Soooooo good, amazing in every way. These are exactly the kind of gameplay changes that I was desperate for in AW 2 and 3, but now they've done it in an awesome post-apocalyptic setting.

Finally! the adult visual upgrade to the series the little kid inside all of us has been secretly wishing for , my eyes have never been happier sure its missing a few fun elements from dual strike but all that can be forgiven instantly when u jump on wifi an play advanced wars with people all around the globe simply a must buy for any ds owner young or old.

Better graphic, better info display, no more overpowered co-power, good story line, love the commander boarding system. definitely an improvement of Advance Wars Dual Strike.

Story: In the plot department, Days of Ruin (DOR) is a dramatic departure from the familiar "let's all band together for good" storylines of the last three Advance War games. In place of those bunny-loving, rainbow-admiring themes, we have a dark, gritty, post-apocalyptic world where everyone is fighting for survival. Some are just looking to band with other survivors in the interests of finally getting a chance to score, while others are taking advantage of the chaos (also with the ultimate goal of scoring in mind). Meteors have rained down from space, leaving most of the world dead and spicing up the lives of morticians everywhere. In this world there is betrayal, death and greed. Among this mess, you follow a military student named Will. This young man is saved by Captain Brenner, whose goal is to rescue survivors, forge a bright future, and find a way to beat that ridiculously difficult X-men game for the Sega Genesis without cheating (good luck, cap'n). Gameplay: Those who are familiar with the Advance Wars series will feel right at home in DOR. Little has changed overall, but things have been tweaked to make the game a little faster paced and more balanced, likening it to sex on a tightrope. The change you will notice right off the bat is Commanding Officers – or COs, as they are called – no longer affecting your units right away. This time around, you have your COs enter a particular unit, boosting its strength and defense. The unit also gets a "CO Zone," which carries with it the faint odor of Goomba droppings (don't worry, the stench of your own gamer sweat will overpower this displeasing aroma). Inside the CO Zone, units get a boost. Furthermore, as they do damage from within said zone, the aura will expand like a fat man's gut at a buffet. Once the zone maxes out, you have a choice to make: you can use your CO's special power, or you can just enjoy the advantage that the expanded zone gives you. This makes the decision more of a strategic choice that could require some thinking, which is unfortunate for the mentally handicapped players of DOR. The special powers in DOR feel more balanced and tactical than the game-breaking, mutant-like powers of the previous games. The Advance Wars gameplay has always had just the right level of strategy for casual gamers to enjoy. You don't have to obsess over the game to have a good time. Presentation: Once again, the story in DOR is told through stills and text that do a decent job of conveying what's going on, so long as you're literate. If you're not literate, you can't read this, and won't mind that I'm confessing to having slept with your wife. The music in the game can be hit or miss, depending on your tastes, but you can definitely tell it's of a higher quality then previous entries in the series. A prime example of this would be Will's theme, which has a killer kazoo solo from 3:14 to 6:58. Unfortunately, there's been a decent amount of content cut from DOR compared to the last Advance Wars game. Gone are the semi-RTS mini-game, the War Room and the Battle Map Store. Still, I feel all of this is offset by the series's much-needed addition of online play. With Nintendo Wi-Fi you can download and upload custom maps and play against friends (with lo-fi voice chat). You can also play against random opponents when you realize you don't actually have any friends. I had no problem finding someone to play against at any time of night. This is a worthwhile addition to the Advance Wars series, and with the implementation of online play, it makes for a title that's extremely recommendable to fans of the series and new players alike. … Expand

It's Advance Wars we know and love, but I just can't seem to like it well enough, no matter how much I would like to do so. First of all, the soundtrack choices were terrible; everything sounds like awkward riffs that are nothing more than background noise--they are, in my opinion, much worse than that of Dual Strike. Even without using the comparison, they are pretty bad as far as background musics go. Menus, though, are somewhat intuitive, and getting rid of DS battles and combat mode are a good calls. Also welcoming are subdued power differences between units; War Tanks, looking very much like Megatanks of Dual Strike, are now substantially weakened, and much of the newer units (black boat, etc.) are gone, for better or worse. AI also seems to be smarter than before, and CO powers are no longer the gamebreakers that it used to be; there is only CO power--no Super Power or Tag Power--so a lot more emphasis is taken on the tactics. CO info, though, I wish it was more comprehensive, and the lack of war room is missed. It's a good game, but for all they hype it had, it's kind of a disappointment. I probably won't play half as long on the new Advance Wars as i did on the old one (I racked up 200+ hours on Dual Strike).… Expand

Awesome game, Advance Wars fans will be very pleased. It's a 100+ hour package.

