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Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is out for the Nintendo Switch. The remake bundle of the beloved Game Boy Advance classics has finally arrived after a few delays. But what kind of game is it?
The Wars franchise has not had an entry since the Nintendo DS in 2008, so it would not be surprising for modern gamers to be out of the loop. To summarize, the series features turn-based strategy gameplay with a war setting and has flourished on Nintendo consoles since the NES era. Advance Wars boasts a certain level of depth that cannot be judged by merely watching gameplay.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-boot Camp is all about smart turn-based tactics to achieve victory
As mentioned previously, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a remake of two Game Boy Advance strategy titles for the Nintendo Switch. The two games are:
- Advance Wars
- Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising
While the series has traditionally been handled by Intelligent Systems of Fire Emblem fame, this Unity-engine remake was created by developer WayForward.
The narrative of both games follows the Orange Star nation's war efforts against the neighboring Blue Moon nation. The sequel, on the other hand, pits the player against the deadly forces of the Black Hole army. Overall, both entries boast a Saturday-morning cartoon vibe with a colorful cast of vibrantly designed characters. This carries over to the remake.
The games have now received a completely redone and re-animated intro. A new 2D art style reimagines the looks of beloved characters, including Andy and Max. The in-game battles, meanwhile, are 3D with an isometric view compared to the original's 2D sprites.
Players are free to begin any of the two campaigns and will control one of the many COs (Commanding Officers) throughout each level and set piece. But what is the gameplay like?
Gather your troops for devilishly challenging battles
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp's combat takes place over a grid map, not unlike the Fire Emblem games. While more can be acquired by spending resources, the player has a selection of units to start with. Since this is a war-themed game, these range from on-foot soldiers and infantry vehicles to submarines and tanks.
Each unit has a set movement distance and can be placed where appropriate on the map. However, certain units can move around freely, like fighter planes, or others only in specific terrain, like submarines in bodies of water.
On that note, terrain also plays a role in determining movement efficiency in Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp. Terrain types range from grassy plains and lush forests to rocky mountains and cities. Each may bolster or hinder the unit as terrain also affects the Defense stat.
However, what players need to know first is that the game features a rock-paper-scissors-inspired mechanism to determine the unit's effectiveness against opponent units.
The infantry is weak to tanks, which, in turn, can be devastated by long-range artillery. Furthermore, each unit type also has a specific range.
As mentioned before, artillery has a decent range, allowing players to hit enemy forces from afar. However, soldiers can only attack adjacent units. This is key because attacking a unit takes combat to a closer perspective. The screen is split into two sides, with the player on the left and the opponent on the right.
Each unit, while controlled as a single piece on the map, takes the form of a squad in combat consisting of one to seven individuals. Players attack in phases and end their turn when desired. Strategically placing units around the map to inflict the most damage is key while also minimizing suffering losses.
During face-to-face skirmishes, final damage numbers are determined by various factors like range, terrain, unit type, and more. It should also be noted that the lower the HP of a unit, the worse damage they do in battle.
Players can combine two units at the same time to heal them back up and replenish Ammo (as units cannot attack indefinitely). Alternatively, they can have them rest in a captured city to replenish Fuel.
Besides terrain, the key points of interest are the cities and HQ. Both sides have one of the latter. Meanwhile, the map features a bunch of the former, some under the player's control, others under the opponent's, and a few neutral. Capturing a city generates resources while also granting other benefits like recovery.
The objective is to either defeat all enemy units on the map or capture their HQ. Proper map control is paramount to victory as greater controlled property generates more resources.
If players find themselves running out of units, they can construct more. Each unit has a cost assigned to them, with more powerful ones costing more money. Knowing when to spend resources on a unit is vital to turning the tide.
As the battles take place in turns, this will also progress in-game days. Over the course of combat, players will fill up a meter in the top-right corner and can then activate CO Powers. These are powerful abilities, with each CO boasting a unique one.
Andy, for example, can use Hyper Repair to replenish all units' HP while also increasing their Defense stat. Do note that enemy COs have such perks of their own as well.
Overall, players need to grasp and learn every mechanic to make the most out of Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp.
What's new to Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp?
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp features new quality-of-life changes. Players can fast-forward the action with the press of the ZR button. Meanwhile, the Reset Turn option allows the re-rolling of the current turn to the state before. This lets players of varying skill levels enjoy the game.
Winning battles rewards players with a rank based on their performance. Those who wish to test their mettle further can choose to indulge in the War Room's assortment of challenge maps.
If that is not enough, a Versus mode allows one to fight up to three CPU or human players in local action on a single console or four players across individual consoles. Online multiplayer also supports 1v1 skirmishes. Note that Nintendo Switch Online membership is needed to play online.
Players can create custom maps in the Design Room and even share them online or locally between consoles. Then there is Hachi's Shop, which allows players to purchase extra maps, new COs, soundtracks, and more by spending in-game coins garnered over victories. Last but not least, check out the Gallery to listen to in-game music and take a look at the new artwork.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is available right now exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
