Sonic Battle

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Sonic Battle
System(s): Game Boy Advance
Publisher: Sega (JP), THQ (NA/EU)
Developer: Sonic Team
Peripherals supported: Game Link Cable
Genre: Fighting
Number of players: 1-4
Official in-game languages: 日本語 English Français Deutsch Español Italiano
Release Date RRP Code Rating US 2004-01-12 $? AGB-P-ASBE AGB-ASBE-USA UK 2004-02-27 £? AGB-P-BSBP AGB-ASBP-UKV DE 2004-02-27 €? AGB-P-BSBP JP 2003-12-04 ¥4,980 (5,229) AGB-P-BSBJ AGB-ASBJ-JPN AU 200x $? ?
GRB

Sonic Battle (ソニック バトル) is an isometric fighting game with RPG elements. It is the second fighting game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, following Sonic the Fighters.

Gameplay

Battles are fought in 3D arenas with up to 4 players. Each character has a set of attacks and abilities. The majority of attacks are performed with the button, including the combos (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Attack), Air Attack, Upper Attack (used to knock opponents straight up), Heavy Attack (used to knock opponents away), and Aim Attack (used to home in on an opponent after the Heavy Attack). The button is used to jump, and the button lets the player block attacks, or replenish health if the button is held.

The playable characters also have unique special moves, the three types being Shot, Power, and Set. Shot moves are projectiles which can damage an opponent from a distance. Power moves can deal damage quickly in a single move. Trap moves generally involve using a type of bomb to surprise-attack the enemy. However, only a limited number of special moves can be selected. Shot, Power, and Trap must be allocated to three slots: Ground, Air, and Defend. The special move the player sets to Ground will be used when they press on the ground. The move set to Air will be used when the player presses in mid-air. The last slot, Defend, has a different function; When the player sets a certain type of special move to Defend, then every time an enemy uses the same type of special to attack the player, they'll automatically block it.

Each player has a health bar and an "Ichikoro Gauge". When health is completely depleted, the player is KO'd and loses one life (in a survival match) or the one who KO'd them gets a point (in a KO match). The Ground, Air, and Defend settings are chosen at the beginning of the match, and every time the player respawns. As a player takes damage, blocks attacks, or heals, the Ichikoro Gauge fills up. When it is full, the next special move the player does will instantly KO anyone it hits. However, if they chose to defend against that type of special, or successfully block, their Ichikoro Gauge will be filled instantly. Players healing damage will also slowly fill up their Ichikoro Gauge, but are still vulnerable to attacks.

Characters

Character	Image	Manual description
Playable
Emerl		Emerl is capable of strengthening himself by acquiring his opponent's moves. Collect as many moves as possible and customise Emerl's fighting skills!Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Sonic the Hedgehog		Sonic is a hedgehog who runs at supersonic speed. Check out his excellent balance of attack, defense moves and ability to run at super-sonic speeds. Knock-out opponents using a snappy dance-inspired move!Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Miles "Tails" Prower		"Tails" has invented a number of unique combined moves. Create a variety of combos with his consecutive attacks and inventions.Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Knuckles the Echidna		Knuckles is an enthusiastic fighter who can knock down his oppenents with only a single hit. Keep punching opponents to defeat them quickly!Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Amy Rose		Amy is a cheerful and energetic girl who attacks opponents with her Piko Piko Hammer. You may win a battle simply by swinging it around.Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Shadow the Hedgehog		Shadow can move from place to place without detection. He will vanish and attack, and then appear again. Watch out for his ultimate speed!Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Cream the Rabbit		Cream has a constant companion in her best friend, Cheese. Joining hands, Cream and Cheese not only work well together, but also give each other courage!Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Rouge the Bat		Rouge is the "world's greatest thief." There's no doubt that her battle style will rock your world!Media:SonicBattle GBA US manual.pdf
Unlockable
E-102 γ		Chaos Gamma has the second strongest (or third if you include Emerl at max strength) attacks in the game, but he's also the second slowest in the game with speed. His stance chip changes Emerl's eyes to Green (a cosmetic change) to match up with Gamma's eye color, but it also allows Emerl to blow up when KO'd just like Gamma. With that said Chaos Gamma can be a good fighter in the game.
Chaos		Chaos has some of the strongest attacks in the game, but he's extremely slow, has the weakest jump in the game for the characters that have locked movesets (all characters but Emerl). Chaos is extremely difficult to master, but his Combo Chip for Emerl is actually quite the combo for the gizoid easily giving a KO to characters in just two to four hits of the full attack.
Non-playable
Phi
Guard Robo
Dr. Eggman

Battling with Emerl

Emerl, the Gizoid, forms the basis for Sonic Battle's story.

