Sonic Adventure DX

This page is for the original 2004 port. For the 2011 version, see Sonic Adventure DX (2011). For the Steam version, see Sonic Adventure DX (Steam).

Sonic Adventure DX

Developers
	Sonic Team
Windows	Sega PC
Publishers
	Sega
	Activision Value
Release dates
Windows	December 18, 2003
Taxonomy
Monetization	One-time game purchase
Modes	Singleplayer, Multiplayer
Pacing	Real-time
Perspectives	Third-person
Controls	Direct control
Genres	Action, Adventure, Platform
Sports	Fishing
Vehicles	Flight
Art styles	Cartoon
Themes	Contemporary
Series	Sonic Adventure

Sonic Adventure
Subseries of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic Adventure DX	2003
Sonic Adventure DX (2011)	2011
Sonic Adventure 2	2012
Sonic Adventure DX (Steam)	2014

Warnings

SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see Availability for affected versions).

Sonic Adventure DX is a cartoon third-person platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega and Activision Value. It is part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

The original game, Sonic Adventure, was released on Dreamcast in 1998, and is notable for not only being the first mainline Sonic the Hedgehog game to feature full 3D gameplay, but also for featuring a large emphasis on story elements, employing full voice-acting and animated cut-scenes. The game also features six playable characters, each with his or her own unique gameplay style and perspective of the game's overarching story.

An enhanced version of the game, Sonic Adventure DX, was released on GameCube in 2003 and features updated graphics, unlockable Game Gear games, and other miscellaneous changes.

A PC port of Sonic Adventure DX was later released on December 18, 2003; however, compared to the original GameCube version, this port is marred with glitches and inferior visual and sound quality, in addition to missing certain features (see TCRF for details.) While this initial PC port did not receive any official patches, it nonetheless served as the basis of the 2010 Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ports, the former of which was then used as the basis of the 2011 Steam version.

The original 2004 PC release of the game features an active modding community, with its members not only fixing issues, but also restoring features that were altered or removed from the original Dreamcast version. PkR, the author of The Ultimate Guide to SADX Sins blog, has developed the SADX Mod Installer, a tool that eases the installation of MainMemory's SADX Mod Loader, in addition to pre-bundling various community-created mods that restore elements from the original Dreamcast version and enhance features of the GameCube version. Additionally, SADX Mod Installer can downgrade the Steam version of the game to the initial 2004 port.

General information

Game Banana - The largest repository of community-made mods for Sonic Adventure DX

Sonic Retro - An extensive fan-website dedicated to Sonic the Hedgehog that additionally hosts various mods for Sonic Adventure DX and other games in the Sonic series.

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Retail		Original European release uses SecuROM 5 DRM. The Sold Out Software re-release uses SafeDisc 4 DRM. The version in the "Sonic PC Collection" bundle, as well as the North American version, uses a simple disk check. Use SADX Mod Installer to bypass disc check.

SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see above for affected versions).

A demo is available.

Alternatively, the Japanese version of the demo is available here. The different language demos can't be installed at the same time.

The default desktop icon used by the executable has issues with improper usage of transparency. A fixed version of the icon can be found in the Files section and it can be applied to the game's executable with SADX Mod Installer.

Essential improvements

SADX Mod Installer

A modding and patching tool that features both advanced and beginner-friendly options for installing mods, in addition to coming pre-installed with mod presets, necessary dependencies, and compatibility fixes.

Provides a custom configuration tool to customize game settings as well as keyboard and controller bindings.

Enables the option to downgrade to the 2004 PC port, if desired.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	<path-to-game>\sonicDX.ini

If using SADX Mod Installer, its configuration file is SADXModLoader.ini found under <path-to-game>\mods. The Input Mod's configuration files are config.ini and gamecontrollerdb.txt found under <path-to-game>\mods\sadx-input-mod.

Save game data location

System	Location
Windows	<path-to-game>\savedata

SonicDX##.snc is the game's save file for each save slot. Up to 10 save slots are available.

SONICADVENTURE_DX_CHAOGARDEN.snc is the game's Chao Garden save data.

A collection of save files after every level, boss fight, and cutscene, along with full completion saves can be found here.

Save files from the later PC re-releases can be converted to be compatible with the 2004 port with SADX Mod Installer.

