Sonic Advance 2

"See Sonic run... and that's it"

Sonic is not all about the speed. I wish the developers of Sonic Advance 2 had understood that.The Sonic games for the Megadrive/Genesis were all platformers that relied as much on exploration and tactic as speed. There were hidden treasures to be found to reward you for exploring the well-designed levels, as well as considerable challenges facing you on your way. SA2 feels more like a roller coaster ride; a fun one, but ultimately that's it.

The basic level in this game is thus. You start with a countdown to 'GO!', at which point you take off at lightning speed unless you try to stop. It's impossible to explore. Even if you try to take but a few steps to explore for hidden treasures, you usually wind up triggering a hidden springboard that propels you down the nearest slide, thus far out of reach of your previous area. How are you supposed to find anything in a game constructed like that? The levels are designed with speed in mind, not gameplay. I have turned the time limit off just so I could explore the very first level for a port to the Special Stage. And after almost an hour of searching, I'd finally had enough. That was just the first stage, too; imagine how hard the other ones must be to find!

This game is all about the speed. It's quite obvious. The faster you go, the bigger a bonus you get at the end of a level. All boss fights take place while Sonic is running, and I admit that that is where the speed is an innovative feature, building on the first Robotnik boss battle in Sonic & Knuckles. For every other Robotnik fight, you rescue one of your three companions; Cream the rabbit, Tails and Knuckles the echidna (whose character is completely negated by having him been duped by Robotnik again). The short cinema screens after each of these battles are a welcome touch.

In fact, where Sonic Advance 2 shines is in its style. There are a lot of interesting courses; my favourite is an ice world with a city in the background, set during the night. There is also a fascinating hi-tech zone and of course Robotnik's Death Egg, whose battle is the toughest before getting to the final boss. The music is quite good but not inspiring or memorable enough to compete with other Sonic soundtracks. The final boss battle consists of all of Robotnik's battles in one go, plus a very final master robot battle which, in a completely contradicting fashion, brings you to a full stop. It's ironic that the game's final boss should finally wipe the grease off your shoes, but therein lies the challenge; suddenly you must revive your precision instincts from the Sonic classics. You might say it's too little, too late, though.

These are the game's best points. Sadly, Sonic Advance 2 doesn't allow you appreciate it to the fullest, because it just hurls you on at too much speed for you to be able to. It's a game ultimately lacking in any depth to be really rewarding to play. Speed is not what made Sonic great, and his games can't sustain themselves solely on that - Sonic Advance 2 is proof enough.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 06/01/09

Game Release: Sonic Advance 2 (US, 03/09/03)