GBA or PSP games similar to Master of Monsters, Nectaris, or Fantasy General?

[Edmond Dantes]

So recently a power outage kept me away from my latest obsession, Master of Monsters. I kept wishing I had a portable equivalent.

Unfortunately the closest I have is Nobunaga's Ambition on the original gameboy, but that's got too many management/simulation aspects whereas Master of Monsters and Nectaris (Military Madness) are just the battlefield and nothing else. I would prefer more in that style because at the moment I'm bored of raising crops and would rather be kicking ass on hex grids.

So, any suggestions?

[celerystalker]

Advance Wars is a lot like Nectaris if you haven't done those yet.

[Gamevet]

Field Commander for the PSP is a turned based military strategy game.

[celerystalker]

You know, Daisenryaku VII had a PSP port if you want some Nectaris-esque hex action.

[Az]

Dumb reply, but Master of Monsters works fine on the PSP when converted with Popstation. You could always convert Nectaris too.

[Edmond Dantes]

Popstation? What's that?

Also I did some researching and dayum, apparently Master of Monsters is yet another "tons of installments in Japan but few in America" series--including one actually on the PSP, and a new manga I guess? I might go ahead and import them even though my Japanese might not be adequate.

[celerystalker]

Brigandine: Grand Edition is on PSP. Brigandine rules.

[Az]

Popstation? What's that?

That's the program you use to convert PS1 CD's and ISO's to an eboot file so they run on the PSP's internal PS1 emulator.

[Tanooki]

I'm guessing looking at the pictures of this Sega game you want not only turn based strategy but also similar mechanics too, perhaps even the octagonal grid?

I know no one has thrown out FFTactics Advance or Tactics Orge for GBA probably since it's pretty obvious I take it? Yet we see the likes of the Advance Wars/Fire Emblem thrown out there, so what is it?

It is older, but GBA can handle older GB stuff, there actually was a Nectaris GB and of course previous ...Wars titles too. Shining Force had a turn based strategy rpg outing on GBA on top of those 2 shining soul diablo clones which are fantastic. If I remember correctly there was another called Riviera out in the US that fits that mold. Onimusha got a Tactics title too on GBA that's this type of game.

Other than that I'm at a loss, not remembering my time with PSP well enough since I don't care for these style of games much to say what it has.

[Edmond Dantes]

I'm guessing looking at the pictures of this Sega game you want not only turn based strategy but also similar mechanics too, perhaps even the octagonal grid?

Optimally yes to those, but for the most part really all I ask is it be turn-based and be mostly focused on the battlefield. A lot of "strategy" games I find tend to be more about running governments, keeping peasants happy etc and I just want to KICK ASS. That's why I specifically called out Nobunaga's Ambition in my OP--its a good game but just not what I want right now.


It is older, but GBA can handle older GB stuff, there actually was a Nectaris GB and of course previous ...Wars titles too.

Yeah, Nectaris GB is something I definitely need to grab. I remember once playing Famicom Wars emulated and I think I would love that.

[Tanooki]

Well Nectaris GB as any of those for GB out of Japan are a bitch to play native, kanji/kana thick menus/stories, but a lot of them have translations. Best off dropping $99 on a krikzz everdrive GBA and throwing Goomba Color (GB+GBC emulator) at it with the ROM(s) appended to it unless you're in a collecting mood, then go real and figure it out.

The stuff I listed, they're combat heavy s-rpgs, I loathe the nobunaga stuff as I can figure it out even less than my major lack of enjoyment I find from most SRPGs, so I focused on the combat thick as you requested. You don't usually see the stuff like Onimusha come up as most just remember the PS2 stuff.

[kupomogli]

Brigandine: Grand Edition is on PSP. Brigandine rules.

Well, only on PSP through emulation with PS1, but yeah. I second this, this and Brigandine Legend of Forsena are the two best games ever made.

If the op doesn't mind emulation, I'd recommend both Brigandine Legend of Forsena and Brigandine Grand Edition. They're both the same game, but at the same time completely different because the way the games gameplay mechanics work. Despite having levels and statistics, the statistics don't break the balance of the game. This is a game that has limitless replayability due to its gameplay structure, while also being simple and easy to get into. The kind of game that you can easily put five to 10 hours of playtime into it in a single sitting.

[Edmond Dantes]

I loathe the nobunaga stuff as I can figure it out even less than my major lack of enjoyment I find from most SRPGs,

Which Nobunagas are you playing? The older ones from the 8-bit days aren't that complicated.

The newer ones might be though. I haven't played them, but I did play one of the PS2 iterations of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series and completely didn't understand what was going on. Those games have gotten too complicated to be played by anyone who isn't a supercomputer.

[Tanooki]

The NES/GB ones, they just never make sense to me. I end up losing pretty fast. Never have I been able to handle that genre of game. Last one I tried was Liberty or Death on SNES and I ended up losing a half dozen times and sold it off as I was pissed and in this case it was complete in box, so it's not like I didn't have the rules.

[Gameguy]

It was complete in box because it wasn't played much, like most copies of these types of games I've come across over the years. It's not one of my favourite genres either.


For a PC game rather than the consoles listed, there's Civil War Generals 2. It's pretty much the type of game you're looking for, I'll post a video of how it plays below if you want to check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QbTi3y7asE

[Edmond Dantes]

Oh I've got a lot of PC hex-based strategy, I asked for portables specifically in the case of power outs or being away from home.

I picked up Advance Wars today. Man people weren't kidding when they said it was similar to Nectaris/Military Madness.... it basically IS Nectaris.

[Tanooki]

It is but watch out or one thing the game does cheat on some stages pretty badly. They will introduce you in the training to fog of war in how it works (or should work) but once you get in around 9 levels there's a horizontal fog of war map to start with it against a dude with an air fleet. NO matter where you move he can see you, even if it's beyond the visual range of the aircraft. So inch forward super carefully, and cluster units in a way so you can support crossfire on their bombers so even if you take some beating the stacking effect both gives added defense bonus but also like double damage when you return fire or you're screwed. Thankfully there are very few stages with the FOW effect in the original title as it's otherwise really good and I don't particularly care for this style of game but this one release I did.