Nintendo Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp [Coming April 21, 2023]

[5timechamp]

This needs to come out already.. it was already going to be a "should I" problem given how nothing of "significance" has been added... 

 

The art style update still sucks, why animate the COs in one style consistent with the original but not the units themselves? is doing it that demanding for a strategy game?

 

If anything Days of Ruin should have been ported,  its the best most balanced "Wars" game and the one in actual desperate need of improved art and graphics...

plus the editor was more robust as far as size (not that 1+2 couldnt do that)

[ort]

I'm also not a huge fan of the art update. I don't understand why there isn't more new stuff. It's a re-release of two 20ish year old gameboy games with a $60 price tag?

 

I mean, I'm buying it, because I'm voting with my dollars. More Advance Wars content please... but how about NEW content? Please?

 

Maybe just a bunch of new war room maps? Anything?

[Greatoneshere]

29 minutes ago, 5timechamp said:

If anything Days of Ruin should have been ported,  its the best most balanced "Wars" game and the one in actual desperate need of improved art and graphics...

plus the editor was more robust as far as size (not that 1+2 couldnt do that)

 

25 minutes ago, ort said:

I mean, I'm buying it, because I'm voting with my dollars. More Advance Wars content please... but how about NEW content? Please?

 

I think this will play out similar to the Dead Space remake. If Advance Wars 1+2 remake sells well, they will then likely remake Advance Wars: Dual Strike and Advance Wars: Days of Ruin. I imagine if the Dead Space remake does well they'll remake Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3 before ever getting to a new game, Dead Space 4. Same here, they won't make a 5th Advance Wars game until the first four are remade, show they can sell so as to justify financially making a completely new game.

 

As for Battalion Wars 1 and 2 that were on the GameCube and Wii, it is important to note that the Advance Wars games were made by Intelligent Systems whereas the two Battalion Wars games were made by Kuju Entertainment (the Advance Wars 1+2 remake is being done by WayForward). Battalion Wars was well received (though not as well received as the Advance Wars games) but I'm not sure if they'll ever remake these. They should at least remaster them and re-release them though I think (in the same way that even if the Dead Space remake does well they'll likely never remake Dead Space: Extraction).

 

As for the new art style for the 3D graphics, it's not too surprising that that's what Nintendo wanted. If you look at the Battalion Wars games (the only previous time Advance Wars went 3D for unit graphics) it looked similar to this. Given this is about war and fighting and killing and Nintendo is a kid-friendly company I imagine making it look as fun and silly in 3D as possible is part of the point to make it sellable and palatable to kids and young teens who play Nintendo games. They likely want this to reach a new audience as well as older gamers. Do I like it? No. But I made my peace with that back when I was amped for GameCube Advance Wars with Battalion Wars and they went with a goofy 3D art style there.

[ort]

All I really want is for them to post this to iOS. 

[ort]

April 21st release date.

[Keyser_Soze]

2 hours ago, ort said:

April 21st release date.

 

Yeah I don't get it, game is done. I guess you can't shadow drop on the same day as Metroid but come on!

 

 

[Keyser_Soze]

 

[gamer.tv]

I had no interest in this until I complete Three Houses and realised I quite like the tactical genre. I’ve only played a bit of the DS game…but this could be a good summer game for me. 

[thedarkstark]

I want to get this but $60 is kind of insane... 

[TheLeon]

I bought this and the new Zelda game with their voucher deal. $100 total for both games felt acceptable. 

[Keyser_Soze]

 

[Keyser_Soze]

Game Information

Game Title: Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

Platforms:

• Nintendo Switch (Apr 21, 2023)
  

Trailer:

    Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 80 average - 88% recommended

Critic Reviews

 

Spoiler

Atomix - Alberto Desfassiaux - Spanish - 90 / 100

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp founds te perfect balance on bringing back two of the most beloved GBA games to the Switch. In now way, it respects the original material but in another, it knows how to improve in certain areas such as graphics and some quality of life elements.

