Nintendo's Switch release Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re-Boot Camp is seemingly stuck in limbo, but there's no need to worry because Warside has got all your turn-based tactical strategy cravings covered.
Yes - an indie developer known as Lavabird has announced it'll be releasing its own take on the classic series, for Nintendo's hybrid system at some point in Autumn 2023. It appears to be heavily inspired by the Game Boy Advance era of Advance Wars.
This game will contain a "great" story mode campaign with over 30 missions, 20 unit types - from tanks, subs to bomber aircraft, 12 unique commanders, and plenty of battle powers. There'll also be a mission editor and multiplayer battles (up to 4 players) via local and internet connectivity.
"Warside is a new game that cuts to the core of what made classic turn-based tactics games so great. A great story mode campaign, unique Commanders with totally different playstyles, awesome Battle Powers, and a wide variety of terrain and units. Choose your Commander, assemble your forces, and battle your way to victory."
A Kickstarter is coming in the near future, and you can sign up to the email list now to secure an early bird discount. The team also acknowledged the game's similarities to Advance Wars in an FAQ - stating how it feels it can "evolve" the genre further:
Is this just like Advance Wars?
"Our team grew up playing the genre defining masterpieces from the Advance Wars series. We have continued to enjoy modern turn-based-tactics games such as Into The Breach, and Wargroove, yet feel we can evolve the space further.
"If a modern turn-based-tactics game was released today, what would that look like? How would it play? Warside aims to update the formula whilst retaining the charm, style, and feel of the genre's classics."
What are your initial thoughts about this one? Would be interested in backing it? Comment below.
[source playwarside.com, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 52
...Feels like they're just seriously copying the art style completely.
At this rate this will come out before the real thing.
...This looks nearly identical to Advance Wars
Man got tired of waiting for Advance Wars Reboot so he made it himself lol.
There's styled, and then there's derivative.
Then there's this damn near carbon copy. I especially like the bit how the dev claims to be evolving the genre, without even giving a hint as to how.
At least other games in the genre like Wargroove had a distinct visual flair and presentation.
This is like ReVeN levels of derivative... I'm sure it'll do just as well.
@CharlieGirl ...Maybe I should finally look into Wargroove. No idea why I kept putting it off.
That looks way too close to Advance Wars. Only a tiny bit away from being a copyright infringement.
That graphical style is just too much like the original. Nintendo's lawyers aren't going to like it, at all.
Wait!! I totally forgot about the reboot, when is that ever going to release.
This is just way way too similar. Derivative is absolutely fine, but put your own artistic spin on it!
@MythTgr for real, the Ukraine War isn't the "current thing" anymore, so might as well release it.
They could have at least went with a different art direction. This almost looks like they just ripped the AW sprites and added a bit of detail to them...
Yeah, it really is similar but at the same times it's a really clean update compared to how the GBA AW games looked like, I really like it.
Though at the same time the lack of originality makes me kind of suspicious of the kickstarter, I'll get it for sure if it ever does get to that point, but I don't really feel too confident about supporting it.
This could be a master troll to force Nintendo to acknowledge Advance War exists.
Wish the actual Advance Wars would release already. Could be a hidden gem of a release. And I agree with the others there is nothing not plagiarized about this art style here.
Ironically we will probably get this before the 1+2 Reboot we were supposed to get LAST YEAR until it got delayed then essentially cancelled because politics.
That and I actually like the style of this more than the reboot.
Yes please; Tiny Metal was alright (I liked the combined attacks and special infantry like the Snipers) and the sequel added stuff like APC, fuel and ammo. Too bad about the terribly long cutscenes and controversy. WarGroove was better, but archers and cavalry is not the same as tanks and artillery. We need more "clones" to have a true genre.
Seem like they change literally nothing but the name and characters. At least Tiny Metal and Wargroove manage to feel different enough but this one seem like it's just an exact copy of Advance Wars.
But how would they release it? Like wouldn’t Nintendo still need to allow it to be on their store? So, I would assume, if they ignored the copyright, that it would still be banned for same reason as Advanced Wars
Just release it, Nintendo! It is a cartoon war strategy game...
