Where's the love for Sonic Advance 3?

[Slashy]

I think its fault aside from some wonky momentum issues is that the game has a higher skill floor and a higher skill ceiling than other Sonic games. You're supposed to make full work of the team mechanic to find new ways to complete each stage.

[Jar Jar Analysis 1138]

1 hour ago, Slashy said:

I think its fault aside from some wonky momentum issues is that the game has a higher skill floor and a higher skill ceiling than other Sonic games. You're supposed to make full work of the team mechanic to find new ways to complete each stage.

It uses the Advance 2 engine. Air acceleration is different when paired or playing with Sonic from what I remember.

Yeah, the game does sorta expect a bit more out of you since it's the 3rd game and all. I don't have an inherent issue with the difficulty as it's incredibly satisfying dodging spikes and hazards. Enemies? Some of the flying ones are unfairly placed like when you hit a spring going right towards them. You'd have to alter your air trajectory to dodge it and some have a bit of a weird hitbox on them.  

[Slashy]

38 minutes ago, Jar Jar Analysis 1138 said:

It uses the Advance 2 engine. Air acceleration is different when paired or playing with Sonic from what I remember.

Yeah, the game does sorta expect a bit more out of you since it's the 3rd game and all. I don't have an inherent issue with the difficulty as it's incredibly satisfying dodging spikes and hazards. Enemies? Some of the flying ones are unfairly placed like when you hit a spring going right towards them. You'd have to alter your air trajectory to dodge it and some have a bit of a weird hitbox on them.  

I don't mean its change in design to be a bad thing in concept, and I think in many ways they succeeded. I do think some of the hate towards this game is people not wanting to learn the level design and pick the right path or team to get the Gold Medal/Chao. It just is bad in design because it means that your first runthrough of a stage may be the worst, but at the same point many games don't give you that experience of getting progressively better the more you replay it.

[MetalSkulkBane]

Personally I still aprriciate that every Advance game has it's own thing going on.

But I remember thinking Adv 1 was a bit too simple, while Adv 2 was first "hold right to win" (I actually really like bosses, but hate Special Stages).

I was really sure that Adv 3 will be my favorite (although I REALLY could do without a HUB, it really kills the pace). I liked the music, unique level themes, 3 stages per zone, partner mechanic is cute (truth be told I just memorized which teams are the best) and last boss is nice twist on the formula.

...sorry, I need to agree with majority. Level Design is kinda boring mess.

[Jar Jar Analysis 1138]

I think the level design is good for the most part if you look at this as an Advance 2 sequel rather than an typical Classic Sonic experience or Advance 1 experience. Although some levels feel a bit uninspired mixed with Dimps reuse of some level mechanics(a genuine issue with most sonic games in certain areas actually).

The main problem is that if you're playing on the Gameboy SP screen, it seems like it has no rhyme or reason because you can't see anything.

Edit: 

Ah..

Route 99 seems bullshit but it's actually a thoughtful level. The problem is that the level arrangement isn't the best or more so, the difficulty curve is harder than the first stages of Sonic games. The more the you play, the less enemies and hazards pop up in the level design.

Don't know why they mapped it out like that.

Ah well. It's no harder than Sonic 2(excluding metropolis Zone kappa). 

[Jar Jar Analysis 1138]

Edit: NVm.

[mikeblastdude]

Oh wow, I would never have expected this topic that I made nearly seven years ago to resurface.

Anyway, I still enjoy playing Sonic Advance 3 from time to time, and still stand by everything I said when starting this topic, even if my interests have been much more classic-oriented in recent years. Also, I still listen to Chaos Angel and any remixes of it that I can find on a consistent basis. Sonic Advance 3 (and to a lesser extent 1 and 2) still holds a special place in my heart, although different and not quite as significant as the classics.

Even though we just got Sonic Mania, which in my opinion is the best Sonic game to come out in a long time and outdoes the Advance games in basically every single aspect, I still think it would be pretty cool to get another game in the Advance style, with tricks, grinding, that modern-styled cartoony animation, etc.

[Jar Jar Analysis 1138]

4 hours ago, mikeblastdude said:

Oh wow, I would never have expected this topic that I made nearly seven years ago to resurface.

Anyway, I still enjoy playing Sonic Advance 3 from time to time, and still stand by everything I said when starting this topic, even if my interests have been much more classic-oriented in recent years. Also, I still listen to Chaos Angel and any remixes of it that I can find on a consistent basis. Sonic Advance 3 (and to a lesser extent 1 and 2) still holds a special place in my heart, although different and not quite as significant as the classics.

Even though we just got Sonic Mania, which in my opinion is the best Sonic game to come out in a long time and outdoes the Advance games in basically every single aspect, I still think it would be pretty cool to get another game in the Advance style, with tricks, grinding, that modern-styled cartoony animation, etc.

Mania is a better game, I agree. Better realization of their own level design, Sprite work, music etc. The technical quality can't stack up. Yet, Advance 2 and 3 are something special. I dunno....

Mechanically deep, innovative and equally unique Sonic games always tends to take priority first. Advance series was translating the modern era to a classic format and it was so incredible from a contextual standpoint. It's sad that we don't get this kinda stuff anymore because it honestly was a great way to mend both new fans and old alike. I don't mind that Classic Sonic's 2D return but I prefer the previous approach(An updated design mixing more of the classic stuff could work).

Personally the Advance series(2&3 respectively and even 1 in many cases)is just as significant as the Classics, if not a bit more(after all, Sonic 2 is  technically my favorite Genesis era game).

I just hope Mania can take some inspiration from these games. I'd uhh..Love for Knuckles to have his wall spin dash lol.

[PC the Hedgehog]

The Sonic/Cream partner combo was life. I love the permanent fire shield-esque dash, being able to breathe underwater, and sending Sonic flying upwards at insane velocity.

And Chaos Angel's music was and still is my JAM.

[Jar Jar Analysis 1138]

6 hours ago, PC the Hedgehog said:

The Sonic/Cream partner combo was life. I love the permanent fire shield-esque dash, being able to breathe underwater, and sending Sonic flying upwards at insane velocity.

And Chaos Angel's music was and still is my JAM.

It's my favorite of the air dash(besides the one from Sonic ADV 1). It relies on momentum that you have aquired rather giving you broken speed from Sonic 3 imo.

If you spin dash and jump, pressing A again will transfer that momentum. 

Well thought out mechanic.