CGMagazine - Steven Green - 8 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is an incredible strategy title for the Nintendo Switch. While the gameplay can be monotonous at times, changing up how you play can easily absolve those issues.

Cerealkillerz - Julian Bieder - German - 8.8 / 10

There is a reason Advance Wars is considered one of the best games of all time: It offers something for everyone, from beginners to absolute experts in warfare, and can achieve an incredible depth regarding gameplay. This remaster also does everything right: changes are only made to the graphics, but gameplay and level design remain true to the original. Add online functionality, dubbing and a map editor on top and a Game Boy classic is brought to the modern era in a perfect way.

Checkpoint Gaming - Charlie Kelly - 8.5 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is one of the better returns to a classic tactics series. Both individual games have aged exponentially well with campaigns that are more enjoyable and charming than you'd think, and just as many thrilling fights to match. Developer Wayforward deserves credit for earnestly including quality of life and approachability options for more players, but it can ever so rarely leave a difficulty imbalance from level to level. However, that is hardly a scuff on the excellent product provided. Smart battlefield design accompanied with engaging objectives make for some excellent missions to chip away at. Similarly, the colouring and model design is superb, further immersing the player in commanding a battlefield as an ultimate strategist. Players are in excellent hands with Re-Boot Camp. It's up to them to use those tools to triumph in battle and come out on top. Hoorah.

ComicBook.com - Marc Deschamps - 4 / 5

For those interested in easing into the turn-based strategy genre, or those with a lot of experience, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a strong option on Nintendo Switch. With two complete games in one, there's a lot of meat in the package, and that's not even factoring in the multiplayer options. WayForward has done a very nice job adhering closely to the Game Boy Advance originals, while offering enough tweaks to make it feel like this package was a better decision compared to putting the originals on Nintendo Switch Online. It's been a while since fans of the series have had a wholly-new game to enjoy, so hopefully this package will lead to more from Nintendo.

Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - Recommended

Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-boot Camp is a faithful remake, one that keeps the incredible and engaging tactical core intact. The legacy of Advance Wars as a turn-based strategy franchise remains strong, and its impact on the genre is undeniable.

Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury - 4 / 5

I find myself conflicted with Advance Wars 1+2: Reboot Camp. On the one hand, it is essential. To this day, these are two of the finest tactical games of all time. On the other hand, there is no reason for this remake to exist when a re-release would have been sufficient. If it’s Nintendo’s way of exploring a revival of the franchise, that’s fantastic, and I hope it sells a bucketload. I just wish WayForward’s talents had have been deployed better.

Enternity.gr - Hektor Apostolopoulos - Greek - Unscored

In purely offline content we can say that Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is definitely an example to follow for remakes that ask for full price.

Eurogamer - Christian Donlan - Recommended

Nintendo's turn-based classic is back in a generous new compilation.

Eurogamer.pt - Vítor Alexandre - Portuguese - Recommended

In essence both Advance Wars have aged well. While the original remains a few holes above the Black Hole sequel, while this remake doesn't make major changes to the game's mechanics and epicenter, it did make it more enjoyable in some ways, especially in the compelling presentation of the original art and the commanders who control the operations, energetic and vibrant in encouraging the troops. It is a remake also more garnished in game modes. If for many fans of Advance Wars this return coincides with a challenge lost in time (and if they passed the version for Wii U), for those who have not played the originals there are two good arguments to do so.

Game Informer - Josh Broadwell - 8.5 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp might not include much new material, but it presents a strong case that classic games don’t always have to change to be relevant again. Sometimes, they just need a second chance.

GameSpot - Jake Dekker - 7 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp's uneven campaigns are held up by rock-solid gameplay and a great presentation.

