions about Gameboy Sonic Advance Titles?

[NintendoMan]

Hey everyone. Just had a quick question to ask. I needed your opinions on Sonic Advance titles for the gameboy advance. (I ask this now because Sonic Advance 3 is coming out this week isn't it) I just realized that for some reason, with the HUGE sonic fan I am, is that I have never played Sonic Advance 1 + 2. And now that 3 is already coming out.
Are they any good?
Are they like the original 2-D sonic's off the genesis?

I guess I just overlooked them because of the price. I have about 20-30 GBA titles and there pretty much all remakes. (Mario Advances, etc.) Except I do have a few original RPG's. (Mario + Luigi, FF Tactics) So I guess I just overlooked them because of the price. I don't like spending $25+ on games I don't know if I will like for sure. And you can't rent GBA games, well around here anyway.
But just wanted everyone's opinion who has played them. If they are recommended, I will probably go to the local Toys R Us this week to get them all.
THANKS! :D

[Bratwurst]

Be prepared for many complaints along the lines of them not being true to 'old-school'. Those people are on crack.


Are they any good?

Yes.


Are they like the original 2-D sonic's off the genesis?

Yes and no. Stylistically Sonic Advance 1 is more reminiscent of Sonic Adventure, in Sonic Advance 2 the backgrounds have a more geometric throwback to them. Both of them are just as fast as the Genny games, I've had the 'camera' chase me playing catch-up a few times.

[Ed Oscuro]

If it ain't 16-bit it's CRAP!

Speaking of which: a fun, slightly off-topic (actually, VERY, if you don't feel like reading a humorous but serious take on logic via Scottishisms) read is here. (http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?NoTrueScotsman)

That said, no classic gamer can stand the newer Sonic games.

To be back on topic, though, I look at the new Sonic designs and they're both very sweet and cute and at the same time I can't really take it. :o

So that means - I'm a graphics whore :P

S'pose I gotta cross me fingers and hope I don't retch at the first DS game I see J:P

[Crush Crawfish]

I think the sonic advances are pretty good, but they made them too complicated. There's some parts where you have to do weird special move thingies to jump farther and stuff...I just wanna run real fast dammit! They're good games, but not close to the greatness of the genesis sonics.

[Daniel Thomas]

The first Sonic Advance was a little better than average, but nothing really special. I was willing to look the other way, since it was the first 2D Sonic game since the Genesis, and Sonic Team were no doubt trying to re-school themselves. It's not a bad game, really, just generic and a little uninspired.

Sonic Advanture 2 was far better. You could tell ST spent time playing around with the Sonic classics and they picked up on that vibe again. It just plays like a Sonic game should, and I don't think there's been a great Sonic game since Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

I still wish Sega would port the 16-bit Sonics, and I really wish we could get some new environments besides the tropical forest zone, carnival zone, factory zone, etc. Let's hope the new game is up to snuff.

[chrisbid]

i think the biggest difference is in the music. its not as obnoxious as the Sonic Adventure games, but it isnt as charming as the genesis games either.

overall, if you find any of the games at a good price, then pick them up

[Querjek]

They games are pretty good... but Sonic Advance 2's levels are very long.


The one thing that bothers me about the SAdv games (Other than the special stages and how difficult it is to access them) is that whenever you are going on a loop, your sprite is rotated. It looks nice but I find it annoying as the true Sonic games had specific sprites for that.

[Pedro Lambrini]

I still wish Sega would port the 16-bit Sonics.

They have ported ALL the 16 bit Sonics to the 'Cube! It's called the Sonic Mega Collection...Maybe it's not out on NTSC though - I don't know for sure. But I own it on PAL and it's pretty cool! You have to complete certain games to open others though!!

As for the Sonic Advance games, yeah I find them a little uninspired, maybe I'm just jaded! They would make good budget price games to pick up though!

[NintendoMan]

I still wish Sega would port the 16-bit Sonics.

They have ported ALL the 16 bit Sonics to the 'Cube! It's called the Sonic Mega Collection...Maybe it's not out on NTSC though - I don't know for sure. But I own it on PAL and it's pretty cool! You have to complete certain games to open others though!!

As for the Sonic Advance games, yeah I find them a little uninspired, maybe I'm just jaded! They would make good budget price games to pick up though!

