Support NeoGAF

[Bebpo]

Picked it up today and ran through the first 6 campaign missions.

Gotta say I'm a bit underwhelmed at this point. I really liked Advance Wars 1 but never played AW2 so it's been a couple of years since I last played the series. Music is definitely kicking; the main map screen sounds like something from FFTA. The gameplay is solid as always, but I think I've just played a lot of SRPGs between AW1 and this so the gameplay feels a little shallow and I keep wishing there are things that were in other games. For instance FE GC let you click on an enemy and their movement/attack range stays even after you move the cursor off them. You could even do this to multiple enemies and so you'd be able to move your characters while knowing the range of the enemies. AW DS is just the same "when pressing the button over the enemy you can see their range and you need to remember it". Also I don't like that the battle animations are on the bottom screen, since the bottom screen doesn't look as bright/nice as the top one. You'd think they could've put an option in the system menu to switch which screen the animations play on. Control seems ok, I like using the stylus to move people but I hate using the stylus to enter commands. A lot of times I press on a command and it takes me back because it thinks I pressed a little to the side of it. So I'm using a combination of moving with the stylus and using the buttons to enter commands.

So yea it's pretty good so far and its a good way to kill time, but even having skipped AW2 the game feels very much like "more of the same". This could've easily just been another sequel on the GBA. It's still really early in the game so hopefully they will add cool new systems, but I worry that rather than innovating in gameplay they just added a slightly useful 2nd screen info function and touch controls.

 

[AniHawk]

Not so far away now. This will be my first Wars game.

 

[Jonnyram]

Bebpo, try combat mode NOW.
If you have a friend, try it with them!

 

[Piepz]

Is Famicom Wars import friendly, i.e., switchable language in options or something like that ?

 

[DCharlie]

"but I worry that rather than innovating in gameplay they just added a slightly useful 2nd screen info function and touch controls."

err.... you move units between the two screens later on and it plays a massive part in the game.

Best DS game by far in my opinion.

 

[Bebpo]

Bebpo, try combat mode NOW.
If you have a friend, try it with them!

Don't know anyone else who owns a DS around these parts, but I just tried the combat mode.

Ummm...that was wierd ^^; Pretty fun. Is there a way to move with the stylus though? I'm one of those people who can't play using a d-pad and stylus at the same time and so moving and shooting was very difficult. Sure you could shoot with the buttons but that limits you so much. So moving with d-pad and then shooting with the stylus was tough. Also I didn't read the manual yet, is there a way to get your units back? I made it to level 3 before I ran out of the default stock.

DCharlie, glad to hear they make use of both screens for gameplay later. But the game will have to get freaking awesome for it to best Kirby as my favorite DS game. Seriously I think my major beef with AW DS is not with the actual game but rather that there's been a flood of really good SRPGs lately and AW DS feels kinda plain after coming back from them.

 

[Bebpo]

Ok, I realized my problem with controlling combat mode. I was holding the stylus with my left hand as I am left handed and would play using the d-pad with my left hand while holding the stylus in between my fingers and keep switching back and forth.

Then I thought, "how would right handed people do this?" and tried moving using the d-pad with my left hand and firing with the stylus on my right hand and suddenly it made sense. I guess this is how you're supposed to play Goemon DS also since you have to use the d-pad and touchpad at the same time.

So basically it's a right hand man's world and all the left-handed people are gonna be screwed here and there when using the DS >_<

And the main campaign is growing on me. Now that I'm hitting harder missions it's pretty challenging and damn fun. Though I've completely abandoned the stylus control, when lying on my bed playing the game it's like 10x easier (and faster!) to just control it with the d-pad like how I controlled AW1.

 

[sprsk]

bebpo, did you not try using the abxy buttons as a dpad.

 

[Bebpo]

bebpo, did you not try using the abxy buttons as a dpad.

abxy = shoot straightfoward button

 

[john tv]

Yeah it's weird, even though I liked how it felt, I pretty much gave up on stylus control too. It's just easier to use the pad when you want things to move quickly.

