Today Sega sent out a press release with new details on how Sonic Adventure 2 Battle for GameCube and Sonic Advance for GBA will interact. Their marriage revolves around the tiny little Chao creatures, who can be trained and raised on both systems and then raced on the GameCube.

Basically, you can only get certain Chao eggs and powerups in the GameCube version, and others only in the GBA game. A special machine in the SA2B Chao Garden lets you send your Chaos and items to Sonic Advance (you need a GC-GBA link cable, of course). From there you can take the little creatures all over the place while raising them, and then eventually send them back to GameCube to enter the Chao Races. Also interesting is that apparently you can access the GBA features even without the Sonic Advance cartridge, but of course your data won't be saved unless you send it back to the GameCube before severing the connection. If you want to train your Chaos on the road, you'll need Sonic Advance.

In the same press release, Sega announced that both Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and Sonic Advance will be released before this year's end in Japan...December 20, 2001. The GameCube title was previously listed as a first-quarter 2002 release.

Here's the full press release for a couple more details:

TOKYO - (October 5, 2001) - Sega Corporation today announces that Sega games

for the Nintendo GameCube(tm) and Game Boy® Advance systems, "Sonic

Adventure(tm) 2 Battle" and "Sonic Advance(tm)" respectively, will feature

an interactive link. This is first time software for different formats have

been linked, offering cross-platform feature-sharing. Developed by Sonic

Team under the direction of President and Representative Director Yuji Naka,

the games are to be released December 20, 2001 in Japan.

Unlike previously released linked titles, this announcement makes possible

the data exchange between different games on different platforms, each of

which can be played separately. The core of the data communication will be

the movement of the artificial life form "Chao," which is featured in both

games, from one game to another, broadening the gameplay of the titles.

This announcement reinforces Sega's plans to provide software to all

platforms, utilizing the characters and properties Sega's renown developers

have created over the years. Sega will exhibit the titles at its "Tokyo

Game Show 2001 Autumn" booth October 12 - 14, 2001, at Nihon Convention

Center.

Outline of Linkage

'Chao Garden" in "Sonic Adventure 2 Battle"

- This is the place players can raise Chaos, for instance by giving

them little animals or Chaos Drives obtained in the main game, by cuddling

with them by having them participate in Chao Race.

- If players put Chaos into the Odekake Machine, they can forward them

to 'Chao's Petit Garden' in "Sonic Advance" for Game Boy Advance.

- Players can transfer Chaos brought up in 'Chao's Petit Garden,' or

"tree-fruit" bought there, into 'Chao Garden' in "Sonic Adventure 2 Battle"

for Nintendo GameCube.

'Chao's Petit Garden' in "Sonic Advance"

- According to the number of rings players have obtained in the main

game, it is possible to buy "tree-fruit." Also, players can obtain rings in

mini-games like "Okashi Mekucchao" or "Janken Shoot."

- There are Chao's eggs that can be obtained only in 'Chao's Petit

Garden.'

- Players can transfer Chaos or "tree-fruit" to 'Chao Garden' in

"Sonic Adventure 2 Battle" for Nintendo GameCube

- By saving data to a cartridge, players can raise Chaos, and carry

them around.*

*It is possible to start up the game on Game Boy Advance with no cartridge

inserted, but not possible to save data.

[About Sonic Adventure 2 Battle ]

"Sonic Adventure 2 Battle" is an original game for the Nintendo GameCube

including new elements reinforcing battle aspects, adding to the contents of

the Dreamcast game released in June 2001 in commemoration of the tenth

anniversary of Sonic. It keeps the concept of "HERO & DARK" throughout the

story, with its grand scenario. Players can play from two viewpoints,

including two-player battle, the raising of "Chao," etc.

We have received great reactions from consumers not only on the speediness

of the main games, but also on the raising of the lovely artificial life

form, "Chao," which changes character and appearance in accordance with its

upbringing.

Corresponding Console: Nintendo GameCube

Release Date: December 20, 2001 (TBD)

Price: 6,800 yen

Genre: High Speed 3D Action

Number of Players: 1 - 2 player (s)

[ About "Sonic Advance" ]

"Sonic Advance" is the latest action game in the "Sonic The Hedgehog(tm)"

series with horizontal scrolling gameplay, reminiscent of the first Sonic

title making it particularly suitable for Sonic's tenth anniversary. The

game includes overwhelming speediness, many exciting stages and characters

full of their own individuality.

Up to four players can challenge each other using a network cable, and have

a team battle (two versus two). To play four-player, consumers need just

one game cartridge.

Corresponding Console: Nintendo Game Boy Advance

Release Date: December 20, 2001 (TBD)

Price: 5,800 yen

Genre: Action

Number of Players: 1 - 4 player (s) (Corresponding to 'One Cartridge for

Four Players' - play)