- Nov 5, 2010
- 21,339
- 707
8. Famicom Wars
Released In: 1988
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Let's look at a Japan-exclusive game for a change.
As far as home console was concerned, strategy games were a rare breed. Strategy is a genre that had been dominant on PC for many years, but for the NES, it was close to being a complete stranger. Turn-based strategy games were scarce, and real-time strategy games were virtually non-existent. Perhaps the complexity was too much for home console, or the joypad wasn't as suitable as the keyboard. There were various reasons that didn't bode well for the future of strategy games on consoles. However, Intelligent Systems were going to see if they could make the difference.
Those who own a Game Boy Advance must have heard or already played Advance Wars. Advance Wars is a military turn-based strategy game that sees various fictional countries waging war at one another. The game was released one day before the 9/11 incident, so its sale was damaged greatly. But this didn't prevent it from receiving critical acclaim. The gameplay is deep and addictive, the AI is challenging and the replayability is high. Apart from other successful series like Mario and Pokemon, it's easily one of the best portable games ever.
Advance Wars isn't the first of its kind though, but just a game in the Nintendo Wars series. Even though Advance Wars is the first to reach America, there are already a few titles before it. These titles were Japan-exclusive as back then Nintendo deemed the series too complex and difficult for western gamers (sounds awfully familiar). All of the games were named after their respective platforms. The Nintendo Wars game on Game Boy was named Game Boy Wars, the one on Super Famicom was named Super Famicom Wars, and the one on the Famicom, also the first of the series, was named Famicom Wars.
While Advance Wars has been so successful, it might be hard to imagine how a strategy game could fare well on such a primitive platform like the Famicom. But why not take a look at it?
Controls:
A - Select/Confirm
B - Cancel/Bring up menu
D-pad - Move cursor
Select - Center map on HQ
There is no problem with the controls. Scroll speed is a little slow though. The frame in the bottom left of the screen is vacant. It would be nice to have some kind of minimap there.
Rating: 9/10
Gameplay:
Famicom Wars is about two warring nations, Red Star and Blue Moon. There is no more story here, just two sides that hate and decide to kill each other, so let's just grab a gun and make some kills.
Before you start, you have to set up the game first. Here, you can assign each side to either AI or human player. All animation except combat animation can be turned off. BGM can be changed. And there are two AI difficulty settings you can choose from. Player and difficulty settings can't be changed later, so watch out.
Then you have to select a map. You can play the maps in any order. You can also come back to play them again even after you've cleared them. The best number of turns spent will be recorded.
And the game will start. Red Star and Blue Moon will take turn to move. Red Star will always moves first. You can bring up the menu anytime during your turn by pressing the B button.
There are many types of units in Famicom Wars. To produce a unit, you have to move your cursor to a factory tile and choose the produce option. Aircrafts can only be produced at airports and ships can only be produced at shipyards. The maximum number of units a side can have is 48, not too high and not too low. You can generate more of your war funds by capturing cities. The more cities you have, the higher your income is.
Different types of units have different strengths and weaknesses. Infantry units are weak but cheap, and can capture cities. Cavalry units are fast and strong, but they're more expensive and can't traverse mountains or get airlifted. Artillery units can attack from a distance, but can't move at the same time. Air units have excellent mobility, but they're very fragile. Sea units are usually the best support units, but they're very expensive and can only operate at sea. It's kind of like rock-paper-scissors, but with more depth. The developers have done very well in balancing them all. You can't ensure your victory by just pumping out the most expensive units. Air superiority isn't the answer to all questions, and big tanks can easily get blown to smithereens by a few artillery shells.
In addition, your units can't stay in the battlefield for too long, because they'll run out of supply and ammunition. Ground units can get resupplied in any cities and factories. Air units and sea units have to be resupplied at airports and shipyards respectively. Supply costs money though, so you might want to think twice if it's really necessary. You can also bring some supply trucks to resupply you troops anywhere on the map for free, but they can only support ground units.