This game improves on the gameplay of Dual Strike (which was nearly perfect) and gives the game a more grownup twist to try and interest casual browsers. Stop browsing and get this game. It is VERY good.

As a big fan of the Dual Strike game, this follow-up is a standout game... One of the best in the DS library! I've now spent more than 100 hours+ on this game (trying to get the elusive "S" medal on every level) and have many more hours of fun on the way. A keeper!!

If they didn't used the name 'advance wars' it would have been a 7, but now they misused this name. Advance wars had it's own style and character list, which they completely ignored when they made this game. So in my opinion, it's rubbish because the name 'Advance wars' indicates a new part in the series, and this game is certainly NOT a new part in the series, it's completely different.… Expand

It is quite an enjoyable game! They kept a lot of the good points from past games, and included some new ones. The semi-deep plot for the story, the darker over-tones, and all that junk. I'm just saddened by the characters mostly. In the past titles, what I looked forward to would have to be the characters, even their respective nations. Almost every character from AW:DS and down was nearly memorable: Grit with his awesome indirects, Colin and his cheap units, the invincible Kanbei, and can anyone not forget how painful Sturm was? But in this new game I'm barely interested in any of the CO's, I mean I could go on a forum and ask someone: "Remember Tasha?" and the answer would probably come up as "Who?". It's not the presentation of the characters that labels them as forgettable, it's how they're used. In older AW games each CO usually had it's own type of strategy, but in AW:DOR they usually mold into just mech spamming, doesn't matter what CO power you have, maybe you might have an extra artillery or two, but when push comes to shove all the CO's are pretty much the same, and you can expect them to be the same. When I play with friends I usually end up being Forsythe so I just automatically start with a large CO territory boost, and not even have to worry about getting a CO power. Now about the Nation units: I was disappointed by the fact each nation didn't have individual types of units. I don't want to spoil plots, and I understand a lot of the nations/teams are pretty much from the same nation. But I mean there's no recognition between vehicles either, the only difference that I can see is that 12th Battalion, and NRA have GI helmets, and hold their guns at the waists, while Lauzarians and IDS have berets and hold their guns at their shoulders. Really? We've come this far and this is all we get? The Game Boy Advance had WAY more differences betwen their nations, right up to all the air units, and ships. I really enjoyed those aesthetic add-ons you know? But anyways it was a good game, and if you're a fan of the series, have a good maybe week to spare... You'll need a ton of patience as the difficulty curve for this game is HUGE, or you just like torturing yourself. This game isn't really a waste for your 20 or so dollars, and I hope you enjoy it. :)… Expand

I don't know how they could have made Dual Strike better, but somehow they didnt just make it better, they made it probably the best game on the DS right now. Tons of units, amazing new art direction (I liked the old style too, but this is different and just as good) improved on a ton of features and included online wifi with up to four people. If you own a DS you must own this game, even if you hate advance wars. it's that good.… Expand

AW:DoR has more balanced units, better AI, and online/wi-fi games are easy to set up. The game delivers 100%. Best game on DS.

One thing that most of these reviews fail to mention, is that this is a sequal to the NES version, "Famicom Wars" and doesn't follow the Advance Wars storyline we know and love. That being said, this stands out as the best portable game I have played since first picking up Advance Wars 1 for GBA. Purists be warned: This game is unit oriented- NOT CO Power-oriented like AW:DS. It makes for a harder game, but well rewarding. The music will blow you away and will keep you sucked in. The soryline... Very matured for an Advance Wars game. People who have been playing this series from the git-go will appreciate the maturity that each game gives in it's progression. This follows that in spades. I don't want to spoil much, but I have had more fun with this $35 game than shelling out $70 for Mass Effect:CE. Pick it up. Oh, you can play online too!… Expand

