Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Inspector Gadget: Advance Mission, developed by Magic Pockets and released for the Game Boy Advance in Europe in 2001 and North America in 2002, is a licensed action-platformer based on the classic animated series. Cartoon tie-ins from this era were often disposable, but Advance Mission is considerably more competent than its license might suggest, combining traditional platforming with character swapping, light puzzle-solving, and Gadget's familiar arsenal of absurd inventions.
Rating: 6.5/10
The adventure sends Inspector Gadget, Penny, and Brain around the world to stop Dr. Claw and M.A.D. from carrying out another elaborate scheme. Levels take place in colorful locations inspired by recognizable landmarks such as Paris and Egypt, giving the game a pleasantly globe-trotting feel that fits the television series well.
Its defining mechanic is the ability to switch between all three characters during stages. Gadget is the most conventional action character and makes use of abilities such as his spring shoes, inflatable coat, skis, and helicopter hat. Penny handles technological obstacles and various switches or computer-based tasks, while Brain is smaller and more agile, allowing him to access places the others cannot and occasionally slip past enemies using disguises.
This system gives Advance Mission more variety than the average licensed platformer. Instead of simply running from left to right, you frequently have to determine which character is needed to bypass a particular obstacle. The puzzles are rarely difficult, but switching between characters makes exploration more engaging and gives each member of the trio an actual purpose.
Unfortunately, the idea is not developed as far as it could have been. Many stages still boil down to finding switches, collecting necessary items, and travelling back through previously explored areas. If the appropriate character is not positioned where you need them, the resulting backtracking can become tedious. The relatively large stages sometimes amplify this problem.
The platforming itself is generally responsive, although Gadget can occasionally feel slightly floaty, particularly when using abilities that alter his jumping or movement. Enemy patterns are simple and the overall difficulty remains fairly forgiving, making the game accessible to younger players. Boss encounters provide some welcome variation but rarely demand especially complex strategies.
Visually, Advance Mission fares considerably better. Large, colorful sprites resemble the cartoon characters nicely, and Gadget's various animations give him plenty of personality. Backgrounds are bright and varied, and the international settings help keep the presentation from becoming visually monotonous. It is not among the GBA's technical showpieces, but it looks polished and suits the source material well.
The audio is less impressive. Familiar Inspector Gadget musical elements are a nice touch, but the limited selection of tracks becomes repetitive during longer stages. Sound effects are similarly functional rather than memorable.
Another dated element is the password-based progression system. Rather than offering a conventional save file, the game relies on passwords for returning to later stages. It works, but it feels unnecessarily primitive for a Game Boy Advance title and makes resuming the adventure less convenient than it should be.
Inspector Gadget: Advance Mission ultimately succeeds because it does more with its license than simply attach recognizable characters to a generic platform game. Switching between Gadget, Penny, and Brain is a genuinely fitting mechanic, the gadgets are enjoyable to use, and the colorful presentation captures the spirit of the cartoon. Repetitive level structures, backtracking, simplistic puzzles, and the cumbersome password system prevent it from becoming anything exceptional, but it remains an enjoyable and surprisingly respectable licensed GBA platformer.
Inspector Gadget: Advance Mission, developed by Magic Pockets and released for the Game Boy Advance in Europe in 2001 and North America in 2002, is a licensed action-platformer based on the classic animated series. Cartoon tie-ins from this era were often disposable, but Advance Mission is considerably more competent than its license might suggest, combining traditional platforming with character swapping, light puzzle-solving, and Gadget's familiar arsenal of absurd inventions.
Rating: 6.5/10
The adventure sends Inspector Gadget, Penny, and Brain around the world to stop Dr. Claw and M.A.D. from carrying out another elaborate scheme. Levels take place in colorful locations inspired by recognizable landmarks such as Paris and Egypt, giving the game a pleasantly globe-trotting feel that fits the television series well.
Its defining mechanic is the ability to switch between all three characters during stages. Gadget is the most conventional action character and makes use of abilities such as his spring shoes, inflatable coat, skis, and helicopter hat. Penny handles technological obstacles and various switches or computer-based tasks, while Brain is smaller and more agile, allowing him to access places the others cannot and occasionally slip past enemies using disguises.
This system gives Advance Mission more variety than the average licensed platformer. Instead of simply running from left to right, you frequently have to determine which character is needed to bypass a particular obstacle. The puzzles are rarely difficult, but switching between characters makes exploration more engaging and gives each member of the trio an actual purpose.
Unfortunately, the idea is not developed as far as it could have been. Many stages still boil down to finding switches, collecting necessary items, and travelling back through previously explored areas. If the appropriate character is not positioned where you need them, the resulting backtracking can become tedious. The relatively large stages sometimes amplify this problem.
The platforming itself is generally responsive, although Gadget can occasionally feel slightly floaty, particularly when using abilities that alter his jumping or movement. Enemy patterns are simple and the overall difficulty remains fairly forgiving, making the game accessible to younger players. Boss encounters provide some welcome variation but rarely demand especially complex strategies.
Visually, Advance Mission fares considerably better. Large, colorful sprites resemble the cartoon characters nicely, and Gadget's various animations give him plenty of personality. Backgrounds are bright and varied, and the international settings help keep the presentation from becoming visually monotonous. It is not among the GBA's technical showpieces, but it looks polished and suits the source material well.
The audio is less impressive. Familiar Inspector Gadget musical elements are a nice touch, but the limited selection of tracks becomes repetitive during longer stages. Sound effects are similarly functional rather than memorable.
Another dated element is the password-based progression system. Rather than offering a conventional save file, the game relies on passwords for returning to later stages. It works, but it feels unnecessarily primitive for a Game Boy Advance title and makes resuming the adventure less convenient than it should be.
Inspector Gadget: Advance Mission ultimately succeeds because it does more with its license than simply attach recognizable characters to a generic platform game. Switching between Gadget, Penny, and Brain is a genuinely fitting mechanic, the gadgets are enjoyable to use, and the colorful presentation captures the spirit of the cartoon. Repetitive level structures, backtracking, simplistic puzzles, and the cumbersome password system prevent it from becoming anything exceptional, but it remains an enjoyable and surprisingly respectable licensed GBA platformer.
