I still remember when I was in primary school, I secretly held the GBA in my bed and played the 256KB Chinese version of Three Kingdoms. You can only rely on pixel soldiers to open up territories. The enemy generals don't even have voice dialogues, so they all rely on imagination. I have to wait for a long time to save the game after a game, for fear that the power will be cut off and the game will be in vain. 🕹️ At that time, I didn't know what “operation” meant at all. I only knew how to fill the city with soldiers, and then rush all the way. I cried when I lost, and I was happy all day long when I won.
Youth is back! The Three Kingdoms strategy games of those days were very simple: siege cities, capture generals, and unify. But if you play more, you will find that the gameplay is actually the same. Build troops in the city and push them outside. Training of generals depends entirely on random values, and there is no way to fine-tune the strategy. The current mobile game "Thirty-six Strategies" really makes my eyes shine. It seems that the dream on GBA has been moved to the high-definition big screen, and it is more complete. 🎮
Let me compare a classic game to a modern remaster. Let's talk about the title system first. In the past, in GBA, the official position was just a name. There was not much difference between civil and military officials. When you became the emperor, you only had a few more lines. However, in "Thirty-Six Strategies", the title directly affects the resources of the fief and the efficiency of internal affairs, and can also bring real official benefits. Every time you are promoted, it is like getting full marks in the exam back then, and you have a sense of accomplishment! 🎖️ Then there is fiefdom management. In the past, building a house was just a matter of clicking and waiting. Now there are more collections, resource allocation, and random events. It feels like you are really managing a city, as if you can smell the smell of books and iron armor.
What excites me the most is the skill combination of military commanders. In the past, on GBA, generals only had three values: force, intelligence, and command. Skills? If it doesn't exist, there is at most a "Fire Strategy" or a "Water Attack", and it's just a pixel animation. In the current "Thirty-Six Strategies", generals' skills can be freely combined, active and passive, and combined with the restraint of arms and terrain, a team of troops can perform a set of combos. The operational feel is almost as refreshing as playing "Three Kingdoms: Mixed Edition" on the PSP.
But to be honest, modern mobile games also have regrets. I used to play the Three Kingdoms strategy game on the NDS. The touch screen clicked smoothly, and it was so exciting to hold a pen in one hand and press buttons in the other. Although the touch screen of mobile phones is very convenient now, it lacks the feedback of physical buttons and the ritual feeling of carrying exclusiveness. In addition, the charging model has changed. In the past, you could just buy a cassette and play for eternity. Now there are in-app purchases and card draws. Although it is not compulsory to make money, when you occasionally see limited-time activities, you will still miss the purity of playing all the endings with a pirated disk. 💰 But having said that, modern mobile games have beautiful graphics, fast updates, and can be played online. Back then, you and your classmates could only gather in front of the GBA after school. Now, you can match thousands of people online to attack the city anytime and anywhere. Technology has really changed youth.
In short, "Thirty-Six Strategies" can be regarded as retaining the soul of the classic Three Kingdoms SLG, and adding modern social and development elements. If you are like me and have ever dreamed of strategizing on a handheld console, now you can try this one. You may not be able to find the simple yet perfect touch of GBA back then, but you will definitely be able to find new passion and memories. 🔥
(P.S. I once again praise the title system, I always like the free combination of general skills!)