Geeks & Com - Anthony Gravel - French - 8.5 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is an excellent compilation to bring the series out of the shadows. There's a whole generation that hasn't been able to experience it yet, so why not do it now on Switch. The learning curve should certainly satisfy fans of the genre and the 60 to 80 hours of single-player campaign too. WayForward did an amazing job and hopefully it'll be the start of a long partnership for futur games of the series.

God is a Geek - Adam Cook - 8 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-boot Camp feels like it's for the fans who loved the games back on Game Boy Advance, and despite some issues, it's a superb package overall.

Hobby Consolas - Javier Escribano - Spanish - 90 / 100

Advance Wars has always been one of Nintendo's best games, and this double remake of Wayforward (very visually cute and crammed with content) does it justice. It will take you little time to learn its simple and intuitive mechanics, but you will be able to play it for all eternity without getting bored, against the AI or with its infinite multiplayer.

IGN Italy - Mattia Ravanelli - Italian - 8.1 / 10

Two entertaining and rich single player campaigns, ready to be enjoyed on the go or at home. Things hasn't changed much from the GBA days, excluding the HD visuals, but these are still two of the most entertaining strategy games every witnessed on a Nintendo system.

IGN Spain - David Oña - Spanish - 7 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is the return of one of those sagas that Nintendo had forgotten, despite the affection it arouses in its fans. The return may not be perfect, but it's worked hard enough to turn this reboot into a remarkable title that every fan of the genre will enjoy and that also works as an excellent entry point.

Inverse - Hayes Madsen - 9 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp leans into the toybox aesthetic of the series, giving the first two games a gorgeous new coat of paint, along with several welcome gameplay updates. If you’re a fan of strategic, turn-based gameplay, don’t sleep on this one.

Metro GameCentral - David Jenkins - 9 / 10

An excellent remake of one of the best strategy games of all time, that is as accessible and versatile as an action game but has some of the most deceptively deep tactical combat ever seen in a console release.

Nintendo Life - PJ O'Reilly - 9 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a delightful reimagining of two classic GBA strategy titles. The gameplay here remains as endlessly addictive, finely balanced, and challenging as ever, and the addition of a handful of modern conveniences and the ability to play against friends online makes for a slick overall package. With a crisp, clean new art style that adds lots of new animations and cutscenes, a remastered soundtrack, and voice-acting in the mix, this is a polished return to Advance Wars action that's got us fully addicted to the series all over again. This is the sort of game you'll reserve a permanent space for on your console, a timeless experience you'll keep tucked away on your Switch for the foreseeable future.

PCMag - Jordan Minor - 4 / 5

Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp successfully resurrects Nintendo's terrific, turn-based tactics series by offering a generous package that nearly makes up for the 15-year wait.

Polygon - Michael McWhertor - Unscored

The new Advance Wars, just like the original, arrives at a strange time. Nintendo appeared to recognize this last year when, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it delayed Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp indefinitely. But the toylike soldiers exaggeratedly stomping cities into submission and cartoon characters being wiped out by artillery fire feel disconnected from the real-world war that gave Nintendo pause in 2022. In other words, it’s less off-putting than one might think to have fun with an urban military wargame right now. If anything, the return of Advance Wars feels like a link to a simpler time, made better with age and reverence for a long-ignored, still-great franchise.

Press Start - James Mitchell - 7.5 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp leverages its already strong foundation with some very nice quality of life improvements to offer an almost definitive version of a Game Boy Advance classic. However, limited multiplayer options and uneven difficulty modes stop it from being the best that if could be.

RPG Site - Paul Shkreli - 8 / 10

A sleek, yet imperfect presentation coupled with dozens of single and multiplayer missions make Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp engaging and addictive, for veterans and new recruits alike.

Shacknews - Ozzie Mejia - 8 / 10

The multiplayer's shortcomings aren't a dealbreaker, but they're definitely disappointing. Even with a subpar multiplayer experience, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp is still a game worth experiencing. It's a triumph of tactical strategy with a vibrant coat of paint. It's a reminder of what a gem of a franchise Nintendo has been sitting on for over a decade and represents a hope that maybe there's more Advance Wars on the horizon.

