Sequel Bait - Advance Wars

My recent time with Fire Emblem: Engage had me thinking back on another one of Nintendo’s legacy franchises. Advance Wars is a series of turn-based tactical combat games primarily developed by the Fire Emblem developer, Intelligent Systems. Published primarily by Nintendo, the franchise released on the Game Boy Advance, Gameboy Color, and DS. The series consists of eight mainline titles and two spin-offs. Only four of the mainline games were released outside of Japan in addition to the spin-off Battalion Wars.

Advance Wars exists as a parallel to the Fire Emblem games in the sense that it presents a similar experience with a different coat of paint. Whereas Fire Emblem is typically set in a sword and sorcery high-fantasy world, Advance Wars has a more modern setting. Rather than commanding a force of singular heroes, you oversee vast armies of troops. Additionally, each general is often able to augment combat using various command abilities. The terrain is a key aspect of Advance Wars, with many units excelling based on whether they are placed in the open, in cities, forests, or mountains.

I loved the original Advance Wars and the second game was one of the first GBA games I ever owned. Like old-school Fire Emblem, they have a wonderfully charming pastel art style and absolutely killer soundtracks. I also enjoyed Dual Strike for the DS but, unfortunately, missed what would eventually be the final release. The last mainline game within the Advance Wars series was Days of Ruin/Dark Conflict released in 2008 for the Nintendo DS. Since then, the series has received little attention from Nintendo as Fire Emblem eclipsed it in popularity after the success of 2012’s Fire Emblem: Awakening.

However, in contrast to most of the other titles I’ve discussed in this series, I believe Advance Wars has a strong chance to come back. Nintendo recently announced a re-release of the first two Game Boy Advance titles for the Switch. I’d wager this release is a test to gauge consumer interest. If all goes well and profits are made, I could see the franchise making a return very soon following this remake collection. With that in mind let’s discuss my hopes for the next game within this underrated series.

In terms of story, I think Advance Wars has always been pretty interesting. Most of the games place you into the shoes of commanders within the Orange Star army fighting against various other nations. Usually, the main villains are the authoritarian terrorist organization, Black Hole. However, Days of Ruin certainly shook up the formula and told an incredibly engaging narrative in a post-apocalypse setting.

From the brief gameplay I’ve seen, it’s clear Days of Ruin took on a much more critical look at warfare with the major narrative themes: I think this is a great direction to go in. Considering Advance Wars uses modern technology as a focus it has the chance to deliver an extremely poignant commentary on modern warfare and the issues surrounding it.

The biggest gameplay addition I’d make for this series would be to intertwine the major story characters more closely with the gameplay. Rather than the commander having no direct representation on the map, I think it would be a good idea to make special hero units that can be controlled directly by the player. Days of Ruin experimented slightly with this idea by allowing your CO to “join” with a unit on the board and bestowing buffs. I propose a completely separate new unit type.

In addition to expanding the roster of units, this change comes with two key benefits. First, it could allow players to become more attached to the characters within the narrative. One of the best parts of Fire Emblem is finding a hero you like within the context of the story and within the gameplay. It’s no surprise some of my favorite characters in Fire Emblem were also some of my strongest units in the game. Nothing is more satisfying than watching your favorite character turn the tide of battle and chew through enemies when you need them most. Advance Wars lacks this aspect because of the focus on larger-scale combat. I think this is the main reason the series has always been outperformed.

Secondly, the addition of commanders as playable units offers new types of mission objectives to increase level variety in campaign battles. Perhaps some levels end when a rival commander is killed or an escort mission where you must protect a hero from enemy capture. These are just a few of the many potential options.

A few must-have features include things such as online multiplayer, and of course, new unit types and terrain effects. I’d also like to add some progression for the CO powers themselves. Earlier games suffered from a few balance issues surrounding the extreme power level of CO powers. Days of Ruin tried to fix the issue by toning down powers significantly. Instead, I think it would be more fun if your CO powers were initially locked behind a progression system. As you play with different heroes they grow more experienced, not only increasing the power level of their signature skills but learning new ones to add to your arsenal.

Lastly, I’d like to expand upon the unit leveling system found within Days of Ruin as It’s one of the most unique aspects of the title. Essentially, as units defeat more enemies they receive minor buffs which carry on throughout the mission. There are three levels maximum, but I’d like to see that expanded upon in a sequel. Adding additional levels could greatly reward you for preserving specific pieces of your army. Some potential rewards could allow you to bring veterans units in from strategic reserves or begin a mission with veteran units spawned as a part of starting force.

This not only further incentivizes players to show tactical prowess but can enhance your own personal connection with your army. How fun would it be to add a little customization to veteran units? Maybe allow players to paint their tanks with decals or catchphrases, the potential is certainly there. Hopefully, Advance Wars can get more recognition from Nintendo fans in the future. It’s easily one of the more underrated series published by the company and has the potential to be just as big as Fire Emblem.