Wargroove Switch review: Above and beyond what came before

The biggest selling point for Wargroove is that it has really reminded players of games of the past. From the art style to the way it plays, it has taken up the mantle of strategy games. What sets Wargroove out though is that fact that it builds and improves on the games it aims to emulate.

Wargroove on Nintendo Switch

Wargroove on Nintendo Switch (Image: WARGROOVE)

The Turn-based tactical gameplay at its core is very much inspired by Advance Wars, the strategy game that made its name on the Game Boy Advance but during my time with Wargroove it showed it’s more than just a clone. The main aim of the gameplay is to outsmart your opponent on the battlefield.

Managing and maintaining the various units is essential to making sure that I was victorious on each of the levels. Taking your time to fully get to know each units’ strengths and weaknesses are vital and will make the difference between success and failure.

The pixel graphics are vivid and are very charming. Each level location is easily understandable thanks to the clever use of the art style which could easily be misunderstood if the developers didn’t put as much attention to detail in. Commanders and army units all look detailed considering how many pixels they are made up of.

The story starts with the assassination of a King and his daughter Mercia taking the crown and travelling the world to protect the Cherrystone Kingdom.

As the story progresses you must take on various factions from the dark Felheim Legion to the Floran Tribes; that as the name may suggest are plant-based.

The tactical battles make use of land, air and sea units to overrun your opponents.

Specific missions require you to completely take out your adversaries; while certain scenarios need you to keep the enemies away while you allow your villagers to get to safety.

While the missions are mostly enjoyable, while still learning the game and getting used to the systems, these missions can take over 45 minutes to complete which do feel like they are dragging on.

One thing that attributes to that longer playtime is the stylised battle sequences that are great visually but take just a couple of seconds too long which means I ended up having them set to auto-skip; which is a shame because they are good.

Outside of the main campaign, there is still a wealth of content on offer.

The arcade mode means you can play the way you want on a variety of various maps. Puzzle mode means that you have certain scenarios that must be very specifically approached to have any chance of success.

Multiplayer means you can check your abilities against other players either locally or online.

The can be manic fun, and the ability to set how you want to play is a welcome addition. Custom content could be the key to the longevity of Wargroove. Players can create their own levels which means that there is always something new to do.

Wargroove has defined itself as a game that stands out on its own regardless of what it originally may have been modelled on.

Its story is aspiring and even once that’s done, there is a wealth of content to explore and enjoy.