Orange Star

A nation caught in a false accusation that sparks a global war, but never the aggressor against its neighbors.

Orange Star is one of the five major factions in the Advance Wars universe, engaged in a years-long conflict with Blue Moon on a fictional continent. The nation becomes the epicenter of a worldwide war when its commanding officer, Andy, is falsely accused of attacking Green Earth without cause. Led by the de facto leader Nell, who acts as a tactical advisor to the player, Orange Star fields commanders like Max and Sami alongside Andy. In the first game, the campaign is linear with the player always controlling Andy; branching paths based on CO selection are a feature of Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising. The nation's military efforts are defined by grid-based turn-based battles where capturing headquarters or routing enemy units secures victory.

Quick Facts

Primary leader

Nell (de facto leader)

Notable commanders

Andy
Max
Sami

Capital city

Orange Star HQ

First appearance

Advance Wars (2001)

Status

Active Nation in a worldwide war

Lore & Background

The narrative begins with Orange Star fighting a generic Blue Moon force, though the conflict later escalates when CO Olaf is introduced as Blue Moon's commander. The situation takes a dark turn when Andy is falsely accused of treacherous aggression against Green Earth's forces under CO Eagle. Following this accusation, the Orange Star Army pushes into Blue Moon territory, but contrary to some claims, Olaf and Grit were always COs of Blue Moon and never served in the Orange Star Army. As the war expands, Green Earth and Yellow Comet join the conflict against Orange Star—not because Orange Star invaded them, but due to Black Hole's machinations or misunderstandings following the false accusations against Andy. In the original Advance Wars, the story does not branch based on which CO the player advises; the campaign is linear with the player always controlling Andy.

Reader's Guide

Advance Wars places players in command of Orange Star units on grid-based maps against up to three other armies. Victory is achieved by destroying all enemy units or capturing their headquarters, though some missions require capturing cities or surviving a set number of days. The game features a tutorial mode called Field Training and a campaign that adapts to player choices regarding COs. Terrain like roads, woods, mountains, and reefs significantly impacts movement and defense, while fog of war restricts vision based on individual unit lines of sight. Units have specific weapon types (primary/secondary) and limited ammunition, requiring strategic resupply. Fuel management is critical: ground units stop moving when empty, while air and naval units are destroyed. Players earn coins and ranks (from #100 to #1) by winning battles, unlocking new COs and maps in the Battle Maps shop.

Did You Know?

The original Advance Wars was released in 2001 with no development delays; claims of a 2004 delay are false.
Units like infantry can expand vision when stationed in mountains, while woods and reefs remain invisible unless a unit is adjacent to them.

Fictional Conflict Origins

The game takes place on a fictional continent where Orange Star and Blue Moon have fought for years. The conflict escalates into a worldwide war when Andy, an Orange Star commanding officer, is accused of attacking Yellow Comet and Green Earth armies without reason. This accusation serves as the catalyst that draws all four nations into a broader struggle.

Western Market Breakthrough

Nintendo initially doubted Western interest in turn-based strategy due to complex mechanics. To address this, Intelligent Systems simplified the gameplay and added an in-depth tutorial that required no manual reading. Designer Kentaro Nishimura noted this success shifted Nintendo's attitude toward Western tastes, directly driving the decision to bring Fire Emblem outside Japan starting with its seventh installment.

Release History and Delays

Advance Wars released in North America on September 10, 2001. Releases in Europe (January 2002) and Japan were delayed due to the September 11 attacks. The Japanese release finally occurred in 2004 via the Game Boy Wars Advance 1+2 compilation, alongside its sequel Black Hole Rising, whose original Japanese release was cancelled. A Wii U Virtual Console re-release followed on April 3, 2014. On April 21, 2023, WayForward released the remake Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp for Nintendo Switch in America and Europe, but not Japan.

Strategic Gameplay Mechanics

Battles are turn-based with two to four armies led by Commanding Officers (COs). COs possess a Power Meter that fills by defeating units or taking heavy damage; when full, they unleash CO Powers like Nell's Critical Strike bonus or Olaf's snow effect. Units have primary and secondary weapons, limited ammo, and fuel constraints. Terrain affects movement and defense but not air units. Fog of war limits vision to unit-specific lines of sight, with infantry gaining advantage in mountains.