Advance Wars holds a special place in the hearts of many a GBA (SP) owner. Many bought the system just for this game. Garnering excellent reviews left and right, it shown as a glowing beacon to gamers everywhere. Is it worthy of all this? Hell yes.
Advance Wars is a turn based strategy game following the Orange Star army, as it tries fights its neighbors (Blue Moon, Yellow Comet, and Green Earth) and friends, trying to untangle everyone from a web of lies and deceit. The story ties into the missions on most occasions, and will keep you playing until the end.
The graphics are bright and clear. The onscreen units for both sides look the same (My Infantry man is the same model as their infantry man), with the only difference being the color of the unit (Orange star units are orange...). This works very well, as you will never mistake your troops for enemies.
The sound is pretty good, consisting of catchy tunes and such. Each CO (Explained below) has his own tune, and each matches their personality very well. The sound effects are also well done, from the chatter of machine guns to the blast of rockets launching.
Each match is one nations CO (Commanding Officer) against the other. Each CO has strengths and weaknesses, such as some boasting strong direct combat, while others being able to travel across snow covered terrain without being slowed. In addition, each CO has a 'CO Power', which can be used when your CO Meter fills up. These can easily turn the tide of battle in your favor, and do things from repairing all your units to allowing them a second turn to act.
The units are each unique in many ways, from the terrain the can travel to the enemies they can attack to the distance their weapons go. They range from infantry to helicopters to cruiser ships. In the end, the units are very well balanced, as are the maps included in the game. If you lose, you need to work on your strategy.
The terrain itself is pretty basic, but like the units, the design works. The map is sectioned into small squares, with each square being a certain type of terrain (Mountain, Plain, River, Road/Bridge, City, Forest, Beach, Ocean, Reef, and the HQ building of both nations) Each is easily identifiable, and the overall effect is very pleasing.
The goal of each mission changes, though most of the time you either need to eliminate the enemy or capture their HQ. Other times you will have to keep your troops alive for a set number of days (Until backup arrives), and others you will be required to capture as much property as you can.
At the end of each mission you are awarded points based on the speed you completed the mission, how many enemies you destroyed, and how many of your units got destroyed. These points go towards buying new maps and COs to use in the War Room. The War Room is a nice little mode that presents you with various scenarios to complete. You are also given the option of creating your own maps and skirmishes, the ability to trade maps, and multiplayer capabilities. All this adds up to give Advance Wars nearly unlimited replay value.
Well, it was a long review, but you made it. Now be a good soldier and go pick up this game. There is an immense amount of value in this product, and even those who aren't fans of the genre will find much to like about the game. I've put more hours into this game than I care to admit, and even with a sequel already released, I still find myself coming back to this title.
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