Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
Preview by Trent Dickerson
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If you've just come out from living in a cave for the past 10 years, only emerging every
once and a while to hunt for food, upon returning to civilazation, if you know anything about
video games, you'll be shocked to hear that Sonic the Hedgehog is no longer on Sega systems,
mainly because there are no longer ANY Sega systems, and that Sega is a full-fledged software
company developing for all video game platforms.
If you're a Sega fanboy and you actually DID just come out from a cave, don't worry, you
didn't really miss much. There was that horrible Sega CD, then Sega Saturn, then in a last, sad
attempt, there was the Sega Dreamcast. And then they died, well, in the hardware business
anyway. Probably one of the ONLY good games on the Sega Dreamcast was Sonic Adventure 2, a
fully 3D adventure game featuring two playable characters, Sonic and Shadow, meaning there were
2 adventure single-player modes.
This and Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 were probably the LAST decent and popular games on
Dreamcast, both of which I might mention are porting over to Nintendo's GameCube. The GameCube
version will be much better than the DC version, including a few secret tidbits Yuji Naka,
president of Sonic Team, isn't willing to release information about quite yet.
One of those little tidbits is the fact that you can link Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and
the upcoming Gameboy Advance Sonic title together. What is the point of this link feature?
Well, through out SA2, you raise little creatures called Chaos, and with the GCN-GBA Sonic game
link feature, you can "download" your Chaos onto the GBA Sonic game into the "Petit Garden" for
nurturing without being on the GCN Sonic game. Cool, huh?
The graphics are supposed to be substantially better as well. Smoother bump-mapping,
better lighting, etc. The playable version at Spaceworld 2001 was almost identical to the
Dreamcast version, and it was only at 10% of the GameCube's true power. Damn. At the recent
Tokyo Game Show, SA2 was completely identical to the DC version, almost better. Everything was
sharper and more crisp and smooth.
Sonic Team has included 4 new battle mutli-player modes all of which are completely
exclusive the the GameCube version, which includes the following: Sonic vs. Shadow, Hi-Speed
Race, Lock-on Shoot-outs between Tails and Dr. Eggman, Treasure Hunt Competition between
Knuckles and Rouge, and finally Kart Race Competition, from which you can race any Sonic
Adventure characters. Gameplay is much smoother than the Dreamcast version as well. The
framerate is very much consistent, however, there seems to be problems with the camera system,
just like in the Dreamcast version. Non Sonic/Shadow stages are tiresome as the camera moves
all over the place, never allowing you to focus it behind the character you are currently
controlling.
In conclusion, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle is proving to be an outstanding game. Sonic
beat Mario to the punch by becoming the first video game character in the Macy's Day Parade,
and he's one-upped him again by debuting on Mario's OWN system BEFORE Mario. Ouch. I suspect
a re-kindling of the flames of jealousy betwen the two these coming years. Maybe we'll even get
to SEE this feud in Super Smash Bros. 3?
My Score: N/A
Advantages: Sonic on a Nintendo system, better graphics, smoother gameplay, new multiplayer
modes, more racing levels, GCN-GBA link feature.
Disadvantages: Sega fanboys might not like Sonic on a Nintendo system.