The main gimmick of the game is called the Skill Capture system. Emerl can imitate the actions and attacks of every other character. He starts out with slow, incomplete captures of Sonic's abilities, which serve as the default moves. As the game is played, the abilities of other characters are recorded as Skill Cards. After each fight, certain skills are captured this way, one card per character per fight (so if Emerl fought Tails, he would get a Tails data card, and if he fought Sonic, he would get a Sonic data card.) The capturable actions consist of not only the attacks and special moves each character performs, but their individual abilities in running, jumping, mid-air actions, and the like. These can be allocated to their corresponding slots in Emerl's ability list, and doing so gives Emerl the new moves to use in battle. (Note: What the charaters do ingame does not determine what the Skill Card will be.) Sometimes you will get a rare skill such as one of the skills on the third page of Emerl's skill-edit list (ex: fight pose, color 1, attack support). There are 309 skill cards to collect in all, though the rarest can't be acquired by fighting combatants in normal battles. Emerl's ultimate battle cards can only be earned through Tails' virtual training in the final chapter of Story Mode. Secret character-centric abilities can only be obtained via passwords.

However, all these abilities cannot be used simultaneously. A limit is placed on the amount of non-default Skill Cards that can be used, in the form of skill points. Each card has a certain number of stars shown on the corner, and for each star, five skill points must be available to use on it. The total number of required skill points of all the allocated Skill Cards cannot exceed the current maximum of skill points Emerl has accumulated. Like the Skill Cards themselves, the skill point maximum is increased slightly with each battle, to a maximum of 500.

Since Emerl is powered by the Chaos Emeralds, there are cutscenes in the Story Mode episodes in which the Emeralds are used to enhance Emerl's abilities. Each Emerald raises the skill point maximum by 10, a rather large amount considering that most of the time, individual battles raise it by 1-5 (depending on performance). The player can choose to replay a Story Mode episode after it's been completed, but the Skill Card/Point data is still saved. Oddly enough, the skill point maximum is raised at the Chaos Emerald cutscene every time the player reaches them. This means the same Story Mode episode can be repeated to raise Emerl's skill points faster than normal.

Mini-games

In addition to the principal Story Mode with overworld exploration and battle arena fights, there are a number of other game modes available in Sonic Battle for single or multiplayer (by connecting the Game Boy Advance with up to 3 others via a link cable). These include "Battle", "Challenge", and "Training" modes, where one can specify the specific characters, opponents, and arenas to spar in, as well as a selection of 2D mini games largely unrelated to the fighting motif. These include:

	Soniclash!
	The only minigame to be available for play at the start of the game, Soniclash! sees players bounce around a pinball-like arena, rolled up in a Spin Dash. Multiplayer only. Players: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow
	Tails' Fly & Get
	Unlocked by beating Tails' episode in Story Mode. Fly & Get is an aerial ring-collection game which inspired a later Sonic Cafe mobile phone release, Tails no Flying Get. Multiplayer only. Players: Tails, Cream, Gamma, Rouge
	Knuckles' Mine Hunt
	Unlocked by beating Knuckles' episode in Story Mode. Here Knuckles plays a game of minesweeper. Due to a design oversight, there is no way to exit the minigame once it is started. However, no data is lost by turning off the system while playing Mine Hunt. Unlike the other minigames, this is for one player only, although you can transfer it to another Game Boy Advance with no cartridge inserted.
	Amy's Treasure Island (called Treasure Hunt occasionally)
	Unlocked by beating Amy's episode in Story Mode. Players race to find 3 Emeralds in a 3D field. Multiplayer only. Players: Amy, Cream, Knuckles, Rouge
	Shadow's Speed Demon
	Unlocked by beating Shadow's episode in Story Mode. Players race across a highway to the finish. Multiplayer only. Players: Shadow, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles

Chronology

Despite being released before Sonic Heroes, the events of Sonic Battle take place after it. In Sonic Battle Rouge mentions E-123 Omega, who she first met in Sonic Heroes. Shadow the Hedgehog is also present, following his apparent death at the end of Sonic Adventure 2 and his return in Sonic Heroes.

Secret Combo Cards

Combo Cards representing each character can be obtained by entering a code in the Sonic Team building in the Central City area during Emerl's story.

• Sonic: 75619
• Tails: OTrOI
• Knuckles: yU3Da
• Amy: alogK
• Cream: ZAhan
• Shadow: ArmIa
• Rouge: AhnVo
• Gamma: tSueT
• Chaos: EkiTa

Note: Shadow's card code is an anagram of Maria. Knuckles' code is a reference to Takashi Yuda, his designer, and his first game Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Chaos' code is almost an anagram of Tikal, but with an "E" instead of an "L"

Prof. Gerald's Journal

After completing Story Mode, replaying any episode and clearing them again will present the player with a part of Professor Gerald Robotnik's journal. The transcripts are available here.

