Advance Wars for the GBA.

[Sylentwulf]

Am I the only person who thinks advance wars is SERIOUSLY overrated? Just too many crippling flaws in this game for me.

The computer can see everything you can't.
There it is. Plain as day. Fog of war doesn't apply, they can go up to your underwater sub and fire on it, although if you try to go up to THEIR underwater sub, you can't fire on it, you have to end your turn first.

Yes, it's a good game, and it's fun, and I imagine 2 player must be a BLAST, but one player is just too damn lopsided, the computer can do things you can't, to me, that makes it just plain AWFUL.

[GrandAmChandler]

I just bought the first one, and I am totally addicted to it.... I can't put it down~! I think the computer does cheat sometimes, but I do believe it adds to the challenge a little bit. I think the game is an ingenious idea, and I dont think its overated. Multiplayer has gotta be fun, even though I havent tried it yet..

Wario Ware is the other addiction I currently have, I have never had 2 GBA games be so addicting other than castlevania!

[bargora]

Am I the only person who thinks advance wars is SERIOUSLY overrated? Just too many crippling flaws in this game for me.

The computer can see everything you can't.
There it is. Plain as day. Fog of war doesn't apply, they can go up to your underwater sub and fire on it, although if you try to go up to THEIR underwater sub, you can't fire on it, you have to end your turn first.

Yes, it's a good game, and it's fun, and I imagine 2 player must be a BLAST, but one player is just too damn lopsided, the computer can do things you can't, to me, that makes it just plain AWFUL.
Sir, you are mistaken about the computer's ability to fire on hidden units without "exposing" them. While the computer knows where your underwater sub is, and may conveniently pull a battleship up right next to it, the computer still has to actually have a unit next to your underwater sub before it can bring in its cruiser and blast it to the bottom. The same thing obtains for units hidden in woods during FOW. The computer will pull up an INF next to your unit in the woods before rolling up in a Md Tank to blow you away.

And once you've become experienced at the game, I look forward to your complaint that the AI is too predictable and easily manipulated, which I would agree is a valid basis for calling the game (slightly) overrated.

Won't stop me from picking up AW2 this week, though.

[NE146]

Advance Wars is ok. But in a head-to-head between it and Military Madness, I'd pick Military Madness in a heartbeat. No contest. But of course I do enjoy both :)

Advance Wars 2 though.. ugh! Anyone else try it yet? They might as well just have called it an "expansion pack" as it's still Advance Wars w/ just new levels and other minor additions.. they didn't even change the music!

[Sylentwulf]

Suppose I can give it a try AGAIN, I still think there is some option I checked off to have a smart computer or something though. I know for a FACT that it has repeatedly fired on subs that it could NOT have known were there. Even when I KNOW an enemy sub is somewhere, I've tried the EXACT, PIXEL FOR PIXEL THING and it has not let me do it.

:smash: Bad computer, BAD! :smash:

[jaybird]

I've put more gameplay into the two Advance Wars games than any game since my childhood (Baseball Stars?).

I absolutely love both of them. I kind of sit in the middle. The computer does seem to cheat sometimes & other times it's way too predictable.

I think Fog of War is the most horrible part of the game. It always comes down to a case of trial & error, not strategy.

I pull my Recon vehicle up to get a glimpse of what's ahead & see 2 rockets & 3 tanks waiting to pounce me. Bye Bye Recon. I try to remember where everyone is at once they obliterate my Recon, sacrifice a vehicle ("TRAP!") to get an eye on them again, move everyone up in position to strike & take a huge hit from the rockets the next turn.

Piss on that. I wish they'd do away with Fog of War.

[bargora]

Suppose I can give it a try AGAIN, I still think there is some option I checked off to have a smart computer or something though. I know for a FACT that it has repeatedly fired on subs that it could NOT have known were there. Even when I KNOW an enemy sub is somewhere, I've tried the EXACT, PIXEL FOR PIXEL THING and it has not let me do it.

:smash: Bad computer, BAD! :smash:
Hmm. Did this happen in Campaign, War Room, or Vs.? I've been playing Vs. mostly against the computer lately, so I don't remember if the computer maybe took a couple of scripted cheap shots in Campaign mode. Also, you weren't playing against Sonya, were you?


