As one could probably assume from how much I dug Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp back in 2023, I dig Advance Wars. As such, I couldn’t pass up the chance to play Tiny Metal 2 at PAX East, as it takes heavy influence from the long-overshadowed Intelligent Systems tactical series. I admittedly haven’t played the original Tiny Metal, but I will absolutely be doing so after my time with the upcoming sequel.
Right off the bat, I need to sing the praises of Tiny Metal 2’s visuals. Though 3D is rarely my preferred style compared to pixel art, the 3D models and animations in the demo I played somehow evoked the feel and vivid colors of a Game Boy Advance game. It’s a super unique style that I already love deeply, and I think it makes complete sense for a game that so clearly strives to be a spiritual successor to Advance Wars.
Tiny Metal 2 features excellent commander designs.
Similarly, the commander designs are incredibly memorable in Tiny Metal 2. I get the vibe that, like the game’s inspiration, the commanders are loosely based on different places around the world. One seems to be based on a Tengu, while the other has a distinctly Eastern European look. I’m fond of this approach to portraying a fictional yet recognizable world, and I’m happy to see it’s been carried over.
Naturally, the gameplay of Tiny Metal 2 feels fantastic. You’re able to maneuver tanks, trucks, boats, submarines, and more across various sorts of terrain during your turn, with the goal of the demo level being to rout the enemy. The tactile feeling of clicking a unit and the square you want it to go to is snappy and satisfying, and the attack impacts feel weighty.
Naturally, I can’t really speak to how difficult or well laid-out the maps and stages will be after playing one special level on the PAX showfloor, but the snippet I played was a blast, regardless. Tiny Metal 2 seems to really understand how important speed and snappiness are to this sort of tactical game, and how fun it is to use different vehicles and unit types at your own discretion. Also, though it’s a tiny, very event-exclusive thing, I liked that the demo’s writing and objective were centered on it being shown at PAX. It’s a cute little thing that, I hope, speaks to how fun the writing could be in the full game.
The complete release promises to have co-op and versus online modes, custom lobbies, and even an ELO ranking system for people who want to get especially competitive, so even those who aren’t all that interested in the campaign will be able to get pretty deeply into the game on a deeper level.
There’s presently no release date for Tiny Metal 2, but you can currently request access to join the playtest on the game’s Steam page. If you love games like Fire Emblem for the gameplay more than the narrative, I think you’ll find a lot to love here. The future of Advance Wars itself doesn’t seem especially bright, so I’m pretty thrilled that Tiny Metal 2 is here to fill the void left in its absence.
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