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Entry #6

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Advance Wars has stolen my soul

Posted by Ross Aug. 8, 2007 @ 1:34 PM EDT

There are two types of video game players - those that are indifferent towards the Advance Wars series (for Gameboy Advance and DS) and those who think it's the greatest game ever made. As you might guess, I'm in the latter category. I got the first one as soon as it came out, based on strong reviews and its similarity in appearance to Command & Conquer (in actuality, Advance Wars is more like a cross between chess and C&C).

I got hooked immediately and played through both normal/hard campaigns and unlocked everything in Advance Wars 1 and 2. Advance Wars DS has taken me longer, due mostly to how insanely deep the game is (and how smart the computer AI can be). Recently I've been travelling a lot, and once again, I find myself spending my idle moments thinking about how to beat certain maps. Even with over 90 hours (!!) logged, I have a lot left to unlock, and I haven't even finished the hard campaign yet (though I'm near the end).

I love this game for many reasons, but I think my favorite part is the problem-solving aspect of it. Each game is full of a zillion small situations where you have to make lots of little decisions, and they all have to add up to support your overall strategy for the map. It seems like on most maps, there's a unique approach that'll allow you to not only win but get an S-rank (280 points or higher), and if you can figure it out, you're set.

However, the one War Room map where I've NEVER been able to get an S-rank, going all the way back to the first AW game, is Ridge Island (see map below). There, your opponent is Grit, and the map seems laid out perfectly for him - his base is surrounded by mountains, with only three narrow passes into it, and he has the starting resources to quickly build rockets/artillery for bombing the shit out of anything you send at him. If I had to describe this map in one word, it would be "frustrating". I can certainly beat it - but I've never come close to getting an S-rank (my closest was a 17-day, 256-point win using Hawke).

Any other Advance Wars junkies like me out there? Is there a secret to Ridge Island I'm missing?

(UPDATE: Okay, so I've found an S-Rank walkthrough for Ridge Island in AW:DS. Sigh... I hate walkthroughs. I couldn't resist skimming it though. It involves ignoring the neutral cities and rushing Grit's HQ with recons. Hmm...)

Updated: 08/13/07 4:24 PM Log in to comment! | Share this!

The People Have Spoken

25 Comments

Aug. 8, 2007 | 1:52 PM Murphinator says:

Hmm... looks like a fun game... I should try it out. However, Fire Emblem has to be my favorite strategy series over all.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 2:05 PM Ross responds:

If you like Fire Emblem, you should definitely check out Advance Wars. Fire Emblem was created by the same game studio that made Advance Wars - they took the Advance Wars engine and adapted it for RPG-style games.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 2:26 PM Mizox says:

the only reason I'm commenting is because everyone keeps going on about how we should talk to you, whatever

...

that game actually looks kinda cool, not really my kind of game though (must play sonic games, must play racing games, must play banjo-tooie...)

Aug. 8, 2007 | 9:31 PM Psycho-Pickle says:

Ive been wanting to play that game forever. But,when it came out i could never find it :(

Aug. 9, 2007 | 12:12 AM mike says:

Are you a fan of the Civilization games?
They are great -- but take ages. That's why Advance Wars is so addictive -- it's tactics and strategy with all the fluff stripped out -- boiled down to its essence

Aug. 9, 2007 | 9:43 AM Ross responds:

Civilization is famous, and I've always wanted to play it, but never done so. I rarely have time for sit-down computer games anymore... it has to be something I can play on the go (on my DS).

I agree about Advance Wars, too. It's not flashy, but it's solid gameplay.

Aug. 9, 2007 | 3:32 AM DepressedStone says:

I had so many hours logged on my Advance Wars 1 copy...so many things unlocked and beat with good ranks...and then it got stolen from me.

I still haven't found an Advance Wars 1, 2, or DS copy anywhere. :'(

Aug. 9, 2007 | 9:43 AM Ross responds:

What's with people not being able to find Advance Wars? It's certainly not rare, and there are about a zillion places you could buy it online...

Aug. 9, 2007 | 12:44 PM JohnnyUtah says:

it blows my mind i didnt bring it along on that heinous plane ride. its still one of the few games on my shelf i havent conquered, but damn some of those later missions are kicking my ass.

and if they could ditch the saved by the bell dialogue, id be even happier.

Aug. 9, 2007 | 2:32 PM Ross responds:

Yeah I skip the queer dialogue cutscenes. However, I do enjoy the trash-talking catchphrases that they use during battles when they activate their CO Powers. I especially like when you're about to crush them, have them outnumbered maybe 20 to 2, and they activate their CO Power and declare "Time to take you down!" or something like that. Makes it feel extra good to wipe them out in the following turn. (I have serious animosity towards the AI when it's using certain COs.)

