New Sonic Adventure DX Info: Frame Rate Fixes and 'Sonic's Comeback'

Some new information on Sonic Adventure DX was revealed this week, thanks to a press conference that outlined the features of the Gamecube game.

It seems that the frame rate issues that were being reported at E3 are being worked on and should hopefully be fixed by the time SADX releases. Other improvements that we haven't heard about before include a new independent camera that is controlled with the Gamecube controller's C-stick.

Information on the mission mode and the Game Gear games that you can unlock were also mentioned at the press conference, but we already covered that here so there's no new info.

GamerFeed, who went to the press conference, also said that a Game Boy Advance could be connected to the Gamecube to unlock "a Chao Garden", but "disappointingly, you cannot play these titles on your GBA due to 'RAM limitations with the hardware,'." We don't really know what that means, because you can play with the Tiny Chao Garden already and connect that with Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, so we don't know how this will be any different. Maybe there will be new features that don't work on a GBA.

Apparently the release of SADX will mark "the verge of a comeback" for Sonic - "2003 is a big year for him." With Sonic X coming and Sonic Heroes around the corner, we have to say we agree.

You can read GamerFeed's full write-up below.

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Regarding the Game Gear titles, you can unlock twelve full versions of Sonic games released on Sega's old handheld system. The games are complete and unlockable throughout the course of the game, though we shouldn't expect encyclopedic information to accompany each title.

This GameCube game also links up with the Game Boy Advance games Sonic Pinball Party, Sonic Advance, and Sonic Advance 2 to unlock a Chao garden. Disappointingly, you cannot play these titles on your GBA due to "RAM limitations with the hardware," but with the popularity seen in Game Boy Player preorders, we don't think anyone will be disappointed in playing these games on their TV screen.

Improvements to the GameCube version over the Dreamcast version include graphical upgrades and mission modes to unlock. Responding to criticism received at E3 over the game's frame rate, we were told certain performance issues have been worked on and improvements such as an independent camera controlled by the C-stick have been added.

As for the missions themselves, there are sixty missions in total spanning each character in the Sonic universe. These missions vary from racing style missions (Sonic has to reach the end of a level before a bomb goes off) to exploration missions (Knuckles having to traverse a canyon to reach a goal high in the air) to other styles to keep replay value high.

With the recent release of Sonic Pinball Party and the upcoming release of Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut, Sega seems intent to push the idea that Sonic is on the verge of a comeback and 2003 is a big year for him. Coinciding with Sonic's June 19 birthday is a McDonald's Happy Meal promotion and a September premiere to the new Sonic animated series on Fox. The Sonic-ness continues into 2004, where Sonic Heroes will make its debut in January.