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Sonic Advance (ソニックアドバンス Sonikku Adobansu?) is the first game in the trilogy on the Game Boy Advance, and one of the first few on a Nintendo console. Developed by Dimps (the same team who developed Sonic Pocket Adventure), the game is a return to Sonic's side-scrolling roots.
Gameplay
The game is the typical 2D side-scroller in the same vein as the Mega Drive/Genesis-era games in the series. The game mixes elements from the original Sonic games with that of the Sonic Adventure series, such as rails and Sonic's ability to somersault. The goal of the game is to get from the beginning of the stage to the end while dodging badniks, collecting rings, and finding the seven Chaos Emeralds. This game also introduces Mecha Knuckles as a boss, and features the first appearance of rails in a 2D game, although they can only be used by Sonic and Amy.
Playable Characters
- Sonic - The titular character, Sonic runs the fastest. His attacks include his mid-air attack that expands his range for a split second, and a ground somersault. (It is possible to use the somersault to climb steep inclines). He can grind on rails to reach areas that Tails and Knuckles cannot reach. Sonic's game is the hardest due to lack of any shortcuts and special skills.
- Tails - Sonic's sidekick, Tails, retains his ability to fly. If the player taps A several times after a jump,Tails will fly until he is exhausted. His attack move is his tail-swipe from Sonic Adventure, though it is fairly slow. Tails' game is the easiest because of his ability to fly.
- Knuckles - Knuckles is once again able to glide for short distances and climb some walls. He can also tread the surface of water. His attack move is a 1-2-3 uppercut punch. Knuckles' game is a middle of the ground game because of his ability to glide and climb walls.
- Amy - Amy's moveset replaces standard spin-dashing and rolling jumps with some complex hammer moves. This eliminates the ability to attack enemies by jumping on them, as done with the other three characters. Instead of a spindash, she has a hop move as a form of quick momentum, making it easy to get up steep inclines. She also has the hardest time building up momentum but has the second highest speed when done so. Also as she jumps, she doesn't turn into a ball like Sonic, Tails and Knuckles. Amy's game is a unique challenge that varies based on the times in terms of difficulty but is generally easier then Sonic's due to her hammer moves.
Zones
- Neo Green Hill Zone - a basic opening level, taking place on a beach.
- Secret Base Zone - a machine-themed level, containing steam vents and molten metal.
- Casino Paradise Zone - a classic casino-themed level, completed with flippers, bumpers and flashing lights.
- Ice Mountain Zone - an icy area. The deep snow inhibits movement and there are several underwater areas.
- Angel Island Zone - a level themed around the ruins areas of previous Sonic games. It seems to take place in the ruins of Echidnaopolis, the early form of Marble Garden.
- Egg Rocket Zone - a one-act zone with no boss, where the player must climb to the top of a segmenting rocket with only five minutes per section.
- Cosmic Angel Zone - the other one-act zone has gravity flipping, conveyor belts and a fight against Dr. Eggman.
- X-Zone - the last level for all characters except Sonic, Eggman is fought three times here. The first two fights mimic the first bosses from Sonic 1 and 2, respectively.
- The Moon Zone - the game's final level, accessible only to Super Sonic, where the player must confront Eggman's final mecha.
Bosses
- Egg Hammer Tank
- Egg Press
- Egg Ball
- Egg Spider
- Mecha Knuckles
- Egg Snake
- Eggmobile Hammer Ball
- Eggmobile Drill Machine
- Egg X
- Super EggRobo
Badniks
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Gami-gami (ガミガミ) -- Crab bots based on Gani-gani. They crawl along the ground and fire projectiles from either claw. |
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Stinger (スティンガー) -- Wasp bots from Sonic 2 . They fly through the air and fire projectiles at encroaching heroes. |
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Kiki (キキ) -- Monkey bots from Sonic Adventure . They scuttle up and down palmtrees, tossing explosive coconuts at passersby. |
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Rhinotank (リノタンク) -- Rhino bots from Sonic Adventure. They roll slowly along the ground, but relentlessly charge as soon as approached. |
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Kero-Kero (ケロケロ) -- Frog bots that hop along the ground in erratic patterns. ("Kero-kero" is Japanese for ribbit.) |
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Mogu (モグ) -- Mole bots that pop in and out of the ground. ("Mogura" is Japanese for mole.) |
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Senbon (センボン) -- Porcupinefish based on Sonic 3 's Harisenbo. They hover slowly through the air and periodically inflate their spiky bodies. ("Harisenbo" is Japanese for porcupinefish.) |
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Tento (テントー) -- Ladybug bots that fly along the ceiling and spout projectiles. ("Tentoumushi" is Japanese for ladybug.) |
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Pierrot (ピーエロ) -- Juggling clown bots that roll along the ground. They can only be damaged from above: try rolling into them and you'll bounce right off. |
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Slot (スロト) -- Coin-carrying bat bots that fly erratically through the air. Pass underneath and they drop the coin, which shatters upon hitting the ground. This Badnik carries a small resemblance to Batbot. |
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Hanabi (ハナビー) -- Lizard bots that roll along the ground and cough up exploding fireworks. ("Hanabi" is Japanese for fireworks.) |
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Yukimaru (ユキマル) -- Snowman bots that scuttle along the ground and fire snowballs into the sky when you attempt to leap over them in jack-be-nimble fashion. ("Yuki" is Japanese for snow.) |
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Drisame (ドリサメ) -- Shark bots that drill through walls and jet through the water at high speed. Dodge them once and they won't return to take another shot. ("Same" is Japanese for shark.) |
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Pen (ペン) -- Penguin bots based on Sonic 3's Pen-pen . They waddle along the ground and kick snowballs at marauding hedgehogs. |
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Kura (クラー) -- Jellyfish bots that swim slowly through the water and periodically charge up electric barriers. ("Kurage" is Japanese for jellyfish.) |
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E-04 Leon (レオン) -- Chameleon bots that waddle along the ground and prod air with their long tongues. |
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Wam (ワム) -- Caterpillar bots based on Sonic 3's Meramora. They glide through the air. |
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Oct (オクト) -- Octopus-looking bots that hover through the air and drop flashing radioactive turds. |
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Mirror (ミラー) -- Silvery diamond-shaped bots that fly through the air and periodically open up to fire flashing projectiles. They can only be damaged when they open up to shoot. |
Chaos Emeralds
To collect Chaos Emeralds, the player must first find a Special Spring somewhere in a Zone. Jumping into it will take them to a tube-like stage filled with rings, a certain amount of which must be collected. Also featured are golden gates that the player does well-timed tricks through to get bonus rings, which is a necessity for the later stages. Collecting all 7 Emeralds and beating X Zone allows the player access to Moon Zone.
