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Somebody's Ambition
There are so many Koei strategy games out there that it can be hard to keep them straight, especially when we can't read much of the text. It's even worse when there are two titles in the same series on the same system being promoted at the same time. In this case, the games actually interact with one another.The new Nobunaga no Yabou 2 (Nobunaga's Ambition 2) is a more traditional Nobunaga's Ambition game, focusing on the big (Japan-wide) picture rather than battles between individual units. It can connect to the more Advance Wars-like Kunitori Zunou Battle Nobunaga no Yabou via local wireless to unlock secret generals. While we wish either of these games would be released here, we just think it's neat to interface two different DS games to unlock stuff.%Gallery-19665%
Try and play Nobunaga's Ambition, win green tea [Update 1]
In one of the oddest gaming tie-ins we've heard of since the glorious days of Yo! Noid, Koei and Coca-Cola have announced a cross-promotion between Kunitori Zunou Battle Nobunaga no Yabou (Domination Battle of the Brains: Nobunaga's Ambition) and ... some kind of Coca-Cola-branded green tea.We've not the foggiest how the two products are related (we find it difficult to imagine Sengoku period warlords indulging in some green tea-sipping action), but the deal did give us a chance to sample the game through the promotional site that's been set up (scroll down and click on the white box to get things rolling). It looks and plays very nicely, so give it a go!Famitsu also mentions that 100 Japan-based players who try the demo will randomly be chosen to win a six-pack of Coca-Cola's green tea. Alas, it's not the most import-friendly of games, so even if we did reside in Japan, it looks like we'd be purchasing our green tea supplies like everyone else who doesn't have the knack for turn-based strategy.[Update: Corrected minor details regarding brand of green tea and prize.]%Gallery-19665%[Via Famitsu]
Nobunaga's Ambition Dominates our Brains
Look, Koei, this relationship -- you and us -- it can work. It's really quite simple. We have money. You have Kunitori Zunou Battle Nobunaga no Yabou (Domination Battle of the Brains: Nobunaga's Ambition). Announce a western localization and the twain shall meet. It's mutually beneficial, y'see.Game Watch has new shots of the turn-based strategy title, including first glimpses of the extensive multiplayer modes (you may recall that both local play and Wi-Fi Connection battles are supported), the usual line-up of terribly stern Japanese army generals from a simpler, more violent age, and lots of cryptic-looking maps we can only pretend to understand. Charge headlong into our gallery for 21 fresh screens.%Gallery-19665%
Nobunaga's Ambition exceeds that of its rivals
Our recommendation of Kunitori Zunou Battle Nobunaga no Yabou (Domination Battle of the Brains: Nobunaga's Ambition) as an alternative to Advance Wars is looking safer by the day, with Koei revealing to Impress Watch that the game would support certain modes that not even Intelligent Systems' title featured.In particular, the multiplayer seems to have had considerable attention lavished upon it. Not only is there wireless DS-to-DS play and the ability to play others with a single card, but there's also Wi-Fi Connection battles for -- get this -- up to four players. Which is precisely what Advance Wars: Days of Ruin needed, if you ask us.Aside from this super-happy news, Impress Watch profiled the eight daimyo (warlords from Japan's feudal period) that will appear in the title, all of whom are historically accurate figures (with probably-not-historically accurate special abilities). Apparently, players will have the option of fighting actual battles that took place. Oh yes, and there are screens. Lots of lovely new screens. Many of which contain this strange device. What is it? No idea. First one to tell us gets our everlasting admiration.%Gallery-19665%
Koei really needs to localize Nobunaga's Ambition
We've got fingers, toes, and pretty much everything else crossed for an English language version of Kunitori Zunou Battle Nobunaga no Yabou (Domination Battle of the Brains: Nobunaga's Ambition).It's not that we're massively enamored by the Dynasty Warriors-style art or anything (we're really not, actually), but any game which lets us indulge in long, beard-stroking periods of deliberation while mentally picturing ourselves as great military daimyo commanding vast armies in feudal Japan will be lapped up around these parts. Oh yeah, and some of us could really do with being weaned off of other strategy titles.Going by the latest screens, we're confident that this will boast a lovely, hard-centered strategic core for us to sink our teeth into and generally obsess about, so let's see it in the west, Koei!%Gallery-19665%
Nobunaga's Ambition is to provide you screenshots
It's a shame that of Koei's many DS strategy titles, the only one to make it stateside so far has been Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle, a poorly executed action spin-off of the revered Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. We would love to see more games like this in US stores, especially Sega's Sangokushi Taisen. Kunitori Zunou Battle Nobunaga no Yabou (Domination Battle of the Brains: Nobunaga's Ambition), Koei's newest turn-based strategy title, will likely never see a release here, either.As with other titles in the Nobunaga's Ambition series, players command armies and manage their territory's expansion to unify a feudal Japan in this DS title. Warlords and military forces are represented as chess-like pieces on a game board. Players have the option of playing both computer warlords and their friends, online and locally. Hit the gallery below for more screenshots or head over to the official Japanese site for some in-game video. %Gallery-19665%[Via Inside Games]
