Genre: Strategy (Turn-Based)
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo of America
# of Players: 1 - 4
Memory: Battery Save
ERSB: Everyone
Released On: June 23, 2003
Also On: None
Features: GBA Link
Website: www.advancewars.com/
Introduction
So, did you play the original Advance Wars back in 01? If you did, then you likely joined the thousands of hungry fans and brayed like a donkey for a sequel. Advance Wars stood alone as one of the (if not the most) involving and polished Game Boy Advance games to hit the market during its reign. You took control of the Orange Star army’s Commanding Officers and set out to liberate your world. The game was about as intense as a turn-based game can possibly be and it bared a challenge level worthy of the sharpest gamers. Anytime you were bored, Advance Wars was there. There was always SOMETHING you could do.
It had been decided: GBA games simply didn’t come finer than Advance Wars. Yet, there was so much that could be added. So much that could be done. Strap yourself in, Intelligent Systems. The fans want a sequel. Well, be that as it may. Advance Wars 2: Black Hole rising was on the way.
And now that it’s here? Some of the fans say it sucks. Others claim it’s everything the original was and more. So which is the truth? Do we have ourselves a true sequel? Or do we have to settle for an “expansion pack.” We’ll just have to take this from the top now won’t we?
Presentation
“Nintendo Presents” Good good... “Advance Wars” Oh yeah... “2" YEEESSSSS!!!!
The intro is brilliantly set up to cause an uproar of cheers from the original’s fanbase (especially if shown on the GB Player). After this, you get a few very anime-like screen flashes of the game’s different nations and that’s all topped off with a sweet-looking (and sounding) title screen. The game makes a note to remind you that you’re playing the sequel Advance Wars. (Yes, we know you’re proud of yourself, Intelligent Systems.)
Once you begin your campaign you’re fed a short prolog of the game’s storyline. Black Hole’s back and they are after... well something about Macro Land and a family reunion. Eh, I never really paid much attention to the details. It’s war again, that’s all you need to know. The earlier Orange Star missions are fairly boring as they’re designed to teach you how to play the game (seeing as the training mode was left out of Advance Wars 2). This is a welcome approach to those new to the Advance Wars world, and it isn’t a big deal to the experts; the simple missions are over pretty quick. Once you cross the border into Blue Moon territory, the game decides to end playtime and begin increasing the difficulty. A difficulty that continues to increase all the way up to the last mission (and beyond...).
Overall, you get a smart, clean and to-the-point introduction into the realm that is Black Hole Rising.
Graphics
The small visual enhancements here and there aren’t noticeable, but both versions Advance Wars feature crisp and detailed anime character models that slide very smoothly across the screen. The battle field itself is appropriately coated with the different sprites of Advance Wars. Every building, unit, mountain, and whatever else fits into one square, are all highly distinguishable. This makes for tidy and non-confusing gameplay.
When two units engage in battle with one another, the game zooms into a duel sequence. The two sides attack one another in a semi-cartoony clash. The backgrounds during these animations look very cool as well as the backgrounds of the victory screens.
Sound
In addition to several main themes, every character has their own song which plays during their turn in battle. Every theme matches the character wonderfully, and all are catchy in their own way. The sound effects are also distinctive from unit to unit, and this helps a lot during one of the game’s battle types: Fog of War. In this mode you can’t see the enemy, so you must use your ears to make an estimate of what sorts of units they have and how many there are. On the GBA itself, the sound is still pretty good. But on the Player (or even the SP) the different sound effects and musical rhythms are very clear and alive.
Gameplay
Right, you’ve been waiting for this one. How does Black Hole Rising improve over the original? Well it doesn’t really. It tweaks a few things here and there and takes a different CO approach in the story mode. That plus a new unit, the infamous NeoTank, are all you’re really going to get. This, my friends, is why people claim Advance Wars 2 is a rehash. This isn’t necessarily true, however. You get to play with all your favorite strategies and techniques in new (and tougher) situations as well as a nice little bonus feature here and there. It’s all there, and it’s all grand. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. And there are no scars here.
