Videogame Classics: Advance Wars 2

Advance Wars 2
Intelligent Systems for Nintendo
Gameboy Advance

February 18, 2005

The best game ever made for the Gameboy Advance is Advance Wars 2. This is a true example of the 'killer ap:' a wonderfully attractive, easily accessaible, and richly complex game with a great sense of depth. And it also happens to be a hell of a lot of fun.

Turn-based strategy games were a staple of videogames a long time ago, before the genre moved into realtime. Now most strategy games are overburdened and too complicated, too pomous for their own good. Who wants to play a game where armies battle one another all by themselves? Since when is that entertainment? If that's what I wanted, I'd get a television.

Intelligent Systems has been steadily working on its series of strategy games since the beginning of time. Versions of Wars have appeared on the Famicom, Gameboy, and Super Nintendo. When the Gameboy Advance launched, it appeared with Advance Wars, and Nintendo immediately had a system-seller.

The first Advance Wars worked so well because it mixed up turn-based strategy with an entertaining, character-driven story, and then throwing in dozens of playable maps and a map editor for good measure. This was the rare game that deserved all its extras.

I think the second title is the better of the two, although its differences may not seem as apparant at first. The visual design is much better; the color scheme is brighter and with less contrast, and objects such as buildings and trees are less obtrusive. The first game looks garish compared to this. I also have to say I prefer the artwork of the characters, with their romantic, yet slightly comic poses.

The most notable difference is the tweaking in the game's balance. The idea is that all units - infantry, transports, tanks, anti-aircraft, and so on - should have a fighting chance. In the last game, a squad of tanks could completely destroy a squad of infantry. This tends to encourage building only the biggest and most powerful units. This sequel levels things out, and there's more of a paper-rock-siccors feel.

Chances are you already know something about this game, so you don't need me to recite the Campaign Mode for you. Everybody goes through it at least once, if just to enjoy the playful banter between all the cartoon characters (this is the only world where Macy Gray would team up with Marilyn Manson). Most everyone enjoys this mode, although most levels require you to overcome overwhelming odds again and again.

Chances also are you'll also know about the dozen upon dozens of extra maps to buy and play through, including all the maps from the first Advance Wars. Most of these you will only play through once, and some are worth repeated visits. This doesn't really matter to me, since I have the option to create my own levels.

It's the same question I've been asking for twenty years: why don't more games have a level editor? These things are pure gold. Through the AW2 map editor, I've created some terrific levels and shared them with players around the world. Building that sense of community is what make computer games like Quake and Unreal Tournament so endlessly entertaining. You give us the tools to create, and we'll be loyal fans forever.

I don't like reading overhyped praises in game reviews, but Advance Wars 2 really is the best game for the Advance, and just about the best handheld game ever made. It has the ability to grab even those who don't enjoy strategy games or military sims, that same way that all classics hook you.

Intelligent Systems is continuing the series on Nintendo's DS handheld, and we're all eager to see if they can continue their successful formula while adding enough new content to keep everything fresh. Personally, I don't think any major changes should be made. I'd try to empahsize naval units a little more (all those ships are way too expensive), do away with the Neotanks (they're far too powerful), and maybe even offer seasonal-based levels (instead of merely raining or snowing for a turn). I'd also look into the possibility of destroying or bombing cities, because I don't think it's ever been done before.

See? This is what happens when I start to go on a game design streak and create my own custom levels. I don't think a game like this even has a shelf life. This may be a multiplayer classic on par with MULE, Super Bomberman 2 and Herzog Zwei. But don't quote me on that just yet. Ask me again in two or three years.

Photos - Advance Wars 2 (gba)

As you can see, I'm moving all my video game reviews from my original website, DanielThomas.org, to videogames of the DAMNED. Back when most of my writing was focused on games, I worked hard on capturing the perfect screenshots to go with my lengthy reviews. As an artist, I treated these shots as another realm of photography, of capuring the right moment, and I'm very proud of the results.

The ever-forward rush of games and technology means that anything old is quickly forgotten, but I hope this changes. Portable game systems like the Gameboy Advance are especially vulnerable, although I hope the movement toward preserving console games on XBox, PS3, and Wii are carried through to the handhelds. The DS would be an especially perfect platform for downloading old GBA titles.

Anyway, here are shots from Advance Wars 2 on the Advance. I think this was the best game in the series. What say you?