History

Legacy

• Sonic Battle's storyline is loosely in episodes 45 and 46 of Sonic X, entitled Sonic Battle - Face Off!! and Sonic Battle - Finale!! respectively.
• Several of Sonic Battle's songs are remixed in Sonic Advance 3. The game also introduces a new antagonist, Gemerl, who is based upon Emerl.
• Sonic Battle's plot is heavily referenced in the 2008 game Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood.
• Dr. Eggman's red Egg Mobile, as seen in the penultimate boss battle, appears as an alternate skin for the character in Sega Heroes.

Manuals

Main article: Sonic Battle/Manuals

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  Game Boy Advance, US

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  Game Boy Advance, UK

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  Game Boy Advance, JP

Also released on

• 2 in 1: Sonic Advance & Sonic Battle for the Game Boy Advance (2005)
• 2 in 1: Sonic Battle & ChuChu Rocket! for the Game Boy Advance (2005)
• 2 in 1: Sonic Pinball Party & Sonic Battle for the Game Boy Advance (2005)

Sound test

NOTE: This game's Sound Test does not feature corresponding titles.

#	Title	Usage
0	Title	Title Screen
1	Main Menu	Main Menu/Mode Select Screen, Mini Games Select Screen
2	Character Select	Episode Select (Story Mode), Link Setup, Character Select (Challenge Mode)
3	Challenge	Challenge Mode Demo
4	VS Result	Results (Battle & Challenge Mode)
5	Record	Continue (Story Mode), Training Mode Setup Screen, Battle Record
6	Congratulations	Challenge Mode Clear
7	???	???
8	???	???
9	Sonic Stage	Emerald Beach
10	Tails Stage	Tails' Lab
11	Knuckles Stage	Chao Ruins
12	Amy Stage	Amy's Room
13	Shadow Stage	Battle Highway
14	Rouge Stage	Club Rouge
15	E-102γ (Gamma) Stage	Metal Depot
16	Cream Stage	Library
17	Chaos Stage A	Crater (Holy Summit (Arena))
18	Chaos Stage B	Blackboard Eraser
19	Eggman & Emerl Stage	Final Boss (Death Egg (Arena))
20	E-121Φ (Phi) Stage	Colosseum
21	Demo 1	Comedy Demo/Story Demo 1
22	Demo 2	Shadow Demo/History Demo/Story Demo 2
23	Demo 3	Confrontation Demo/Story Demo 3
24	Demo 4	Eggman Demo/Story Demo 4
25	Demo 5	Emerl Demo/Story Demo 5
26	Battle Start	Character Introduction Demo
27	Battle Result 1	Card Capture Demo
28	Battle Result 2	Rare Card Capture Demo
29	New Character	Character Unlock Demo
30	Skill Edit	Emerl Customization Menu
31	Ending A	Staff Roll (all stories except Emerl), Staff Roll 2 (Emerl Story)
32	Ending B	Staff Roll 1 (Emerl Story)
33	Emerald Town	Emerald Town (Overworld)
34	Night Babylon	Night Babylon (Overworld)
35	Holy Summit	Holy Summit (Overworld)
36	Central City	Central City (Overworld)
37	Gimme Shelter	Gimme Shelter (Overworld)
38	Death Egg	Death Egg (Overworld)
39	Green Hill Stage	Green Hill

Production credits

• Producer: Yuji Naka
• Director: Tomoyuki Hayashi
• Battle Mode Planner: Tomoyuki Hayashi
• Story Mode Planner: Asahiko Kikuchi
• Planning Support: Mizuki Hosoyamada, Ai Mashima

Programming

• System & COM Programmer: Yoshihiko Toyoshima
• Story Mode Programmer: Takahiro Hamano
• Battle Mode Programmer: Tomoyuki Hayashi
• Mini Game Programmers: Nobuo Nakagawa, Yoshihiko Toyoshima

Art

• Chief Animator: Yasuda Denneikoushi
• Character Animators: Sachi Nakamura, Asao Furukawa, Hiroaki Ishige, Ryuta Kawasaki, Kentaro Sakamoto
• Map Designer: Toru Kawaguchi
• Advertise Designers: Takeshi Ichimura, Miho Hyakutake, Takao Kawase
• Minigame Designer: Takao Kawase
• Illustrator: Hisanobu Kometani
• Design Coordinator: Yuji Uekawa
• Character Design Support: Jupiter Corp., Hiroshi Tanigawa, Tomoki Miyazaki, Arito Chujo, Noriko Shibuya, Norichika Meguro, Masaru Kuribayashi
• Special Thanks: Yasuko Maruyama

