Sonic Advance 2 is a side-scrolling platformer similar in gameplay and style to the original Sonic Advance. The player controls Sonic the Hedgehog, who can unlock three other playable characters: Cream the Rabbit and her Chao named Cheese, Tails, and Knuckles the Echidna after defeating Doctor Eggman in specific boss battles.[1] A fifth character, Amy Rose, can be unlocked after completing the game with each character.[1] Each character has their own unique moves and abilities. Sonic can perform an "insta-shield" that protects him for a brief moment; Cream and Tails can fly; Knuckles can glide and climb; and Amy can destroy enemies using a hammer.[1]
In the tradition of Sonic games, gameplay consists of moving quickly through levels. Levels in the game are divided into seven "zones",[2] each consisting of two acts of normal gameplay then a boss battle, where the player fights Doctor Eggman[3] in order to stop Eggman from taking over the world.[4] The player collects rings as a form of health; when the player is attacked by an enemy, their rings bounce in all directions. If the player is hit by an enemy and has no rings, they lose a life.[5] A character will also lose a life if they fall into a gap, get crushed, or exceed an act's 10-minute limit. The game ends when all lives are lost. The player can also collect seven "special rings" to access special stages,[5] where Chaos Emeralds are found. Special stages are on a 3D plane,[3] where the character tries to obtain a set number of rings before time runs out in order to collect a Chaos Emerald. After beating all zones and finding all seven Chaos Emeralds with Sonic, an alternate final act is unlocked.[2]
When all of the Chaos Emeralds are collected with the other characters, a sound test feature (where the player can listen to music) and a boss time-attack feature are unlocked, along with the Tiny Chao Garden, where toys for Cheese,[1] can be purchased with rings earned in-game.[5] Various mini-games can also be played in the Tiny Chao Garden.[6] Other game modes include a "time-attack" mode where the player tries to beat a specific act in the shortest amount of time,[7] and a multiplayer mode, where players can race each other through unlocked acts.
