Yeah wow this is a big step up.
This may as well be another entry into the main series Genesis games for everything it adds. It has some kickass new zone concepts, some great execution of series staple zone concepts, and introduces two new characters in the kidnapped Vanilla and her daughter Cream.
I also love the running bosses! Running bosses make so much sense considering all of our abilities etc. And I love that there's a boss rush towards the end! And OH MY GOSH the soundtrack. Seriously, guys! This game is SO good and SO fun!!
Basically the only thing I don't love is the way you get to the Special Stages in these. Tracking down all those special rings is just anti-fun. At least the special stages themselves are way better than Advance 1's.
Basically the only thing keeping this from being on the same tier as Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 (& Knuckles) is that the final boss could be more overwhelmingly good. But honestly? It feels nitpicky even saying that. This game is SO good! And one of the biggest reasons it's pretty dang annoying that people usually skip the handheld games when they're ranking Sonic games.
Speaking of ranking, let's rank some stuff! The Special Stage soundtrack isn't ranked because it’s the same as in Sonic Advance 1.
Zones
Techno Base Zone (A-Rank)
XX Zone (A-Rank)
Hot Crater Zone (A-Rank)
Leaf Forest Zone (A-Rank)
True Area 53 Zone (B-Rank)
Egg Utopia Zone (B-Rank)
Music Plant Zone (B-Rank)
Sky Canyon Zone (B-Rank)
Ice Paradise Zone (B-Rank)
Bosses
Egg Totem (A-Rank)
Egg-Go-Round (A-Rank)
Egg Frog (A-Rank)
True Area 53 (A-Rank)
Super Eggrobo Z (A-Rank)
Egg Hammer Tank II (A-Rank)
Aero Egg (A-Rank)
Egg Bomber Tank (A-Rank)
Egg Saucer (B-Rank)
Soundtrack
Hot Crater Zone Act 1 (S-Rank)
Sky Canyon Zone Act 2 (S-Rank)
Egg Utopia Zone Act 1 (S-Rank)
XX Zone (S-Rank)
Egg Frog (Egg Utopia Boss) (S-Rank)
True Area 53 Zone (S-Rank)
Boss (S-Rank)
Egg Utopia Zone Act 2 (A-Rank)
Sky Canyon Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Super Eggrobo Z (XX Boss) (A-Rank)
Leaf Forest Zone Act 2 (A-Rank)
Leaf Forest Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Music Plant Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Techno Base Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Hot Crater Zone Act 2 (B-Rank)
Staff Roll (B-Rank)
Music Plant Zone Act 2 (B-Rank)
Ice Paradise Zone Act 1 (B-Rank)
Versus Mode 1 (B-Rank)
Versus Mode 2 (B-Rank)
Techno Base Act 2 (C-Rank)
Versus Mode 3 (C-Ran)
Ice Paradise Zone Act 2 (C-Rank)
This may as well be another entry into the main series Genesis games for everything it adds. It has some kickass new zone concepts, some great execution of series staple zone concepts, and introduces two new characters in the kidnapped Vanilla and her daughter Cream.
I also love the running bosses! Running bosses make so much sense considering all of our abilities etc. And I love that there's a boss rush towards the end! And OH MY GOSH the soundtrack. Seriously, guys! This game is SO good and SO fun!!
Basically the only thing I don't love is the way you get to the Special Stages in these. Tracking down all those special rings is just anti-fun. At least the special stages themselves are way better than Advance 1's.
Basically the only thing keeping this from being on the same tier as Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 (& Knuckles) is that the final boss could be more overwhelmingly good. But honestly? It feels nitpicky even saying that. This game is SO good! And one of the biggest reasons it's pretty dang annoying that people usually skip the handheld games when they're ranking Sonic games.
Speaking of ranking, let's rank some stuff! The Special Stage soundtrack isn't ranked because it’s the same as in Sonic Advance 1.
Zones
Techno Base Zone (A-Rank)
XX Zone (A-Rank)
Hot Crater Zone (A-Rank)
Leaf Forest Zone (A-Rank)
True Area 53 Zone (B-Rank)
Egg Utopia Zone (B-Rank)
Music Plant Zone (B-Rank)
Sky Canyon Zone (B-Rank)
Ice Paradise Zone (B-Rank)
Bosses
Egg Totem (A-Rank)
Egg-Go-Round (A-Rank)
Egg Frog (A-Rank)
True Area 53 (A-Rank)
Super Eggrobo Z (A-Rank)
Egg Hammer Tank II (A-Rank)
Aero Egg (A-Rank)
Egg Bomber Tank (A-Rank)
Egg Saucer (B-Rank)
Soundtrack
Hot Crater Zone Act 1 (S-Rank)
Sky Canyon Zone Act 2 (S-Rank)
Egg Utopia Zone Act 1 (S-Rank)
XX Zone (S-Rank)
Egg Frog (Egg Utopia Boss) (S-Rank)
True Area 53 Zone (S-Rank)
Boss (S-Rank)
Egg Utopia Zone Act 2 (A-Rank)
Sky Canyon Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Super Eggrobo Z (XX Boss) (A-Rank)
Leaf Forest Zone Act 2 (A-Rank)
Leaf Forest Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Music Plant Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Techno Base Zone Act 1 (A-Rank)
Hot Crater Zone Act 2 (B-Rank)
Staff Roll (B-Rank)
Music Plant Zone Act 2 (B-Rank)
Ice Paradise Zone Act 1 (B-Rank)
Versus Mode 1 (B-Rank)
Versus Mode 2 (B-Rank)
Techno Base Act 2 (C-Rank)
Versus Mode 3 (C-Ran)
Ice Paradise Zone Act 2 (C-Rank)