TGS 2001 Fall: Sonic Advance links to the GameCube

At Sega's Consumer Conference Friday, Yuji Naka discussed the link feature for Sonic Adventure 2 Battle for the GameCube and Sonic Advance for the Game Boy Advance. A taped segment outlined the link feature for the two games. Like the Dreamcast version of Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle will feature artificial life-forms called chao. In the DC version, players could download a chao into the DC's VMU and interact with it via a minigame. SA2 Battle will offer a similar feature, but in a much more evolved form. Players will be able to download their chao from SA2 Battle into Sonic Advance's chao garden and interact with it. The GBA's stronger processor allows for more in-depth chao interaction. Players will be able to have their chao explore the garden and look for items, and they'll be able to play a variety of minigames with it that will help raise it, give it items they've bought for it to help it evolve, and put it to sleep. In addition, transferring chao between the two games will allow players to find unique items that would otherwise be unattainable if they raised a chao without transferring it.

Sonic Advance is slated to ship on December 20 in Japan alongside Sonic Adventure 2 Battle.