(m04)

Explore the history of the Advance Wars series, from Famicom Wars (1988) to Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (2023).

The Advance Wars series, beloved by Americans, has a rich history in Japan, beginning with Famicom Wars in 1988. This first entry utilized a similar play style to Advance Wars but featured only two armies, Red Star and Blue Moon, fewer maps, and less advanced graphics. It was a Japan-only release.

Following Famicom Wars was Game Boy Wars in 1991, which introduced an unusual diagonal grid system. It also had two armies and, unlike Famicom Wars, played in black and white. This was also a Japan-only release.

Hudson Soft took over the Game Boy Wars series with Game Boy Wars Turbo in 1997, adding more maps to the original version. Like its predecessors, it was a Japan-only release.

In 1998, Hudson Soft developed Game Boy Wars 2, bringing color to the Game Boy Wars series with the release of the Game Boy Color. This title was also exclusive to Japan.

Intelligent Systems returned with Super Famicom Wars in 1998, the most well-known of the pre-Advance Wars games and the closest to the Advance Wars series. It featured four armies, though still lacked a campaign mode, and was released on May 1st, 1998. This game included many units, some of which wouldn't have counterparts until Advance Wars: Dual Strike, and many of its maps appeared in the Advance Wars game pack. It was a Japan-only release.

Hudson Soft had plans for a N64 version called 64 Wars, intended to be compatible with Game Boy Wars 2, but this project was cancelled.

Game Boy Wars 3, released in 2001 by Hudson Soft, further improved the graphics of the Game Boy Wars series on the Game Boy Color. It was a Japan-only release.

Advance Wars for the Game Boy Advance system was released in the United States on September 9th, 2001, and to the public on September 11th, 2001. It was nearly pulled from shelves due to the terrorist attack on America the same day but did reach the US. This marked the first game in the series from Japan to reach America. It was released in Europe four months later, on January 11th, 2002, and was pulled from shelves in Japan. It is the first game to include a campaign mode and follows the Orange Star Army. Japan would not receive this game until Game Boy Wars Advance 1+2 was released in 2004.

Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, released on June 23rd, 2003 in the US and October 3rd, 2003 in Europe, continued Advance Wars' storyline with the Black Hole army seeking revenge. It was never released in Japan because they did not receive the original Advance Wars.

In Japan, Intelligent Systems released Game Boy Wars Advance 1+2 on November 25th, 2004. This combination game included both Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2 campaign modes intact, allowing users to switch between them. This was a Japan-only release.

Advance Wars: Dual Strike, known as Famicom Wars DS in Japan, featured another Black Hole invasion. It was released on June 23rd, 2005 in Japan, August 22nd, 2005 in the US, and September 30th, 2005 in Europe, becoming the first game in the series to be released universally.

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, also known as Dark Conflict in Europe, took place in a post-apocalyptic world with different commanding officers (COs) and introduced new units and battle mechanics. This was the last Advance Wars game released until 2023.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, released in 2023, is the newest game in the series and a remastered version of Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising.

The Advance Wars series is comparable to chess on a global scale, featuring a compelling story, various commanding officers, and terrific music. As an advisor, you maneuver allied units, capture cities and bases, and attack enemy units while avoiding threats. Every unit has unique strengths and weaknesses regarding movement, hit points, attack restrictions, ammunition, and fuel that must be monitored. You can repair and supply units, deploy new units, and utilize CO powers to gain an advantage. Each mission is an epic struggle requiring a firm grasp of battle tactics.