Tiny Metal Reviews
Tiny Metal has the core mechanics nailed down brilliantly, even if it has cribbed much of its structure from the famous Advance Wars franchise.
Strong, indie response for Advance Wars from GBA. Quite simple, but unbelievable engaging turn-based strategy with an interesting graphics.
Review in Polish | Read full review
AREA 35's first UNITES title is a solid effort. Despite its simplistic looks is a game that demands a good amount of planning and strategy. Tiny Metal will definitely be familiar to Nintendo fans who are still looking for their next Advance Wars fix. While gamers new to the genre will find that Tiny Metal is a nice diversion for all those AAA games that haven't lived up to the hype. To still a phase from the old 16-bit console wars, AREA 35 does what Nintendont.
Tiny Metal is a great homage to the Advance Wars series that is going to seriously scratch that itch for fans of Nintendo's strategy series. Its colorful look, fun gameplay mechanics, good unit variety and a solid amount of content to enjoy will keep you busy for several hours, making this a must-buy for fans of the strategy genre. Area35 did a great job with this game, and I'm very glad this one made it to the Nintendo Switch.
Tiny Metal has clearly taken a lot more than inspiration from the Advance Wars series, although they have thrown in a few new mechanics and a decent length single player which helps make this game it's own. The story is engaging, exciting and compelling and will have you intrigued all the way to the end with each battle different to the last due to the reveal of new units and mechanics along the way.
Tiny Metal doesn't copy the Advance Wars formula — it improves it.
A lack of multiplayer at release detracts from how brilliant (and essential) Tiny Metal could have been, but it's the next best thing to Advance Wars that's currently available on the Nintendo Switch. Fans of that and/or turn-based strategy games will find something worthwhile here, despite that not so tiny price.
It seems like with the release of the Multiplayer patch Tiny Metal is finally meeting its potential, though to be clear the support isn’t terribly robust by any means. The core gameplay is certainly there, and should please strategy fans, but the Campaign’s story isn’t terribly interesting and the computer AI won’t likely impress strategy veterans. Assuming you’re able to coordinate with someone online to set up a lobby and match up the multiplayer patch should make for a great additional feature, but if you’re just looking for a random match-up keep in mind your enjoyment will be subject to some luck both in terms of finding a match and it being satisfying.
Overall, it's a game that feels explicitly made for fans of a very specific series in a very specific genre. If you don't like Advance Wars, you almost certainly won't like this. If you like Advance Wars and come into Tiny Metal with slightly measured expectations, you will find a good strategy RPG that borrows unashamedly yet reverently.
This might not be the Advance Wars that most fans want, but it is a solid strategy game offering a decent amount of options and depth in combat.
This charming strategy game offers some cheap thrills, but the battles grow old quickly thanks to a lack of depth
A perfectly competent Advance Wars clone, but until the free multiplayer DLC turns up it's only the half the game it should be.
Tiny Metal brings accessible turn-based military strategy back into the spotlight
Tiny Metal is a love letter to turn-based strategy games of the past, offering a similar experience which doesn't overstay its welcome. Sadly, the game by Area 35 doesn't even try to move away from its main influence, the Advance Wars series, resulting in a game that doesn't feel particularly daring or innovative. Still, there's plenty of fun to be had, especially in Skirmish Mode, where all of the game's subsystems and mechanics get the chance to shine.
Tiny Metal is an admirable return to the traditional turn-based strategy genre. There's enough of a challenge both in the campaign and skirmish mode to keep players happy for a good while, but the lack of any sort of multiplayer at launch hurts its overall score.
Overall, Tiny Metal is a very promising, and likely the best, attempt at replicating the successful Advance Wars formula that fans have been looking for. Although multiplayer has yet to be added to the game, and there are some minor performance issues, each of these can be taken care of with a few patches. This puts the game in a position to be great after a bit more work has been done to it, or to make an easily improved sequel.
Tiny Metal is a fun little strategy game, although a few issues stop it from being truly amazing
It's Advance Wars for a new generation as Japanese anime characters collide with adorable 3D units for turn-based combat.
The various maps during the campaign, the well written story, and the pace of gameplay (outside of story elements) makes Tiny Metal a great addition to the Switch library of games. Tiny Metal gets a solid 3.5 out of 5. The price point may be a little high at $24.99, especially without multiplayer available, but for fans of this genre, Tiny Metal makes for a wonderful experience.
Underneath a forgettable campaign and unimpressive AI, Tiny Metal houses the seed of a really deep and entertaining multiplayer wargame. But until a head-to-head mode is added, it's not much more than a set of unchallenging training scenarios broken up by far too much overwrought dialogue. I had plenty of fun with it, but didn't get the kind of edge-of-my-seat decision-making moments that turned the tide of a difficult battle I could find in similar games. I'd recommend delaying your enlistment until all the pieces are in place.