Preview: ‘Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp’ checks (nearly) all the boxes

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Want to stick out like a sore thumb? Here’s a tip for you: if your friends are going on about how much they’ve enjoyed the recent slate of Fire Emblem games, tell them that you think Advance Wars is better.

If you, like me, are one of a few dozen who prefer Intelligent Systems’ military-themed turn-based strategy series over their more popular fantasy games, then you were probably just as surprised when Nintendo announced a remake of not one, but two Advance Wars games. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but seeing as how it’s been over 15 years since we’ve gotten a new game, Nintendo could have called it Military Simulator For Idiots Who Don’t Adore Fire Emblem and I’d still play the heck out of it.

For those who need a refresher, Advance Wars is, to be honest, quite similar to its older sibling. Both are turn-based tactics series that revolve around different factions waging battle against one another. Players control their armies by moving them around a grid, attacking other enemy units, and trying their best to outthink and outmaneuver their opponent.

Where these two franchises differ is in what they prioritize. Fire Emblem tends to be story-heavy, with an emphasis on relationships and a unique cast of characters that fight alongside one another on the battlefield, while Advance Wars is incredibly light on the storytelling, opting to focus on more complex battle systems that arguably put Fire Emblem‘s axe-sword-lance triangle weapon to shame. Advance Wars‘ roster of commanding officers (COs) don’t actually fight with their troops, though each comes with their own strengths and weaknesses which affect how their units move, fight, and survive on the battlefield. As a longtime chess