1986-2001 Nintendo
Nintendo's long line of military combat themed Wars series is returning to the limelight on the Game Boy Advance. Advance Wars marks the first time that North Americans get to see a Wars title on their own shores. The game follows in the footsteps of the previous releases with an improved take on the tried and true formula for some welcomed strategic fun.
Features
- 114 Battle Maps
- Map Editor
- Battery Pack Save
- Link cable support for four players (multi-cartridge and single-cartridge modes)
- Only for Game Boy Advance
Jason: Wow, what a game. It only happens every once and a while that a sole game can rekindle the spirit of gaming for fun. I traded in two other games for this game and have not regretted it in the least. My friends at school and I have an ongoing campaign in which we pass around the one GameBoy taking turns with our armies. With the multiplayer alone I have probably wracked in more hours than years in my age. Thats saying a lot for a handheld game, also considering that isnt counting my time invested in single player. To try and describe this game to others quickly is like trying to describe a Shakespearean play. Just saying something to the effect of well its like Command and Conquer just doesnt cut it. This game is infinitely more strategic and balanced. Its not about powering your opponent to death with nukes and death lasers. Its about taking specialized units and making the most of out them given the terrain you have to work with.
The game gets that much more exciting when playing with friends. Just the thought of being in power of a whole army, managing your purchases, movements, and attacks, feels so rich. The whole experience is packed onto your tiny GameBoy that lets you transport your entire campaign wherever you go. So in essence, the whole scale of the game, given the portability, is overwhelming. Get two or three friends and force them to play this game with you so that you can see what I mean. How about saving? Im sure you would like to just save whenever you want right? Tada! Your wish is Nintendo's command. The saving is quick and the loading even quicker. Being able to save multiplayer games is an amazing bonus that could possibly have been left out but wasnt.
The amount of strategy actually needed in this game puts real-time PC strategy games to shame. No longer can you just rush lots of brutish units into your enemys base without really thinking about it. Every unit has weaknesses and even if you factor in that you could have different units for different styles of attacks you still need infantry to be able to take over a building. Couple in all sorts of extras like truck loads of maps, different power moves, strategic terrain, ongoing stories and you get a small idea of the amount of value packed into this tiny cartridge. The cherry on top is most definitely the complete map creator that is provided. You dont like the maps provided? Well then make one yourself! Its extremely user friendly, and in a matter of minutes you can have your creative vision turned into a map thats ready to be played on. If there is a flaw in this game, it would be the visuals for the map. However, one could argue that they did the most possible given the tiny size of the icons that are drawn on screen. I say go buy the game. If you dont have enough spare dough then I say go sell your left foot. Besides, you wont want to go anywhere once you have the game.
Anthony: It's an extremely hard thing to give a game a perfect score, especially in this premature stage of Game Boy Advance software. This ten will have to be relative to all other games after it. With that said, I feel forthright in my decision. Advance Wars is quite simply the perfection of a 15 year old franchise. I was fond of the Super Famicom version, but Advance Wars brings so much to the table it makes the past installments completely unplayable. While the single player campaign, shallow storyline and all is quite fun, the battle elements is where the game shines. I almost feel overwhealmed by the replay value offered in this 32-megabit cartridge. Whether it's challenging 1-3 computer opponents in a map I created from scratch, or taking on my friends in hour long battles. Advance Wars is very similar to Mario Kart: Super Circuit, in the respects of being one of the rare hand held games that have the dollar value of games like Goldeneye 007, Star Craft, games that you will keep coming back to over and over.
The game itself is incredibly deep. Not only do you have a strategy game played out like Chess, where you maneuver your pieces to defeat the opponent, but you also have to take things like resource management; buying-refueling-repairing units, climate and geography, but even the C.O (the character who acts as commander) has distinct abilities and specials that require thought to be used correctly. This is definitely going to be a classic Game Boy Advance owners will always remember.
Brenden: If you're looking for a game to buy a Game Boy Advance for, this is it. It's been awhile since I've been able to sit down with a game for countless hours while being completely oblivious to the outside world; and this is a handheld game we're talking about. The single player as a whole is challenging, fun and exciting. Once you've completed the campaign, the game is far from over. There are so many things to keep coming back for, such as unlocking other C.Os and maps. For argument's sake, let's just say that for some reason you don't like any of the vast number of maps they've provided you with, well, you can make your own. And this may be the only minor flaw I can find in the game, you can only save 3 of your own custom made maps. But hey, I wasn't even expecting a map builder, so I'm not going to complain much.
So far, I've only been able to dip my toes into the ocean of multiplayer, but what I have experienced was wonderfully balanced and extremely competitive. I really can't wait to try some more of it. The map graphics are nice, and I'm glad they aren't too flashy, because they don't need to be. The flash comes in when you witness the beautifully animated battle sequences. I was impressed with the sound effects, and the music was perfectly orchestrated for the battles. It never stands out, but if it's not there, you really miss it. Honestly, what else can I say about this game? It's everything you could possibly look for in a turn based strategy.