Getting started
The three play styles and the Hero, Dark and Last stories.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle for Nintendo GameCube. First released in Japan in 2001 and internationally in 2002. Dreamcast and later port differences are outside this guide.
Choose a side
Hero follows Sonic, Tails and Knuckles. Dark follows Shadow, Dr. Eggman and Rouge. Complete both campaigns to unlock the Last story.
Speed stages
Sonic and Shadow focus on platforming, homing attacks and grinding. Our suggestion: learn safer paths before pushing for a fast finish.
Treasure hunting
Knuckles and Rouge search open areas using their radar, hint monitors and movement abilities. A nearby objective may be above or below you.
Mech shooting
Tails and Eggman lock onto targets with their weapons. Chaining locks helps your score, but watch your health while lining up a shot.
Two-player battles
Battle includes action races, treasure hunts and shooting battles for two players, with extra selectable characters.
Reset your approach when the character changes
For Sonic or Shadow, look ahead for a connected route and safe homing targets. For Tails or Eggman, position yourself before building a lock-on sequence and watch the health gauge. For Knuckles or Rouge, use the detector and clues to narrow the search rather than running the whole level repeatedly. Each style rewards a different kind of attention, so a troublesome stage may require patience rather than more speed.
Learn the route on a first pass, then return for collectibles and better ranks.