Yes, it is made in NTSC format. I picked up my copy of Sonic Mega Collection on launch day. EXCELLENT GAME. I wish more things were ported to the GC and not just the GBA. Games just look so much better with a full screen on the GC.

[NintendoMan]

They games are pretty good... but Sonic Advance 2's nice but I find it annoying as the true Sonic games had specific sprites for that.

THANKS! I think I will pick up sonic advance 2, but will definatley pick up 1 + 3 when the prices fall.

[TheRedEye]

I just wrote a four-page review for Sonic Advance 3, which I will now attempt to paraphrase in one paragraph.

Sonic Advance 3 continues Sonic Team's uphill battle to rekindle the magic of the originals. It's getting there, but I'm still not feeling the almost poetic flow the old ones had. The teamup system works well, and is a lot more unobtrusive than you think; your teammate is mostly just around to provide an occasional special move. Level design, like Sonic Advance 2, continues to improve and offer an experienced speedster a clear path to the goal. Sonic Advance 3's failure is in its limited suspension of disbelief. Whereas the levels from the originals (and even the current 3D crop) felt like real, tangible places, these feel like the same floating race tracks repeated ad nauseum, with only the graphic tiles varying. Level transition is done via a goofy, Kirby's Adventure-esque overworld, with transitions consiting of nothing more than jumping into the next level's entrance tube. One can't help but wonder the extent to which the game could have improved if entering Ocean Base was the result of actually having to venture underwater, rather than it just happening to be the next nonsensical zone. Overall, this is still a Sonic game, whether you want that or not.

[Daniel Thomas]

I still wish Sega would port the 16-bit Sonics.

They have ported ALL the 16 bit Sonics to the 'Cube! It's called the Sonic Mega Collection...Maybe it's not out on NTSC though - I don't know for sure. But I own it on PAL and it's pretty cool! You have to complete certain games to open others though!!

As for the Sonic Advance games, yeah I find them a little uninspired, maybe I'm just jaded! They would make good budget price games to pick up though!

Actually, the Sonic Mega Collection doesn't have Sonic CD, which is an enourmous loss. It's essential to the four Sonic classics (1, 2, CD, 3&K), just like the first four Ramones albums. And I think it's absurd that players have to jump through hoops before they can play all the games, considering that's the whole damned point to buying the disc. Genesis Sonic doesn't need any padding to keep you hooked.

I was kinda thinking of Advance ports, which would be terrific. After all, they've run out of SNES ports; might as well move on to the Genesis.

[Daniel Thomas]

I still wish Sega would port the 16-bit Sonics.

They have ported ALL the 16 bit Sonics to the 'Cube! It's called the Sonic Mega Collection...Maybe it's not out on NTSC though - I don't know for sure. But I own it on PAL and it's pretty cool! You have to complete certain games to open others though!!

As for the Sonic Advance games, yeah I find them a little uninspired, maybe I'm just jaded! They would make good budget price games to pick up though!

Actually, the Sonic Mega Collection doesn't have Sonic CD, which is an enourmous loss. It's essential to the four Sonic classics (1, 2, CD, 3&K), just like the first four Ramones albums. And I think it's absurd that players have to jump through hoops before they can play all the games, considering that's the whole damned point to buying the disc. Genesis Sonic doesn't need any padding to keep you hooked.

I was kinda thinking of Advance ports, which would be terrific. After all, they've run out of SNES ports; might as well move on to the Genesis.

[ManekiNeko]

I'd recommend the first two Sonic Advance games if you can find them for a reasonable price. They're definitely not remakes of the Genesis games, but original titles with a bright new look. The graphics and animation are noticably improved over the Genesis games, and the gameplay is excellent, too. The games were designed by a company other than Sonic Team but they play just as well as anything Yuji Naka could dish out.

I can't say I'm all that excited about Sonic Advance 3, though. The gameplay is unnecessarily obfuscated (there's interaction with your partner this time, which is kind of pointless when you consider that the two of you are rarely in the same place at the same time) and the rounds are oh-so-boring. You kind of get the feeling that Dimps is running out of ideas. Oh, and then there's Tails... don't even get me STARTED on what they did to him...

JR

[Richter]

Tails has a visible butthole!!!

>.> <.<

OT -
does Sonic Heroes GC have any connectivity with any of the GBA titles?

