Sonic Adventure DX Preview
We check out the GameCube version of Sonic the Hedgehog's first 3D adventure.
When Sonic Adventure was released for the Dreamcast in September 1999, the game marked the return of Sega's popular mascot after a long absence. Until that point, the blue hedgehog who propelled Sega to the top of the console heap in the 16-bit era had yet to undergo the 3D makeover that Nintendo's Mario had received a few years earlier, despite a few appearances on Sega's Saturn console. The fully 3D adventure was a solid and fun outing that served as an effective reminder of the little guy's appeal. Following the success of last year's Sonic Adventure 2 Battle on the GameCube, Sega has opted to bring the original game in the Sonic Adventure series to Nintendo's platform as well. The title is slated to make a number of graphical improvements on its Dreamcast predecessor, as well as add an array of platform-specific extras. We recently had a chance to check out a preview build of the game to see how the conversion is shaping up.
For those unfamiliar with the original Sonic Adventure, the game is a much more story-driven affair than previous Sonic titles. As usual, the drama at hand revolves around Dr. Eggman, the villain formerly known as Dr. Robotnik, and his efforts to collect the powerful Chaos emeralds. This time out, the wily one is aided by a mysterious and powerful creature that feeds on the potent gems. While the threat posed by the dastardly duo is considerable, Sonic isn't alone in his quest to set things right. You'll find a variety of playable characters in the game, each with different abilities and a unique perspective on the action: Loyal sidekick Tails, onetime nemesis Knuckles, and former kidnap victim Amy Rose are on hand to represent the old guard, and morbidly obese Big the Cat and reformed robot E-102 are the new faces in the mix.
You'll become intimately familiar with the cast thanks to the game's basic structure, which requires you to play as each of the characters to finish the game. The game will initially offer you two modes to play through: adventure and trial. Adventure is the game's story mode, and it will take you through the race to stop Dr. Eggman from collecting all the Chaos emeralds and really mucking the world up. You'll start the game as Sonic and eventually unlock the other characters as you progress through his story. The trial mode challenges you to replay the levels in the game and beat record times. As you progress through the game, you'll unlock two new modes--mission and minigame collection--that have been added specifically for the GameCube. The mission mode features 60 different missions that are divvied up among the game's roster of playable characters. You'll choose a character and explore the various levels in the game, where you'll discover cards that will provide you with assorted challenges. The challenges include tasks like wiping out a set number of weeds in a stage, popping a certain number of balloons, and collecting specific items, among other things, and they usually have a time limit. Completing the various missions will reward you with exclusive items and unlock some of the game's hidden content. Some of this content can be seen in the new minigame collection mode, which will allow you to unlock a whopping 12 classic Game Gear games, such as Sonic the Hedgehog.
The gameplay in Sonic Adventure offers quite a bit of variety, thanks to the different styles of play for each of the characters and the inclusion of the various minigames. Each character will go through the various levels in the game in his or her own way. For example, going through the levels as Sonic and Tails will emphasize both characters' speed and special abilities, such as Sonic's homing attacks and Tails' ability to fly. Knuckles' levels will challenge you to find pieces of a Chaos emerald, and Big's levels will focus on his recovering his lost frog. Amy Rose's will find you using her hammer and wits to stay one step ahead of a massive robot. Finally, E-102's stages will feature a strong emphasis on shooting. In addition to those core mechanics, you'll find various minigames, such as races and snowboarding segments, that offer a change of pace.
Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut Quick Links
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- GameSpot Score5.7mediocre
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Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut Movie 8
Sonic races across the beaches of the emerald coast.
- Jun 23, 2003
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Related Unions
- Sega
- Sonic Team
- 3D Platformer
- Release: Jun 18, 2003 »
- ESRB: Everyone
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