Personal note: the top two screenshots are from custom maps I created. I even bundled these together as save files that could be downloaded and used on GBA emulators. Another proud little art project of mine, heh heh.

Yet More Advance Wars Ramblings

Time for another update on the brand-new Advance Wars: Days of Ruin for Nintendo DS. I figured I should continue to highlight some rambling thoughts, while porting and updating my old AW2 maps to the new game.

The graphics have been greatly improved. It's a subtle difference, something that won't immediately grab you. But as time goes by, you'll appreciate how much better everything looks. This was one of my major beefs with the last game, Dual Strike. The game graphics, aside from some minor tweaking, almost completely unchanged from the Gameboy Advance titles. How could a title that important feel like a rush job? Ah, well, that's in the past now.

There is a zoom function which is used by the R button. The far view is classic Advance Wars, with similar animations. Zooming in reveals an almost entirely new visual style. Everything takes on a new sheen, and all units are redrawn at slight angles. Everything's been completely redrawn.

One interesting visual treat, which fits perfectly with the game's apocalyptic theme: rockets launched from the silos will leave scorch marks on the ground. A very nice touch. There's a subtle use of shading and shadows everywhere, like on the mountains. That old cartoony look is long gone.

Watching heavy units, like war tanks and boats, explode is great fun.

The bronze metal pipes are gone. They've been a staple in the last two games. This has required me to redesign some of my old maps, and I still don't know what to do with some of the ones that were really pipe-heavy. I may just have to scrap those.

In place of the pipes, I've been using two new units, the meteorites and the plasma fields. The plasma can be connected like pipe, with the meteorites serving as the hubs and keeping these electric blue fences together. Destroying the meteors will collapse the field. I've used this for my Warlords map, and it's working pretty good.

There are other new terrain units which add to the atmosphere, such as ruins and wasteland. Oceans can be peppered with mists and rough waters. I have no idea what to do with the fire just yet. This is another reason why I want Nintendo to host larger maps on their servers. I'm eager to see all the crazy new ideas from the mapmakers, and that puny 10x10 grid is just completely useless.

There are now six air units, and six naval units. This is a crucial fix to what was arguable Advance Wars' greatest flaw, the complete dominance of the ground game. Air and sea were treated as throwaways. Now things are far more balanced.

The History Records screen includes shaded spaces on the top screen for ten medals. I wonder what you have to do to earn them. Should be interesting. There are bound to be some surprises hidden in this game, I'll wager.

Advance Wars: Dawn of Whatever It Was - First Impressions

Yay! This is a good day, kiddies. The stock market didn't crash (yet), Persepolis was nominated for a Best Animated Film Oscar, and I picked up the new Advance Wars. Had to trade in a couple carts, but that's always been my mojo. It's best not to collect too many possessions.

So, anyway, let me just say that I'm very impressed. If you're sitting on the fence, wondering how things stand....don't worry. At the end of the day, it's just the latest version of Advance Wars. Don't let the hype fool you otherwise. Suffice to say, this is one slimmed-down game. It's much sleeker and gets to the point. The gameplay is just as solid as always; hardened vets won't miss a beat, and newcomers shouldn't worry about being left back. This isn't Virtua Fighter. You'll catch on in seconds.

Upon starting the cartridge, my first impulse was to check out the map editor. Much better, folks. Much better. You can scale the size of your maps from 5x5 to 30x30. You can save up to 50 maps; while I still insist there should be vastly more storage space - 500 at a bare minimum - it's a terrific improvement from the past. I've already printed screenshots from all of my Advance Wars 2 custom maps, and they'll have a permanent home on my DS cart.

Downloading maps from Nintendo's server is a cinch, although these maps are currently set at 10x10. I tried to be patient with this, but, seriously, this is just fucking stupid. Advance Wars is practically useless at something so small. I've only downloaded one map so far, but it was horribly crowded, and I fear this feature will be quietly forgotten unless Nintendo gets their act together. There's no damned reason why larger maps cannot be uploaded to the servers. None whatsoever.

I don't see why Nintendo couldn't change this in the future, so I suggest we politely toilet paper their houses until they cave in. I want to share my super-cool maps with the world, dammit! These are still the best multiplayer Advance Wars maps ever made. I should know; I playtested the hell out of 'em.

Online Matches

What about the online matches? No worries. We won't be forced to play on tiny 10x10 maps. I played one short game on a desert course with a lake in the middle - come to think of it, it looked almost identical to one of my own creations, Oasis. Too bad this map was horribly unbalanced. I really should have sent that resume to Intelligent Systems years ago.

