Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising

Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising is a turn-based strategy game published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. The game developed by Intelligent Systems is the direct sequel to Advance Wars, and it continues the story of the four nations of Wars World—Orange Star, Blue Moon, Yellow Comet, and Green Earth—as they face a renewed threat from the sinister Black Hole Army.

The game was directed by Makoto Shimojo and produced by Tōru Narihiro, who had long been associated with Intelligent Systems' strategy titles. Advance Wars 2 builds directly on the core mechanics of its predecessor, preserving the accessible yet deep gameplay that had made the original such a success. Players command armies composed of various unit types, including infantry, tanks, artillery, naval vessels, and aircraft, each with its strengths and weaknesses. The game plays out across a grid-based map, where terrain and unit positioning are crucial to success.

One of the most significant additions in Black Hole Rising is the inclusion of Super CO Powers, which extend the Commanding Officer’s influence in battle. Each CO still has a unique ability that can shift the tide of war, but now they also have a second, more powerful version of their power that requires more time to charge. This mechanic introduced additional tactical layers, as players must now weigh the timing and impact of both regular and super abilities. The game also features new units like the Neotank, as well as more destructible terrain, such as pipelines and missile silos, which encourage more varied strategies.

The origins of èAdvance Wars trace back to the long-running Famicom Wars series in Japan, which debuted in 1988 for the Famicom. These early entries established the core elements of the series, and Advance Wars refined them for Western audiences when it launched in 2001. The release of Advance Wars and its sequel helped introduce a new generation of players to turn-based tactical games and inspired several other titles in the genre, including Fire Emblem (which gained international popularity after Advance Wars' success), as well as later handheld and mobile strategy games such as Wargroove.

Graphically, Advance Wars 2 maintains the clean, colorful style of its predecessor. The user interface is intuitive, and the animations—while simple—convey the necessary information clearly. The music and sound effects are energetic and varied between COs, helping to give each faction a distinctive feel.

While not as revolutionary as the first entry, Black Hole Rising is often praised for polishing and expanding the formula in meaningful ways. Its tight balance, challenging campaign, and expanded CO roster make it one of the most refined strategy experiences available on the Game Boy Advance. It remains a high point in turn-based tactical gaming, and its influence is still seen in the design of modern indie strategy titles today.