[SalsaShark]

I played all of them back then, but for some reason I was feeling like some Sonic right now so I popped the first one into an emulator on my phone and started playing it.

I know I like the Sonic Rush games a lot more, but this aint so bad.. I barely remember it and for some reason I thought it'd be worse.

[Danthrax]

I've only played the third one, which was a lot of running with not a lot of platforming.

If I recall general GAF sentiment correctly, Sonic Advance 1 was pretty decent, but it went downhill from there as Dimps got Dimpsier.

[Portalbox]

This is the first time I notice Sonic's fingers pointing out the game's number :o

[Persona7]

They were good.

[WhyMe6]

As a fan of Sonic 1, 2, 3, Sonic Adventure & Sonic Adventure 2, I didn't like them at all. They were...sloppy and crowded. Then again, I didn't like the Rush games either.

A strange way of describing them, I'm sure, but there you go.

[Azure Dream]

AndHereWeGo.gif


I like Sonic Advance 2, but plenty of people think it's too easy because the game allows you to still get to the end of levels, even when you massively fail and have no timing. Because getting to the end of the level is all that matters I guess.

Advance 1 I see the merit in, but I don't like the level design for the most part, including that awful boss where you're trying to get to the top of the arena just to breathe, when the physics and timing hardly allow it for some characters. Advance 3 was just janky, and the partner mechanic was interesting, but there were way too many combinations for the levels to be effectively designed around it. And everyone just picked the thing that let them play as close to usual Sonic as possible and played it that way anyway.

[J@hranimo]

Sonic Advance is decent overall, Advance 2 is basically a prototype, non-boost version of Sonic Rush, and Advance 3 is ok with some ok level design. So 1 > 3 > 2 in my opinion.

[Dacvak]

They were alright. Not great, but definitely playable. I enjoyed them more than Rush.

[Baust]

I only played the second one, but it was pretty good. The bonus stages were hard as hell to get to though...

[thirty]

Shit. And you forgot to add sonic 4.

[lazybones18]

Liked one, hated two, never played three

And this series introduced Cream the Rabbit....fuck Cream (and Cheese too)

[ivysaur12]

This is the first time I notice Sonic's fingers pointing out the game's number :o

:O

[chickdigger802]

These were the ones that added grind rails in 2d sonic right?

>.>"

They were fun I guess... but aren't all sonic games like that? My brain can't even differentiate between the good and mediocre and bad sonic games now.


Are there any sonic games that are 9s or 10s in terms of level design... and idk... stuff.

[@MUWANdo]

The first one was pretty by-the-numbers, but it does everything I want it to do.

Fans complained that it wasn't fast enough, so we got Sonic Advance 2, which was essentially Sonic Rush without a boost meter and with a whole bunch of irritating crap piled on top.

I can't even begin to explain Sonic Advance 3... I think they just needed an excuse to re-use all those Sonic Battle sprites, and this was it. I've beaten it twice and barely remember anything about it.

[Suairyu]

This is the first time I notice Sonic's fingers pointing out the game's number :o

:O

Sonic does this on every game box with a number! It's from the Mega Drive days.

[Anth0ny]

I always liked 1. 2 and 3 were disappointing.

[J@hranimo]

The first one was pretty by-the-numbers, but it does everything I want it to do. Fans complained that it wasn't fast enough, so we got Sonic Advance 2, which was essentially Sonic Rush without a boost meter and with a whole bunch of irritating crap piled on top. I can't even begin to explain Sonic Advance 3... I think they just needed an excuse to re-use all those Sonic Battle sprites, and this was it. I've beaten it twice and barely remember anything about it.

I only remember SA3 pretty well because I searched for all the chao in each level to get the chaos emeralds. For some reason that never bugged me O_o

[Dusk Golem]

My impression? "How are these the same peeps that made Sonic 4?"

I actually liked all three games, though 1 was definitely my favorite. 2 was a bit "SPEEDSPEEDSPEEEEEED" and 3 was quite gimicky with a lot of platforming.

Also most may not know this, but all three games are insanely fun multiplayer games.

[Android18a]

I really liked Sonic Advance 1. It's the closest we've had to a "real" Sonic 4, IMO. Rolling worked the way it should, there was no homing attacks and any extra moves were optional.

