Sega do that quite a bit with their games...they code all the different languages inhouse instead of sending the game away to a European branch or whatever...kinda weird considering they sometimes do this with games that don't even get released in countries they made translations of it for.
Anyway Sonic Advance 3...sorry guys but to all those doubters out there thinking the earlier rom was just a beta, all I can say is... told ya so.
...I said the version was released ages ago was very likely to be the actual retail version and juging by the (U) release it is...*sigh* as usual no one listens to me though.
But yeah the two games...gameplay wise from what I played (had both games running side by side in VBA) the games are
exactly the same...all the menus, graphics, sound etc... Sonic still ran at the same pace and so on.
The only difference between this release and the one ages ago is that the earlier rom was the (E) version whilst this is the (U) version.
For anyone who cares here are the different rom headers:
The header information of file Sonic Advance 3 (E).gba - (aka the "beta" release).
-----------------------------------------
Software Title: SONICADVANC3
Game Serial: AGB-B3SP-EUR
Maker Code: 8P
Publisher: Sega
Version: 1.0
Logo Code: OK
Complement: 55h
Save Type: FLASH512_V131 (512Kbit)
File Size: 128 mbit (16777216 bytes)
CRC32: 143DF94D
-----------------------------------------
The header information of file 1490 - Sonic Advance 3 (U).GBA - (aka the game in this topic)
-----------------------------------------
Software Title: SONICADVANC3
Game Serial: AGB-B3SE-USA
Maker Code: 78
Publisher: THQ
Version: 1.0
Logo Code: OK
Complement: 79h
Save Type: FLASH512_V131 (512Kbit)
File Size: 128 mbit (16777216 bytes)
CRC32: 49DDA5E6
-----------------------------------------
...No doubt when the "real" (E) version does actually get released by a group it will be identical to the "beta" version.