I don't know if you can choose which maps to play online. I don't think I was given a choice. The only options are to play against someone at your skill level (based on your win-loss ratio, I expect), or play against anyone. The interface is so simple as to be virtually nonexistent. Yep, good 'ole Nintendo. I'm curious to experience the voice chat in action.

More info about online. Matches are set against the clock. There are only around 25 turns or so, and when it's your turn, you have just over two minutes to complete everything. Thankfully, watching the combat sequences won't count against your time. This adds an extra level of "speed chess" into the mix. Time becomes a real challenge as the game drags on, and you have to fight multiple battles, capture several territories, build and repair units, and plan your next move. You'll have to move fast. If time runs out, turn's over - no ifs, ands, or butts.

I experienced no problems with lag, and while I had to wait a moment between turns, it was always smooth. I could also look around the maps whenever I wanted.

Oh, the number of online players? Two. Unless someone discovers online multiplayer for more, you're only limited to a strict versus game. Too bad, but I'm sure Nintendo is desperate to keep the games short.

Summing up, online is terrific. This is going to be fantastic, kids.

Other Random Gameplay Notes

The stats screens from AW: Dual Strike returns, which is a nice touch. That was probably my favorite feature from that game.

Many units have been streamlined or replaced entirely. There's a new motorbike which can capture territory; a flamethrower tank that lights flares in Fog of War; three tanks, from Tank to Medium Tank to War Tank; a new artillary unit that can respond to direct attacks; units that can build factories, air strips, and satellite dishes; the naval units have been completely revamped; there are no dual-screen battles, thank heavens; and here's a real surprise...battleships can move and fire in the same turn. Ooof!

I'm pretty sure the balance between the units has been reshuffled. One great addition is a stats page on the upper screen, one that informs you the strengths and weaknesses of each unit. Damage has been evened out a bit. That battleship packs a lot less heat now, for instance.

You can collect music during the story mode, which then goes into a special music page. It's a nice feature, but, really...does anyone really listen to the sound test these days? If the DS could only store MP3's, then we'd really be getting somewhere.

The much-hearalded change in graphics style is a bit of a hype. True, everything is coated in a grim ashen way, and the character portraits are far more Americanized (instead of the old anime style), but the in-game graphics look pretty much the same. It just looks like a more polished, refined Advance Wars. The story aims to be grittier, at least by Nintendo standards, but it's nothing that you'll notice. That is, if you're used to, you know, reading actual books.

There are over 100 maps which are playable in the "free battle" mode right away. Some complain about the loss of the map store from previous episodes, but I really prefer it this way. Unlockable content is just a cheap way to pad out the playing time, forcing you to work away for something you really should be getting for free. And I never liked that old guy in the shop who kept rambling on and on. He was a real pain. Come to think of it, I never really liked any of those old characters.

The battle graphics are really neat. It's a closed-in, 3D view. Closeups are slightly pixely, but for me it's slightly nostalgic. Reminds me of the Atari Lynx. CO's are responding to the damages again, just like the first Advance Wars. Too bad I can't create my own custom messages. That should be a gimmie for online. Right?

Just wait until you sink a naval vessel. Oooh! Really cool.

Arguably the best new feature: veteran status. Every time an enemy unit is destroyed, your unit is raised one rank. There are three levels: one star, two stars, and veteran. With each upgrade, your unit's attack and defense powers are raised. Very smart move. This adds in another layer of depth to the strategy.

Oh, and have I mentioned that CO's can directly fight in the battles? Oh, yeah.

That's enough rambling for now. You have more than enough to go on. Now go out and get your damned copy so I can whup your hide online.

My Final Advance Wars Maps?

A while ago, I created a whole pile of new custom maps for Advance Wars 2, which could be run on any emulator or just pieced together for any of the AW games. I was pretty stoked about it, especially after discovering the many comments on my older maps on AdvanceWarsNet. So I scuttled together nine new maps, fine-tuned and completed the first three, and posted the screenshots here and at AWN.

That was a bad idea. The wonderful little brats at AWN immediately yawned and chucked it aside, without even as much as a passing glance. Needless to say, I was pretty angered by the whole thing, and the whole reality of trying to impress or amuse 14-year-olds stared me in the face. The rest of the maps stayed in their folder, and I haven't bothered to complete any of them or put them on save files.