Video

Graphics feature	State	WSGF	Notes
Widescreen resolution			The original 2004 port only supports 4:3 resolutions. Use SADX Mod Installer and disable Force 4:3 Aspect Ratio in SADX Mod Loader's graphics settings for widescreen support.
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen			Use SADX Mod Loader included with SADX Mod Installer for 21:9 widescreen.
4K Ultra HD			Use SADX Mod Loader included with SADX Mod Installer for 4K resolution.
Field of view (FOV)
Windowed		The game's windowed mode is broken in the 2004 port. It can be fixed with SADX Mod Installer and toggled via SADX Mod Loader's graphics settings.
Borderless fullscreen windowed		Not possible due to low resolution and broken window mode. Use SADX Mod Installer, then enable Borderless and Fullscreen in SADX Mod Loader's graphics settings for borderless fullscreen. Not recommended for lower-end systems as it can cause framerate problems.[citation needed]
Anisotropic filtering (AF)		Use SADX Mod Installer, then enable Force Mipmapping in SADX Mod Loader's graphics settings and force anisotropic filtering via GPU control panel.
Anti-aliasing (AA)		Use SADX Mod Installer, then force prefered anti-aliasing method via GPU control panel.
High-fidelity upscaling		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Vertical sync (Vsync)		Use SADX Mod Installer, then enable Enable V-sync in SADX Mod Loader's graphics settings or force it via via GPU control panel.
60 FPS		In-engine cutscenes are capped at 30 FPS. While they can be switched to 60 FPS via a cheat in the SADX Mod Loader, they will play at double the speed.
120+ FPS		Gameplay is capped at 60 FPS.
High dynamic range display (HDR)

• 

  General settings from external configuration launcher.

• 

  Advanced settings from external configuration launcher.

Input

In-game controller remapping from the pause menu.

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping		Only mouse buttons can be remapped. Use the Input Mod and SADX Mod Installer's AppLauncher.exe tool for custom keybindings.
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support		Certain controllers may causes camera spinning issues. Use the Input Mod included with SADX Mod Installer to workaround this issue.
Controller remapping		Controllers are remapped from the Set up pad screen in the pause menu, however, some controller inputs may not be remapped. Use the Input Mod and SADX Mod Installer's AppLauncher.exe tool for custom controller remapping.
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers		Use Input Mod to wrap XInput polls to SDL2.
Xbox button prompts		Use SADX Mod Installer, then install the Xbox 360 Prompts or Xbox One Prompts mods.
Impulse Trigger vibration

PlayStation controllers		Use Input Mod to wrap DualShock 4 polls to SDL2.
PlayStation button prompts		Use SADX Mod Installer, then install the DualShock 3 Prompts or PlayStation 4 Prompts mod.
Light bar support
Adaptive trigger support
DualSense haptic feedback support
Connection modes	Wired, Wireless (Bluetooth) V2 controller tested with the Input Mod included in SADX Mod Installer.

Generic/other controllers		DirectInput controllers are supported, however, certain controllers may require the Input Mod included in SADX Mod Installer to work properly.
Button prompts		Keyboard prompts only without mods. HD GUI 2 mod from SADX Mod Installer uses Dreamcast controller prompts by default. For Nintendo prompts, use either Wii U Pro Prompts or Switch Pro Prompts mods.

Additional information
Controller hotplugging		Use the Input Mod included in SADX Mod Installer.
Haptic feedback		Use Input Mod bundled with SADX Mod Installer to restore vibration feedback on XInput controllers.
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M

Audio

In-game language settings.

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls		Background music, Sound effects/Voice. Both options has individual sliders and can be muted.
Surround sound		Up to 7.0 output with DirectSound3D restoration software.
Subtitles		On by default. Idle Chatter mod does not use subtitles.
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English				Dubtitles only. Use SADX Mod Installer, then install Sonic Adventure Retranslated if playing the game with Japanese voice-overs and English subtitles.
French				Dubtitles only. Use French Retranslation if playing with Japanese audio and French subtitles.
German
Hebrew				Fan localization by «Team Kipod».
Italian				Fan localization by «Sonic Team Blog».
Japanese
Korean				Korea only.
Brazilian Portuguese				Fan localization by «Luks_18».
Russian				Fan localization by «TimTH».
Spanish				Castilian.
Latin American Spanish				Fan localization by «kawaiikaorichan».

Network

Multiplayer types

Type	Native	Players	Notes
Local play		4	Co-op
LAN play
Online play

VR support

3D modes	State	Notes
vorpX		G3D User created game profile, see vorpx forum profile introduction.

Issues fixed

Broken windowed mode

The game's windowed mode does not function properly and causes the game to be stretched out to 1434x730, regardless of resolution selected from the game's configuration tool, resulting in grainy and distorted graphics.

Use SADX Mod Loader's graphics settings (included with SADX Mod Installer) instead of the stock configuration launcher

Controller causes camera to spin uncontrollably

Certain controllers may cause the game's camera to spin around and cannot be stopped unless constantly holding down the in-game Whistle button.