 

[thestopsign]

This will definitely be one of my only new pick ups this summer. I think the only other game I want this summer would be Meteos. But I'm also going to try and pick up a PS2 with Lapucelle Tactics, Ico, and a DDR game. But I really have to save my money for the Holidays.

 

[sprsk]

abxy = shoot straightfoward button

damn

 

[thestopsign]

It sucks to be left handed. Atleast I'm a righty.

But I think it could drive people away if they don't implement a way for both types of people to use games on the DS.

 

[Bebpo]

Wait, you don't control the upper-screen battles...WTF.

So like when you have a battle on the ground and in the air, you have to leave the entire air fighting to the AI....lame. You have like 4 options (attack, defend, etc..) but still, the cpu AI does a lot of dumb things and it's one thing to lose a map because your strategy failed, but if later on in the game you're doing tough long missions and 15 mins in, your AUTO AI CPU BUDDY totally messes up (CPU AI BUDDY loves to combine damaged units; wasting a turn when there might be an enemy right next to him!) and makes you restart the entire mission...oh man that's gonna be pretty close to a deal-breaker IMO.

I don't get why they couldn't have let you hit a button and the air battle drops to the bottom screen so you can move the units yourself. VJ DS lets you flip the two screens back and forth so you can touch on both.

Hmmm, this can't be 100% locked always AI controlled right? ;_;

 

[Beezy]

WTF? How do you forget something like that? There better be controls for left handed people when it comes out in the U.S.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Holy crap, you can play Advance Wars DS without using the stylus -- ever? AWESOME. SOLD.

 

[sasimirobot]

Hmmm. Went from GOTY!! to crap controls and AI kinda quick...

Should have the game in a few days but I still want to know how is 1 cart multi??

 

[Blackace]

I am loving the game so far. I have not gotten too far but the A.I seems a bit more forgiven than the first two, which is just better for me! :lol

 

[john tv]

Bebpo - you sure about that? I haven't gotten that far myself, but that doesn't sound very cool...

 

[Oh! My Car!]

Is Famicom Wars import friendly, i.e., switchable language in options or something like that ?

.

 

[Bebpo]

Bebpo - you sure about that? I haven't gotten that far myself, but that doesn't sound very cool...

Well I only did 1 mission with it so far. I think it's mission 9? But yea, you can't control the top-screen battle beyond 4 AI patterns and being able to send units to the top-screen (you never get them back once sent though). At first I thought "ok, so they'll make the upper battles easier since you have less control!", but then my AI friend did some really stupid things causing me to reset the map So yea, I'm just a little worried about future maps since the tough maps in the game require tons of strategy and friendly AI methods are just not going to be enough.

For the previous poster: No, there are no language options and it's got a good amount of Japanese. Still if you've played the previous games you can probably make it through the campaigns though you'll want a translation of the CO powers.

 

[GDJustin]

I take it there's still end of mission rankings given out, up to S-Rank? Do you earn currency to buy things from a shop? What kind of things? WR or battle maps, or cooler things?

 

[thestopsign]

Oh yeah is there the Ranking system like in the First game. It was taken out in the second game. You know the ranking system that you started at Rank 100, and worked your way down to number 1.

 

[Bebpo]

No ranking system that I can see beyond just getting grades at the end of each mission. You still earn points to spend at the shop but I haven't really looked into what you can buy yet.

Btw, I'm reading the instruction manual now and there is a way to turn off the AI control on the upper maps ^___^. It says it should be under "sakusen" in those maps, but it wasn't when I was doing the map...so I'm guessing you have to turn it off at the very start when you pick your shogun and before you officially start the map. Yay! Reading manuals does pay off!

 

[Spiritreaver]

Are the new units brought into the game from the start or are they introduced via special events much like the Neotank in Advance Wars 2? Also, are they worthy additions, what are the stats/bonuses, etc etc.?

 

[Quadrophenic]

Btw, I'm reading the instruction manual now and there is a way to turn off the AI control on the upper maps ^___^. It says it should be under "sakusen" in those maps, but it wasn't when I was doing the map...so I'm guessing you have to turn it off at the very start when you pick your shogun and before you officially start the map. Yay! Reading manuals does pay off!