The outcome of a battle is determined by a few factors. The first and the most obvious is unit type. Heavier units will always win against lighter units in equal quantity, and specialized units, like fighters, are greatly effective against their intended targets. Secondly, terrains also provide your units' defensive bonuses. Weak rifle infantry on mountains can be surprisingly hard to kill. Thirdly, your units' health determine their attack strength. The less HP they have, the less damage they inflict.
There's no way to replenish your units' HP in this game, but you can merge two units together by moving one into another to combine their HP. However, clustering units are easy target for artillery, so sometimes it's better to have cannon fodders in quantity to draw heavy units' fire.
There are many small details to take into account. How to scatter you forces, how to take control of strategic areas and how to manage your resources are all contributing factors to victory. There will be much strategy involved and micromanagement will be necessary.
Speaking of micromanagement, yes, this game relies on a lot of micromanagement. You have to move each and every of your unit one by one. When you have dozens of units to control, it can take several minutes to finish just a single turn and it might bore you to death.
Also, you can't check a unit's attack and movement range like in Advance Wars. You have to remember each unit's range and count number of tiles from it. If you're not careful enough, you might find your unsuspecting bombers ending up in the range of scrambling fighters. It is a small inconvenience you have to put up with.
Because of time spent on thinking and micromanaging, sometimes you'll have to spend hours to clear a map. You'll find yourself locked in a stalemate pretty often, and you'll have to spend many turns amassing game changing units and even more turns sending them to the frontline. This slow-paced gameplay damages replayability greatly, because no one wants to go through the tediousness for a second time, and there is no merit or reward either. The multiplayer mode also suffers from it. Thankfully, you can save anytime during the game, but it doesn't work very well when you play with your friends. Taking two or three days to settle just one match makes players lose interest. It might be okay for two players, but imagine having a group of friends waiting to play in turn.
Overall, Famicom Wars has great gameplay. The game's approachability is high. Even though it's all in Japanese, it won't take long to figure out which command does which, and you'll be able to learn how to play it in no time. However, while it's easy to learn, it's also difficult to master. The game is amazingly deep for a Famicom game. It's easy to move your soldiers around, but how to do it effectively is another story. People who like strategy and can overlook the game's slow pace will definitely love it.
Rating: 9/10
Difficulty:
There are two ways to defeat your enemy. You can win by destroying all enemy units, or you can just capture the enemy's HQ with a rifle infantry unit (rocket infantry can't capture HQ). But it isn't as easy as it sounds.
There are two levels of AI's difficulty to choose from: IQ 100 and IQ 200. The IQ 100 difficulty isn't impossible to beat. Anyone should be able to beat it with some effort. On the other hand, the IQ 200 difficulty is significantly harder. The AI will be ruthless. It'll send units at you wave after wave. It's also smart enough not to charge blindly at you. It knows when to fight and when to retreat. In addition, it seems to gain additional combat bonus.
In order to win, you have to grab as many lands as possible from the start and take an early control of strategic points like mountains and bottlenecks. The trickiest part is figuring out the hole in enemy's defense and breaking through it. A war of attrition is almost unavoidable as a blitzkrieg at enemy's HQ is nearly impossible. Perhaps the only way is to push forward slowly and steadily, taking enemy's cities one by one cutting off their sources of money. Having counters against all types of units is also crucial. The AI will throw everything at you and hit you whenever you let your guard down. One wrong move could cost you the map.
In short, the game is pretty challenging and there is no shortcut to victory. Famicom Wars does what strategy games do best, testing your strategic thinking skills. The steep difficulty might not be appealing to everyone, but it's like a coin with two sides. If you love challenges then the higher difficulty setting is for you.