Advance Wars is such an addicting game…You command an army of multiple units and bases. The basic goal is to destroy all of the enemy units and capture their territories. During your turn, you move each unit you have one-by-one. All units have their own purposes and strengths and battles can take place on land, in the seas, or in the air. Infantry units can be used to capture cities, bases, etc. but they lack a strong offense. Tank units can be used to attack other units and deal serious damage to the opposing army (or armies). ACP, Transport Copter and Lander units are used to transport other units to farther reaches of the map. Some units are designed for indirect combat and should be kept at a distance, while others must confront an enemy face-to-face. There are also units designed only to attack air units and some which only attack sea units. Bases, sea ports and airports are used to spawn units, cities increase your funds and your main headquarters is the most important of all; lose that and the war is over.
There are tons of strategic approaches to take, and it’s up to you to figure out how much you can get done in one day. You can only move each unit once per turn and you cannot move a newly spawned unit until your next turn. When you’re done moving, you manually end your turn and watch you opponent(s) move their army, and so on. It’s very complex, yet amazingly simple. Maybe not a pick-up-and-play game, but after spending about 20 minutes with it, you’ll know exactly what you’re doing. Yet, you’ll still be developing techniques well into the 5th hour of playtime. The basic gameplay is very well done and needs no improvements.
Perhaps the deepest aspect of strategy is the Commanding Officer selection. Each CO has several specific straight and weakness elements which directly affect the manner of their army. Max, for example, is based around brute force. His units can do tons of damages in direct combat, but his indirect units are very weak. Sami’s units are not very strong, but her infantry is powerful and she can capture properties much faster than other COs. And then there’s Andy, the “Mario” of Advance Wars. He serves as the basis of which all other COs are compared too. He has no real strengths or weaknesses; making him great for beginners. There are 19 Commanding Officers to choose from in Black Hole Rising, most of which must be unlocked and all of which are unique in different ways. The most crucial differences between each Commanding Officer are the CO powers. These powers are built up during battle and, when they are fully charged, can be unleashed to increase the power or range of your units, refill their ammo, or even heal their injuries. Every CO has different abilities, so you’ll have your work cut out for you when it comes to finding the best one for you to use. As with everything in the game, strategy is key.
From weather conditions to the cost of more units, there are tons of gameplay aspects that can greatly alter the course of battle, and plenty to keep you busy for a long while. In fact, battles can stretch for quite some time. But luckily, there’s a handy save option so you can continue your war another day. But, chances are, you’ll be playing it again in 2 hours...
Lasting Appeal:
This is where Black Hole Rising truly shines. In addition to the primary Campaign mode, the game features 5 other modes of play. A single player Versus mode for miscellaneous battles that you arrange. A very detailed Map Editor mode in which players can create their own battle maps to challenge both friends and CPU opponents. A multiplayer Link-up feature in which four buddies can match skill and techniques against one another. A shop to purchase additional gameplay features. And best of all, an alternate single player mode is known as the War Room which allows you to choose your CO and battle against the CPU in very difficult war situations.
Every victory earns you cash which allows you to buy.... more battles. This war is going to last a looooong time. But what if you’re used to having loooong wars? If you played the heck out of the first Advance Wars, is there enough here to make Black Hole Rising worth owning as well? By now…Yes. It’s definitely time to return to the war room; even if it’s more or less the same game. And if you didn’t play Advance Wars to death? You, sir, have NO excuse to not own the sequel. You don’t even need to have played the original to love this one. It has more, so pick it up; it IS the better of the two.
Rico’s Final Thoughts:
The best thing Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising has going for it is its fun factor. It turned out to be more enjoyable that I ever hoped for. The big reason here is the fact that I only played a very small amount of the original. So, when I first bought Advance Wars 2, I had no idea just how deep the gaming experience was going to be. I’m awed, to say the least.
But, this is not to say that I don’t have my regrets. The biggest deal here is the fact that the game only saves three design maps. If you create another, you’ll have to delete one of your old ones in order to save it. It’s fascinating how much Intelligent Systems managed to pack into this tiny little cartridge. In fact, if you look close enough, you can barely see the cartridge bulging from the massive load. In truth, there isn’t much more that can be stuffed into the Game Boy Advance hardware. Yet there is so much more than can be done...
Yeah, Nintendo, you’ve got me right. It’s time for the Advance Wars to be Cubed.