Great to hear....damn, AI controlled upper maps would have sucked big time.

 

[DCharlie]

'Wait, you don't control the upper-screen battles...WTF.'

the first couple of missions are AI controlled just to get you used to sending units between screens - then you get control of both screens.

No ranking system that I can see beyond just getting grades at the end of each mission. You still earn points to spend at the shop but I haven't really looked into what you can buy yet.

each character gets exp points, which then ranks them up. This seemed to unlock some ability for John and Rachel, but i forgot to check WHAT it was (dummy). It's not the same as the previous system ("GREY RABBIT" etc) though.

"I take it there's still end of mission rankings given out, up to S-Rank? Do you earn currency to buy things from a shop? What kind of things? WR or battle maps, or cooler things?"

So far it's been characters and maps. I assume more will come.

Still if you've played the previous games you can probably make it through the campaigns though you'll want a translation of the CO powers.

looks like there are hidden missions and abilities. If you read the story, you'll see that enemies are saying stuff like "Make sure they don't capture too many bases, they may find the plans for our new weapon" etc... etc... I'll ask Mrs C, i'm sure she's going the usual root of covering every single extra possible.

Oh, Tag abilities - not sure i care for these at all as they can turn the game on it's head a bit too much (i was never a big fan of the ability system).

In other news, Mrs Charlie is romping ahead - she's about 10 missions beyond me. Given that she played AW1 every day for over a year, that's hardly a surprise.

 

[Bebpo]

For the Tag stuff, I find that saving up and not using CO powers until you get a tag is worth it just for the ability to get two turns in a row. That can really flip the balance of a map.

But yea, It'd be nice if they had an option to turn CO powers off since they are very powerful.

each character gets exp points, which then ranks them up. This seemed to unlock some ability for John and Rachel, but i forgot to check WHAT it was (dummy). It's not the same as the previous system ("GREY RABBIT" etc) though.

When you rank up you get a distribution point. When picking your general press X and it'll show a list of abilities which you can use that point on. For example if you give a general a point on attack it makes attack damage +5%; defense is defense +8%. So ranking up a character and getting them full of bonus stats is pretty important. Although then you gotta wonder if you should focus soley on 2 COs rather than use everyone since you'll rank up faster.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I just LOOOOVE that boxart..

anyone wants to trade with the US boxart? I know alot of you like the US box more...

I second that. That has got to be the best boxart that I can remember in all my years of gaming.

 

[sasimirobot]

Got the game yesterday and have only put a few hours into it so my opinion might change later. For now though I have to say Im a little disappointed...

The stylus use would seem to be perfect for this game and in many ways it is very intuitive and easy, but there is small problem that would have been very easy to fix-

The fonts and menus are toooo &%@$ small!

This makes navigating through menus almost like brain surgery on a fruit fly. It is possible but the 3-4 times I made mistakes using it could easily blow a game.

With some maps taking way over 30 minutes to finish a game reseting error because of a slip up of .00045 of an inch is just not cool.

I ended up just using the old fashioned way, the dpad and buttons.

The graphics are a let down too. After seeing the beauty that can be achieved with games like Kirby DS, I would hope Intelligent Systems could do more than (what looks like) re-cycling the GameBoy sprites. Maybe if I look and the older game running side by side with this one I would be impressed but by itself its just....Ok.

The gameplay is where this title shines though. If you have never played a "wars" title this would be a great place to start.

It is starting to get just a little, tiny, teeny bit repetative to me though, since I played the first 2 GBA titles so much, but Im a big fan so I can forgive that.
Maybe later in the game after the airstrike and tag-team options open up things will pick up.

