Looks rather different than its predecessor:  http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3163288

f---, I just started a masters degree in Europe and all of a sudden this little piece of electronic crack-cocaine makes its way over to this continent first!  I think I'm going to flunk out now.  I'm so excited for this, though!

Even being more "realistic" I hope it doesn't completely drop the lovely character designs the Advanced Wars series had up to now.

Jeux France has additional screens, showing off some of the new character designs:
http://www.jeux-france.com/news22039_ad … u-mgs.html

There's some video of the gameplay as well:
http://www.dsfanboy.com/2007/10/06/adva … -its-side/

It's all looking really good to me. The Black Hole story was pretty much played out, so a fresh start isn't entirely unwelcome. I'm just hoping they keep the dual-CO setup and add tons of new units (mid-air refuel, please!).

I notice it still lacks a mention on the NoA game list.  Looks like a game I'll be importing if the EU gets it first.  The character designs do look quite different than the three games released in the US so far.

You know, I seem to hear the AW series lovingly referred to these terms a lot.

... Right, it was me who said it once as well. ;)

Haha, great minds.  To be honest, the only way I can describe my obsessive joy that surrounded AWDS is to liken it to an over-glorified crack-cocaine addiction.  Many a responsibility was passed over for a round in the War Room...  I can't wait for this to drop in Europe.

Well, not that this is definitive of anything, but it was worth a randomly shouted expletive to NOT see Advance Wars 2 on this E For All list:  http://www.destructoid.com/finally-a-go … .phtml#ext

Lametacular, Nintendo.

Please note that every single game on Nintendo's E for All list is either already out in the U.S. or will be out by the end of 2007.  E for All is not the E3 of old.  You won't be playing games four years before they come out anymore (cough Conker cough cough).  I'd be pretty surprised if Advance Wars DS 2 isn't released in the U.S. sometime next year.  And even if it was coming to the U.S. this year, there's not much point in trying to play strategy games at these kinds of shows.

I understand, but remember that it was playable at that game show in France, right?  Therefore, it seems that this game, announced in Europe and first displayed playable in Europe, remains unmentioned on NOA's site, and now unavailable at E For All, is not getting the proper respect from NOA.  This isn't the first DS game that gets a EU release without a US release (not that I'm greatly distraught Tingle isn't released here, I'm quite tempted to import it).  I'm greatly, perhaps irrationally, concerned because the Advance Wars series is just an amazing amount of fun.

I'm pretty sure AWDS sold enough in North America to warrant a release there.  If not, I'm sure there are some STCers (myself included) willing to mail you a copy for the price of the game plus shipping, so don't get too worried about it.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was being released in North America before Europe anyway.

So?  Wii Fit has been playable before and that's not being shown here and you'd better believe that one is coming here.  What the two have in common is that neither is coming out in the U.S. this year, and, as such, are not at this show.  Now, I realize that Wii Fit has been announced for a U.S. release whereas Advance Wars 2 hasn't (as of this writing), but I wouldn't worry.  Remember that Nintendo released Chibi Robo DS here and that doesn't have a prayer in hell of selling.

Brawl's not coming this year now, so they should take it out of E For All.  = P

Here's some more screens of AWDS2.  http://www.destructoid.com/first-offici … 8674.phtml  I actually like the new style.

The game has a name now: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin. Seems to fit in well with the post-apocalyptic style. DS Fanboy also mentions a date for the NA release: January 21. That's much sooner than I expected o_O

Hold on while I make a few calls. ;-)

New style looks fantastic. WiFi, downloadable user created maps, rebalanced game mechanics and adjustments to units, can't wait to play this. Strategy game crack indeed. Awesome to be getting the game so soon.

Yeah, I like the look. I also like the fact that it seems to be an all-new story. I adored the first one but liked the second one less. Partly because it was so similar so simply couldn't have the same effect but also because the enemy was so focused. Yes, it's mostly just cosmetic but I got much more out of fighting my way through the different factions in AW1. So I when AW DS turned out to be totally Black Hole, and pretty much more of the exact same, my interest dropped completely. I only played about 10 missions.