Siliconera - Graham Russell - 8 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is simultaneously a triumph in preserving the timeless strategy gameplay of the past and a huge missed opportunity to give it a rejuvenated platform that could attract new players.

Spaziogames - Gianluca Arena - Italian - 8.2 / 10

Artistic direction aside, Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp is a great remake, that shine a new light on two classic strategic games not forgotten by true fans. There's plenty of content here and a rock solid gameplay, so it's easy to recommend this package to both seasoned players and newcomers. We sincerely hope the F-Zero franchise is next in line now.

Stevivor - Matt Gosper - 7.5 / 10

Re-Boot Camp is a loving recreation of a pair of games that fans of the series have been wanting to return to for years. It’s extremely good at what it does, and with added features like multiplayer and a map creator, you can even go head-to-head with friends in a streamlined battle of wits. Make sure you’re ready for the battlefield before diving in – because this battlefield is ready for you

TheSixthAxis - Dominic Leighton - 8 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp takes a strategy classic and buffs it up for a modern audience – the fact that it is so faithful to the originals only reinforces how brilliant they were in the first place. Re-Boot Camp is essential for fans of tactical warfare, and a perfect companion for Nintendo Switch; hopefully its release will rekindle interest in the series, and bring us a long overdue new entry.

TrustedReviews - Ryan Jones - 3.5 / 5

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a faithful adaptation of the Game Boy Advance classic, with charming 3D visuals giving it a welcome facelift. With the gameplay mechanics largely untouched 22 years after the release of the original however, Advance Wars feels rusty and basic compared to more modern strategy games on the Nintendo Switch.

Twinfinite - Rebecca Stone - 4 / 5

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is packed to the brim with content and has that addictive “just one more mission” feel. Though some may find the story to be unserious and shallow, it’s completely accessible and enjoyable to newcomers of the genre like myself while also providing depth and challenge for veterans. Enthusiasts will get hundreds of hours of entertainment out of the game.

VGC - Andy Robinson - 4 / 5

Wayforward's generous remake package keeps much of what made the original Game Boys titles great, with some significant improvements to presentation and multiplayer.

Wccftech - Nathan Birch - 8 / 10

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a very respectable retrofit of two of the best old-school tactical strategy games of all time. Some may question who the audience for this package is as it doesn’t offer much new content for experienced commanders, but these are still objectively high-quality games and this remake does little to diminish their charms. If you’re new to the Advance Wars series, or just looking for a more convenient way to play some of its best entries again, this remake is likely to capture your heart (and free time).

We Got This Covered - Shaan Joshi - 3.5 / 5

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a must-play for casual onlookers, and veterans of the series will probably get a kick out of replaying these two classics. It's just a shame that the online multiplayer is half-baked; this franchise certainly deserves better.

WellPlayed - Mark Isaacson - 8.5 / 10

The recipe wasn't played with too much, resulting in a solid compilation of two titles that remain infinitely enjoyable, if a touch complicated by reality

 

 

[TheLeon]

I played a couple missions this morning before work. It is, in fact, Advance Wars. 

[Brian]

If this was $40, it would be an instant buy for me. 

[5timechamp]

On 4/8/2023 at 8:53 PM, TheLeon said:

I bought this and the new Zelda game with their voucher deal. $100 total for both games felt acceptable. 

 

Im so disconnected wast even aware of what the vouchers program was about..

Its not bad overall and of course Nintendo ensured that games are listed at $60 to ensure you “feel” the value..

 

but with Zelda, and Pikmin on the horizon

[Keyser_Soze]

8 hours ago, Brian said:

If this was $40, it would be an instant buy for me. 

 

Pretty much the same. I even put aside $60 to get this game and... just not excited. The look of the game is really the biggest let down for me.