Sound

• Sound Created By: Wave Master
• Sound Creators: Tatsuyuki Maeda, Kenichi Tokoi, Hideaki Kobayashi
• Character Voices (Japanese): Junichi Kanemaru, Ryo Hirohashi, Nobutoshi Kanna, Taeko Kawata, Taiten Kusunoki, Kouji Yusa, Rumi Ochiai, Sayaka Aoki, Chikao Ohtsuka
• Character Voices (English): Ryan Drummond (Sonic), William Corkery (Tails), Scott Dreier (Knuckles), Jenny Douillard (Amy), Jon St. John (Chaos Gamma), David Humphrey (Shadow), Lani Minella (Rouge), Sarah Wulfeck (Cream), Deem Bristow (Eggman)

Sega Corporation

• Executive Management: Hideki Okamura, Masanao Maeda, Toshihiro Nagoshi, Yukio Sugino
• Marketing Dept.: Mitsuru Takahashi, Naoko Ooka, Mariko Takeda
• Public Relations: Yasushi Nagumo, Youko Nagasawa
• International Business & Product Development: Tatsuyuki Miyazaki, Yusuke Suai

Sega Logistics Service Co., Ltd.

• Product Management: Junichi Shimizu
• Product Support: Akira Nishikawa, Akira Terasawa, Kazuhiko Morii
• Product Test: Yutaka Kawasaki, Daisuke Izichi, Satoshi Yamane, Junko Ota, Sou Ishida
• Package & Manual Production: Yoshihiro Sakuta, Satoru Ishigami, Kazuaki Jikuhara, Hisakazu Nakagawa, Asako Miyajima
• Customer Support: Kazunori Yagi, Shoko Goto

Sega of America, Inc.

Product Development & Quality Assurance

• Director of Product Development: Osamu Shibamiya
• Localization Producer: Jason Kuo
• Test Director: Deborah Kirkham
• Project Lead: Shawn Dobbins

Entertainment Product Marketing

• Executive Vice President: Shinobu Toyoda
• Product Manager: Heather Hall
• Senior Media Specialist: Teri Higgins
• Creative Services Manager: Arianne McCarthy
• Public Relations Manager: Bret Blount
• Special Thanks: Yosuke Moriya, Lori Von Rueden, Klayton Vorlick

Sega Europe, Ltd.

• President and COO: Naoya Tsurumi
• Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing: Mike Sherlock
• Executive Vice President, Product Development: Jin Shimazaki
• Localization Producer: Akiko Uchida
• Senior Producer: Matt O'Driscoll
• Technical Producer: Elliott Martin
• European Marketing Director: Matthew Woodley
• European Marketing Manager: Gary Knight
• European Product Manager: Mat Quaek
• Sega Europe QA: Darius Sadeghian, David Smith, Roy Boateng, Chris Geiles
• Executive Producer: Hisao Oguchi
• Presented by: Sega

Source: In-game credits

Resources

Transcript of Gerald's Journal - The deceased Professor's notes, gradually unlocked while clearing the game a second time.

Artwork

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Story mode art

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Concept art

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Wallpaper

Official wallpapers available from the Japanese Sonic Battle website:

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Physical scans

Reception »

Game Boy Advance, US
Cover
Cart Manual Poster

Game Boy Advance, UK
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Boy Advance, FR

Game Boy Advance, DE

Game Boy Advance, ES

Game Boy Advance, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Boy Advance, JP (alt/bootleg?)
Cart

Game Boy Advance, AU (US version)
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
?	CRC32 9ec9d86f MD5 100579ef01225c620560f88e65ca423a SHA-1 8cf4fbbe73f6b1907ab9997caab4c4e7d9708937	16MB		Cartridge (US)
✔	CRC32 d0f65125 MD5 7194f25da6be4548f7e0c80f73e3f628 SHA-1 29f19b564020bd4667c33827b39adae7ade74679	16MB		Cartridge (EU)
✔	CRC32 7305ac30 MD5 1c694783acdfd013bdd980a4d8f8f546 SHA-1 ec68166a437895953bbbce256ebefaebb77c0156	16MB		Cartridge (JP)

External links

• Sega of Japan catalogue pages: Game Boy Advance (archive)
• Nintendo catalogue pages: JP, US (archive)

References

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems

2001  Sonic Advance | Tiny Chao Garden     2002  Sonic Advance 2     2003  Sonic Pinball Party | Sonic Battle     2004  Sonic Advance 3 | Sonic X: A Super Sonic Hero     2005  Sonic Advance & Sonic Pinball Party | Sonic Advance & ChuChu Rocket! | Sonic Advance & Sonic Battle | Sonic Battle & ChuChu Rocket! | Sonic Pinball Party & Sonic Battle | Sonic Pinball Party & Columns Crown     2006  Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis      Prototypes  Sonic Advance | Sonic Advance 2 | Sonic Advance 3  Unreleased  Sonic X: Chaos Emerald Chaos | Sonic Riders