Play Sonic Advance (E)(Lightforce) Online

Game Overview

Man, Sonic Advance was such a big deal when it dropped on the GBA. First Sonic game on a Nintendo system after Sega stopped making consoles? Wild times. It feels like a proper throwback to the Genesis days—fast, fluid platforming with just enough new tricks to keep it fresh.

You’ve got all the classic moves—spin dashes, loop-de-loops, those satisfying speed boosts—but now with these slick little animations and way more detailed backgrounds. The first zone’s got these rolling green hills that look way better than they had any right to on the GBA’s tiny screen. And yeah, you can play as Tails or Knuckles too, but let’s be real, you’re gonna pick Sonic first.

It’s not perfect (some of those later levels get kinda mean with the bottomless pits), but it absolutely nails that old-school Sonic feel. Still holds up surprisingly well today.