Sonic Advance 3

by THQ

Product Features

• Pick from 5 characters -- Sonic and one of his friends will team up for action in 7 game worlds
• Exciting new platforming adventure, as you collect all 7 Chaos Emeralds
• Use Chaos Control to undo Dr. Eggman's mischief -- and gain new abilities based on your partner's skills
• Link up GBA systems to play with up to 4 players in awesome 2 on 2 team battles

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0001615P2
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 8, 2006
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,433 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Sonic Advance 3 lets you save the world as the world's fastest hedgehog. Sonic's archenemy, Dr. Eggman, has used his Chaos Control to break the world into 7 pieces. While Tails and Sonic work with friend to put the world back together, Dr. Eggman builds the ultimate fighting robot to stop them once and for all.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best 2D Sonic game since S3&K, June 27, 2004

By 

riversarl (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sonic Advance 3 (Video Game)

This is by far the best Sonic GBA outing ever. Whereas SA1 felt too linear and cautious with the stage design, and SA2 concentrated almost entirely on an uneven mix of speed and exploration, SA3 feels a lot more like the old-school Sonic games on the Sega Genesis.

Clearly responding to negative feedback to the previous SA games, Sega have taken the insane 'superspeed', tricks and character animations from SA2 and the intricate level design from Sonic & Knuckles. The game is much longer than SA1 and 2, featuring 7 zones and 3 acts to each zone, as well as 'hub' levels, where you can select to play the acts in any order you wish (and also play/unlock minigames). Glitches like grinding in SA2 have been fixed, and special stages are much easier to reach.

A new element introduced is the 'partnership' system, where you play with a partner, either a friend or AI, enabling you to perform new 'combos': for example, with a Sonic/Cream combo Sonic can breathe underwater and use Cream's homing attack, while with a Knuckles/Amy combo Knuckles attacks with Amy's hammer. 20 combinations are available, each with their own advantages, although it is possible to complete the game by just leaving your partner behind (albeit harder).

The acts themselves feel much like the Genesis Sonics (taking out the massive ebdless pits from SA2), and feature many classic Sonic signatures, like popping bubbles for air, slippery waterways and bouncy flagpoles (and cheap deaths:P). Badnik design has improved, with some enemies who 'do the unexpected', like a piggybank that drains you of your rings. Thankfully, Sega have abandoned the 'running' boss battles of SA2 and returned to the 'static' bosses, each of whom need some getting used to. An improved version of the Phi robot from Sonic Battle also features, and as you fight him throughout the game he gains more attacks and becomes harder to beat. The game is far from easy, and the final acts (and the final boss) are really quite difficult, hard to get past without losing a life or two.

Sound is excellent, featuring the usual cheery tones of the Sonic games with a few twists (ie Sunset hill, with the remix of the original 'Green Hill' theme from Sonic 1). A new addition is the voice acting from Sonic battle, so deaths are no longer signalled by the "bong!" but with a "whoa!". Which is sometimes annoying, especially on the harder stages, but Eggman/Robotnik's "You're going to pay for this!" makes up for this.

Overall Summary:
Graphics 5/5: colourful stages, great character animations
Sound 4/5: cheerful music, voice acting can get on nerves
Gameplay 5/5: most of the level and boss designs are perfectly executed and timed
Lastability 4/5: many charcters and combos to try, gotta find all the Chao!
Overall 5/5: a return to roots for Sonic Team, with all the problems that plagued SA2 smoothed out. Welcome back Sonic!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good? Maybe. Long? Very., October 2, 2004

A Kid's Review

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Sonic Advance 3 (Video Game)

Sonic Advance 3 is the long anticipated sequel of the already popuLar Sonic Advance series. Sonic Advance 2 was longer, funner and more challenging and Sonic Advance 3 takes the formula a little longer.

You select a partner to help you in this game, varying from partner to partner there is Speed, Fly and Power formations which are different to each set of partners. They all make the game harder, easier, funner or more challenging. ALso the character that you control, the char. you control varies between partners. It is quite fun to play with the different combos.

Ah yes, the game would be twice as more fun if you haven't played Sonic Advance 2 immensly like me and got a habit of using the R stunts; they're back but not compatible with every partner team.

If you love a game that takes a long time to beat and has replayability, this game is for you!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 13 years in and he's still a blast to play..., June 1, 2004

By 

The Homey (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sonic Advance 3 (Video Game)

I think I speak for everyone is saying that Sonic is just plain better in 2-D. The speed and control was just meant for this medium. Since I'm awaiting for hopefully another sequel to the Sonic Adventure series, the GBA offers Sonic Advance 3. And a bit early too....I was excepting it out not until June 16th.

Anyway, I'm currently on Zone 3 of the game (I don't wanna ruin any of the names of the Zones of those who haven't played it yet) and the gameplay is beautiful. The nicely rendered backgrounds, the new duo mode allows you to mix-match different characters, and now you can play any Act you want to first. All these features should have a good replay value.

Strap on your running shoes and pick up another solid Sonic adventure!