Rating: 8/10
Graphics:
At first, Famicom Wars's graphics look repetitive like all other tile-based games. But if you look closer you'll notice the subtle difference. The game doesn't use only one tile for each kind of terrain, but actually there are a few different tiles. It can be seen here that some mountains look different than others. The terrain are colorful and well-drawn and the shadow effects give dimensions to the surroundings.
The amount of units on the battlefield doesn't pose any problem. Because it's a turn-based game, there is no flickering at all. The problem is with the sprites themselves though. Some units look almost the same and first time players will have trouble identifying them. And the sprites aren't transparent, but have green background. When there are many units on the screen, it's hard to see the terrains behind them.
I've also found a problem while attempting to create units. The game isn't really clear where you can produce your units. Normally, only HQ and factory tiles can produce units, but some city tiles can produce units too. There's no way to know which tile works and which tile doesn't unless you try.
Moreover, faraway airports and shipyards look the same as your starting ones, but they can't produce any units. they only serve to resupply your planes and ships. The game isn't clear on this either.
There are some short animated cutscenes in the game when your units perform special actions, like boarding a vehicle or disembarking, which are nice. However, it's a shame that it doesn't go well with the game's slowness so people usually turn it off eventually.
Rating: 8/10
Sounds:
There aren't that many songs in Famicom Wars. The only themes you'll probably ever here are the two Red Star themes and the two Blue Moon themes. They aren't half bad actually. You'll be hearing them all the time but you won't feel the repetitiveness. They're far from being boring or annoying and they lift your mood well. But they aren't that particularly catchy either. Well, this doesn't mean they aren't good. They just don't stick into your mind that much, but they're still good.
The sound effects are done pretty well. The gunshot, the explosion, the siren, everything sounds good and realistic. Certainly no complaint here.
Rating: 9/10
Conclusion:
Back when I was little, most of the games I had were on the NES. All I had were limited to NES releases. I was lucky enough to get a Famicom not long after I got the NES. Still, there were only a handful of Famicom-exclusive titles in my possession, and Famicom Wars wasn't one of them.
Famicom Wars didn't exist in my childhood memories.
Now the problem with old strategy games is, if you didn't grow up with them, it'd be very unlikely to get hooked on them. Strategy games of today come with in-game tutorials and explanations. You have a step-by-step guide and you don't have to consult the manual every time you come across some weird term. They aren't painstaking to learn. Old strategy games are different. There are an array of cryptically abbreviated commands and a crapload of unknown variables, without any in-game help whatsoever. The game manual is like the plane's navigation system. Without it, you crash.
When I first picked up Famicom Wars, I was already used to modern strategy games and I feared it would be like one of those ancient games. But I was very surprised indeed, because it was absolutely nothing like that. It didn't make me give up during the learning phase, because everything on the screen could be understood instantly. The game mechanics were very newbie-friendly. It didn't force all of its intricacies upon me at once. Instead, it enticed me to go further with its simplicity. In addition, it also made itself presentable with great graphics and sounds, rather than being dull with walls of numbers in grayscale.
That's not all it has though. Although surprisingly simple and highly accessible, Famicom Wars still retains the depth of strategy game. While the game mechanics remain simple for easy learning, the complexities lie in how all the elements intermingle together. The units are excellently balanced. They have their own strengths and weaknesses and are suitable in different situations. Different maps require different tactics, logistics and funds management. You have to plan in accordance with enemy's movements. There is no apparent universal winning method, and you'll learn something new every time.
The only con of this game is its slow gameplay, but it's not much compared to the fun factor. It's like a chess game. It might look like an eternal struggle is ensuing, but seeing your plan works and everything clicks together will give you a rewarding satisfaction. The moment when you manage to outwit your opponent and your chess pieces finally make a breakthrough is truly incomparable.
