Metacritic Games

Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (GameCube)

A branching storyline lets you choose to save the world as the Hero side, or conquer it as the Dark side. Two new playable characters enter the Sonic universe -- a mysterious dark hedgehog called Shadow, and a jewel-thieving bat named Rouge. Features a new two-player ?Battle? mode with action racing, treasure hunting, shooting, kart racing, Chao racing, and the comical new Chao karate. [Sega]

Sega
Action, Adventure
Players: 2
E (Everyone)
Developer: Sonic Team
Released February 12, 2002

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

73 / 100

Critic Reviews

90 Hot Games
The way the Advance interacts with the Cube is flawless, and if you have Sonic Advance (and we recommend you pick it up), it's a nice touch, with lots of promise for future games.
88 GameShark
The graphics are flawless. Super-smooth, fast, seamless environments stretch on as far as the eye can see. While the GameCube should easily be able to do this, it's the frenetic pace that makes it most impressive.
87 Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
Despite the messy structure, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle is still up there with the best of them, knocking most of the competition for six. And that's what counts. [GamesMaster Magazine]
87 GameBiz
If you’ve played or owned the Dreamcast version though, there isn’t much new to do.
85 TotalGames.net
A particularly good example of why SEGA and Sonic Team are so revered within the games industry.
84 Nintendo Power
A sprawling, complicated adventure. [Mar 2002, p.132]
84 GameSpy
Blazes across your screen with incredible graphics, addictive gameplay, and deep play options. Sure, it's not flawless, but it's definitely worth playing.
80 G4 TV
A fairly solid title, but it falls short of the mark for a big "Sonic" release.
80 GamePro
Aside from the camera-angle blemish, Sonic 2 for the Gamecube is still loads of fun.
80 Maxim Online
If you can keep yourself from blinking, you might be able to help the little furry freak collect his golden rings, like some sort of crank-addicted Hobbit.
75 Game Revolution
Even on a system where you'd never expect to see the blue streak, there are plenty of classic wide-eyed moments of joy following the heels of the world's fastest, most arrogant hedgehog.
75 Electric Playground
The fact that most gamers have seen all of this before makes it a bit more difficult to see this game's strengths, while making its weaknesses that much more apparent.
75 Game Informer
The Sonic levels are explosive as ever, although the control isn't nearly as refined as it should be. The rest of the stages in the game are poorly concocted and void of fun. [Mar 2002, p.81]
70 Adrenaline Vault
Anyone who paid for a Sonic title will be racing hedgehogs only 33 percent of the time, and that just isn’t enough.
70 Nintendojo
A far cry from the Sonic of the early 90’s.
70 GamerWeb Nintendo
Sonic and Shadow's levels are great, but every one else's levels are, unfortunately, dull. In the end, 1/3rd of the main game is great but hampered by camera and some control issues.
70 Nintendophiles
Unfortunately Knuckles/Rogue gameplay, camera problems, some sound problems and limited replay value hurt the game in the long run.
69 IGN
I'm more annoyed by the gameplay mechanics and head-spinning level design than I am satisfied.
68 GameSpot
While it has its moments, its lack of refinement makes playing it a disjointed and frustrating experience.
67 Cinescape
I love Sonic. The problem is that Sonic Adventure 2 Battle is only about 33% Sonic. The rest is lost in mindless Tails and Knuckles levels that pull the rest of the game down.
67 Electronic Gaming Monthly
Though the new multiplayer levels are nice, fixing the horrible camera should have been the priority. [Mar 2002, p.139]
67 Entertainment Weekly
Offers a glimpse of brilliance...but lacks the magic that made the original Genesis classic a Mario-worthy masterpiece. [15 March 2002, p.79]
60 GamePen
This is one of those games that perhaps should have stayed on the Dreamcast. The main problem is that the game wasn’t all that fun to begin with.
60 Play Magazine
I can't help wondering how it would have turned out had it been developed originally for GC. [Mar 2002, p.51]
58 Gaming Age
Sonic Team tried to include something for everyone in Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, but in the end all that variety ends up altering what made Sonic games so special to begin with.
50 All Game Guide
The title offers wonderful graphics and some fun levels, the majority of which involve the title character, but the disjointed story line, uneven action, and problematic camera take away from the enjoyment most will have while playing.
50 Into Liquid Sky
Sonic's biggest challenge is the in-game camera, which is often placed so poorly that you have a hard time seeing your environment.
40 Yahoo! Games
Although the two-player mode is entertaining, there's not enough variety to keep you going for long, and the quibbles with the camera and the music are the icing on an unsatisfying cake. Avoid.

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