The whole point of creating these maps - duh - is for people to actually play them. If that's not going to happen, then I'm pretty obviously wasting my time. And it's frustrating because I think my maps are excellent. There's a lot of game theory and design that goes into creating a good map that flows quickly and stays balanced. You have to figure out what units should be available at start, where they should go, and where any essential things like bases and cities should go. It all involves a lot of playtesting, and many years of playing classic multiplayer games on all those old computers and consoles.

And then some damn kids shoot 'em down. Uh, this sucks. Huh-huh-huh-huh. Whatever.

You know, someday, I'd like to create some art that's actually popular. I'd like to be recognized for all my hard work before they put me in the ground. Is that too much to ask for?

So, anyway, I decided to post the screenshots of the other six maps. These were created on a map editor. Afterword, what I do is recreate them on AW2, and then add all the units and playtest until everything's perfectly balanced. I may go back and finish them sometime, one of these days. After that, it's probably the end of the Advance Wars maps. 24 is more than enough.

Enjoy the maps! Try them out sometime if you're in the mood....

Kentucky Rain - 2p - Named after an Elvis song from his greatest album, From Elvis in Memphis. This is one that went through endless variations before coming to the final form. The geography came first, and then everything fell into place eventually.

The Cycle of Birth and Death - 2p - Named largely for the ying-yang design of the board. I also wanted some way of asking the player to question the whole nature of war. It's just one of those ways that I force my spirtual beliefs down your throats each and every day.

Harvest Moon - 2p - Named, of course, for Natsume's endless series of farming games. I was also thinking of Neil Young's album of the same name. This is another example of solid visual design dictating the flow of the map.

Fuck - 4p - I couldn't decide whether to call it this or "The Bush Crime Family." Either way, it's the same sentiment. Yeah, I know, it's childish and silly, but I still think it's funny. Maybe the dumb kids at AWN would actually like this. And, hey, 4 player fun!

My Brain Hurts - 3p - I wanted to come up with some air-based maps, and I think this works very nicely. It just started out as a cheap doodle and evolved from there. It's not easy to create a good air map, but I think this stands out nicely.

No War 4 Empire - 4p - Shameless plug for my first book. Cough, cough. Hey, I need all the cheap publicity I can get. This is the other air map, and that focus really frees up the map design. Again, I wanted something that just looks different, but also compelling and fun. This one probably still needs work.

And that's the last of 'em! You better enjoy all of this! Dagnabbit.

New AW Map - #18 Combat or Tank

The third and final new AW custom map for today is map #18: Combat or Tank.

This is another classic game tribute, to Atari's Combat for the 260 VCS. It was also named Tank for the Sears version, even though it was the same game. Hmm. I've never understood why Sears decided to manufacture its own VCS console, and change the names on all the games. Thankfully, it's never done anymore.

Combat of Tank is a two-player map, with a lot of roads, some forests for defense, and a lot of wide, open spaces. Each player begins with 3 bases, 2 tanks, and 2 APC units. This is a large map for only two players, so adding in some transport units is essential.

Also, I'm pretty much required to throw in some tanks at the beginning. You can choose whether to hunt down and destroy, or stake out a perimeter and play defense. There are ample bases and cities to capture, so you'll want to establish a defensive zone, and then capture the territory behind.

The secret bonus area makes its third appearance on my maps, this time with 16 rockets. They can only be accessed by infantry or mech units, which promises that the supply won't be drained too quickly. Unless, of course, you have amassed a team of infantry, and choose to launch several rockets at once. Since this territory is easy to defend, you can afford to launch rockets at your leisure.

Choices, kids, choices. Give your players choices in where to go, how to balance offense and defense, and what risks to take. These are essential elements of game design, and they're key to creating great multiplayer maps.

If you're ever in doubt, go back to the multiplayer classics: Warlords, MULE, NES Ice Hockey, Chu Chu Rocket, SF Rush 2094 Battle Mode, Super Bomberman 2, Herzog Zwei. If you like videogames, you should know these like the back of your hand.

Again, I'll add Map Pack #6, which contains these three maps, as soon as I can. I have six more maps to fine-tune, and they'll be ready to play soon. Enjoy!

New AW Map - #17 Pac-Man

Here is the second of nine new maps I recently created for Advance Wars. I'm sure you'll recognize this character pretty easily: Pac-Man.

