However, the Dreamcast was already close to being taken off life support, and the passage of time would soon turn a new page. The Game Boy Advance came out, and it would not only be the platform for Sonic's debut on a Nintendo system, but also his return from the brink of mascot hell.

Sonic Advance was a fun, if not too cautious return to Sonic's X and Y roots. It was much like the Genesis games, and didn’t leave a lot to chance. It was fun, though, and it did a lot towards proving that maybe some games just don’t have what it takes to tackle the Z-axis.

After the big success of the first, Sega decided to let it all go with the second of the Sonic Advance games. With a lot of challenge, a lot of speed, and something new to the Sonic games - an emphasis on exploration, Sonic Advance 2 is the kind of game that’ll make you a man. You are a man, aren’t you? Read on.

Speed is a given here. You’ve come to expect it from Sonic games, and this is the fastest yet. Bumpers, rails, fans, and other familiar items will boost you through the levels so quickly that you’ll find yourself wondering how you got there, especially in the early levels. We’re talking seriously fast here. Christina Aguilera on skates fast, right up until you hit the boss battles, which are also done on the run. At full speed isn’t always the best way to approach the levels, though, as you’ll find yourself missing most of the special rings required to earn the Chaos Emeralds in each area.

The world in Advance 2 contains the most well-designed levels of any Sonic game. They are all huge, well-laid-out, and colorful enough to make anyone feel at home. Sonic Team did a far better job of taking advantage of the hardware this time around, and the result is the true 32-bit, side-scrolling Sonic that we never got to see. The character models are well-animated and drawn with their trademark looks intact, from the oddly deformed Tails to the gullible badass, Knuckles, and their double tails and spiked knuckles respectively.

Each of Sonic’s friends plays differently and each adds replay value to the game. As Sonic beats certain bosses, he will unlock a new character whom you can use to go though each level and access the areas that you couldn‘t previously get to. Tails is present with a tail whip and his ability to fly short distances, Knuckles can climb walls and be stupidly tricked by Dr. Eggman’s plots, Amy can hit enemies with a hammer and annoy everyone, and now we also have Cream the rabbit, who can float and order her Chao sidekick Cheese to attack enemies. Sonic even has a few new tricks, including a mid-air boost that can help him reach higher platforms and a sliding kick with which to rescue small animals from inside robots.

The sound in a GBA game is never anything to write home about, but the developers did a good job of making the most out of that one tiny speaker. The sound effects do exactly what they have to do, and the music is definitely Sonic.

You need to go out and buy Sonic Advance 2. It’s fast fun, and it’s the sort of game any GBA owner should have. It’s also redemption to the longtime fans of the series, as it proves that Sonic still has it in him to star in a great game. With fantastic level design, nice visuals, five distinct characters to replay the game with, and the Chao’s Garden GBA mini game, there are many hours' worth of fun here. Not enough yet? There’s also a time attack mode and multiplayer, off of one cart or two, and this game is difficult. You won't have an easy go of it at all, and you won’t get tired of this one anytime soon.

Sonic’s back.

· · · AFX