The player controls one of five characters simultaneously with a second one as a sidekick alternately, a second player joins and one controls each character. Similarly to Sonic Advance 1 and 2, Advance 3 is a fast-paced 2D platformer. Shown clockwise from bottom left, the game's HUD features lives remaining, an icon reminding the player of Knuckles' R-button ability, rings collected, and time elapsed. Game screenshot showing Cream the Rabbit and Knuckles the Echidna.

The game was later released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in Japan in May 2016. It sold quickly upon release and received positive reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay and aesthetics, though they were more divided on the team-up dynamic. While the graphics are mainly 2D, the game features some 3D rotation effects. It allows one or two players to control any two of the five characters each one has different abilities that allow players varying access to parts of levels. The game is a fast-paced 2D platformer that takes place across seven zones, each divided into three acts and a boss fight. The game stars the characters Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Cream as they seek to keep Doctor Eggman and his robot assistant Gemerl from building empires on each of seven chunks Eggman has divided the Earth into.

It is part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and the sequel to Sonic Advance 2. Sonic Advance 3 is a platform video game developed by Dimps and Sonic Team for the Game Boy Advance in 2004.

Sonic adventure 3