What would it look like if it was released today? Did they really think the answer was exactly the same as 20 years ago. I mean, I love Advance Wars but this looks naff. Starting to get fed up with this general trend of folk thinking 'Hey, such and such was a good game. If we can copy it closely enough, our game must be good by default.' All I can say is it seriously needs to do it's own thing, and that better be illustrated in reviews...because the screenshots certainly fail to do that.
(End of rant.)
@SmaggTheSmug It's amazing how that controversy stuck with Tiny Metal when it was simply some nonsense being pushed by some disgruntled ex-employee who was fired for sexually harassing the women in the workplace.
@Knightrider1 These are far from being the only war based games on the eshop where someone invades someone.
They have a lot of games to delist if that's their argument.
This is all wrong. Just release the Switch remake to get the series going again; so many mobile phone/indie indentikit releases that aren't a patch on the original.
Is Nintendo waiting for the war in Ukraine to end to release the real game? this look like a cheap imitation.
If you want a good job done you’ve gotta do it yourself…
Wow!!! I need it!!!
F**k Advance Wars 1 + 2
I thought this was Advance Wars at first glance. Barely any differences. Don't give these guys a break. They're outright copying assets with minimal (if any) changes.
Sure, if it releases before Nintendo releases their stranglehold on Reboot Camp, I'll drop some cash for this.
I just want to play Reboot Camp, Nintendo. Stop virtue-signaling and/or being overly cautious and just release the game. It's a remake of a 20 year old cartoon warfare game, for crying out loud.
My body is ready.
@calbeau These aren't the assets for Advanced Wars though, this is original art.
@ArcticEcho "... copying assets with minimal (if any) changes."
AW: RbC csn't be released because...
...of the Just Stop Oil protesters, namely 'Indigo Rumbleow'.
@Joeynator3000
Wargroove is awesome, cheap and will most definitely satisfy the Advance Wars urge!!
"Dev feels it can "evolve" the turn-based tactical genre"
What? By making a 1:1 copy of Advanced Wars? Sure...
@msvt Apparently modding never really happened for it, kinda sucks...guess I may get it for Switch then. At least it has that campaign creator thing going for it. lol
There is inspired by and then there is ripped off. This looks like “can I copy your homework” indie style.
I will stick with wargroove as my inspired by game. .
Sure to be shut down by Nintendo themselves.
Honestly, this is practically plagiarism and they are sure to notice it - especially with the Advance Wars fan base as big as it is.
Hate to say it but, this dev is putting in a lot of time just to be shut down.
@zoljurnia Why would it be shut down? There's loads of games that look like blatant copies of classics these days, I mean just look at all the Castlevania clones out there that pretty much copy everything about the style of the originals.
Looks amazing! I am excited to play it.
This is going a little beyond “inspired by” at this point.
That's such a close copy I have to imagine a lawyer or 50 will be shutting this down within a month.
Honestly, if the map design holds up, I'll take it. I'm so sick of waiting around hoping to hear anything about those remakes possibly releasing.
Ninty for the love of God release Advance Wars already, literally nobody at this point would use the situation in Ukraine as a reason not to!
I have no problem with it being very similar to Advance Wars, on the contrary, but please make it available to mobile as well, been wanting a touch-enabled advance wars for my phone without using emulation
@roylaza I agree! Turn based strategy games with touch control are very suited in. Very few TBS games are good in mobile. I was playing Fire Emblem DS games but the control is not good and it's frustrating.
a COPY-PASTE work like that...
it's something I expect to find at 1 € in the eShop.
Games need art, need inspiration. You can't simply copy a thing.
@roylaza
I'll third, I've been looking for a Nintendo like turn based game for Android, with little success. I'm picky, but as you said, "mobile wars" could be incredible and seems like hardly any work at all for a company like Nintendo.
@Joeynator3000 You probably won't regret it, it's one of my favourites on Switch, also in part because it has a standard retail release that you can get relatively cheap now, with inner box art and a fun booklet on different units. But even just the game itself is great, the characters are fun (it has both Advance Wars style group units that are "expendable", and named characters that are very strong and cool, and have like CO powers but are actually on the battlefield, and loosing them means game over), the tactics are challenging, the visuals are gorgeous,.. There isn't anything bad I remember about it.
There's inspired by and then there's plagiarism. This is definitely the latter.
Play Wargroove instead.
It looks like Advance Wars but with character portraits sourced from a pre-teen artist they paid in exposure
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