Anyone Else Want a Bagel?
(...Sorry.)
Name: Sonic Advance 2- All three nations
Other Names (Nicknames): Advance 2
Release Dates:
December 19th, 2002 - Japan
March 10th, 2003 - North America
March 18th, 2003 - Europe
Quality: 32-Bit, Side-Scrolling Platformer
Game System(s): Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Also released on:
(1). Nintendo Wii U – Virtual Console (JP)
Developer(s): Sonic Team and Dimps
Publisher(s):
Sega Corporation – Japan
THQ Inc. – North America
Infogrames – Europe and Australia
Credits: See Sonic News Network.
Character Introductions: Cream the Rabbit, Cheese the Chao, and Vanilla the Rabbit.
Region Game Takes Place On: Unconfirmed.
Concept Introductions: Now all the characters can grind or the rails. Makes sense being that there's a lot more of them and that they've been made essential to each stage.
Concept Deductions: Getting into the Special Stages is murder now. There are 7 "Special Rings" in each stage. You have to collect every one and make it through the level alive to access the Special Stage, which, by the way is slightly easier this time around. Good thing, too, since you have to complete every character's adventure with all seven Chaos Emeralds this time.
Main Framework: Same framework as Advance 1, but streamlined to make the gameplay much faster.
Storyline:
Ok, guys, you know the drill. Stop Robarfnik from getting the Emeralds. This time, though, the Eggman's resorted to kidnapping again. He's taken new friend Cream, Tails (again) and duped Knuckles (AGAIN). In Cream's case, though, she got accosted for trying to save her mom, Vanilla, from a similar fate.
Personal Criticism/Opinion (by Ryan the Game Master):
This one's better than the last, thankfully. The speed has been cranked up, the music's gotten improved, and the bosses have (gasp) challenge! Now let's talk about the characters. Sonic...hasn't changed much. He has his homing attack and bound from Adventure 2, but that's it. Tails hasn't changed, either. Neither has Knuckles. As for the new girl, Cream, let me get this out of the way: she is NOTHING like Amy. She's got speed, maneuverability, flight (thanks to her ears) and bosses are a lot easier thanks to her companion, Cheese, letting her bump Tails off the easiest character slot.
By the way, Amy's in here, too, for those who care. You have to beat the game with everybody else first, Emeralds and all. She's been practicing, and can now spin like everyone else (by the way, when she does spin, look closely and you can see her Pico Pico Hammer blurring).
This is really one of the more intense Sonic games, 2D or no. The main problem I have, though, is the crippled exploration factor. For example, with the way the levels are structured this time around, you’re only going to come across a few Special Rings during straight runs, because they’ll be the easiest to pick up. The rest have to be hunted for, which means screeching to a halt a LOT. Moreover, many of them have to be finessed, meaning you have to go out of your way to use the right character moves to snag the Rings. Special Stage entrances (like the Special Springs of the previous game) I can understand to an extent. But if you don’t know how to use a character well enough to get the Ring, you’re going to be in for a frustrating experience.
And let’s not get started on what happens if you scream past one and are unable to go back without dying.
If exploration is supposed to be a key element to a game, one shouldn’t be punished for trying to do so. And yes, future games like Unleashed would learn from this, but here it’s a brick wall in the way of an otherwise great game.
Let's see some GAMER'S PERSPECTIVE:
Replay value? Slightly downed. The difficulty of the whole Special Ring crap will frustrate you if you don't have any patience. Outside of that, you’ve got Time Attack and multiplayer, along with the Tiny Chao Garden.
Graphics? Again, very nicely done. Music Plant was a tad cliched, but otherwise it was standard Sonic. This time, they decided to bring Sonic's running animation and make it look like a normal run, like in Adventure.
Music & Sound Effects? A step up from Advance 1. Some people may find it iffy, but I wasn't bothered.
Storyline? There's slightly more depth, but in regards to where it takes place (exactly) and all that, don't expect much.
