Sonic Battle

Download Sonic Battle and dive into the fast-paced world of Sonic and friends! Master unique fighting styles, engage in thrilling battles, and prove yourself as the ultimate champion. Get ready for action-packed combat and play now!
a game by Sonic
Genre: Action
Platform: GBA
Mode Single-player, Multiplayer
Playable Characters Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Rouge, Cream, Emerl
Story Sonic and friends discover a new robot, Emerl, and must protect it from Dr. Eggman and other adversaries.
Combat System Real-time 3D fighting
Skill Points System Players can customize Emerl's abilities using collected Skill Points (SP).
Editor Rating: 7.3/10, based on 2 reviews, 3 reviews are shown
User Rating: 6.7/10 - 15 votes
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See also: Download Fighting Games, Sonic Download
Sonic Battle
Sonic Battle
Sonic Battle

Across the years, Sonic the Hedgehog has had more than a few games made that break away from the usual 2D platformer style. While many have been pretty big successes over the years, Sonic has often found it hard to move into the 3D realm. Often, the games feel patchy and lacking the same kind of love and quality as the original Sonic games. 2003’s Sonic Battle was a fighting game take that was released for the Gameboy Advance. Given it is now close to 20 years old, how does Sonic Battle live on in memory?

A Sonic fighter? It’s as odd as it sounds

So, first things first: Sonic Battle is a weird concept for a Sonic game. It builds on the original Sonic fighting game, Sonic the Fighters, but it would be hard to say that it does anything new to invigorate the concept. The game was given a pretty mediocre reception at launch, and it is easy to see why.

The premise is simple enough – you fight across 3D arenas based on the old Sonic games. The 3D stages are pretty decent looking for a GBA title, but the actual gameplay felt dated even when it was first released. All characters have a basic set of light and heavy combos they can pull off. This includes power moves, as well as air attacks.

The game also has a plot, though to be fair it is the usual madness that we get from Sonic spin-offs. Given the mainline Sonic games tend to have pretty generic plots, you shouldn’t expect any literary mastery from Sonic Battle.

Part of the charm came from the fact that you customise your characters by completing the story mode and unlocking the skill cards system. The moment to moment gameplay, though, was pretty dull.

A generic Sonic tie-in that lacks a heart of its own (5/10)

It would be hard to find a fighter that Sonic Battle relates to directly in style. The games story mode is pretty generic, though the mini games could bd a fun distraction. The arena-fighting nature does share some similarities with something like Smash Bros, but that would be a stretch given the paucity in quality compared to such a vaunted title.

The use of 2D sprites on 3D arenas has aged terribly, as well. This was a commonly used gimmick on the GBA, but it looks pretty awful if you look at it today. Throw in the repetitive grind of the story mode and the fact the combat is nowhere near fluid enough, and it would be fair to say that Sonic Battle is one of the most forgettable titles in the Sonic series.

5

The overall experience is OK, but if you were to play Sonic Battle today you would find it pales in comparison to just about any other modern-ish arena battler. A decent attempt, but it falls flat in execution.

Pros

  • Interesting enough variety of characters
  • Mini-games help to make up for the repetition

Cons

  • A messy story mode complete with a grind-heavy customisation system
  • Combat feels outdated even at the time Sonic Battle was initially released
  • 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds rarely work well, as is the case here

Download Sonic Battle

GBA

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Sonic Battle is a fast-paced, portable fighting game that delivers plenty of action and excitement for fans of the iconic blue hedgehog. This time, however, supersonic speeds take a backseat, and the spotlight falls into this game's frantically entertaining multiplayer combat system.

As any diehard fan of Sega can attest, Sonic the Hedgehog's 3D entries have been hit or miss. However, Sonic Battle's attempt at mixing the best of the hedgehog's classic outings and the more 3D-oriented controls of the Sonic Adventure series is surprisingly entertaining.

With lots of content to explore – a Sega trademark by now – and the gorgeous art that defines the series, Sonic Battle is yet another must-have in Sonic's ever-growing library.

