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Advance Wars 2 could have been the perfect mobile game

EdgeXL

EdgeXL

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,788
California
Edit: Title should read that Advance Wars 2 could have been the perfect mobile *game*

I have been playing Advance Wars 2 on my tablet a lot lately. To keep things legal I backed it up from my own GBA cartridge. I'm struck by how many options it has. There is the campaign but also a war room for quick skirmishes. If it had online multiplayer it would have been a perfect mobile game. Ahead of its time since smartphones as we know them today weren't around back then.

My only gripe is lack of touchscreen controls. I know Dual Strike has them but I have no way to make back up copies from my DS games. While it is awesome that Fire Emblem enjoyed a massive boost in popularity during the 3DS era, I really miss the Wars series.
 
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Blackpuppy

Blackpuppy

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,203
Advance Wars is crack in video game form.

I was literally addicted to that game and had to stop cold turkey.
 

Deleted member 8593

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
27,176
I definitely think a new Advance Wars will come to mobile as soon as Nintendo can charge $50-60 for it. Any day now.
 
cakely

cakely

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,149
Chicago
Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising is my favorite game in the series, and the series itself is almost peerless.

However, mobile games seem to be more about MTX revenue than actually providing a good portable game to play.

How are the controls? The original was strictly d-pad and buttons. Does that translate well on a mobile device?
 
jon bones

jon bones

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,024
NYC
Unfortunately, like others have said, Nintendo isn't really interested in making their usual quality fare for the platform.
 

Lcs

Member
Aug 9, 2018
268
Watch them release it for mobile, but insert "hero" units for the gacha elements, completely braking the balance of the game.

Also, home base building mechanics with timers that can be bypassed by purchasing "PREMIUM_CURRENCY_TM".
 
PyroPaperPlanes

PyroPaperPlanes

Member
Nov 1, 2017
3,070
I just backed up my copy of Advance Wars 2 onto my computer. I forgot how obsessed I was with the title: I 100% unlocked everything and have a score of 9999. :O

Which reminds me, I need to replay Advance Wars: Dual Strike and unlock everything again on the Wii U so I can play it with my friends on the TV (it's a VC title available for purchase to this day by the way!!). https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/advance-wars-dual-strike-wii-u/
 
DrArchon

DrArchon

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,485
I still have my cart for AW2 (no word on if it works). Felt it was a much tigher experience then the completely busted Dual Strike (which felt like the MvC2 of AW games).

That said, stomping the CPU into the dirt after I unlocked Sturm felt great.
 
HylianSeven

HylianSeven

Shin Megami TC - Community Resetter
Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,069
I miss AW but I made peace with the fact that Nintendo won't bring it back. WarGroove exists and I am pretty happy with that. Still miss AW but WarGroove will definitely do.

I hope WarGroove gets ported to mobile though, like Stardew Valley was. Playing WarGroove on Switch already is great.
 
Andri

Andri

Member
Mar 20, 2018
6,017
Switzerland
There was a game called "Great Big Wargame" on IOS back in 2013 that was a pretty decent advance wars ripoff, even if the graphics are less than good.
Irc they made quite a number of sequels, though irc they did introduce things like upgradable generals and units.
 

Deleted member 3040

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
893
We already have the perfect AW game on mobile anyway. It's called Warbits. It's a speedier AW and has a lovely style, plus gameplay (with a few ideas of its own). Love it to bits. It even has online play!



There even seems to be an enhanced version on the way as well, so maybe it'll get a bigger spread then? It's a shame nobody talks about it as it's (at least in my opinion) far more appealing than WarGroove.

Edit. The account got removed for some reason, turned out I didn't link to the official one! Updated to the correct video.
 
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Advance.Wars.Sgt.

Advance.Wars.Sgt.

Member
Jun 10, 2018
8,847
Black Hole Rising is the best in the series, and yes AW in itself is addictive as all hell. As the unofficial AW fanboy of this forum, I've easily spent no less than 300+ hours on each entry, with DS being the one I played the most.

I however don't think AW makes for a great mobile experience as is unless you retool some of its components. Combat mode in Dual Strike, sure, because it's not inherently time consuming as the campaign or even War Room and PvP battles can be.
 
Mr. Nice_Guy

Mr. Nice_Guy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,716
It's my favorite game in the series. I don't know how many hours I sunk into that game but I remember it never not being by my side for the longest time.
 
Bit_Reactor

Bit_Reactor

Banned
Apr 9, 2019
4,413
Wargroove has been scratching that itch for me personally.

Marow said:
We already have the perfect AW game on mobile anyway. It's called Warbits. It's a speedier AW and has a lovely style, plus gameplay (with a few ideas of its own). Love it to bits. It even has online play!



There even seems to be an enhanced version on the way as well, so maybe it'll get a bigger spread then? It's a shame nobody talks about it as it's (at least in my opinion) far more appealing than WarGroove.
Click to expand...
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I'll give this a shot.
 
Fisty

Fisty

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,227
Still waiting for Konami to realize how much money they missed out on by not making a Metal Gear Acid mobile game
 
TheTurboFD

TheTurboFD

Banned
Nov 24, 2017
317
Marow said:
We already have the perfect AW game on mobile anyway. It's called Warbits. It's a speedier AW and has a lovely style, plus gameplay (with a few ideas of its own). Love it to bits. It even has online play!



There even seems to be an enhanced version on the way as well, so maybe it'll get a bigger spread then? It's a shame nobody talks about it as it's (at least in my opinion) far more appealing than WarGroove.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


Just bought this 2 days ago. Been hooked every since.
 