Sonic Advance 2 was a big let down. The level design went from traditional Sonic-style platforming to a new sparser, faster type of design based on lots of grinds and bottomless pits. If you watch a youtube playthrough of someone who's good at it, it can seem kind of fun... but I felt really let down by it after having my hopes raised high by the first game.

Sonic Advance 3... I've kind of forgotten most of it. Sunset Hill had some interesting remix of Green Hill Zone's music. The way you chose two characters and gained new skills based on who you took was unique... but that's all I can really say.

In summary, I wish the second two had expanded upon the first game, rather than taking it in totally different directions.

[@MUWANdo]

I only remember SA3 pretty well because I searched for all the chao in each level to get the chaos emeralds. For some reason that never bugged me O_o

I guess it didn't bug because, unlike Sonic Advance 2, you could go through and do it all on your own time with whichever characters you wanted, instead having to collect them all in one run, with each individual character.

[Azure Dream]

I can't even begin to explain Sonic Advance 3... I think they just needed an excuse to re-use all those Sonic Battle sprites, and this was it.

Insanely enough, I don't think the two games share sprites. (Gemerl maybe, can't remember off the top of my head.) Everyone in Sonic Battle is redrawn a little smaller compared to the Advance games, even 3.

[bangai-o]

something happened in Sonic advance 2 that prevented me from advancing with the stage. I dont even remember what it was anymore. I just ended up not playing anymore.
Same scenario happened in Genesis Sonic 3 in that circus stage.

[@MUWANdo]

something happened in Sonic advance 2 that prevented me from advancing with the stage. I dont even remember what it was anymore. I just ended up not playing anymore. Same scenario happened in Genesis Sonic 3 in that circus stage.

If you're anything like me, it was probably a section in Sky Canyon (or whatever it's called) where the track flips over and you're running upside down, right before the finish line, but the controls flip or something and until you work it out it just keeps dropping you into a pit.

[Byronic Hero]

Sonic Advance 2 was great, 1 was alright and 3 was meh.

That's my opinion.

[Ultimadrago]

They were alright. Not great, but definitely playable. I enjoyed them more than Rush.

Yup, along these lines.

[TheOGB]

When they first came out they were coolio

Now we realize that Dimps sucks at enemy placement and level design

Other than that the games are sound and the soundtracks are Sonic soundtracks (i.e. awesome)



EDIT: But fuck the Advance games, Sonic Battle is where it's at
and Pinball Party was surprisingly really fun

[gabbre]

Can't wait to see te cover of Sonic 10

[cosmicblizzard]

Not bad.

[JustAnotherOtaku]

I really like them. Haven't played them in a while but from what I remember, I prefer Rush on DS though.

[SwiftSketcher]

They were pretty fun back in the day, lots of fond memories playing them in car rides.

Everyone hates Dimps now though so they're the worst Sonic games ever.

[ciaossu]

I played at least the first two and enjoyed them.

[Why would you do that?]

As someone who doesn't like the classic Sonic games (Sonic Advance 1 or 2 was my first Sonic game), I liked Sonic Advance 2 a lot. Sonic Rush is my favorite, while SA2 is my second favorite.

A big reason why I like those games is the music. Egg Utopia's great music means whenever I play SA2, I pretty much only play that stage. :p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhEjpBNEf5Q

So while I enjoy the game, I mostly enjoy the game with the music.. I also enjoy the speed.

I wasn't a big fan of the 2 person mechanic in 3, though.

[Lord British]

Each game has its merits, they're up there with the best on the GBA as far as I'm concerned. Advance 2's special stage conditions are heinous, which is a same as I like True Area 53 and its denouement a lot more than even Doomsday.

[Lijik]

1 is pretty fun. I really liked 3 back in day for some reason and still play a few stages every now and again. Couldn't get into 2, the game just doesn't draw me in at all and I get bored. 2 is the prettiest though.

[Dark Schala]

Get Sonic Battle.

Advance 1 is decent, even with some design flaws; quite palatable. Advance 2, I don't dislike much; it's basically Sonic Rush: The Beginning. Advance 3 is jank for the most part, but I don't think it's terrible or as bad as other people think.

All of the games look good and sound good.

