Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp Review

Among the many franchises that Nintendo has saved, we have all genres and one of them is the war strategy series, Wars. The series was born on the NES and was later released for Super NES, but who did not leave Japan until the arrival of gameboy advance with the release of Advance Wars. We had two installments for the portable console, several more for Nintendo DS and even one for Game Cube but more focused on direct action. When it reached our lands, it was so popular that it became a series that was much loved by fans.

However, since 2008 we have not had a game in the series, until now with Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp for Nintendo Switch. Re-Boot Camp is a remake of the first two Game Boy Advance games in which various armies face off to achieve supremacy. After one last delay due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it finally reaches our hybrid consoles.

nations in conflict

Advance Wars follow the war between Orange Star and Blue Moon and we will be one of the tactical advisers of the Orange Star side. As players we will follow in the footsteps of the team made up of Andy, Max and Sami, in which we will fight in a conflict that spans 3 continents. However, a figure pulls the strings behind the scenes, and this is the only time the title plot can be considered sinister.

The story can be considered very childish, even though the theme is the war of nations. The characters have attitudes that can be seen in children’s animated series, making us grow fond of them. He doesn’t take himself very seriously either, due to the fact that the deaths of our troops are very common.

One of the changes that helps the immersion of the story is that voices have been added to the character conversations. Now what they want to express can be seen more effusively, although basically it is a series of words that will lead us to a confrontation. Nor do you have to be very demanding in terms of the plot with a game owned by Nintendo, which is not very fond of violence.

There should only be one left standing

Moving on to the playable aspects, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp It maintains the same playable bases of the original games. It’s not that they need a lot of adjustments either, because their gameplay is fail-safe. Basically, it is the same as Fire Emblem except that the knights are replaced by soldiers, pegasi by air units and the cavalry by tanks. The leveling up is dispensed with, in pursuit of a more direct gameplay, which somehow makes it more fun.

We have a series of war units such as Infantry, TOA Units, Tanks, Artillery, Ships and air vehicles. These units have variants that give the game a unique tactical component. If one unit meets another, a confrontation will take place whose victory depends on who attacks first, who has the best armor or the best terrain advantage. It is not the same that some soldiers face other soldiers than tanks or fighters.

Some units have more mobility range, better attack, unit resupply, transport, etc. The terrain where the confrontation takes place also comes into play, if we attack from high ground we will have an advantage and the damage will be less. Actually, the game is very intuitive in that sense and it is enough that we play a few games to understand the gameplay well.

The game throws us on a map in which its place names vary, being able to find flat terrain, cities, mountains, forests and lakes. This directly influences the performance of our troops. For example, we have infantry that can move across almost any terrain, while others are efficient or useless in X or Y situations.

The OJ, as commanders are called, in addition to giving us advice during battles, have abilities, weaknesses, and special moves that can turn a losing battle around. For example, they can repair all units on the battlefield, increase strength, apply debuffs, etc. However, we must take into account the weaknesses. We must know how to choose them in the right battle.

Reboot Version

The first thing we obviously notice is that they are two games in one AW1 and AW2, in which they are basically the same only with a few subtle changes between 1 and 2. Both can be accessed at any time, although it is recommended to play them in sequence .

The game features multiplayer unlike other games in the genre. However, now use is made of the online component in which up to four players can participate in fun games. The game has a good variety of maps in which to measure our forces and tactical capacity. They are very customizable games in which we can change the rules of the game.

There is a map editor in which we can create and share maps online, but only with our friends list. In addition, maps can be purchased in the store. It is a good option for those who like creation and construction.

The war from another point of view

On a technical level it is where you can see most of the changes made to the remake. First, the pixelated graphics were swapped out for 3D modeling, and unlike other games that have made the switch, they don’t look out of place at all. Very good quality animated scenes have been added in the intro and the end.

As for the soundtrack, the original tracks were reworked and these, in turn, have good quality like the originals. Sporadic voices were also added to the conversations for some words of the conversations and the actors know how to interpret their role.

Verdict

Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp proves why it’s such a beloved strategy game among Nintendo fans. With fail-safe and very intuitive gameplay, much-loved characters and all the changes added to this remake, as well as having two games in one. Improvements in the quality of life are always welcome, although its history does not make much sense, it is still essential.

Note: This review was made thanks to the copy provided by Nintendo.