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is exactly what I wanted and expected from the new iteration: A game that was true to it's roots, and still had enough change in it to be truly new. I find the changes to be extensive and extremely well placed, while not overwhelming. The actual changes to the game play were in my opinion one thing that needed fixed about this game. Certain units have been repriced. (MD Tank, slightly worse but cheaper and more economically viable.) Others have been rehashed. (Neo Tank and Mega Tank turned into War Tank... Which isn't overpowered or insanely overpriced.) There is a multitude of other changes as well, and naval combat has gone from being slow and tedious to high stakes and deadly, where everything can end in one clean stroke. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is amazing because it has fixed the game in my opinion. Ever since the original, it's all become about higher firepower, this game reduces that element and creates a more balanced game. And who could seriously say this new look doesn't suit the game? And what of WiFi abilities? The fact that balance has been restored to the game makes WiFi amazing.… Expand

This game is by far the best game you may see on the DS platform. It takes a great formula for turn-based action and makes it perfect. If you are planning to buy this game then you are spending your money wisely. But alas! For this game has flaws... Some of the units in this game might have been extremely broken and no based on what they are actually meant to do. Helicopters can not attack certain air-born units, anti-air vehicles are extremely overpowered(They can take down many units solo), and most of the units are spammed heavily online. One of the most common spam that I have seen is War Tank rushing. A player creates 20 War Tanks and then rushes you with an inevitable doom. Infantry spam and Anti-tank spam along with anti-air spam has been commonly seen online. But never less, great game. Map maker is perfect, storyline will keep you busy, and online battles are fun with the use of voice chat to communicate with your rival. I would have to say this game is an overall 9.5.… Expand

As said by quite a few, I'd still regard Dual Strike as a better game, with the giant array of CO's, the hours of unlockable content, the great feeling when you rip apart an army with a dual strike, there's just alot more reward to the game for a single player. That being said, the multi-player in days of ruin is a lot of fun, and the map making ability is alot more advanced in this game too. So in short, unless you're a wi-fi nut, Dual strike is alot more fun and rewarding, and has better longevity!… Expand

It's a fun game, can get excruciatingly difficult at some points, and map maker is a lot of fun. If you have multiplayer that's supposed to be fun, i haven't been able to play multi. Plus if you enjoy the soundtrack there's a music room, as well as your current amount of (enemy name here) destroyed, of course this is all my opinion, i personally prefer this over Dual Strike, mainly due to it's darker and more suitable theme for a war game.… Expand

The strategy is as deep and fun as ever, but it seems like the game takes a few small steps backwards with the removal of the (somewhat overpowered) CO abilities and powers from the previous games. A standout title nonetheless.

I ask you, Is this TRULY advance wars? advance wars was a bright, cutesy, colourful turn based strategies with quirky characters and wierd and wonderful units to command. This has the same gameplay changed slightly (which makes it worse in my opinion) and puts everything in a dreary brown/grey outlook. Good gameplay, but the look of the game is a disappointment

I learned of this game by reading a gaming magazine over someone's shoulder and I, owning the first Advance Wars on the GBA and enjoying it greatly, started to drool. Game reviews should be about what was achieved in the game we're actually talking about, not the company's changes from one story in the game world to another. I never played Dual Strike so maybe I'm not as "impartial" as most of you, but Days of Ruin was (and still is) definitely a ten out of ten in all aspects. Gameplay: a welcome change was making the tactics more unit-based, don't get me wrong, I loved my old Advance War game on the GBA but I often (more often then not) found myself using the CO's that were more neutral (like good ole Andy) than the others. The CO powers have to be earned in Days of Ruin where in the previous titles all you have to do is play and use them (more tactics involved, a plus) I also like the tutorial being built into the campaign mode so you can start plying for the first time and not have to do those cute little tutorial modes. Music: awe inspiring, the best music for Advance Wars (no longer annoying).… Expand