Tiny Chao Garden
When you first enter the Tiny Chao Garden, only a solitary egg will be found. Tapping A on it will hatch it into a Chao. Use rings collected in levels and minigames to buy fruits and items for your Chao to help them gain stats. Also, link between Sonic Advance and the Gamecube version of either Sonic Adventure or Sonic Adventure 2 to transfer your Chao to their gardens and to participate in races.
Minigames
Rock Paper Scissors: Select rock, paper, or scissors, and shoot down one of the coinciding cards to gain rings.
Card Matching: Flip over cards and match pairs for rings.
Similarities with Sonic Pocket Adventure
'Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure shares many similarities with this game:
- The first zone in Sonic Advance is Neo Green Hill Zone, while the first zone in Sonic Pocket Adventure is Neo South Island.
- The first bosses both are moving vehicles with large hammers; in fact, many boss concepts in this game and the sequel originated in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure.
- The second zones in both games are "Secret industrial" zones. Sonic Advance has Secret Base, while Sonic Pocket Adventure has Secret Plant.
- The third zones are both casinos. Sonic Advance has Casino Paradise, while Sonic Pocket Adventure has Cosmic Casino.
- Both of the fourth zones have water and on the fifth zone of Sonic Advance, Mecha Knuckles is fought. Knuckles himself is fought on the fourth zone of Sonic Pocket Adventure. In addition to that, Mecha Sonic is fought in the 5th Zone of Sonic Pocket Adventure.
- The "climax" zones, Egg Rocket Zone (Sonic Advance) & Aerobase (Sonic Pocket Adventure) are both one act zones that lead to Eggman's main space station (Sonic Advance) or in the case of Sonic Pocket Adventure, the Aerobase's interior.
- The final zones in both games have the name "Angel" in it. Cosmic Angel is in Sonic Advance and Gigantic Angel is in Sonic Pocket Adventure.
- In the normal ending for both games, space stations explode with red/gray chunks of metal flying and Tails rescues Sonic.
- Finally, before the beginning of both of the Extra Zones, Eggman's space stations, seemingly, do not explode and apparently abandoned.
Cheat Code
- There is a cheat code in the game that allows Sonic to be followed by Tails like in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. To activate the cheat code, press up, right, down, right, L, right, R, right and A in the character select screen. The cheat will work if a ring chime is heard afterwards.
Re-releases
| image | platform | Description |
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Game Boy Advance | Released in a compilation with Sonic Pinball Party as part of the 2 Games in 1 series in Europe and Combo Pack in the US. |
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Game Boy Advance | Released in a compilation with Sonic Battle as part of the 2 Games in 1 series in Europe and Double Pack in Japan. |
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Game Boy Advance | Released in a compilation with ChuChu Rocket as part of the 2 Games in 1 series in Europe and Double Pack in Japan. |
| File:51YR9NYJTYL.jpg | Nokia N-Gage | Ported to Nokia's N-Gage system and marketed under the title Sonic N. |
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Android | Ported to the Android operating system as an application on the Android Marketplace, only available in Japan. |
| Mobile phone | Ported to Java-based mobile phones, with 4 zones intact. |
Gallery
Character Artwork
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Enemy Artwork
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Screenshots
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Prototype Screenshots
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The following screenshots were released publicly during early game development These next five images all have the same differences to the final game; a misaligned HUD with slightly different graphics, different water and clouds in the background and bigger ring sprites.  In this screenshot numbers appear top right hand corner, possibly symbolising a debug mode like in the MegaDrive games.  The castle in this prototype is a lot duller than in the final, and is of a different shape. In the released game it is much more colourful.  Here the castle is in the centre of the screenshot. In the final it always remains in the top left.  Again another misaligned HUD, and this time with some slightly different foreground tiles too.  This area is completely different. The tubes are more rounded with less detail, but the background has more detail. The misaligned HUD and big rings are here too. |
External Link
- Official Japanese site
- Sonic Advance at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sonic the Hedgehog handheld games