[Xbob42]

lol, 30 FPS. Nintendo really needs to teach devs the magic they worked with Odyssey. Like holy shit, of all the games to be locked to 30. And then to make matters work, it "uncaps" to 60 in battles, but comes nowhere near hitting it, so it's just a big fuckin' mess.

[TheLeon]

I disabled battle animations immediately. They’re unnecessary and look bad. 
 

It’s hard to “justify” this purchase, especially after the GBA addition to Nintendo Online has launched and they easily could’ve just tossed the originals on there. But whatever, I love these games. 

[Biggie]

17 hours ago, Brian said:

If this was $40, it would be an instant buy for me. 

$30 would be reasonable. $60 is laughable. 

8 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

Pretty much the same. I even put aside $60 to get this game and... just not excited. The look of the game is really the biggest let down for me.

Same. It looks like ass.

[Keyser_Soze]

It's made by the same people who do the Shantae games which have reasonably good artwork. Nintendo must have made them make these ugly 3D turds instead of what they usually do.

[ort]

I finally bought this...

 

Yeah, the art is okay. I don't hate it but I also don't love it. I do find that it can be difficult to easily see and differentiate units. Medium and regular tanks look too similar. Units kinda blend into the background too much. Otherwise, yeah, it's Advance Wars... probably my favorite game of all time... and yet, this is a pretty underwhelming game because I literally play AW all the time already on a little Retro Game Emulator.

 

I know it has been brought up a bunch, but how in the fuck is this a full $60 game? It's two 20 year old Gameboy games with a new coat of paint that really isn't even that impressive. There is basically ZERO new anything. This game should be $20-$30 max. Charging $60 is truly insane.

 

Anyway, here's my main beef and it has nothing to do with this game. So if I pay for a Nintendo Online plan or whatever, that shit only works with ONE account on the system? I can't play online because the online plan is tied to my son's account? That's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard in my life. Is that really how this works? I have to pay for a family plan or some shit? It's just so fucking terrible. It makes me want to commit acts of violence.

 

Fuck Nintendo.

[ort]

What I would really like to do is maybe buy another Switch and transfer digital games and stuff between them, but it looks like Nintendo makes that so complicated and annoying that I don't even want to mess with it. I guess they hate money. And their customers.

 

Once again...

 

 FUCK NINTENDO 

[ort]

Please just port this to iOS / iPads.

 

I'd pay $60 again. I really would.

[Amazatron]

Transferring to a new Switch has never been an issue for me, just login with your Nintendo account and your digital games are all available for download on the new Switch.

[Biggie]

2 hours ago, ort said:

What I would really like to do is maybe buy another Switch and transfer digital games and stuff between them, but it looks like Nintendo makes that so complicated and annoying that I don't even want to mess with it. I guess they hate money. And their customers.

 

Once again...

 

 FUCK NINTENDO 

Millions of gamers have transferred their games over to a new Switch. Sounds like this is a you problem. 

[Kamusha]

Sold my Switch a few years ago when I was broke and desperately needed the cash. Bought a new Switch again a few weeks ago and was worried I would have to rebuy the games I had already bought digitally and was pleasantly surprised by how easy they were to redownload without paying for them.

 

60 is very steep for this kind of game but I did not know about the voucher system and think this would be a great game to use that for.

[ort]

I'm talking about sharing games between two active systems. Maybe it's not as hard as the internet makes it sound. Every tutorial I've on the topic makes it sound more complicated than I want. I'm trying to spend more money and get another Switch, but if Nintendo wants to make that a big ol pain in the ass I just won't.

 

Why can't I go online with my account on my switch just because the online account is setup on my sons profile? Anyone have a solution to that one? One that doesn't involve spending more money on a family plan since we barely use this shit...