A welcome change. While Dual Strike was and still is an awesome game, it wasn’t that much different from Advance Wars 1 & 2 on the GBA and so I think it was a good idea to change the art style and story. Just remember that Days of Ruin doesn’t replace Dual Strike in any way because the 2 games are completely unrelated and set in different worlds! Days of Ruin is a darker, more realistic game than Dual Strike and has a more interesting story. Dual Strike’s story was kind of dragging on as it had barely changed since the first game. Days of Ruin doesn’t have some of the units from Dual Strike but it has some new ones that are very effective which evens it out. To me, the 2 games are just as good as each other as they both offer something different while retaining that same addictive Advance Wars gameplay. People shouldn’t be disappointed with Days of Ruin as it’s a fresh change and things would have started to get stale if it hadn’t changed. Seriously though, Dual Strike had dual CO powers so do we really need it again? Days of Ruin has a different kind of CO power where the CO actually boards tanks and other vehicles…..but this is a good thing! The series needs variety and it’s good that Days of Ruin offers this variety. If I want to play Advance Wars with Dual CO powers I’ll play Dual Strike. The game is called Dual Strike because it has dual CO powers but Days of Ruin is a different game so why must it have dual CO powers? This game isn’t called ‘Dual Strike 2’ so it’s not like they HAVE to have dual CO powers in the game. People don’t look at it this way. Both games are awesome….both the same kind of game but at the same time they’re both real different which is why you should play both.… Expand

Think of it as Advance Wars with an over-clocked Kick-Ass chip. You will not be disappointed.

I am only 6 battles in which means I have not made it to the really mind-bending battles. With that said I have played Dual Strike and I like Days of Ruin better. I like the sound better, everyone is not so happy and cheesy. It's war folks. I may have been missing something but the menu layout on this version seems more intuitive. I would say to take the time to read the manual to at least understand your assets and what they can/cannot do. I HATED AWDS because of the Dual Strike aspect of the game so if you liked that you may miss it. I, however, am stoked that is gone as I often felt like the AI was cheating Puzzle Quest-style. EXCELLENT game if you like turn-based-strategy and fans of AW will not be disappointed in my opinion.… Expand

A great strategy game, The last Advance Wars game I played before this was Advance Wars for the GBA. In this you can play either with the stylus or without. The units are different from the last time I played & they got rid of the old happy art style and made a more feeling of war. The story seems believable & I like the graphics. It has WiFi & when you play a friend you can use a mic. Overall its a good game & can get frustrating. 8.5/10… Expand

Much more adult game, faster combat ( but all seems more stationary than before), much darker story line with artwork to match, the removal of the stupid tag powers that basically broke duel strike (they were fun tho!) and the co powers themselves beign a lot more tactical and having to plan ahead ot use them, lots of tactical depth here, hence the score The main complaint i have is simply why oh why did they have to rename it for the EU release, days of ruin is a much cooler title than dark conflict! Also the other problem is not with the game but with certain reviews saying that the war room has been removed, but there is a free battle mode that is effectivly this games war room AND you get the trial maps during the campaign as well (obviously Joe A hasn't spotted this :p )… Expand

The reason that i'm giving this game a 9 is because it is an Advance Wars game. And that is my favorite thing. However, i have grown attached to the old characters over the years, and miss the querky attitude of the older games. Sure, i did enjoy the darker look, but i didn't care about the characters as much as i had in the last game. i hope that one day the creators will bring back the old characters... I just felt that the game could have used more diverse COs and perhaps a War Room mode, and unlockables. This would have greatly increased the replay value. Although, Free play is unlimited in itself, it's just more fun unlocking things.… Expand

I am a fan of the series, but I was disturbed by the direction of this game. Part of the allure of the previous installments was that it allowed for a Turn Based Strategy game with a followable plot but none of the emotional depth. Bringing the ethics of war, genocide, and genetic engineering into the game made it more mature, but lost the causal gameplay status, in my opinion.

This game is very fun, the music is great and the difficulty, while high, manages to please. The story and setting also get a little more darker, which in this case isn't a bad decision at all, and it actually benefits the game. Characters are also likeable, and villains are detestable. Perfect! For TBS fans, this should be a must play. It's really awesome.

This a really good ds game but somtimes gets boring and slow but most of the time it's fun it has good graphics for ds and there's so many classes and they all have good and bad things but it's a fun game overall!

Probably the best Turn based game for the DS I've ever played. One of the only reasons why I have a DS in the first place besides Pokemon. The post - apocalyptic change was pretty cool, it really adds more flavor to the game. Very good game overall.

A nice evolution of Advance Wars. Some may argue that the new gameplay elements are for the worse, but they do add a level of sophistication in my opinion. Now you don't just pick a CO and rampage with a set of benefited units... The difficulty is pretty high (the last campaign map is ridiculous) but it's a very good game for strategy players.