The Advance Wars games actually began as Famicom Wars, debuting on the NES in Japan on August 12th, 1988. It wasn't until the series's 7th entry that Advance Wars finally made its international appearance in the US on the GameBoy Advance on September 21st, 2001. Developed by Intelligent Systems, the same studio that publishes the very similar Fire Emblem series, Advance Wars is a unique tactical war game in which players take control of a commander and direct orders for various infantry to move, battle, and capture enemy zones. Players must pay careful attention to many elements such as terrain, weather, weapon advantages, resource gain, vehicle fuel, and more less they lose the pull of a battle. Fortunately, the game expertly teaches these mechanics at a nice and steady pace mission to mission. And with the bright and cheery artwork, and oh so catchy chip tunes, it makes what would seem to be a serious game of intense chess into a fun and whimsical game of war.
The campaign of Advance Wars also does a fantastic job of introducing elements of variety and surprise to keep things interesting. From unknown commanders to elements such as fog of war, your tactics are always being forced to adapt and learn. The campaign did have the unfortunate tendency to later escalate in difficulty, to which I admit I have yet to complete a game in the series. That isn't to say I'm never inspired to jump back in though, due to the mass appeal of its charm and its simplistic, but surprisingly deep design. Perhaps what was one of the most inspiring (and side-tracking) elements of the game was the map editor, which allowed players to create their own maps taking everything they've learned to later be used in some good old multiplayer fun. Even if you never played any the maps you created, the map editor is just so robust and finely detailed to make a joy editing with.
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| While it's easy to ensure balance by making a symmetrical map, there is more thought, consideration, and fun to be had from crafting and finding that balance in designing a unique asymmetrical level. |
Ignoring the spin-off Battalion Wars series, the Advance War series continued on to see three more entries: Black Hole Rising for the GameBoy Advance, and Dual Strike and Days of Ruin both for the Nintendo DS. The series slowly shifted into a more mature and gritty art style, with Days of Ruin setting the game in a post-apocalyptic war-torn future. Personally, my favorite lies with the bright and charming aesthetics of the original, but the gameplay remains solid in every entry no matter your preference of style. In fact, other than tone, the series largely remained unchanged from game to game, mainly just offering new missions, commanders, and a few new units and modes to each entry.
Sadly, the series hasn't seen a new entry since Days of Ruin which released in 2008. It seems Fire Emblem has garnered more attention and popularity as of late, with its greater focus on RPG elements and character narratives. With that said, the appeal and influences of Advance Wars has not been entirely forgotten. Just look to recent and upcoming indie titles such as Tiny Metal and Wargroove. So if you pine for these tactical warfare adventures again, I heartily suggest giving these games a closer inspection and show your support for this beloved niche of a genre.
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