Pros:

-Cinematics and cutscenes are well done
-Music is LOUD and very good
-Classic and engaging gameplay
-Super Deformed tanks!!
-I know there is just a shit-ton of maps and options to keep me busy for the next 2 years

Cons:

-Japanese font from Hell
-semi useless stylus support
-I wish there were more animations of the CO in battle instead of talk bubbles

 

[Jonnyram]

Yeah, I've made a couple of mistakes due to the stylus input, but I'm so good I still win
I have to say the new Tag thing is excellent. The way it can change a mission so much is very interesting, and I'd like to try it out in multiplayer to see how it works in a fair environment. In the campaign, there's been a few missions where the CPU just kicks your ass at the start of the mission so you have bear the onslaught and fight back patiently. It's pretty stressful at times, but it's very rewarding. I'm up to about mission 15 so far and loving it now.

 

[Bebpo]

While I do love the game, I think the tag system is stupid and breaks the gameplay to a degree as it focuses on thinking up cheap tactics revolved around tag breaks rather than strong placement strategy.

And I agree that the graphics are kinda weak for the DS and it feels like a GBA port. Basically the game seems just like Intelligent System's other games which is that they take a winning formula from 4-10 years ago, barely spend any effort in changing anything, and just make new maps and release it. Sure it's good, but that's because the original formula is good; besides Mario & Luigi GBA I think IS is one of the most overrated game studios in the industry. They're like the EA of Nintendo.

 

[john tv]

IS didn't make Mario & Luigi GBA, so I guess you have nothing good to say about them now.

 

[sasimirobot]

Im not defending the rehash of IS but if there is nothing in the following list that you like then...

Game Boy
Alleyway
Baseball
Game Boy Wars
Golf
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Yoshi no Panepon

Game Boy Advance
Advance Wars
Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising
Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Game Boy Wars Advance 1 + 2
Mario Kart Super Circuit
Metroid Fusion
Napoleon
Panel de Pon (GameCube Download)
Wrecking Crew (Famicom Mini Series)

Game Boy Color
Card Hero
Game Boy Wars 2
Pokemon Puzzle Challenge

GameCube
Battalion Wars
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

NES
Devil World
Donkey Kong
Duck Hunt
Famicom Wars
Fire Emblem Gaiden
Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryuu to Hikari no Tsurugi
Hogan's Alley
Mario Bros.
Soccer
Tennis
Wild Gunman
Wrecking Crew

Nintendo 64
Paper Mario
Pokemon Puzzle League

Nintendo DS
Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Super NES
Battle Clash
Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo
Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu
Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
Mario Paint
Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge
Panel de Pon
Super Famicom Wars
Super Metroid

 

[mrklaw]

DCharlies best DS game by far.

but does it actually need the DS? Could the same thing have been done on GBA?

 

[Socreges]

besides Mario & Luigi GBA I think IS is one of the most overrated game studios in the industry. They're like the EA of Nintendo.

Yeah like you didn't know... nice one!

 

[Bebpo]

Hey, I never said they were bad...just overrated and full of rehashing; especially this gen. Take a look at just the GC/GBA games and you have mostly ports/sequels (and I didn't like PM2 so I hold that against them ).

So ummm...who made Mario & Luigi GBA then? And are the same people working on #2? Unlike PM2, I thought M&L rocked.

 

[ziran]

So ummm...who made Mario & Luigi GBA then? And are the same people working on #2? Unlike PM2, I thought M&L rocked.

Alphadream.

i did a thread a while ago, if you want to take a look it's here

 

[Socreges]

(and I didn't like PM2 so I hold that against them ).

You didn't like PM2? ....you sure? Hmmm

http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=20482

game still rocks though.

I really like PM2

Distant opinions are often shaped by other things. We might focus heavily on the flaws if inspired to. Or maybe some blasted IS fanboy rubbed you the wrong way.

 

[Bebpo]

You didn't like PM2? ....you sure? Hmmm

http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=20482



Distant opinions are often shaped by other things. We might focus heavily on the flaws if inspired to. Or maybe some blasted IS fanboy rubbed you the wrong way.

Did you read that thread? I listed all my complaints with the game there Good game but heavily flawed and annoying. M&L GBA didn't really have any nagging issues so I liked it quite a bit more.

Anyhow I guess I should've phrased what I said in this thread differently. Instead of "I didn't like PM2" I should have wrote "PM2 was full of annoying things that pissed me off so I hold that against them "

 

[Socreges]

Yes. Yes you should have

 

[Shao]

IS is nothing like EA!!!!

