Ok, let me see if I got this right. In order to access a special stage, you need to collect 10 chao in a zone, 3 per act, 1 in the hub world, then find a special key, then use ketchup to fake your death and lure the guard in, then examine the bottom of the wine bottle, then collect all of Dracula's remains in the inverted castle, then find all the crests to get the Magnum, then draw all of Exodia's pieces with Royal Magical Library, then start World War III to awaken Azazel and then kill it, then dodge 200 lightning bolts in a row, then lure all the sheep to you using lettuce, then FADC into super, and then FINALLY find the special stage spring in the hub world and jump on it.

Sonic Advance 2, I owe you an apology. When reviewing you, I said you had the worst emerald hunt in the series up to that point. You are now relieved of that title. Go home to your wife and kids, and rest. You've earned it.

Thankfully, you can simply ignore the chaos emeralds and play the game like a sane individual and then look up the true ending online, which is what I decided to do after grabbing the first emerald in Route 99. From that perspective, Advance 3 is fun! I love the partner mechanic and how each combination can alter your playstyle in interesting ways. Props to all the extra spritework too, Tails flying with a hammer when paired with Amy is super cute.

Extra points for being the first GBA game to break my hatred for the system's sound. In my Sonic Advance 1 review, I mentioned that I REALLY dislike the way games sound on the GBA, 0 exceptions. Now, let's make that one exception: Advance 3's OST is some crazy good shit. Best rendition of Green Hill Zone, Twinkle Snow, Cyber Track and god damn motherfuckin CHAOS ANGEL ACT 3. (Don't get used to it, GBA.)

Pretty fun game when playing normally, insanely boring if going for completion. Please stop, Dimps. Just make it 50 rings at the end of the stage, I'm BEGGING you.

Sad to say, I'm not too crazy about this one! After playing Advance 1 and finding it to be one of my favorite 2D Sonics so far, I had high hopes for Advance 2.

It's not awful; the visuals are even better now, my favorite addition being the "act start" animations for the characters, it controls a lot better and there are new movement options when jumping off springs or rails. Speeding around here feels good! ... Until you fall down a bottomless pit.

Also, uh. Possibly the worst emerald hunt in the series so far? The SP Rings SUCK.
Look, I don't mind a larger emphasis on exploration. Sonic CD is still my favorite 2D game in the series, but the difference between that game and Advance 2 is that CD was built with that exploration in mind. Not only that, but CD only had you finding 2 thingamabobs in each past version of the acts. Here, you have to find 7 of these fucking special rings before you can enter a special stage. Got 6? Tough shit, you're not going in. SP Rings don't carry between acts either, even though you can only nab one emerald per zone. Oh, and emeralds aren't shared between characters. Just dickheaded decisions all around.

Pretty disappointed ngl. Here's hoping Advance 3 wraps the trilogy up nicely.