Hedgehog Brawl

The character selection and combat system in Sonic Battle is one of the game's strongest features. Each of the 10 playable characters has three different special attacks that can be customized to your liking. The combat system is simple yet satisfying, with most attacks being performed using a combination of the directional pad and the B button.

In a game like this, being able to easily pick any character and quickly learn their combos and special abilities is key – and Sonic Battle doesn't disappoint. The game's pace is incredibly fast, with knockouts happening every 10 seconds or less. This frantic, intense pace is perfect for a portable game system and offers a unique experience for fans of the Sonic Adventure series.

Multiplayer Battles

The multiplayer battle mode in Sonic Battle is another standout feature. Up to four players can link up and fight it out in battle royal style or pair up into teams. The CPU can also be substituted for empty spots, with multiple skill settings to choose from. Sounds familiar? That might be because much of the game seems inspired by the likes of Power Stone and Super Smash Bros.

Sonic Battle offers a variety of match types, time limits, and handicap options. While the game's arenas don't offer much in the way of interactivity, the three-dimensional movement and lively combat more than make up for it.

Modes Galore

The story mode in Sonic Battle is worth the time it takes to complete, offering players the opportunity to design their own custom character with over 100 unique attacks.

Each of the story mode's eight individual episodes lets you play as a different character from the Sonic Adventure games and is set up as a series of fights interspersed with dialogue sequences.

That said, be prepared to face some of the cheesiest dialogue you've ever seen – even for a Sonic the Hedgehog game. That Sonic Adventure era really hasn't aged all too well in terms of character development. While the game's dialogue can be a bit cheesy, the story mode offers a nice break from the intense battles of the multiplayer mode.

9.5

Sonic Battle is a solid addition to the series that every fan should try. This might be the first time Sonic has seen a great fighting game, and with lots of content to unlock, you'll be hooked for hours with this one.

Pros

  • Unique fighting mechanics that combine traditional fighting games with platforming elements
  • Wide range of playable characters from the Sonic universe
  • Multiplayer mode that allows for local play with up to four players

Cons

  • Limited story mode that may not satisfy players looking for a deeper narrative experience

People say:

7

Sega's latest GBA Sonic game is quite a departure from two previous Advance games, ditching the side-scrolling platform action in favor of an overhead-view 3D fighting engine. The gameplay is reminiscent of Capcom's Power Stone games for the old Dreamcast (God rest its soul), minus the environmental interaction and flashy special effects. You'd think a game like this wouldn't fare so well on a tiny handheld, but surprisingly, Sonic Battle holds up quite nicely. Four-player fights are especially fun, and since each character has multiple ways of setting up attacks (aerial, ground, and defense), the action manages to stay fresh. And if you get tired of the main cast, you can always build your own custom robot fighter in the singleplayer story mode. My biggest beef with Battle is that the environments are too plain. Granted, it's nice to have 3D stages, but the fights would've been much more exciting if you could break walls, pick stuff up and throw it, fight in multilevel arenas, and so on. As it stands now, it's a bit too cut and dried, but it's a solid first effort nonetheless.

5

From a purely technical standpoint, Sonic Battle astounds. 3D graphics have never looked this sharp on GBA before-- these detailed (and smooth-moving) environments offer hope for future stabs at PS1-quality visuals. Shame about the gameplay, though. Combat ranges from dull (any time you have to fight as dimwitted robotic newcomer Emerl) to freakishly unbalanced (Amy Rose is a god character with her unstoppable mallet spin), and it all gets old very quickly. Multiplayer battles and unlockable minigames help the cause some, but you're better off passing.

4

Too many speeding tickets have landed Sonic and pals in something worse than traffic school--a second-rate, nothrills brawler. What a shame, because Battle was potentially a portable, story-driven Super Smash Bros. Melee (GC). Each character has a unique moves set, and equipping your robot with the most effective skills injects a small strategy element. Still, you can achieve most victories through mind-numbing button mashing, and, except for KO counts, bouts vary little.

Snapshots and Media

GBA Screenshots

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