Man, Sonic Advance was such a big deal when it dropped on the GBA. After years of Sega vs. Nintendo console wars, suddenly Sonic's running on Mario's turf—and honestly? It feels like coming home. The moment you start, that classic 2D speed kicks in, with loops, springs, and those satisfyingly chunky enemy designs from the Genesis days.

What surprised me was how well it translated to the tiny screen. The levels have that perfect mix of speed sections and platforming where you actually need to slow down sometimes (blasphemy, I know). And the sprites? Crisp as hell, especially for an early GBA title. First time I played, I got stuck on that weird neon casino zone for way too long—those pinball bumpers don’t mess around.

It’s wild to think this little cart spawned a whole handheld series. Still holds up if you’re craving that old-school Sonic rush.