[ort]

So at first I was annoyed that because of how Nintendo locks online play to only one account that I wouldn't be able to play online or download maps, but now that I've done more research it seems that the online stuff in this game is a total joke... you can only play 1 v 1 matches against people in your friend list... ZERO MATCHMAKING or anything like that... also, there is no kind of online map download system. You can only be sent single maps from someone in your friend list.

 

I was really hoping there would be some sort of online map marketplace like in Mario Maker where we could rate and download user created maps. Seems like such a no brainer feature that would go a long way to making this game worth the $60 price tag... but nope... not so much.

 

I haven't gone too deep, but it really looks like there is ZERO new content and ZERO new maps.

 

How hard would it have been to hire like one or two people and have them spend the year this game was delayed creating a whole bunch of well designed VS and War Room maps? It would have taken the absolute bare amount of effort but NOPE. These really are 20 year old games with ZERO new features.

 

ZERO.

 

Anyway, this is still one of the best games of all time, and I'm having fun with it. Anyone who has never played Advance Wars should be all over this. It really is great... but if you are a grizzled old veteran of the Advance Wars... this offers very little compelling new content. Especially if you still have easy access to the old games...

[ort]

I think I‘m basically talking to myself here,  but I have purchased myself a yellow switch lite just for this game and so I don’t have to share a switch with my kids. Not sure how many other games I will be playing on it, but I’ve been really enjoying my time with this game.

 

Probably a silly purchase, but whatever. 

[ort]

I love when every ounce of excitement for a new console is replaced with frustration and annoyance at Nintendo byzantine online/account bullshit.

 

My oldest son is technically the owner of our primary switch... his account is the one that is the primary account of the main Switch or whatever. I use a different account on that same switch.

 

I opened the new switch lite and made a new account since I wanted this one to be completely fresh and I was asked to enter my nintendo account linking my new switch lite to the Nintendo Account. I then tried to download some games that I paid for and it would not let me access them since this new account was not able to download games. So I log in with my sons account, and now the first account I created has disappeared and it now won't let me tie any additional accounts to this primary Nintendo Account or whatever? And now since it's not the primary account, I can't setup a second account on this new console and play games on it because it's not the correct account?

 

I'm so confused I don't even know how to explain the problem.

 

Why is like this? Should this be this annoying? NO.

What the fuck.

 

Is there some online explainer for this that isn't the official Nintendo site, because their info SUCKS ASS.

 

Maybe I should just return this and never give Nintendo another penny for the rest of my life, which seems to be what they want me to do.

[ort]

So I can play MY game that I paid for on my switch lite on my sons account, but I can't make a new account that can play MY games on MY system? And if I make this the primary console, the main switch in our house can't play any games unless it's the one account logged in?

 

This is a stupid ass clusterfuck.

 

I should have gone with my initial instinct and NOT bought this console, because it looked annoying as fuck to deal with this stuff, and you guys were all like, NO YOU ARE DUMB, IT'S EASY, so I was all like, okay, maybe I am dumb... but no, I am not dumb, THIS SUCKS...

[ort]

FUCK

[TheLeon]

this is why I live alone

[BloodyHell]

1 hour ago, ort said:

So I can play MY game that I paid for on my switch lite on my sons account, but I can't make a new account that can play MY games on MY system? And if I make this the primary console, the main switch in our house can't play any games unless it's the one account logged in?

 

This is a stupid ass clusterfuck.

 

I should have gone with my initial instinct and NOT bought this console, because it looked annoying as fuck to deal with this stuff, and you guys were all like, NO YOU ARE DUMB, IT'S EASY, so I was all like, okay, maybe I am dumb... but no, I am not dumb, THIS SUCKS...

Nintendo’s account system is awful. 

[ort]

Everything about Nintendo is awful.

 

I had a very pleasant chat with their online chat and have been given a special number to call. We'll see how that goes.

 

I should never have bought a digital game from Nintendo, because THEY SUCK SO MUCH AT ANYTHING LIKE THIS.