Dimps and Sonic Team’s third installment of the highly acclaimed Sonic Advance series promises more action than ever. Dr. Robotnik (a.k.a. Eggman) has shattered the world into seven pieces with the power of Chaos Control, and it’s up to Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Cream to set things right!

Unlike this game’s linear predecessors, acts in Sonic Advance 3 may be played in any order. In a throwback to yesteryear, single players now choose a computer-controlled companion who accompanies the player-controlled main character. Those with a friend and another copy of the Sonic Advance 3can instead conquer the game together. For a heated competition, up to four players can race each other through the zones as well.

Each two-hero team has its own special moves to access secret paths and unlock other secrets. Screenshots reveal classic moves, such as Tails flying Sonic, and new moves and items, such as Cream floating down using a parasol and Sonic holding some sort of sphere. Mechanical Omachao (from Sonic Adventure 2) can be spotted in multiple screens, as can a key inventory counter.

Observant gamers will notice a circle with an icon an letter at the top right of every screen : some show a shoe with the letter “S” and a blue background, others show Knuckles’ arm with a “P” and red background, etc. These icons, which seem to correspond with the secondary character, suggest Sonic Advance 3 focuses on character strengths similar to Sonic Heroes’ formations, such as Speed and Power.

That isn’t to say gameplay has been reworked to model the console games’ mechanics: the game looks to consist of classic Sonic gameplay in varied locales, including tropical Sunset Hills, Route 99, a metropolis, and a colorful city at dusk.

THQ and Sega have yet to provide a release date for any region, but Sonic Advance 3 will likely have a strong presence at E3 2004.