Advance Wars is ok. But in a head-to-head between it and Military Madness, I'd pick Military Madness in a heartbeat. No contest. But of course I do enjoy both :)

Advance Wars 2 though.. ugh! Anyone else try it yet? They might as well just have called it an "expansion pack" as it's still Advance Wars w/ just new levels and other minor additions.. they didn't even change the music!
Well, I'll be happy to take more of the same, as long as they've got a bunch of new maps. As for Military Madness, I've got Nectaris: Military Madness on my ebay watch list. I always forget, though (maybe I've read contradicting things)--is the Playstation Nectaris: Military Madness
(1) a port of, or
(2) a sequel to
the original Military Madness?

[NE146]

I've got Nectaris: Military Madness on my ebay watch list. I always forget, though (maybe I've read contradicting things)--is the Playstation Nectaris: Military Madness
(1) a port of, or
(2) a sequel to
the original Military Madness?

Well it's sort of both. It's a direct port of Military Madness' Original Campaign with all 32 levels but then it adds an additional new 32 levels which are it's "Main Campaign". It also updates the graphics on the fighting cutscenes with polygonal models. Sadly this also introduces some lovely load time with each fight sequence and also takes a lot longer than the original. (You do have the option to turn off the cutscenes alltogether or make it like the original.. but the models are still polygonal)

If you're not familiar with Military Madness, It's basically JUST like Advance wars. But AW's grid consists of squares, MM's grid consists of 6 sided polygons. Oh, and MM's fighting cutscenes don't have little anime guys heads sticking out of their tanks. But that's about it! Both of them are great games and very similar.

If you were to play Miltary Madness, I'd highly recommend the TG-16 version over the psx version. The psx version just seems a bit to laggish and dark for my tastes. The TG-16 version is faster paced (like Advance Wars) and is just more fun imho. Play it on Magic Engine on your pc. That's what I say ;) The on-screen menu "Guide" option walks you right through each unit's capabilities so no manual is necessary :)

The original

http://www.users.qwest.net/~userid946/mm.JPG http://www.users.qwest.net/~userid946/mm2.JPG

On PSX
http://psxmedia.ign.com/media/previews/image/nectaris2.jpg http://psxmedia.ign.com/media/previews/image/nectaris4.jpg http://psxmedia.ign.com/media/previews/image/nectaris.jpg

[Sylentwulf]

Military madness is sweet :)

I was talking about campaign mode (in response to above)

And yes, the fog of war is the other REALLY bitchy part, Let me get this straight, my rockets can fire up to 5 spaces away, but they can only SEE 3 spaces away? WTF are you talking about?! Fog of war is FINE, but ALL units should have the SAME visibility as their FIRING RANGE FOR CHRISSAKES. Trees should detract ONE visibility unti, not be right NEXT to it.

I DO like Advance wars, it's just one of those games that loses a LOT to things that could have and should have been fixed (Like SMS camera angles)

[bobdrywalls]

i think advance wars is hard

[bargora]

Campaign mode can be hard because the computer generally gets an advantage in material. Plus, if it's FOW, you can't see the bomber 7 spaces away until it comes in and pummels your units. !@#$

If you play the computer 1-on-1, where you start with nearly identical circumstances, say, in vs. mode, you should be able to crush the computer every time. Even your Sonja vs. the computer's Grit.

[udisi]

Well, I can see there stuff in fog of war too... I don't know how many times I've seen the comp move vehicles I could see into woods or reefs... All I had to do it pull something up next to it and use another unit to blow it away. I don't think the computer cheats, you just have to watch it's recon and infentry units and remember they can see you move a unit into woods or reef or where you dove that sub.

[Starcade]

Advance Wars is my all time favorite GBA game, it is challenging (god is it ever), fun, and addicting as hell, it is one of the best modern games ever created in my opinion.

[bargora]

I think Fog of War is the most horrible part of the game. It always comes down to a case of trial & error, not strategy.