OP
OP
EdgeXL

EdgeXL

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,788
California
cakely said:
Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising is my favorite game in the series, and the series itself is almost peerless.

However, mobile games seem to be more about MTX revenue than actually providing a good portable game to play.

How are the controls? The original was strictly d-pad and buttons. Does that translate well on a mobile device?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I have not had any issues using the virtual d-pad and buttons. Being turn-based, it does not really matter if you fumble the d-pad now and then.
 

bakalhau

Member
Dec 29, 2017
189
Lisbon (Amadora), Portugal
Oh hai there OP. You've just said what I've been thinking for so many years.

There's a reason I have this game via Nintendo DS emulator on my android phone.

It fits the platform excepcionally well. In fact, all turn based games do. I sell cellphones for a living in a retail store and I can pop in, do some turns, save at any time, and I can play and if a costumer approaches me, I can stop without losing focus on the game or losing rhythm like a real time game.

The only thing I'm envious about Apple is they have Civilization VI and I don't.

Wargroove would obviously be great on mobile as well.

Long time Advance Wars fan, played all of them to death.

Edit: oh, and Dual Strike is great as well because the touch interface from DS fits in perfectly to your hand on a phone.
 
SharpX68K

SharpX68K

Member
Nov 10, 2017
10,518
Chicagoland
I prefer to play Neo Nectars aka Military Madness 2.

It was a mobile game on iOS and Android at one point years ago. It was a modified version of the PC-Engine Super CD-ROM / Turbo Duo exclusive Neo Nectaris, which had not seen a release in the west, or even on another platform in Japan.

Mainly, I just enjoy the way Nectaris / Military Madness games (all versions) play (over Advanced Wars in general). as far as hexagonal movement and the simplicity of using every single unit you have or take over, carefully, while always taking advantage of the terrain and ZOC.
(zone of control).

I have different versions of Nectaris on various platforms, including TurboGrafx-16 Miliary Madness on my Wii VC, as well as the PSN/XBLA and WiiWare remake of the first game, on my PS3. But I am frustrated that I cannot re-download Neo Nectaris: Military Madness 2 to my current iPhone, I fucking hate that games get delisted, or when you have a new device and mobile service, it conflicts with trying to re-d/l a game on the same old device, passwords, etc But I digress.

If you like turn-based strategy games that are not tactical RPGs, give Hudson's Nectaris / Military Madness series a try.

There is also R-Type Tactics aka R-Type Command and R-Type Tactics II: Operation Bitter Chocolate on PSP. The second game was a Japanese exclusive but has now been fan translated, so yeah, play it in PPSSPP.
 
Unicorn

Unicorn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 29, 2017
9,555
AW is so good, but I feel spoiled by Wargroove now.

Wargroove is mobile with Steam app on your phone. Has cross play and everything!
 
Firemind

Firemind

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,543
I detect a lot of cynicism here that only gachas can be successful on mobile platforms. Financially, sure. Nintendo doesn't develop games to sell MTX, does it?

However, AW's long and grindy games doesn't seem to lend itself well for the casual crowd. It'd just be a dumbed down version of it, much like Command and Conquer on mobile will be.

No, what would have been perfect is if Nintendo developed one for Switch, with lobbies, map sharing, voting/comment system and possibly DLC. A bit like Super Mario Maker.
 
Unicorn

Unicorn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 29, 2017
9,555
Firemind said:
No, what would have been perfect is if Nintendo developed one for Switch, with lobbies, map sharing, voting/comment system and possibly DLC. A bit like Super Mario Maker.
Click to expand...
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Wargroove is as close to that as we're going to get. Entire campaigns (co-op ones too!) are craftable by the community and easily shared with a code. Cross-sharing of created content too!

Wargroove is a more balanced game, but my friend who also loves AW doesn't like WG, stating that though it is probably more balanced, it's not as fun. The broken CO powers in AW was a plus for him. For me I hated the varying unit strength/weaknesses across COs and some powers just being objectively the best. The powers are still not quite balance in WG, but more COs are viable imo than in AW series.
 
Firemind

Firemind

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,543
I feel like the broken COs argument is overblown. A CO is only as good as the map allows it to be. Predeployed maps are useless for Colin/Hachi, Sensei wants cities to paradrop and Grit needs choke points to fill infantry with. Map design is as important if not more than CO balance. The only COs who are broken (and banned for good reason in most communities) are AW2 Sturm and Caulder.
 
Polyh3dron

Polyh3dron

Prophet of Regret
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,860
the moment it becomes a mobile game is the moment whale hunting predatory gacha bullshit gets injected into it.
 
Ravelle

Ravelle

Member
Oct 31, 2017
17,805
BradGrenz said:
Mobile is such a perfect platform for SRPGs and Tactics games, but they are always completely broken by the inclusion of gacha mechanics in the current market.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Our only hope is an indie developer with the love for Advance Wars like WarGroove putting out something like it, but any big company only sees dollar signs.
 
TobbRobb

TobbRobb

Member
Oct 21, 2019
5
Unicorn said:
AW is so good, but I feel spoiled by Wargroove now.

Wargroove is mobile with Steam app on your phone. Has cross play and everything!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

How do you get going with Wargroove on the phone? Are you talking about actually playing it mobile or just the notifications?

I've really been hunting for a good game of this ilk to play on my phone. Wargroove would be perfect if it's doable.
 
Danielsan

Danielsan

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,652
The Netherlands
Fire Emblem also would have been perfect on mobile. But they bodged that too. And I'm not just talking about the gatcha nonsense, but rather the small maps, with a maximum of 8 units on the screen and virtually zero tactics.
 
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