In conclusion, Famicom Wars proves that a strategy game can do well on home console. It's a classic that doesn't get dated. It's great even by today's standards. Impatient gamers will want to look elsewhere, but the rest of the world will definitely enjoy it. This game is intense yet simple and addictive. It isn't overly complicated as some people or Nintendo might have thought. Even though Super Mario Bros. 2 was a brilliant move, because Famicom Wars is so great and so approachable for everyone, Nintendo might have already made a mistake by underestimating western gamers, and Famicom Wars itself.
Overall rating (not an average): 9.5/10 | Classic
![FW_0_zps308e62f1.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2FFW_0_zps308e62f1.png&hash=c4b03e551950cbd85df2a254b1ad68f6)
Released In: 1988
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Let's look at a Japan-exclusive game for a change.
As far as home console was concerned, strategy games were a rare breed. Strategy is a genre that had been dominant on PC for many years, but for the NES, it was close to being a complete stranger. Turn-based strategy games were scarce, and real-time strategy games were virtually non-existent. Perhaps the complexity was too much for home console, or the joypad wasn't as suitable as the keyboard. There were various reasons that didn't bode well for the future of strategy games on consoles. However, Intelligent Systems were going to see if they could make the difference.
![FW_1_zps9741aafb.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2FFW_1_zps9741aafb.png&hash=7a63441ae1de422e131396a79f9ce94c)
Those who own a Game Boy Advance must have heard or already played Advance Wars. Advance Wars is a military turn-based strategy game that sees various fictional countries waging war at one another. The game was released one day before the 9/11 incident, so its sale was damaged greatly. But this didn't prevent it from receiving critical acclaim. The gameplay is deep and addictive, the AI is challenging and the replayability is high. Apart from other successful series like Mario and Pokemon, it's easily one of the best portable games ever.
![FW_2_zps52ef77d0.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2FFW_2_zps52ef77d0.png&hash=110fdbd56ab981f8649befcca4d258ad)
![FW_2_1_zpsad30c806.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2FFW_2_1_zpsad30c806.png&hash=1c441dfc5ee0c2f64f1944769333fb30)
Advance Wars isn't the first of its kind though, but just a game in the Nintendo Wars series. Even though Advance Wars is the first to reach America, there are already a few titles before it. These titles were Japan-exclusive as back then Nintendo deemed the series too complex and difficult for western gamers (sounds awfully familiar). All of the games were named after their respective platforms. The Nintendo Wars game on Game Boy was named Game Boy Wars, the one on Super Famicom was named Super Famicom Wars, and the one on the Famicom, also the first of the series, was named Famicom Wars.
While Advance Wars has been so successful, it might be hard to imagine how a strategy game could fare well on such a primitive platform like the Famicom. But why not take a look at it?
Controls:
A - Select/Confirm
B - Cancel/Bring up menu
D-pad - Move cursor
Select - Center map on HQ
There is no problem with the controls. Scroll speed is a little slow though. The frame in the bottom left of the screen is vacant. It would be nice to have some kind of minimap there.
Rating: 9/10
Gameplay:
![fw_3_zps1f70a258.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_3_zps1f70a258.png&hash=ab9a76671f666c3897b085b07ca3cdda)
Famicom Wars is about two warring nations, Red Star and Blue Moon. There is no more story here, just two sides that hate and decide to kill each other, so let's just grab a gun and make some kills.
![fw_4_zps4abc3c25.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_4_zps4abc3c25.png&hash=d8ef955a920493ac9b3e1bfc8d067146)
Before you start, you have to set up the game first. Here, you can assign each side to either AI or human player. All animation except combat animation can be turned off. BGM can be changed. And there are two AI difficulty settings you can choose from. Player and difficulty settings can't be changed later, so watch out.
![fw_5_zpsaea3f6df.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_5_zpsaea3f6df.png&hash=9f2d066a709f6ff45f6127141fa372ce)
Then you have to select a map. You can play the maps in any order. You can also come back to play them again even after you've cleared them. The best number of turns spent will be recorded.
And the game will start. Red Star and Blue Moon will take turn to move. Red Star will always moves first. You can bring up the menu anytime during your turn by pressing the B button.