Updated: Aug. 9, 2007, 2:34 PM

Aug. 9, 2007 | 4:48 PM m4x0 says:

Final fantasy V advance stole my life :(

120+ hours and i haven't even started the bonus dungeon

Aug. 9, 2007 | 11:44 PM Ross responds:

Hachi machi... 120 hours is a lot!

Aug. 9, 2007 | 6:45 PM Sinistermuffin says:

Advance wars is the best turn best strategy ever made...

I have all 3 but I lost Double Strike, so I just play 2...
And yor right, its like a mix of Command & conquer and chess, my favorites teh mapmaker :3

Aug. 9, 2007 | 8:08 PM Mad-Mardigan says:

You should try Battalion Wars

Aug. 9, 2007 | 11:43 PM Ross responds:

I heard about it, but it's real-time strategy, right? Seemed pretty different from Advance Wars.

Aug. 9, 2007 | 11:42 PM NickScott says:

Grrr, you deleted my comment you bastard.

Aug. 9, 2007 | 11:59 PM Ross responds:

I delete comments occasionally if they're especially dumb. Sorry.

Aug. 11, 2007 | 12:43 AM IammeoramI says:

How long did it take you to get everything on Advance wars one? It took me a year, a long frustrating year. :(

Aug. 13, 2007 | 1:16 AM Ross responds:

It took a while. I played it pretty hardcore at first - beat the normal campaign and half of hard campaign, and beat every war room map (though I got low scores on some of them). Then I put it down for about six months before playing again, finishing hard campaign, getting S-ranks in most War Room maps, and unlocking the last stuff.

That year it took you was frustrating, but it must've felt good to finally unlock everything, no? As long as you didn't do it by playing the first War Room map over and over, which is kind of cheating.

Aug. 11, 2007 | 12:53 AM Jercurpac says:

I'm a huge fan of the Advance Wars series. It boils down the turn-based strategy genre until only the sweetest ingredients are left without sacrificing any of difficulty or need for strategizing. I was all over AWI and II back in the day. Beating the final level of AWII ranks as one of my favorite all-time videogame acheivements. I can't even recall how many times I made a few mistakes in unit placement and an hour of planning was ruined by that god forsaken meteor attack.

And then there were the epic multiplayer battles. It saved me a whole lot of forced napping during a twelve hour airplane ride back to the states from Japan. Crushing my friends with Colin's unstoppable onslaught of tanks and helicopters.

I never got the DS version. I didn't get the DS when it first came out and by the time I picked up a Lite copies of AWDS were scarce (although I'm sure they'd reveal themselve to me if I really put some effort into looking). Here's hoping Nintendo rembers that they still own one of the greatest turn-based strategy games and we get an new online enabled version.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 1:27 AM Ross responds:

Ohhhh, Sturm's meteor attack in AW2... not cool at all. Memories...

"Epic" is a good word for describing great AW battles. No other game gives me such satisfaction when I beat a map that previously seemed unbeatable.

You're lucky for having friends to play against - I only know a handful of people in real life who are into AW, and none of them are overly interested in doing any multiplayer. In a case of "be careful what you wish for," I've said since AW1 that as soon as they make a version I can play online, my life (job, marriage) will probably go up in flames because I'll spend all my time playing it. But man oh man, how sweet it would be...

Aug. 11, 2007 | 2:21 PM Pistol186 says:

Yeah, I played it, I loved it, It seemed like a simple game but really fun.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 1:29 AM Ross responds:

It's a great game because it seems simple, yet it's incredibly deep (in terms of strategic/tactical nuances).

Aug. 11, 2007 | 5:04 PM ZekeySpaceyLizard says:

Have you played Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced? Its as good as Advance Wars, and alot deeper in terms of gameplay. Although theres also alot more useless dialogue. (like most SquareEnix games).

Aug. 13, 2007 | 1:31 AM Ross responds:

Meant to get it when it came out, but never did. I know it's really more cosmetic than anything, but I've always been more of a Command & Conquer/RTS guy and less of a Final Fantasy/RPG guy. Just personal preference.

FF Tactics was for Game Boy Advance, right? Wonder why they never released a new version for DS?

Aug. 12, 2007 | 1:33 PM FireNuke says:

you dont beat grit :D he beats you.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 1:33 AM Ross responds:

Grit is definitely one of my least favorite COs to play against (and one of my favorites to play as, depending on the map).

Aug. 12, 2007 | 9:47 PM Z3R052 says:

I own AW:DS but I still cant get into it, I haven't even beaten the game yet. Also theres a online adaption of advanced wars, they never have very many players on (around 3 to 5) but its fun non the less.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 1:42 AM Ross responds:

I saw the online version - it's browser-based, right? I tried to play a game, but it seemed kind of buggy - like an elaborate hack. Have you ever actually played a game there?