Install Input Mod (included with SADX Mod Installer)

Cannot properly configure DualShock 4 controllers (SADX Mod Installer)

The configuration tool provided with SADX Mod Installer has an issue where the R2 button is always being pressed without input from the player, resulting in the inability to properly remap controls and camera always spinning during gameplay.

Workaround for configuring DualShock 4 controllers

Launch SADX Mod Installer's AppLauncher.exe tool with the DualShock 4 controller connected/plugged in, go to the Controls tab, click the controller number corresponding to the controller, and change the controller mode to DInput. Hold down the desired buttons, axes, and D-pad inputs on the controller, then click the matching controller inputs on the configuration tool's diagram, however, leave the R2 button for last. After configuring all of the other controller inputs, now right-click the R2 button, go to Axis and set R2 as 6 (V) +. Click Save on the configuration tool. The DualShock 4 controller should work correctly in-game with the correct button placements.

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
Direct3D	8	For Direct3D 9.0c support, use D3D8to9 v1.9.2 (included with SADX Mod Installer for the Lantern Engine mod). Later versions of D3D8to9, however, introduces frame-pacing issues.
Shader Model support	2.0a	For shader model 3.0 support, use D3D8to9 v1.9.2.

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows

Middleware

	Middleware	Notes
Audio	Criware	Audio files in the 2004 port were poorly converted to non-looping WMA format, resulting in a loss in quality compared to the Dreamcast and GameCube versions. The original Dreamcast audio files can be restored with the Sound Overhaul mod included with SADX Mod Installer.
Input	SDL2	Use the Input Mod bundled with SADX Mod Installer for SDL2 support.
Cutscenes	Criware	Sofdec format FMV files.

Modifications

This section assumes that you have already patched Sonic Adventure DX with SADX Mod Installer. The later re-releases needs to be downgraded first before modding the game.

SADX Mod Loader, included with SADX Mod Installer, eases installation of mods without replacing files, as well as configuring game settings and mod options (if available).

Featured websites

• GameBanana - Hosts a large number of user-created mods for Sonic Adventure DX.
• Sonic Community Hacking Guide for Sonic Adventure DX PC on Sonic Retro.

Featured mods

Included with SADX Mod Installer (varies by mod presets):

• SADX: Fixed Edition - A suite of bug-fixes and minor enhancements for Sonic Adventure DX.
• Input Mod - Replaces the game's DirectInput polls with SDL2 while offering various controller tweaks and keyboard remapping via Virtual Key codes.
• Smooth Cam - Enables full-range movement (instead of fixed 8-directional movement) and variable speed for the first-person camera
• Frame Limit -frame-rate limiter
• Onion Blur - Re-creates the motion-blur effect from the Japanese version of Sonic Adventure.
• Dreamcast Conversion - An overhaul project that aims to restore the original features of the Dreamcast version
• Dreamcast Character Pack - Replaces the higher-poly DX models and textures with their original Dreamcast counterparts.
• Lantern Engine - Re-creates the Dreamcast version's original lighting. Requires d3d8to9 wrapper to work.
• Dreamcast DLC - Re-creates the exclusive downloadable content of the Dreamcast version. (Info about the DLC itself can be found here)
• Sound Overhaul - Replaces the low-quality sound files of the PC version with the higher-quality ones of the Dreamcast version.
• HD GUI 2 - Remasters the game's HUD and GUI elements for HD resolutions with SADX Mod Loader's UI scaling feature. Uses Dreamcast controller prompts by default, but add-on variants for other controllers are also available.
• Time of Day - Adds a time-of-day system when transitioning between hub areas.
• Idle Chatter - Adds the ability to hear what your character has to say about the stage by pressing the in-game Z button.
• Pause Hide - Enables the ability to hide the pause menu like the Dreamcast version (by pressing X+Y in the pause menu).
• Super Sonic - Enables the ability to unlock and play as Super Sonic after completing the game's Last Story.
• Enhanced Emerald Coast - Improves Sonic Adventure DX's version of the Emerald Coast stage. Not compatible with the Dreamcast Conversion.
• Egg Carrier Ocean Music - Plays "The Ocean" music in outside areas of the Egg Carrier after it has sunk.
• ADX Audio - Replaces the stock low-quality WMA audio files of the 2004 port with higher-quality ADX audio files and adds voice clips for Metal Sonic.
• Steam Achievements - Restores Steam Achievement functionality to the game after downgrading the Steam version to the 2004 port.
• Camera Code Error Fix - A speedrun-friendly mod that fixes problems with the camera. Only available for the "Minimal" mod preset in SADX Mod Installer.