EA makes the shallowest games with shoddyest gameplay imagineable but pass it off as something good or marketable by slapping on a famous name and decent presentation - repeat every year. EA is an embarassment to the "art" of gaming and I subconsciously label all their games as "most likely shit". When they do make something good I'm usually shocked. IS at least innovated and start off with good stuff and to be honest this kind of release is basically giving the fan base what it really wants. Any man who can drastically change the gameplay of Advance Wars and improve it is a genius.

In case anyone is curious, my opinion is based on being plagued by FIFA for so many years, so its totally justified. A series which comes out every year and sells so well yet its ONLY HIGHLIGHT is running away from the referee so he can't give you a red card on FIFA 96 Megadrive.

 

[Bebpo]

Any man who can drastically change the gameplay of Advance Wars and improve it is a genius.

Still waiting for this man to appear then I guess... ^^;

Anyhow, I'll bow out of this thread as I really do like Famicom Wars DS and don't want to turn people off from it. While Kirby DS still holds as the DS king at the moment IMHO, I'd happily say this is the 2nd best game on the system and being around where Jonnyram is in the campaign mode I'd give it about an A- so far. I do enjoy the game! I'm just asking for IS to actually make a real sequel to either the FE or AW series and not just endless expansions.

 

[sasimirobot]

CO power guide-->
http://awds.bravehost.com/co.html

 

[Jonnyram]

Hmm, that guide is only up to about mission 12 or 13 by the looks of it.
I've just finished mission 14 (which was a total bitch until I figured the sly way to win).
I just figured out affinity for myself before you posted this, so I wonder what the other people's stats are now. I wonder if Max has decent affinity with anyone... he has crap affinity with Kouzou (Javier), at least.

 

[Bebpo]

Hmm, that guide is only up to about mission 12 or 13 by the looks of it.
I've just finished mission 14 (which was a total bitch until I figured the sly way to win).
I just figured out affinity for myself before you posted this, so I wonder what the other people's stats are now. I wonder if Max has decent affinity with anyone... he has crap affinity with Kouzou (Javier), at least.

Spoiler

I didn't think 14 was that bad. It's funny because the last two times you've gotten to use 2 armies to attack the enemy I've only used one both times and won ^^;. The first time on that map with the red team on the island...errr...I didn't realize the red team could GET OFF THE ISLAND ^^; and so I fought and won the whole thing with the other team. On 14, my red units took forever to get enough money for anything decent and by the time I made a twin set of rockets and moved them close to the enemy my blue team had destroyed them all ^^;. Note I use the red haired girl and her lvl.2 break on maps where the enemies can't build units since bomb x 3 gets the majority of their units down to 3 or under and then you can just pick them all off.

On Mission 15 myself. Is there any idea of how many missions are in the main campaign yet?

 

[sasimirobot]

I hope I didnt sound too harsh on this game earlier, Im in the 20s missions and the game throws some interesting scenerios at you.

I have actually been going back and forth with D-pad and stylus controls also. Stylus is best for the desk at work, and the pad for the sofa/bed.

I played the game for 5 hours straight yesterday so....I guess I must really like it!

Only 1 problem left now, I cant find anyone to play VS. against. There is no way in hell my friends would take the time to learn how to play this game. It is really complicated if you think about it.

 

[DCharlie]

"On Mission 15 myself. Is there any idea of how many missions are in the main campaign yet?"

Mrs Charlie finished it on monday (!!!!) but she won't tell me how many maps there are so as not to spoil it for me (!!!!)

.... ah - she didn't finish it! the LIAR!

 

[Bebpo]

Mrs Charlie finished it on monday (!!!!) but she won't tell me how many maps there are so as not to spoil it for me (!!!!)

Send one of your recon units over to her DS and break through her fog of war that's hiding the mission count!

Though I dunno if I'll have any more time to play this game after todays releases. I might hold off until my 10 hour bus to Tokyo.

 

[DCharlie]

ooo - when dya get here and how long you here?
this weekend is crazy busy

Spoiler

she's on level 26