As soon as I became addicted to AW1, I said that if I ever got fired and couldn't find a job, I'd spend all my time trying to develop the ultimate online AW game. (Of course, the better it would be, the more likely Nintendo would be to take it away with a legal threat.)

Aug. 13, 2007 | 12:00 AM Jake says:

That's a great game. I've unlocked everyone except Sturm and Hachi, and Hawke still remains my favorite.

Good to see another AW fan out there; I was beginning to think it was just AshfordPride and I for a while. :)

Aug. 13, 2007 | 11:30 AM Ross responds:

Our numbers are legion, my friend. :) You've gotta unlock Hachi. It took me a long time but I've finally realized that (at least ins AW:DS) he's one of the most powerful COs. If you think of AW as sort of an arms race, with each side competing to grab resources and build bigger and stronger units, his CO power (which charges quickly) allows you to leapfrog way ahead and build units like Neotanks when the other guy can only crank out smaller stuff.

Updated: Aug. 13, 2007, 11:32 AM

Aug. 13, 2007 | 4:07 AM Rudy says:

Advance Wars may have stolen your soul, but you my friend...have stolen my heart<3

Aug. 13, 2007 | 9:22 AM UberBarista says:

You should try that map with Sensei and just bum rush him with mass numbers. Crude, but it works. I've done that map with him and gotten an S rank.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 11:27 AM Ross responds:

Really - what do you rush him with, mechs? Thanks for the tip!

I tend to not make many mechs - their extremely low range annoys me. And so I don't play as Sensei all that much.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 3:07 PM boundless says:

I just got field commander for psp and its a complete ripoff in every way. All the terms and numbers are exact copies (10hp per unit, etc).. i dont know how they got away with it. But I cant play it. It uses ugly 3D and the UI is all over the place. There's so much useless dialogue that uses voice acting so its constantly slowing down and loading every time someone talks. Anywaaay I got AW from some game trading site and its an amazing game. I need to play the other ones. My brothers got Battalion Wars on gamecube cause its made by the same guys but its a totally different game.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 4:33 PM Ross responds:

Yeah, that's another thing that makes Advance Wars great. Intelligent Systems really knows how to design a good interface - minimal yet effective, full of as much (or as little) information as you want.

Aug. 13, 2007 | 6:24 PM Nav says:

Gahhhhh, I love that game! I do find it really hard, though! What are some secrets for hard campaign in Advance Wars 2? I have trouble with the first level (sadly)... I guess I'm not really that good.

Would you mind sharing some secrets? Please?

Also, I love the music from the Advance Wars series! My favorite is Lash's music! What is your favorite?

Aug. 13, 2007 | 10:36 PM Ross responds:

If you're stuck on the first level of hard campaign, then you probably need some practice. Have you battled your way through the War Room maps yet? That'll give you lots.

I don't have any real advice - at least nothing substantial that could fit in a sentence or two.

And I like the music too. :) After I unlocked the Sound Room, I was surprised to find out that I already know pretty much every CO's theme by heart...

Updated: Aug. 14, 2007, 12:42 PM

Aug. 14, 2007 | 12:58 PM UberBarista says:

Mechs are preferred since they pack a mean punch with his bonus offense. Thing is troops or mechs would work, since Grit's weakness is he has a greater range, but smaller attack area.

Aug. 15, 2007 | 11:36 AM Ross responds:

Not sure what you mean by "smaller attack area" - Grit has a greater indirect range and greater indirect firepower, but weaker direct attack units.

So I'm wondering how you can rush him with infantry/mechs and not have them get picked off by his long-range stuff. I guess I'll just have to try it.

Aug. 14, 2007 | 1:16 PM Jake says:

I actually don't have AW:DS yet, but I still mess around on AW2:BHR for my GBA.

Haha, you know that Green Earth level where you're Eagle and you have to protect Sami by destroying the laser cannons or capturing the HQ? I can beat that in five days' time. :)

Aug. 14, 2007 | 11:25 PM MrCrawford says:

Like so many games I don't have time for, I wish I could play that T_T

I guess a job, college and girlfriend, besides the 30+ games I WANT to play must take precedance... *I guess*

Aug. 15, 2007 | 3:24 PM saburo-inc says:

I own both GBA games since they were released and unlocked just about everything, but to this day I still cannot finish Ridge Island. Seriously. I should give you a standing ovation just for completing it at least once.

I never thought about bum rushing his base with recons or mechs though... That sounds like suicide. But apparently its worked for other people so I should give it a shot.

Aug. 22, 2007 | 10:57 AM Ross responds:

The problem in my mind is that you're bound to lose a lot of units that way, and you can only lose a small number of units and still get an S-rank. That's always my problem on this map - with persistence, I can beat it, but I'll lose too many units along the way to get the S-rank.