I've actually just gone back to it and the break has freshened it up a bit for me. It's no doubt a great game but I'm really hoping that the changes to AWDS2 breathe new life into the game.

Having said all that, I did actually love the more cartoony feel of AW1's visuals. In part, it helped remove me from the war realities and keep kids sending troops to their deaths bearable.

Advance Wars are not played for their stories. The first one was mismashed joke. The second was in the same tone but focusing on Black Hole made it more balanced while the new Black Hole COs and the CO-specific missions added a lot to the variety. Sure, AW1 had different missions for the three COs, but those didn't really make use of their special abilities. AW2 gave you all the COs and specifically tailored missions for all of them.

The campaign in AWDS might not have been quite as strong for that reason, but the gameplay really hit the jackpot with the dual CO system and the skills system. It seems Days of Ruin skips the dual CO system, but I'm sure the gameplay will still be great - all the AW games have been great on their own right, and each iteration has managed to hone the gameplay ever closer to brilliance.

grandjedi6 over at NeoGAF got ahold of the latest Nintendo Power, and it's got a bevy of information about upcoming holiday releases into early 2008.  He's got a whole lot of new info on Advances Wars: Days of Ruin.  Here's what he wrote in the thread:

The main character is Will, after the meteorite hit and killed every one he spent weeks living on only canned bread while digging himself out of rubble and dead bodies.
- 26 main missions
- 30 “training” missions can be unlocked as you complete levels
- new “Bike infantry” unit, can move quickly and capture cities but doesn’t have as much fire power as larger vehicles
-“Flare”, a new tank unit that can lob a bright light at enemies that are concealed by the Fog of War.
-“Duster”, a crop duster aircraft that can attack any kind of aircraft or land unit, but it isn’t as powerful.
- “Mobile Cannon” units
-another new unit is a ship that can mesh smartly with existing units (???)
-Everytime a unit destroys another unit it gains a rank, which gives it added strength. Can be upgrade 3 times, then it is a “veteran” unit
- CO powers aren’t as powerful as before
- The CO rides with a unit of your choice, giving that unit “veteran” status and power. If the unit gets defeated the CO returns to the base.
-As the CO’s unit destroys enemies the CO fills the CO power gauge.
-CO makes nearby vehicle’s more powerful
- CO’s also have a “CO zone” which gives units in the zone different power ups based on the CO. For example, a CO could give units added defense or increase their visual range.
- Friend Code Wifi battles are voice chat inabled, just like Pokemon Diamond & Pearl was.
- Over 150 multiplayer campaigns available.
- You can create your own map which can then be uploaded to a server for all players in the world to try. People can also rank the uploaded map’s quality.
- Other CO’s include Isabella, has amsnesia and can only remember sensitive military details (looks like a shy anime girl ripoff);
-and Waylon, a hot shot flyboy who suddenly finds himself allyless (looks a life a “Are you a bad enough dude to save the president” rip off)

All sounds good to me. Hope it comes out soon.

Whoa, that sounds like a big chance. Wonder if they've removed map-wide CO effects completely?

Crop duster? We're going to fertilize our enemies to death?

The changes and additions sound interesting so far. I can live with nerfed CO powers (though I will miss the Sasha and Colin tag team of death) as long as the COs are more balanced.

I am excited to learn that story missions can be replayed at any time after they're completed. That was a much-needed feature in the previous games, so it's great that they finally added it. Now, if only they'd introduce a way to refuel planes in mid-air....

Seems that way:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Wars:_Days_of_Ruin

"The CO power does not have an effect beyond a set range from the CO's unit, so any units not within that range will not be affected by the CO power."

Correction: The above quote actually refers to "CO effect" and not the CO power. CO Powers still affect all units on the map.

I'm not sure I like units levelling up, though.  It could be potentially game breaking.