Times change, people change and so does technology itself.  While the world keeps evolving there are still certain things you can count on remaining the same and one of them just happens to be that Sonic the Hedgehog still feels right at home on the palm of your hand.  Sonic Advance 3 doesn’t push the envelope in terms of bringing something new to the Game Boy Advance but then again sometimes change can spoil a really good thing.  I mean, why mess with a good thing, right?

Well, thankfully Sega and THQ felt the same way and pretty much kept the things that worked outstandingly for Sonic Advance 2, a sequel that was platformer heaven for fans of the platformer genre.  All your favorite characters are back and this time there’s more emphasis on teamwork and if you loved the last game for its stellar multiplayer option than you’ll love this one even more.

That no-good dastardly Dr. Eggman is at it once again and this time he used a power called Chaos Control to break the world into seven parts.  In the splitting of the world, Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails the Fox find themselves separated from their other friends and its now up to them to put a stop to Dr. Eggman’s plot to turn each world into seven different empires.  In order to stop him, they much collect seven Chaos Emeralds to reuse Chaos Control to undo the damage done.  It won’t be easy since Dr. Eggman is an evil genius when it comes to constructing robots but teamwork is the key to your success.

You start the game with a choice between playing as Sonic or playing as Tails (you can later unlock Knuckles, Cream and Amy Rose and this changes the game almost completely).  Either character you choose in the game’s single player mode will keep the unused secondary character as a partner.  Controlled by the computer, your partner picks up rings you might have missed (and trust me, as Sonic you’re bound to miss more than a few) and also help you by giving you a boost.  The game allows you to perform a Tag Action, which has you performing certain moves, in synch with your partner.  For example, you missed a springboard and you’re stuck on a platform, just call your partner and he (or she) will perform a jump at the same time as you and this extra “boost” will propel you even higher.  The great thing is that the computer-controlled partner does a great job of catching up to you so you can always count on your partner, especially when you need him or her most.

The stages are designed pretty much like the old-school Sonic classics and while it might seem a little dated or have that been-there-done-that feel; the stages are just still so much fun.  You’ll find plenty of the things we love about the old Sonic games such as springboards, loops, speed burst stations, trampolines and spikes that suddenly spring up when you get near them.  Sonic and Tails are practically defenseless against spikes or hovering bombers but they are able to clobber enemies with their own unique attacks.  Since the world is separated, the levels are broken into Zones with three Acts that must be completed in order to move to the next Zone.  There’s even a Sonic Factory that allows you to revisit past stages and change partners so you can continue on your quest to stop Dr. Eggman.  The game also mixes the action by including Special Stages and a Boss Area.

Sonic Advance 3’s biggest strengths come from its perfect blend of tag-team action and solid platforming gameplay.  Sonic and company move smoothly and quickly throughout the environment without even the slightest hint of a hiccup or slowdown.  The other characters also bring their own special abilities to the game and thus add to the replay value of the game.  While I wish there was less of those unavoidable spikes or unfairly placed enemies, these complaints hardly take away from the flawless gameplay and addictively fun levels.  Yet what really makes this game pure joy is the fact that it once again brings us a multiplayer mode ripe with plenty of action.

Ah, multiplayer mode, how do I love thee . . . let me count the ways.   First there’s Single Player mode that allows another gamer to take up the partner role the game’s main mode presents.  While the CPU controlled partner really helps you out, there’s nothing quite like having to come up with a battle plan with a friend during boss battles.  The cool part about this mode is that you can play with a friend using a single game pack and two GBA systems (and using a GBA Link Cable, of course).  Then there’s the two Battle modes that can be played with up to four players.  And finally there’s Time Attack mode that will have you playing a timed level to see who completes it the fastest.  This is multiplayer action for the GBA at its finest.

Visually, Sonic Advance 3 doesn’t change a thing from its last outing but that’s not really a complaint seeing as the last game was nicely colorful and well detailed when it came to environments and characters.  The levels are designed with heavily detailed backgrounds be it outdoors or in Dr. Eggman’s Boss Area.  The characters are also neatly detailed to the point that you can make out the character’s tiny blinking eyes or expressions.  There’s no cool visual effects found here but that’s forgivable seeing as the game moves along as smoothly as ever.

Remember the Sonic the Hedgehog on the old Sega Genesis console?  If you’re an old school gamer like me, chances are you’ll remember the old-school tunes and classic jumping and golden ring collecting sound effects.  Not only does this game replicate the classic tunes, but it also throws in individual character sound bytes.  Sonic shouts out “Let’s go!” while Tails chimes in with a “Right on!”  It’s not overly unique but it works great.

There are many Game Boy Advance games that are just so good that they’ll have you playing for hours but there are games like this one that are so addictively fun that you won’t want to stop playing. Sonic Advance 3 just goes to prove that our favorite little blue hedgehog is still at the top of its game when it comes to delivering platforming goodness on our GBA.  If Sonic Advance 2 didn’t make you a fan already, this third outing will certainly win you over. 

Gameplay: 9.2
Sonic and his friends just feel right at home on the GBA and gamers will simply love the fact that the game flows so smoothly and seamlessly on our favorite handheld system.  While the game still maintains the same traditional platformer level design and old-school Sonic action, the game is designed around teamwork this time around and this is handled superbly throughout the game.  Your companion compliments your moves excellently and has you using the other’s special ability for that extra and much needed boost.  This is even more fun when a friend takes up the role of the companion.

Graphics: 8.0
There are no new visual improvements in this sequel but Sonic Advance 3 is still very colorfully and heavily detailed game.  The levels are filled with plenty of detailed objects, platforms and backgrounds and the characters themselves are fun to watch.  There are no spectacular special effects found here but it’s still impressive to see Sonic at top speed.

Sound: 8.0
The game’s music will bring back memories of Sonic’s classic Sega Genesis days and that’s actually not a bad thing considering those tunes were pretty catchy.  Top that off with the occasional sound bytes for each individual character and you have a game with impressive sound.

Difficulty: Medium
Whether your partner is controlled by the computer AI or by a friend, teamwork not only makes a difference in moving the game along but also in helping your character out when you really need a helping hand.  Still, even with a partner, the game provides plenty of challenges that come in the form of bosses--like Dr. Eggman’s robot--and the environment itself.  Those springboards often put you in harms way rather than just give you a safe boost.

Concept: 9.0
What’s not to love about a game that just adds plenty of extras to unlock, an assortment of characters that add not only personality to the game but their own unique abilities that set them apart during the action and game levels that throw interesting new challenges or special areas.  Each stage has at least one special stage that have you zipping through a 3D environment.  In short, these are all the things that make Sonic Advance 3 an instant classic.

Multiplayer: 9.5
Once again the good people at Sega and THQ has given us multiplayer support for up to four players using a GBA Link Cable.  This multiplayer feature was one of the highlights of Sonic Advance 2 and thanks to some tweaking in the design front, the multiplayer mode this time around is just pure bliss.  We’re talking about playing the main mode with a friend taking the role of the secondary character.  We’re talking about two Battle modes that can be played with up to four players using five different characters.  It really doesn’t get any better than this.

Overall: 9.0
There’s just way too much to love about Sonic Advance 3 and fans of the platformer genre should definitely not miss out on this game.  With a robust multiplayer mode, dozens of extras to unlock and plenty of great characters to use, this game has enough replay value to keep gamers happy for a long time to come.  Buy this one if you’re just itching for a platformer that’s destined to be a classic.