![fw_6_zps14884663.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_6_zps14884663.png&hash=730ec383beed69c960f4994961a7c196)
There are many types of units in Famicom Wars. To produce a unit, you have to move your cursor to a factory tile and choose the produce option. Aircrafts can only be produced at airports and ships can only be produced at shipyards. The maximum number of units a side can have is 48, not too high and not too low. You can generate more of your war funds by capturing cities. The more cities you have, the higher your income is.
![fw_8_zps662b4354.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_8_zps662b4354.png&hash=e3f1486e08766a9f5b06e5735a104019)
Different types of units have different strengths and weaknesses. Infantry units are weak but cheap, and can capture cities. Cavalry units are fast and strong, but they're more expensive and can't traverse mountains or get airlifted. Artillery units can attack from a distance, but can't move at the same time. Air units have excellent mobility, but they're very fragile. Sea units are usually the best support units, but they're very expensive and can only operate at sea. It's kind of like rock-paper-scissors, but with more depth. The developers have done very well in balancing them all. You can't ensure your victory by just pumping out the most expensive units. Air superiority isn't the answer to all questions, and big tanks can easily get blown to smithereens by a few artillery shells.
![fw_9_zps226efa78.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_9_zps226efa78.png&hash=66bf2ce9dcccfd35a648ded48a570936)
In addition, your units can't stay in the battlefield for too long, because they'll run out of supply and ammunition. Ground units can get resupplied in any cities and factories. Air units and sea units have to be resupplied at airports and shipyards respectively. Supply costs money though, so you might want to think twice if it's really necessary. You can also bring some supply trucks to resupply you troops anywhere on the map for free, but they can only support ground units.
![fw_10_zpsee1d6059.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_10_zpsee1d6059.png&hash=6394a86f8676561f43b469dc47383b86)
The outcome of a battle is determined by a few factors. The first and the most obvious is unit type. Heavier units will always win against lighter units in equal quantity, and specialized units, like fighters, are greatly effective against their intended targets. Secondly, terrains also provide your units' defensive bonuses. Weak rifle infantry on mountains can be surprisingly hard to kill. Thirdly, your units' health determine their attack strength. The less HP they have, the less damage they inflict.
There's no way to replenish your units' HP in this game, but you can merge two units together by moving one into another to combine their HP. However, clustering units are easy target for artillery, so sometimes it's better to have cannon fodders in quantity to draw heavy units' fire.
There are many small details to take into account. How to scatter you forces, how to take control of strategic areas and how to manage your resources are all contributing factors to victory. There will be much strategy involved and micromanagement will be necessary.
![fw_11_zpsb75b969f.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_11_zpsb75b969f.png&hash=7459f4743053519170d96160acdc3e36)
Speaking of micromanagement, yes, this game relies on a lot of micromanagement. You have to move each and every of your unit one by one. When you have dozens of units to control, it can take several minutes to finish just a single turn and it might bore you to death.
![fw_11_1_zps0d5b6102.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_11_1_zps0d5b6102.png&hash=ac5ed2f02db89ce648c0a074f9e241db)
Also, you can't check a unit's attack and movement range like in Advance Wars. You have to remember each unit's range and count number of tiles from it. If you're not careful enough, you might find your unsuspecting bombers ending up in the range of scrambling fighters. It is a small inconvenience you have to put up with.
![fw_12_zps866dac3c.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_12_zps866dac3c.png&hash=862beef9da8895c0ae702a9758bb0fea)
Because of time spent on thinking and micromanaging, sometimes you'll have to spend hours to clear a map. You'll find yourself locked in a stalemate pretty often, and you'll have to spend many turns amassing game changing units and even more turns sending them to the frontline. This slow-paced gameplay damages replayability greatly, because no one wants to go through the tediousness for a second time, and there is no merit or reward either. The multiplayer mode also suffers from it. Thankfully, you can save anytime during the game, but it doesn't work very well when you play with your friends. Taking two or three days to settle just one match makes players lose interest. It might be okay for two players, but imagine having a group of friends waiting to play in turn.
