Advance Wars

Advance Wars is another game created by the makers of Fire Emblem, Intelligent Systems. It follows similar gameplay mechanics to Fire Emblem, but with a few main differences. It is considered to be the 'furturistic equililant' to Fire Emblem, using Tanks, Ships and Aircraft as aposed to Swords and Magic.

The main difference between the Advance Wars and Fire Emblem series (other then the timeline aspect) is the basis of the gameplay. Fire Emblem is notable for it's writting and storyline and character development while Advance Wars is more notable for it's focus on a tatical gameplay experience. This creates a rift between players who dislike or like one series over the other for each aspect. Advance Wars apeals to 'Hard-Core' gamers who like long hours of difficult gameplay, while Fire Emblem offers a intelligent thought-provoking storyline.

Advance Wars often comes under fire for it's lack of 'beliveable' circumstances. This mainly reffers to the unrealistic or overly generic enemies or the 'two dimensional' characters. In this respect however some games are better then others.

Advance Wars also suffers from significantly less funding then it's medevil counterpart Fire Emblem. Fire Emblem is considered by Nintendo to be a massive fancise and one of their top lines of games, as is demonstrated by the appear of Fire Emblem characters in the Smash Bros. games. Advance Wars however is considered to be a less important project, although it does recieve higher then standard funding, for being a successful series.

The games also include serveral other notable differences in gameplay:

• Units are expendable in Advance Wars.
• It's set in a different technological age (Futuristic).
• It's much less story/text heavy.
• Each advance war unit of the same class is completely simalar to any other of that class.
• The amount of Hit Points an Advance War's unit has effects their ability to attack and counter attack.
• Most ranged Advance War units can not move and attack in one turn.
• There are no houses or villages to visit in Advance Wars
• In Advance Wars it is impossible for an attack to miss. (Although attacks can do 0 damage)
• There are no critical hits in Advance Wars.
• Main Story characters in Advance Wars hardly ever take to the feild, much unlike Fire Emblem games.
• Most usable units are nameless generic soilders in Advance Wars.
• Advance War units can not gain experience and level up like Fire Emblem characters. They can gain up to 3 'levels' but these effect battle in a lesser way.
• There is no equipable/unequiable Weapon or Item system in Adavnce Wars, insted each unit has fixed weapons it can use.
• Advance Wars units can not heal eachother or themselves.
• Advance war units can not inflict or recieve any status conditions.
• Advance War units can not promote in any way.

Advance Wars units include, Infantry units, Recon units, Tanks (and stronger Tank variations), Fighter aircraft, Bomberider aircraft, Helicopters (for fighting and transport), a variety of war ships, Motorized-Bike units, and others varying on the specific game.

External Links

• The Advance Wars wiki