Play 2 In 1 - Sonic Advance & Sonic Pinball Party (u)(trashman) Online

I picked up this 2 in 1 cartridge for the Game Boy Advance, which bundles Sonic Advance and Sonic Pinball Party. It was published by THQ back when these kinds of compilations were common on the handheld. Having two distinct Sonic experiences on one cart made it a solid value during the GBA's lifespan.

In Sonic Advance, you control Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or Amy as they run and jump through side scrolling stages. The main goal is to reach the end of each act, defeating Dr. Eggman's robots along the way. Signature mechanics include building momentum to run up walls and across loops, and using each character's unique ability, like Tails' flight or Knuckles' glide, to access different paths. The pinball game shifts focus entirely; you launch Sonic and friends as balls into themed tables based on Sonic Adventure 2 and other Sega properties, aiming to hit targets, trigger multiball, and rack up a high score. The platformer is fast and demands quick reflexes, while the pinball requires careful timing and understanding of each table's layout. It feels satisfying to master the flow of a perfect run in the platformer and to finally conquer a tricky pinball table's secrets.