I pull my Recon vehicle up to get a glimpse of what's ahead & see 2 rockets & 3 tanks waiting to pounce me. Bye Bye Recon. I try to remember where everyone is at once they obliterate my Recon, sacrifice a vehicle ("TRAP!") to get an eye on them again, move everyone up in position to strike & take a huge hit from the rockets the next turn.

Piss on that. I wish they'd do away with Fog of War.
Heheh. Try pulling your Recon unit up into some woods, where it's much less likely to get clobbered. The computer doesn't always pull a unit up next to it and then rocket it to death. Also, if you've got one recon, why not have a bunch? When I play against Grit, I send out convoys of recons, or at least pairs of them. They're good against rockets because they're able to move from outside rocket range and attack in a single turn, assuming that you can see them. Plus, a recon can tear a rocket unit up pretty good. Two recons will more than likely take a rocket down, and then, even if both recons get trashed next turn, you've lost 8000 worth while rocket boy lost 15000 worth. Of course, it helps if you have a couple of tanks rolling up behind to take care of the artillery.

[jaybird]

I actually tried that tonight, and had Recons all over the place. Of course, I overdid it on the Recons & made no anit-air units & got pummelled by bombers & helicopters.

I forgot about sending troops on top of mountains to get better views, so that helped things on my next try at the stage. Also, I was trying a mad dash to grab all the properties & it was one of those stages where you had to sit a few turns and wait for the first wave to come to you.

So after two tries, I got it on the third (trial & error baby!)

I still lose my ass on Technique points in Fog of War, and I usually pull 30-40 day affairs any time the fog hits.

[Sylentwulf]

Didn't know you could do 1 player versus mode :) That helps, I can do without the campaign mode I suppose.

[bargora]

Yeah, Vs. mode can be more fun that Campaign mode because there's no pressure to get a rank (it's just win/lose), you can set the rules of the battle (including weather, FOW, etc.), you can choose your opposing CO, and there's a lot of maps to choose from. Of course, it's even better if you can find someone else to play against instead of (or in addition to) the computer!

Most of the Vs. maps have to be unlocked and then purchased, though. I don't know if you have to complete campaign mode to unlock all of the maps (all I know is that I've completed normal campaign once and I've unlocked and bought all the maps). But you can certainly play War Room engagements to rack up the coins if you want to avoid Campaign mode for a little while. Plus, I think that some maps are unlocked by winning War Room battles.

You will have to complete campaign mode (at least twice) to unlock most of the COs. Check gamefaqs.com if you're interested, because there are some pretty specific requirements for unlocking some of them (win engagement X in Y days, or play through engagements B, C, and D using CO Z--that sort of thing).



I've got Nectaris: Military Madness on my ebay watch list. I always forget, though (maybe I've read contradicting things)--is the Playstation Nectaris: Military Madness
(1) a port of, or
(2) a sequel to
the original Military Madness?

Well it's sort of both. It's a direct port of Military Madness' Original Campaign with all 32 levels but then it adds an additional new 32 levels which are it's "Main Campaign". It also updates the graphics on the fighting cutscenes with polygonal models. Sadly this also introduces some lovely load time with each fight sequence and also takes a lot longer than the original. (You do have the option to turn off the cutscenes alltogether or make it like the original.. but the models are still polygonal)

If you're not familiar with Military Madness, It's basically JUST like Advance wars. But AW's grid consists of squares, MM's grid consists of 6 sided polygons. Oh, and MM's fighting cutscenes don't have little anime guys heads sticking out of their tanks. But that's about it! Both of them are great games and very similar.

If you were to play Miltary Madness, I'd highly recommend the TG-16 version over the psx version. The psx version just seems a bit to laggish and dark for my tastes. The TG-16 version is faster paced (like Advance Wars) and is just more fun imho. Play it on Magic Engine on your pc. That's what I say ;) The on-screen menu "Guide" option walks you right through each unit's capabilities so no manual is necessary :)
Ah, thanks NE146. Omigod. I just realized what your handle means. Yes. IM46! But not with you, much to our mutual relief.

So Nectaris has the original 32 maps from the TG-16 MM. But I guess it doesn't have the extra maps (however many) from the TG-16 "Maps o' Death" disc?