Pac-Man is a two-player map, in which each player starts on small islands - the dots - and then battles it out on Pac-Man Island. You begin with 3 bases, 1 seaport, 1 lander, 2 APC's, and 1 Recon truck. As is often the case, I prefer to give you the tools to start playing immediately, instead of slowly building up your forces. It's a tricky balance to pull off, and this map is a textbook example of the importance of playtesting.

I cannot emphasize this enough. Playtest, playtest, playtest! A map design the looks clever on the Map Editor is one thing, but it's only when the action starts that you notice the flaws. Use of terrain, the forests, mountains, and roads, determines the game's tempo, and the proper starting units (or no starting units) will enable a proper pace.

This is a very fun map, a very thrilling map, one that allows many options for offense and defense. Both players have a fair chance for victory.

Notice, also, that in order to win, you must invade your opponent's home island. Controlling Pac-Man Island is crucial, but cannot guarantee victory by itself. Be careful not to leave your home island completely vulnerable, lest your friend sneak over with a couple landers loaded with heavy armor.

Oh, finally, note the signature on the top left corner, my own little "easter egg." My first criteria for a good map is that is has to look good. Everything else is build upon that. Don't be afraid to add little flourishes like this to your own maps. You'll thank me if you want to become a game designer someday.

Again, I'm not able to offer downloads for Map Pack #6 just yet, but I'll update as soon as I can.

New AW Map - #16 Warlords

Recently, I've been busy creating new custom maps for Advance Wars. How many? Nine! These maps are created on the AWDS Map Editor, and then transported onto my Advance Wars 2 save files for use with the game. As of now, the first three maps have been translated and are finished.

Here's the first one - Warlords.

Warlords is a tribute to the classic Atari multiplayer game, one of my favorite Atari 2600 titles. This design is similar to another map I created, Twin City War, in that there are two playfields. There is the main battlefield, in center, and there is an outer perimeter.

For this map, four players square off in close combat with one air transport and one anti-air gun. You have one factory base and one airport. Because of the small spaces, you'll have to quickly think about defending your territory, or attacking an opponent, if you so choose.

The key lies in that outer perimeter. Like Super Mario Bros, this is where all the goodies lie. Each player has a four-island chain, containing five cities, one airport, and three rockets. If you want to gain the upper hand, you're going to need to capture those territories. You'll also be able to frustrate your friends, and stop them from taking anything.

A great map gives you the freedom to choose your own strategy, instead of forcing you to play in a certain fashion. This is a prime weakness with most of AW's built-in War Room maps. Intelligent Systems still hasn't discovered how essential multiplayer is to Advance Wars. Either that, or they just don't know how to design good maps.

I'm not able to update my main website right now, due to server difficulties, so I can't offer downloads for the latest map pack. I'll try to change that soon. Happy gaming!

Today's Advance Wars 2 Custom Map - Adventure

Download Advance Wars 2 Custom Map - Adventure

Here is another of my custom-made maps for Intelligent System's Advance Wars 2. It remains my favorite game in the series, and there's still a vibrant underground map-building community.

Adventure is a 3-player map, and pays homage to Warren Robinett's classic videogame. It's a tightly honed and perfected map that moves quickly and offers you numerous opportunities for offense and defense. Like all of my maps, I spent many hours trying to find the right gameplay balance of challenge and fairness. It's probably my favorite of the whole pack.

You can download the Adventure AW2 map and run it on the excellent Visual Boy Advance emulator. Of course, you'll also need a copy of Advance Wars 2, but I'm obviously not going to help you out on that. If you're able to, give this map (and all my others) a try.

Today's Advance Wars 2 Map - Rampart

Download Advance Wars 2 Custom Maps - Rampart

Thought I'd start posting some pictures of the custom maps I created for Advance Wars 2 some time ago. I took a great amount of pride in these, and probably had more fun designing and playing them than any of the game's standard built-in maps (which are endlessly recycled in each sequel).

Rampart is a 4-player variation on the classic Atari Games arcade hit. It's a good example of my own game design style, which is to give players the tools to create for themselves.

There are castle walls (okay, metal pipes) which can be broken at the seams, missiles, and assaults from land, air and sea. You can strike any of the other players, and they can all hit you, so be careful not to become stretched too thin.

I love all of my AW2 maps, but this one is especially cool. Read more on the Custom Maps section of my website, DanielThomas.org. You can also download the map for use on the VBA emulator. Enjoy!