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Are the Sonic Advance games good?
- Thread starter bjork
- Start date
Infernal Monkey
Member
The original is pretty good. SA2 is like getting punched in the testicles and SA3 is roughly the same as having someone replace your bubble bath with acid. And lions. Stealthy, swimming, deadly lions.
Azure Dream
Member
Lies. Sonic Advance is poorly laid-out and punishes you for trying to ever raise your speed with traps and enemies stuck in all the annoying places. Not challenging, just annoying how many times you'll be running for scattered rings. It's one of the few Sonic games I haven't bothered beating. Also, the music sounded like something out of a Mario game, but at any rate, it didn't fit well.
Sonic Advance 2 is my favorite of the three Advance titles. No silly limitations about grinding or character speeds, levels laid out in a way that someone with a low skill level can play and beat the game, but you're rewarded for doing height-gaining tricks and taking more difficult routes (and you need to memorize an optimal path through for the level to get the seven special stage rings in one run before you even get a shot at it). The running bosses are also a unique addition with some fun to it, but some of them aren't designed well, and characters like Tails and Knuckles weren't properly adjusted for the format, so if they fly or glide, they slow down too much for the move to be useful. Basically, Advance 2 isn't a hard game to beat, but it's a fun one, and you can change the difficulty by taking different routes through the very extensive levels. Plus, the music kicks ass.
SA3 has some of the layout problems SA1 did, but is still pretty good, and the partner system allows you to choose your own move sets from some unique combinations. It's just annoying that you _have_ to be Sonic as the lead to unlock the other characters. And what was with Cream, the easy/kids character, being the LAST one to be unlocked?
Sonic Advance 2 is my favorite of the three Advance titles. No silly limitations about grinding or character speeds, levels laid out in a way that someone with a low skill level can play and beat the game, but you're rewarded for doing height-gaining tricks and taking more difficult routes (and you need to memorize an optimal path through for the level to get the seven special stage rings in one run before you even get a shot at it). The running bosses are also a unique addition with some fun to it, but some of them aren't designed well, and characters like Tails and Knuckles weren't properly adjusted for the format, so if they fly or glide, they slow down too much for the move to be useful. Basically, Advance 2 isn't a hard game to beat, but it's a fun one, and you can change the difficulty by taking different routes through the very extensive levels. Plus, the music kicks ass.
SA3 has some of the layout problems SA1 did, but is still pretty good, and the partner system allows you to choose your own move sets from some unique combinations. It's just annoying that you _have_ to be Sonic as the lead to unlock the other characters. And what was with Cream, the easy/kids character, being the LAST one to be unlocked?
SAdv1 was slow and basic. I suppose it works, but only in the neccesary sense. It's mediocre at best.
SAdv2 I didn't like much for the simple reason that the layouts, while good for speed, had almost no thought put into them. The complaints you hear about 'press right to complete level' are for the most part true. Still quite an adrenaline rush if you don't mind the lack of any real skill needed. Basically, it's SOnic Rush done wrong.
SAdv3 I liked the best out of the 3. It was slower than 2, and the partner system was wonky, but the level designs emphasized platforming play while still being fast, although it tends to get confusing. All three suffer from the smallness of the GBA screen. And none of them stand up to the Genesis games.
SAdv2 I didn't like much for the simple reason that the layouts, while good for speed, had almost no thought put into them. The complaints you hear about 'press right to complete level' are for the most part true. Still quite an adrenaline rush if you don't mind the lack of any real skill needed. Basically, it's SOnic Rush done wrong.
SAdv3 I liked the best out of the 3. It was slower than 2, and the partner system was wonky, but the level designs emphasized platforming play while still being fast, although it tends to get confusing. All three suffer from the smallness of the GBA screen. And none of them stand up to the Genesis games.
echoshifting
Banned
SA1 was decent but not out-of-this-world fantastic. Good for a handheld but in no way does it live up to the original classics.
SA2 I hated. Horrible, horrible, horrible game. Worst Sonic ever imo.
SA3 I have not played.
SA2 I hated. Horrible, horrible, horrible game. Worst Sonic ever imo.
SA3 I have not played.
Sadly the best Sonic games remains Sonic 2 and 3 imo.
Sonic advance and Sonic Rush are good somewhere but it's like the only thing the devellopers remembers from Sonic is that it's fast. So the games are fast (especially Sonic Rush) but it lacks in genuine level design / exploration / platforming.
