Advance Wars: Dual Strike
Advance Wars: Dual Strike brings the strategy series to the DS. Is this a war worth fighting?
The simple to learn, yet hard to master strategy mechanics of the Advance Wars series are as solid as ever, and though the sound and graphics haven't been upgraded to the true capabilities of the DS, both screens are used to their fullest, and ordering units with the touchscreen is a welcome improvement. The new single-player campaign will gradually train newbies, and while series vets might find this d?j? vu irritating, and the hackneyed story elements and too-plentiful dialogue sometimes gets in the way, the new multiple-CO elements are worth playing through for. As with each previous entry in the series, there are tons of extra maps and multiplayer goodies, so there's no shortage of content to keep you busy.
The new real-time battle mode seems abortive at best, and the AI can sometimes seem a little too easy to manipulate, but the core turn-based gameplay can't be beat. If you're a strategy gamer, put Advance Wars: Dual Strike on your wishlist.