But now Dimps is crap, so everything associated with Dimps is also retroactively crap. (kidding)

[Pappasman]

It's been a while since I played them but I remember liking all 3. 2 is my favorite though.

[Lijik]

I think part of why I liked 3 so much is because i played almost exclusively as Knuckles paired with Tails the second I unlocked Knuckles. Between those two you can go virtually anywhere in the levels. Or at least thats how it felt like when i first played it. I spent a lot of time exploring stuff, so the chao collectathon was super fun to me.

[gerudoman]

Overall I think it's a much worse trilogy than the DS one, manly because of 2 and 3 being so bland and uninspired. I liked the first one quite a lot, though. It had an ok level design and a good balance between speed and platforming, a balance which was totally ruined in 2. It's been a while since the last time I played it, but I remeber it to be a complete mess and having crappy level design due to the gameplay based almost exclusively on running. Such a dissapointing game.

Advance 3 was way better, but I got stuck in a techno level and I didn't even bothered to waste my time trying to beat it. The partner mechanics didn't worked really well and didn't bring any fun.

[Kokonoe]

Sonic Advance 1 is amazing. In my book it's the real Sonic 4. (A lot better than CD too.)
Sonic Advance 2 lost nearly everything that made Sonic Advance 1 great, and had terrible bosses. Mediocre.
Sonic Advance 3 is an okay Sonic game, still doesn't capture what made Sonic Advance 1 so great.

[Gravijah]

sonic advance osts are amazing

sonic advance games are

uhhhh...

yeah.

[Lord British]

Get Sonic Battle.

Whooooa. Let's not go nuts.

[Azure Phoenix]

Pretty damn good, it lacks the magic of the classic games but the gameplay is solid, stages are laid out well and the pocket Chao garden was fantastic.

Not great, the level designs are imaginative and the music is pretty good but the mechanics have been changed to rely heavily on speed while the level layouts focus on blind jumps of faith and death pits out the wazoo.

Absolute garbage, I can't think of a single redeeming feature. I would rank it just behind Sonic Heroes in the running for worst ever Sonic game.

And yeah, I second Dark Schala's recommendation of Sonic Battle, that was a pretty great fighter with a fair amount of depth - until you get both of Sonic's ultimate attack cards and using Emerl becomes an instant win.

[Mzo]

I only played the first Sonic Advance, but it felt close to a proper Sonic 4 at the time. I really enjoyed it. The Mode7-style gem mini-game was a little clunky but I managed to collect all the gems so it couldn't have been that bad.

Never played the rest D=

[KenOD]

A trilogy of diminishing returns that featured some nice ideas, but could never bring itself to get everything right from a team whose best job remains a altered version of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 on Neo Geo Pocket Color.

I can enjoy them for novelty, but I wish they were better made so I can enjoy to play through them all the way through. I also wish I could feel it's worth it to even bother for the special stages, but getting to them or bothering with Chaos just makes me sad.

[Kusagari]

The two Sonic Rush games are infinitely better.

[Nocturnowl]

I've only played the first and third advance games and that was quite a while back now so that judging them properly is something that I can't do, case in point I remember liking Sonic Advance 3 and the two character gimmick and most here are saying it sucked.
Still it has good implementation of other characters as most play like variations on sonic which is the way it should be while giving their own flavour to the proceedings.
Cream the Rabbit is great, screw the haters.

[sullytao]

I still play Sonic Advance 1 on my first gen DS from time to time. It wasn't as good as the Mega Drive games but it was still decent and tried to capture the old 2d experience as best it could.

I played the second for about 30 minutes and turned it off in disgust. Never played the third one and don't intend too.

[Combichristoffersen]

First one is decent enough. 2 is kinda.. not very good, and 3 is just shit.

[Mama Robotnik]

First one wasn't terrible. It didn't remotely succeed in being comparable to Sonic 1/2/CD/3/K, but it was playable. I don't choose to revisit it myself but I'm not disgusted by it either.

Sonic Advance 2 was when the DIMPS appalling level design of BOOST BOOST BOOST BOOST HOMING ATTACK ENEMIES BOOST SPEED SPEED really took over the franchise and never looked back. Its shit.

[BassForever]

1 was good, 2 and 3 were meh and I never could fully enjoy them.