The perfect pace imo was Sonic 3.
Try the non-genesis Sonic before buying them. I'm a huge fan of Sonic but can't digest Sonic games nowadays, i suppose i'm not alone.
Sonic advance and Sonic Rush are good somewhere but it's like the only thing the devellopers remembers from Sonic is that it's fast. So the games are fast (especially Sonic Rush) but it lacks in genuine level design / exploration / platforming.
The perfect pace imo was Sonic 3.
Try the non-genesis Sonic before buying them. I'm a huge fan of Sonic but can't digest Sonic games nowadays, i suppose i'm not alone.
Sonic Advance - Absolutely loved it. For me, Sonic excels most when it's slower. It brings back fond memories of Sonic the Hedgehog 1. It doesn't quite match the original Sonic, as it feels like a portable game and not a real game. And there is one blind jump in the game (in the first level no less!) which is pretty bad design, but otherwise I dug it.
Sonic Advance 2 - Hate it. Now there's tons of cheap hits, levels that are too big for its own good, and the speed is too fast to enjoy.
Sonic Advance 3 - Wouldn't know. SAdva2 turned me off that much.
Sonic Rush - Feels like Sonic Advance 2 with less irritations. Still prefer Sonic Advance 1 over it.
Sonic Advance 2 - Hate it. Now there's tons of cheap hits, levels that are too big for its own good, and the speed is too fast to enjoy.
Sonic Advance 3 - Wouldn't know. SAdva2 turned me off that much.
Sonic Rush - Feels like Sonic Advance 2 with less irritations. Still prefer Sonic Advance 1 over it.
echoshifting
Banned
Ecrofirt said:I don't remember which Sonic Advance it was, either 2 or 3, but whichever game it was, I was able to get through like the first 1/3 of the game or so by just holding the right arrow, as I remember.
Probably 2. The first half of the game is a sightseeing tour. The second half just tests your ability to press buttons at the proper times. If there were even any enemies in this game, I don't remember them. Oh, and how could I forget the piss-poor boss fights?
WORST SONIC EVER
'Ecrofirt said:I don't remember which Sonic Advance it was, either 2 or 3, but whichever game it was, I was able to get through like the first 1/3 of the game or so by just holding the right arrow, as I remember.
You pretty much described every 2D sonic game, save for maybe Sonic CD.
echoshifting
Banned
Dyne said:'
You pretty much described every 2D sonic game, save for maybe Sonic CD.
Hi,
this is incorrect.
Sonic Advance 1 was solid, if it seemed a little scaled-down and derivitive versus the previous 2D games.
Sonic Advance 2 alleviated the "scaled-down" problem with bigger levels and more speed. Unfortunately, everything else was cast to the wayside. Basicly, the whole game is Sonic riding on rails and you guessing when to jump and avoid the pitfall because the GBA's small resolution won't let you see the end of the rail/oncoming platform or whatever
Sonic Advance 3 combines Advance 2's bigness and speed with Advance 1's everything else and is the best of the three.
Sonic Advance 2 alleviated the "scaled-down" problem with bigger levels and more speed. Unfortunately, everything else was cast to the wayside. Basicly, the whole game is Sonic riding on rails and you guessing when to jump and avoid the pitfall because the GBA's small resolution won't let you see the end of the rail/oncoming platform or whatever
Sonic Advance 3 combines Advance 2's bigness and speed with Advance 1's everything else and is the best of the three.
Dyne said:'
You pretty much described every 2D sonic game, save for maybe Sonic CD.
Not really. The Sega games still had you jumping and avoiding enemies and whatnot. The poster above you described the game well.
Dyne said:'
You pretty much described every 2D sonic game, save for maybe Sonic CD.
You don't know what you're talking about.
echoshifting
Banned
Dyne said:You can't get through either of the Sonic Advances he described just holding right.
He never said you could.
I don't remember which Sonic Advance it was, either 2 or 3, but whichever game it was, I was able to get through like the first 1/3 of the game or so by just holding the right arrow, as I remember.
My recollection of SA2 concurs with this assessment.
Dyne said:"by just holding the right arrow, as I remember."
I held the right arrow just now. 8 seconds later, I was forced to press A to get off a spring-load on a side of a wall.