OVERALL RANK? I give Sonic Advance 2 an
Name: Sonic Advance 2- All three nations
Other Names (Nicknames): Advance 2
Release Dates:
December 19th, 2002 - Japan
March 10th, 2003 - North America
March 18th, 2003 - Europe
Quality: 32-Bit, Side-Scrolling Platformer
Game System(s): Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Also released on:
(1). Nintendo Wii U – Virtual Console (JP)
Developer(s): Sonic Team and Dimps
Publisher(s):
Sega Corporation – Japan
THQ Inc. – North America
Infogrames – Europe and Australia
Credits: See Sonic News Network.
Character Introductions: Cream the Rabbit, Cheese the Chao, and Vanilla the Rabbit.
Region Game Takes Place On: Unconfirmed.
Concept Introductions: Now all the characters can grind or the rails. Makes sense being that there's a lot more of them and that they've been made essential to each stage.
Concept Deductions: Getting into the Special Stages is murder now. There are 7 "Special Rings" in each stage. You have to collect every one and make it through the level alive to access the Special Stage, which, by the way is slightly easier this time around. Good thing, too, since you have to complete every character's adventure with all seven Chaos Emeralds this time.
Main Framework: Same framework as Advance 1, but streamlined to make the gameplay much faster.
Storyline:
Ok, guys, you know the drill. Stop Robarfnik from getting the Emeralds. This time, though, the Eggman's resorted to kidnapping again. He's taken new friend Cream, Tails (again) and duped Knuckles (AGAIN). In Cream's case, though, she got accosted for trying to save her mom, Vanilla, from a similar fate.
Personal Criticism/Opinion (by Ryan the Game Master):
This one's better than the last, thankfully. The speed has been cranked up, the music's gotten improved, and the bosses have (gasp) challenge! Now let's talk about the characters. Sonic...hasn't changed much. He has his homing attack and bound from Adventure 2, but that's it. Tails hasn't changed, either. Neither has Knuckles. As for the new girl, Cream, let me get this out of the way: she is NOTHING like Amy. She's got speed, maneuverability, flight (thanks to her ears) and bosses are a lot easier thanks to her companion, Cheese, letting her bump Tails off the easiest character slot.
By the way, Amy's in here, too, for those who care. You have to beat the game with everybody else first, Emeralds and all. She's been practicing, and can now spin like everyone else (by the way, when she does spin, look closely and you can see her Pico Pico Hammer blurring).
This is really one of the more intense Sonic games, 2D or no. The main problem I have, though, is the crippled exploration factor. For example, with the way the levels are structured this time around, you’re only going to come across a few Special Rings during straight runs, because they’ll be the easiest to pick up. The rest have to be hunted for, which means screeching to a halt a LOT. Moreover, many of them have to be finessed, meaning you have to go out of your way to use the right character moves to snag the Rings. Special Stage entrances (like the Special Springs of the previous game) I can understand to an extent. But if you don’t know how to use a character well enough to get the Ring, you’re going to be in for a frustrating experience.
And let’s not get started on what happens if you scream past one and are unable to go back without dying.
If exploration is supposed to be a key element to a game, one shouldn’t be punished for trying to do so. And yes, future games like Unleashed would learn from this, but here it’s a brick wall in the way of an otherwise great game.
Let's see some GAMER'S PERSPECTIVE:
Replay value? Slightly downed. The difficulty of the whole Special Ring crap will frustrate you if you don't have any patience. Outside of that, you’ve got Time Attack and multiplayer, along with the Tiny Chao Garden.
Graphics? Again, very nicely done. Music Plant was a tad cliched, but otherwise it was standard Sonic. This time, they decided to bring Sonic's running animation and make it look like a normal run, like in Adventure.
Music & Sound Effects? A step up from Advance 1. Some people may find it iffy, but I wasn't bothered.
Storyline? There's slightly more depth, but in regards to where it takes place (exactly) and all that, don't expect much.
OVERALL RANK? I give Sonic Advance 2 an