Dreamcast enhancements:

• Fixes, Adds, and Beta Restores - Fixes various issues present in the original Dreamcast version of the game and adds cut beta content to the game.
• Minor Palette Fixes - An extension for the Lantern Engine mod that fixes some objects being lit too brightly in Station Square (Night) and Mystic Ruins Chao Garden (Evening).
• Mimic DC Textures - Replaces the textures of the higher-poly DX character models with ones that closely resemble the original Dreamcast version's. Recommended for those using the Dreamcast Conversion and related mods included in SADX Mod Installer.
• ESRGAN-AI HD Textures - Dreamcast textures upscaled with many ESRGAN models and Topaz AI Gigapixel neural network.
• DreamcastSADXWTR - Corrects the colors of the DX version's bodies of water to be accurate to the Dreamcast version's. Intended to be used with the Dreamcast Conversion with the SADX Water enabled.
• Mystic Ruins train fix - Corrects spelling errors on the Station Square train signs.
• Egg Carrier cutscene texture fix - Cleans up the low-resolution Eggman emblem textures on the Egg Carrier's underside.
• Remove Green Glow from Palettes - Removes the green glowing effect present in Mystic Ruins from the Lanturn Engine's color palette.
• Beta Style Lighting - Re-creates the lighting style from the earlier 1998 beta version of the game, featured in the Tokyo International Forum, where applicable. Requires Lantern Engine, AutoDemo Windy Valley, and AutoDemo Egg Carrier Chao Garden to work.

DX enhancements:

• GameCube Textures - Replaces the heavily-compressed DX textures with their less-compressed (and sometimes-higher resolution) GameCube equivalents.
• GameCube Style Lighting - Re-creates the lighting from the GameCube version.
• ESRGAN-AI HD DX Textures - SADX textures from the GameCube version upscaled with many ESRGAN models and Topaz AI Gigapixel neural network.
• DX Characters Refined - Implements various Dreamcast-exclusive elements present in the original character models to the DX version's character models, in addition to fixing errors and adding new togglable features.
• DC Textures for DX Characters - An alternative to Mimic DC Textures. Recommended with DX Characters Refined.

Miscellaneous:

• Sonic Adventure Re-translated - A fan-translation of the game's Japanese script into English. Recommended when playing with the Japanese voice-overs.
• Character Select: No Question Mark - Replaces the golden question mark used for Super Sonic and Metal Sonic in the Character Select screen with their in-game models. This mod also features the option to have Super Sonic to only be visible until after completing his story campaign.
• Uekawa-Accurate Colors - Replaces the playable characters' textures with ones aim to be more faithful to Yuji Uekawa's artwork. Compatible with Dreamcast and DX character models.
• No Gloss - Removes the "shininess" (specular highlights) from character models. Should be loaded last in SADX Mod Loader so that it affects custom models as well.
• HD Shadows - Replaces the low-resolution 16x16 shadow texture with a higher-resolution equivalent (raised to 640x640).
• HD Rings - Replaces the ring model with a higher-polygon version with a higher quality cubemap from Sonic Unleashed.
• 16:9/Unstretched Flashbacks - Replaces the original low-resolution 4:3 flashback images from Amy's and Gamma's cutscenes with faithful, higher-resolution versions that are re-rendered to 16:9 with added black bars to avoid stretching on wider aspect-ratios. Supports Dreamcast models, DX models, DX with DC Textures, DX Refined, and DX Refined with DC Textures mods.
• Chao Spin Swap - Swaps the in-game X and B buttons in the Chao Garden; X is to Spin Dash and B is to grab your Chao.
• Character Select - Change which character loads by holding buttons on the controller.
• Physics Swap - Enables the ability to swap characters' physics values to another character's.
• AI HD FMVs - All FMVs upscaled to 1080p with Topaz AI Gigapixel neural network.
• Final Boss Music Swap - A simple mod that swaps the music tracks of the first and second phases of the final boss through a configuration edit with SADX Mod Loader.
• DiscordSADX - Implements Discord's Rich Presence feature into the game.
• Uncut Soundtracks - Some tracks are missing sections in-game that can be found in the soundtrack releases. This mod restores the full versions those tracks, whilst retaining proper looping.
• Active Mouths - Adds facial animations for the in-game character models to a few more situations during gameplay. The lip syncing is synced up to the game's English dub.

SASave utility

A save game editor that can not only modify the PC version's save files (region independent), but also modify the Dreamcast and GameCube versions' save files (regardless of game-region). Can be downloaded here.

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	98, ME	2000, XP
Processor (CPU)	Intel Pentium III 600 MHz AMD Athlon 600 MHz	Intel Pentium III 800 MHz AMD Athlon 800 MHz
System memory (RAM)	128 MB	256 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	700 MB	1.4 GB
Video card (GPU)	16 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0a compatible	32 MB of VRAM