You guys are way too damn critical. Go outside and get some air.
A loser is you.
jman2050 said:A loser is you.
You're mumbling. Speak up.
Advance 1=boring
Advance 2=shit level design-many people have described it as "giant floating platform syndrome." Running bosses are annoying. "Hold right" disease is also prominent here.
Advance 3=probably the most solid of the four, although the partner system is buggy and level design is still bad in spots (going through a a 30-loop, multiple ramp dash-fest only to run headlong into an enemy at the end of it all? Awesome!)
Rush=same problems as Advance 2, only "running bosses" are replaced with "bosses that take forever to kill." Wayyyy too much "hold right, hurrrr" gameplay
Advance 2=shit level design-many people have described it as "giant floating platform syndrome." Running bosses are annoying. "Hold right" disease is also prominent here.
Advance 3=probably the most solid of the four, although the partner system is buggy and level design is still bad in spots (going through a a 30-loop, multiple ramp dash-fest only to run headlong into an enemy at the end of it all? Awesome!)
Rush=same problems as Advance 2, only "running bosses" are replaced with "bosses that take forever to kill." Wayyyy too much "hold right, hurrrr" gameplay
echoshifting
Banned
Dyne said:"by just holding the right arrow, as I remember."
I held the right arrow just now. 8 seconds later, I was forced to press A to get off a spring-load on a side of a wall.
You guys are way too damn critical. Go outside and get some air.
This doesn't speak very highly of you.
echoshifting said:This doesn't speak very highly of you.
Cool. Thanks for that.
After all, the internet is serious business. I have an e-penis to maintain; god help me if I make a joke some GAFers take too seriously.
Sonic Advance 2 wasn't nearly as bad as people were saying. The focus is less on platforming and more on sheer speed if your only goal is to finish levels. Like the Genesis Sonics, the levels have multiple tiers. And if you try to go through the toughest tiers, and try to get all the emeralds, there is no way you can do this by holding right for ANY section of the game. They focused the platforming and mid-air tricks on getting the emeralds.
The problem is the game hardly ever forces you to do anything other than run and jump if your only goal is to beat the game in the fastest way, so it can be a drag if that's all you do. And the hidden emeralds are almost impossible to find without a guide IMO. Still, it's not THAT bad. More faithful than game gear sonics, and I think I enjoyed it more than all of Sonic Heroes
Sonic Advace 1 sucked because there is no speed (traps slow you down constantly). Never played 3.
The problem is the game hardly ever forces you to do anything other than run and jump if your only goal is to beat the game in the fastest way, so it can be a drag if that's all you do. And the hidden emeralds are almost impossible to find without a guide IMO. Still, it's not THAT bad. More faithful than game gear sonics, and I think I enjoyed it more than all of Sonic Heroes
Sonic Advace 1 sucked because there is no speed (traps slow you down constantly). Never played 3.
jman2050 said:Hey, for the record, I still get some enjoyment from 2. I've played many many games that are worse.
Yeah, I know where you're coming from.
I admit to liking Superman 64 and Shaq Fu to some levels.
I quite enjoyed Sonic Advance 1 as a light romp, but nothing more. Sonic Advance 2 was horrific for the cheapness of special stage entry (collect special emblems, get 7 chaos emeralds, repeat for all 5 characters to unlock Last Story) but i quite enjoyed the running bosses, and by Advance 3 the level graphics just werent even trying anymore and I felt no desire to really bother that much with it (yay yet more 'find 7 chao!' bullshit to enter special stages)
Sonic Rush fixes a fair bit of what was wrong with the Advances, Special Stage entry is just right nice and easy. Level design was nice although a bit cheap in enemies just suddenly being in the way or 'lol spikes!', but my main gripe with it was the very dull level artwork which is just incredibly tepid.
In short they still havent surpassed Sonic 3 & Knuckles in any way, as the main design artist Ohshima left, as did the level designer for Naughty Dog! oh well!
Sonic Rush fixes a fair bit of what was wrong with the Advances, Special Stage entry is just right nice and easy. Level design was nice although a bit cheap in enemies just suddenly being in the way or 'lol spikes!', but my main gripe with it was the very dull level artwork which is just incredibly tepid.
In short they still havent surpassed Sonic 3 & Knuckles in any way, as the main design artist Ohshima left, as did the level designer for Naughty Dog! oh well!