[RCM]

Get Sonic Advance 2. It is such a great game and Cream the Rabbit is the best Sonic character to come around in quite some time. I love SOnic Heros and Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 are awesome as well. Well, SOnics portions at least. If you liked the SOnic Genesis titles you will surely like or love Sonic Advance 2!

Also, if you want to rent GBA games I would suggest the online service Gamefly. www.gamefly.com. They have a selection far greater then your average blockbuster or Hollywood Video. I was hooked because they renter GBA titles. I have a basic service that allows 2 games to be rented at a time. Hope this all helps!

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[Jasoco]

My brother had Sonic Advance 1. It got lost in the move. I played it for a minute once. Was cool, but I was lost, having never played much Sonic at the time. Actually, this was before I even had the Mega Collection or a Genesis.

I'd really rather the Mega Collection got a GBA port. I love it on the Cube, but hell, if I could take all the Sonic games with me as well, that would be awesome! The games are made for quickie games. The way Sonic should be. Maybe one day, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Ze_ro]

I've only played the first Sonic Advance, but I thought it was very fun. The character animation is much improved over the Genesis games, so when you go around loops, your character actually rotates smoothly. Very nicely done. Having four characters to choose from is a bit more of a novelty than anything else in my opinion. Tails can fly, and Knuckles can climb walls, but otherwise they're pretty much the same as Sonic (Flying and climbing walls may sound really helpful, but when there are a dozen different paths to take, you never really worry too much that you didn't explore obscure places). Amy, however, is entirely different... it's actually quite a challenge playing as Amy, since it's a little awkward. Oh, there's also a Chao garden in the game, but it's pretty useless unless you've got Sonic Adventure 2 Battle from what I can tell.

My only other complaints about the game are 1) that the bonus levels are so far and few between. To get to them, you have to find special jump pads (which are very tough to find), and they're not even on every level. The bonus levels themselves aren't even as good as in other Sonic games in my opinion. 2) Sonic's ability to grind on rails isn't very helpful since rails don't show up very often, grinding them is kind of hit or miss, and rails almost never go anywhere you can't get to just by running. 3) There's only about 12 levels in the game... which didn't seem like that much to me.

--Zero

[Ze_ro]

Bloody double posts... I got some goofy error when I hit submit the first time.

--Zero

[NintendoMan]

I just Overall, this is still a Sonic game, whether you want that or not.

COOL! Thanks for the short reveiw. I think what I am hearing most is that with each sonic advance that is released, the Sonic team gets a little closer to genesis goodness, but there still not quite there yet.

Are you saying that Sonic Advance 3 is the best sonic advance out yet?
THANKS!

[NintendoMan]

I'd recommend the first two Sonic Advance games if you can find them for a reasonable price.
JR

See that's the thing, I might be able to find a sonic advance around here for $25, but mostly there still 29.99 at ALL places.
I always pick up a brand new game at places if there awesome or resonable prices, even if I don't know for sure if I will like the game. But I usually don't do that with GBA games. That's the only system I watch my money with. All the other Nintendo systems I throw money out the window for games!

[NintendoMan]

does Sonic Heroes GC have any connectivity with any of the GBA titles?

I am almost positive, but not completely, but I DON'T think there is any connectivity between the two.

[TheRedEye]

Are you saying that Sonic Advance 3 is the best sonic advance out yet?

Yeah, I guess I am. It still feels like another soulless game to come down the factory lines, but it's the best of the lot. It improves over SA2 about as much as SA2 improved over SA1.

I will say this, though. This is the first Sonic game since Knuckles' introduction in Sonic 3 that I wasn't annoyed with Sonic's "friends." They really don't get in the way much, there's no voice acting, cutscenes are extremely brief, and the levels finally seem to be designed for EVERYONE, and not exclusively Sonic.

Oh, and there's a big culmination of past Sonic titles in Sonic Advance 3. The second zone, for instance, is an updated Green Hill Zone from the original Sonic the Hedgehog, including the music and enemies. The "find the zones" aspect is reminiscent of Sonic Adventure, but nowhere near as effective. The teamup stuff reminds me a lot of Chaotix. Hell, when Amy is selected as Sonic's partner, little hearts float above her head, just like her introduction in Sonic CD.

[Overbite]

i dont like the GBA versions. just doesnt feel right. and the music is horrible.