![fw_13_zps2f1a1ab1.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_13_zps2f1a1ab1.png&hash=a71e94dcdfd7e52421fe038a2c43cd21)
Overall, Famicom Wars has great gameplay. The game's approachability is high. Even though it's all in Japanese, it won't take long to figure out which command does which, and you'll be able to learn how to play it in no time. However, while it's easy to learn, it's also difficult to master. The game is amazingly deep for a Famicom game. It's easy to move your soldiers around, but how to do it effectively is another story. People who like strategy and can overlook the game's slow pace will definitely love it.
Rating: 9/10
Difficulty:
![fw_14_zpsf0edb001.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_14_zpsf0edb001.png&hash=a04d981c481ac46cb66f499effa2655d)
There are two ways to defeat your enemy. You can win by destroying all enemy units, or you can just capture the enemy's HQ with a rifle infantry unit (rocket infantry can't capture HQ). But it isn't as easy as it sounds.
There are two levels of AI's difficulty to choose from: IQ 100 and IQ 200. The IQ 100 difficulty isn't impossible to beat. Anyone should be able to beat it with some effort. On the other hand, the IQ 200 difficulty is significantly harder. The AI will be ruthless. It'll send units at you wave after wave. It's also smart enough not to charge blindly at you. It knows when to fight and when to retreat. In addition, it seems to gain additional combat bonus.
In order to win, you have to grab as many lands as possible from the start and take an early control of strategic points like mountains and bottlenecks. The trickiest part is figuring out the hole in enemy's defense and breaking through it. A war of attrition is almost unavoidable as a blitzkrieg at enemy's HQ is nearly impossible. Perhaps the only way is to push forward slowly and steadily, taking enemy's cities one by one cutting off their sources of money. Having counters against all types of units is also crucial. The AI will throw everything at you and hit you whenever you let your guard down. One wrong move could cost you the map.
In short, the game is pretty challenging and there is no shortcut to victory. Famicom Wars does what strategy games do best, testing your strategic thinking skills. The steep difficulty might not be appealing to everyone, but it's like a coin with two sides. If you love challenges then the higher difficulty setting is for you.
Rating: 8/10
Graphics:
At first, Famicom Wars's graphics look repetitive like all other tile-based games. But if you look closer you'll notice the subtle difference. The game doesn't use only one tile for each kind of terrain, but actually there are a few different tiles. It can be seen here that some mountains look different than others. The terrain are colorful and well-drawn and the shadow effects give dimensions to the surroundings.
![fw_15_zps9051ee14.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_15_zps9051ee14.png&hash=12942271f4ac3a6c712a51e8d4bc98b6)
The amount of units on the battlefield doesn't pose any problem. Because it's a turn-based game, there is no flickering at all. The problem is with the sprites themselves though. Some units look almost the same and first time players will have trouble identifying them. And the sprites aren't transparent, but have green background. When there are many units on the screen, it's hard to see the terrains behind them.
![fw_16_zps6432dbee.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_16_zps6432dbee.png&hash=8a9dabb82d525c79a67645d5d04e8af2)
![fw_17_zpsfbe48731.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_17_zpsfbe48731.png&hash=c9b280d8084e0a20ad6adb446525805c)
I've also found a problem while attempting to create units. The game isn't really clear where you can produce your units. Normally, only HQ and factory tiles can produce units, but some city tiles can produce units too. There's no way to know which tile works and which tile doesn't unless you try.
![fw_18_zpsf4ea66c2.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_18_zpsf4ea66c2.png&hash=e649e031a21cf02d9965a25d9ec6006d)
Moreover, faraway airports and shipyards look the same as your starting ones, but they can't produce any units. they only serve to resupply your planes and ships. The game isn't clear on this either.
