This game is the sequel to Sonic Advance and it changes a lot from the original. Rather then being a straight up Sonic 4, this is more of a 'transition' game between Classic Sonic and the 2D Boost Formula we see latter with Sonic Rush.
I really enjoyed this game growing up and I still like it
. Got a lot to talk about so lets dash!- - - - - - -
The story is that Eggman captures Cream the Rabbits mother and has a new death machine in space! So Sonic and friends dash across various zones and fight Eggman's robots and creations along the way.
Simple plot but it introduces us to a new character, Cream the Rabbit & Cheese the Chao!
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Like Tails, she is a young kid but she can fly using her ears and she can shoot Cheese like a missile that auto-kills anything it hits. If you want to have an easy time with the game, she is the character you pick XD! Her Cheese missile attack wipes the floor with every boss and its amazing :').
Sonic, Tails & Knuckles all control the same like how they did in Advance but with the difference being a R abilities. When you launch off ramps or rails, you can do one of three tricks; a forward dash, an extra jump or a downward slam.
This is IMPORTANT, as there are specific areas in the game that require you to use the extra jump to progress onwards in the game. Sky Canyon Zone is a big example of this, as early in one of the acts you reach an area where you are above bottomless pit and you have a platform above you. Since you were launched with a ramp, you could do the R trick.....but what if you never knew about that? The game doesn't tell you about this mechanic. If you don't do it, you die.
One example of cheap level design at points but that is a real issue of the game not telling people about the games core mechanics.
Anyway, Amy also returns as a playable character if you want to kill yourself unlocking everything.......more on that latter :l. She is a Sonic clone, with her Advance playstyle completely gone.
So character wise, nothing is that different, so lets move on to gameplay.
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The gameplay is like Advance but with a focus on GOTTA GO FAST!
You run fast and you keep going fast thanks to springs, boost pads and a new mechanic called the Sonic Boost. The longer you run, you build up momentum that triggers this Sonic Boost. You get an after-trail following you and you can keep this if you keep running (even if you go a simple jog). It is a natural way to have Sonic boost and fits within Classic Sonic mechanics; you have to EARN this instead of pressing a button to go fast.
But this leads to the level design being different then Advance. In that game, level design is more Classic like but with more platforming at places. Advance 2 has a lot of levels set up in lines but with upper, middle and lower paths. The upper paths lead to faster runs, leading to really rewarding gameplay if you can nail your run through stages.
But it isn't like traditional 2D Sonic which focuses on platforming & speed, this game focuses on speed with platforming at points. I don't mind this change and Dimps did a good job introducing this into the Classic formula with this game.
It has flaws (like I mentioned with Sky Canyon) but overall its very enjoyable. Just 'different' and that is a problem for those preferring Classic Sonic styled 2D action. Overall, I liked the gameplay a lot despite issues I had with it at points.
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Presentation is strong like Advance and it looks better at points. Characters are more expressive, the animations for the sprites are really detailed and the levels have more detail in Advance.
The music here is very strong and one of my favorite handheld Sonic soundtracks next to Sonic 2 GG, Sonic Triple Trouble, and Sonic Advance 3 (but will get to the latter soon enough
). Leaf Forest Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shvZSpl-V1Q&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E&index=3
Leaf Forest Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxp7LxMCSFA&index=4&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E
Hot Carrier Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS5HE8FAAsQ&index=5&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E
Music Plant Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcbMvsQqgAc&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E&index=6
Ice Paradise Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLRbsdKmz1A&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E&index=8
Sky Canyon Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTl6KTRVnB8&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E&index=10
Sky Canyon Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FHGYQXfp8U&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E&index=11
Techno Base Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGtXjtaaG4c&index=13&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E
Boss Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf21yfoi7lg&index=15&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E
Knuckles Boss Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmKsNq_zt5o&index=16&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E
Boss 7 Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECG2WG23IK8&index=17&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E
Super Sonic Boss Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrGI2JIo-5Q&index=19&list=PLB6EB28A4DAB6AC5E
They all sound great and make even more use of the GBA sound chip then Sonic Advance!
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My biggest issue with the game is something I'm sure everyone knows about, the BS unlocking systems in place. In order to access special stages you have to collect golden rings (seven) in each act. Once you do you 'Speed Up!' and dash into the special stages. Simple Mode-7 like thing and when you beat it you get an Emerald......for one character.
You have to get the seven emeralds four.....FOUR times to unlock all the features that were unlocked from the start in Advance (sound test, Tiny Chao Garden, Amy Rose, ect). Its BS that this is the case and its a really poor effort on DImps part to pad out the gameplay length. To be fair though, you only need to clear all the special stages as Sonic & Beat the story with every character to get the final boss. Still, BS unlocking system is not fun
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I'm not covering the extra features this time out as I never accessed a special stage, as I'm not putting up with that BS to collect everything. If you want to have fun with Advance 2, ignore those rings and forget about the Emeralds/Final Boss. You don't even get Super Sonic, so it makes all the work kinda pointless.
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Outside of my little rant about the unlocking of content, its a fun time
. I has issues but Advance 2 is always replayable thanks to its gotta go fast-like mentalitiy. Its 'different' than Advance, so I can understand completely if others perfer that over this game. But I found fun in this title and I hope you give it a shot
! Both the original and this Advance game are on the JP Wii U E-Shop so if you live in Japan, give them a shot . They should be coming to NA and EU soon enough. Hope you enjoy this thread and lets run fast!
