4/5 ★ – lupincentral's review of Sonic Advance.

Gotta go fast, on the go! “Sonic Advance” is one of the better 2D “Sonic” titles, at least of those not originally featuring on the original 8-bit and 16-bit SEGA systems. Gameplay feels familiar, and visuals hold up well. That more modern “Sonic Adventure” style and flair is present, with Sonic grinding down rails and doing backflips as he whizzes through a total of six main stages. Tails, Knuckles, and Amy feature as additional playable characters, each with their own unique abilities. While I found Tails and Knuckles fun to play, Amy's lack of a roll makes stages far harder to navigate. She essentially feels like “hard mode”, in comparison to the other three, and I would not recommend playing as her until you have already grown accustomed to the stages. Speaking of the stages—the six included in Advance are solid, but feel they get a little uncompromising toward the end. Both the fifth and sixth areas are littered with bottomless pits, and it is often impossible to see them coming. Perhaps ironically, the best thing to do here is to go slow—take your time, and be cautious when jumping on springs or making leaps of faith. I appreciate the first GBA “Sonic” title more than I do the two sequels, and while it plays things safe; I feel it is a more rounded, solid, “Sonic” experience. 8/10 ---------------------------- One to check out, if you are craving for some decent 2D “Sonic” gameplay. The additional characters help add longevity, and the stages included here are a blast—despite their design feeling a tad harsh as you approach the end. Played on a Nintendo DS Lite.