![fw_19_zps842266ab.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_19_zps842266ab.png&hash=c86ed049158457c429b7aef0e2089b22)
There are some short animated cutscenes in the game when your units perform special actions, like boarding a vehicle or disembarking, which are nice. However, it's a shame that it doesn't go well with the game's slowness so people usually turn it off eventually.
Rating: 8/10
Sounds:
There aren't that many songs in Famicom Wars. The only themes you'll probably ever here are the two Red Star themes and the two Blue Moon themes. They aren't half bad actually. You'll be hearing them all the time but you won't feel the repetitiveness. They're far from being boring or annoying and they lift your mood well. But they aren't that particularly catchy either. Well, this doesn't mean they aren't good. They just don't stick into your mind that much, but they're still good.
The sound effects are done pretty well. The gunshot, the explosion, the siren, everything sounds good and realistic. Certainly no complaint here.
Rating: 9/10
Conclusion:
Back when I was little, most of the games I had were on the NES. All I had were limited to NES releases. I was lucky enough to get a Famicom not long after I got the NES. Still, there were only a handful of Famicom-exclusive titles in my possession, and Famicom Wars wasn't one of them.
Famicom Wars didn't exist in my childhood memories.
![fw_20_zps04aa997a.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_20_zps04aa997a.png&hash=24a9a62432121b485c634313a816a5ca)
Now the problem with old strategy games is, if you didn't grow up with them, it'd be very unlikely to get hooked on them. Strategy games of today come with in-game tutorials and explanations. You have a step-by-step guide and you don't have to consult the manual every time you come across some weird term. They aren't painstaking to learn. Old strategy games are different. There are an array of cryptically abbreviated commands and a crapload of unknown variables, without any in-game help whatsoever. The game manual is like the plane's navigation system. Without it, you crash.
When I first picked up Famicom Wars, I was already used to modern strategy games and I feared it would be like one of those ancient games. But I was very surprised indeed, because it was absolutely nothing like that. It didn't make me give up during the learning phase, because everything on the screen could be understood instantly. The game mechanics were very newbie-friendly. It didn't force all of its intricacies upon me at once. Instead, it enticed me to go further with its simplicity. In addition, it also made itself presentable with great graphics and sounds, rather than being dull with walls of numbers in grayscale.
That's not all it has though. Although surprisingly simple and highly accessible, Famicom Wars still retains the depth of strategy game. While the game mechanics remain simple for easy learning, the complexities lie in how all the elements intermingle together. The units are excellently balanced. They have their own strengths and weaknesses and are suitable in different situations. Different maps require different tactics, logistics and funds management. You have to plan in accordance with enemy's movements. There is no apparent universal winning method, and you'll learn something new every time.
The only con of this game is its slow gameplay, but it's not much compared to the fun factor. It's like a chess game. It might look like an eternal struggle is ensuing, but seeing your plan works and everything clicks together will give you a rewarding satisfaction. The moment when you manage to outwit your opponent and your chess pieces finally make a breakthrough is truly incomparable.
![fw_21_zpsef0c4732.png](https://p.anime-sharing.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi418.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp261%2Ffrank_fc%2Ffw_21_zpsef0c4732.png&hash=9807014e1e357f12a93c646b4efc643d)
In conclusion, Famicom Wars proves that a strategy game can do well on home console. It's a classic that doesn't get dated. It's great even by today's standards. Impatient gamers will want to look elsewhere, but the rest of the world will definitely enjoy it. This game is intense yet simple and addictive. It isn't overly complicated as some people or Nintendo might have thought. Even though Super Mario Bros. 2 was a brilliant move, because Famicom Wars is so great and so approachable for everyone, Nintendo might have already made a mistake by underestimating western gamers, and Famicom Wars itself.
Overall rating (not an average): 9.5/10 | Classic
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