Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Sonic Advance stays true to the breakneck speed that defined the original Sonic games on Sega’s Genesis. From the moment you hit the gas in Green Hill Zone, the game’s level design is engineered to reward momentum, quick reflexes, and mastery of loops, ramps, and hidden pathways. Each zone feels dynamic, with branching paths that encourage exploration as much as raw speed.

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Character selection adds replay value and variety. Sonic offers the classic all-around speed, Tails lets you hover over pitfalls, Knuckles can glide and scale walls to uncover secret areas, and Amy wields her hammer to dispatch obstacles in creative ways. Learning each character’s strengths and limitations turns every run into a fresh experience, especially when chasing perfect times or racking up high scores.

Beyond the main single-player adventure, Sonic Advance includes multiplayer battle modes that let up to four players duke it out using a single cartridge. These frenetic matches—ranging from ring-collecting races to last-man-standing battles—make the game a standout cooperative experience on the Game Boy Advance. The Chaos Emerald hunt and Chao-raising features further extend the gameplay loop, offering unlockables and mini-goals that reward dedicated players.

Graphics

Sonic Advance showcases some of the most vibrant and detailed sprite work seen on the Game Boy Advance. Each character animation is fluid, capturing the trademark spins, dashes, and jumps of the franchise with impressive clarity. The game’s color palette is bright and varied, ensuring that each zone—be it aqua-filled levels, mechanical factories, or lush forests—stands out distinctly on the handheld’s screen.

Environmental details, such as background parallax scrolling and foreground set pieces, create a sense of depth that belies the GBA’s hardware limitations. Special effects like sparkling rings, shimmering water, and particle bursts when you break through monitors or defeat enemies are executed smoothly, adding to the feeling of speed and impact.

While occasional slowdown can occur when too many sprites flood the screen, it’s never severe enough to derail gameplay. In fact, the minor hiccups serve as a reminder of the game’s ambition—packing Genesis-style action and elements from Dreamcast’s Adventure series into a portable format. Overall, Sonic Advance’s visuals remain engaging and accessible for both longtime fans and newcomers.

Story

The narrative in Sonic Advance is straightforward: Dr. Robotnik (aka Dr. Eggman) has kidnapped innocent woodland creatures to power his latest mechanical monstrosities, and it’s up to Sonic and his friends to stop him. While the plot doesn’t break new ground, it provides a solid framework for the high-octane levels that follow.

Each playable character has a brief introductory cutscene that highlights their personal motivations—Amy chases after Sonic with hammer in hand, Knuckles seeks the Master Emerald, Tails wants to test his piloting skills, and Sonic simply aims to foil Robotnik’s schemes. These vignettes add charm and context without bogging down the action.

The collection of Chaos Emeralds threads through the narrative, granting access to Super Sonic and secret Special Stages. The story’s structure strikes a balance between fast-paced platforming and small narrative beats, ensuring you always feel a sense of progression without lengthy dialogue or exposition.

Overall Experience

Sonic Advance delivers a polished, portable Sonic experience that holds up remarkably well more than two decades after its release. The core platforming is tight and responsive, and the variety of zones keeps each stage feeling fresh. Whether you’re chasing the fastest time, hunting for all Chaos Emeralds, or challenging friends in multiplayer, there’s a wealth of content to enjoy.

Portability is a key advantage: the pick-up-and-play nature of individual levels suits both quick sessions and marathon runs. The game’s difficulty curve is well-balanced—early zones ease you in, while later stages demand precision and memorization. This makes Sonic Advance a rewarding challenge for newcomers and a nostalgia trip for veteran players.

With its vibrant graphics, memorable soundtrack, and classic Sonic mechanics, Sonic Advance stands as a highlight of the GBA library. It represents the perfect synthesis of the original Genesis classics and the newer Adventure-era flair, delivering an overall package that keeps players coming back for more.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10