After six and a half years smash hit from Ensemble Studios and one of the best-selling real-time strategy, Age of Empires II, returned. On the Nintendo DS. Through the efforts of Backbone Entertainment Game turned into a turn-based strategy (a la Advance Wars), while retaining virtually all the key elements of the original.
DS-version of Age of Empires: The Age of Kings will hold us through five lengthy scenarios that describe the life and adventure of Joan of Arc, Esitsune Minamoto, Genghis Khan, Saladin and Richard the Lionheart. Each scenario consists of five or six missions in which you put in front of as necessary to win, and minor problems. Mission interspersed with historical references to great leaders and their achievements. In addition to scripts, there is the possibility of free games on the chosen card to the computer or live opponents, and fight like you can on one DS (mode Hot Seat), or via a wireless Wi-Fi connection.
 | |  | Forge adds 20% to protect the city and opens the five developments in each era, beginning with the feudal. | | In an extensive library, you can find out a little of everything. Sometimes it can be very helpful. |
On display in an isometric projection maps we encounter the familiar units - from standard spearmen and cavalry to the mercenaries of other nationalities and siege guns. Units by the respective buildings, and buildings are built trainees in the town center peasants. Actually, the city center in The Age of Kings - the starting point, because the building is allowed to deploy only about him. Exceptions - castles, gold mine and mill farms.
Number of resources in DS-version of the game cut in half - now I have to worry only about the gold and eating. They spent in different proportions to everything - from hiring people to build buildings and developments. Last here also moved from the PC-version (at the same time a restriction on the development of one a day).
As in the PC-version, the enormous role played by age, reflecting the development of your civilization. To cross the Rubicon between them, to meet the quota rather big on resources and development - but the result justifies the investment.After all, the more advanced civilization, the more powerful units and the more useful technologies can be explored!
 | |  | Paladins (one of the most powerful cavalry) are available only in the imperial era. | | Trebuchet in the Age of Empires, as well as artillery in Advance Wars, and can not attack and move in one turn. |
Warriors very balanced and varied. We should also mention the heroes - those same generals who are devoted to campaign mode. They are endowed with unique abilities to influence the tide of battle, unfortunately, the effect is not as great as in the same Advance Wars.
Alas, DS-version of The Age of Kings markedly curtailed compared to the original. The number of races has decreased from 13 (18 if you count from the add-on'om The Conquerors) to 5 resources - up to 2 cards lost in the scale of the mission - in variety, and gameplay - in dynamics. But - it is always with me, on a small cartridge! And yet, despite all these reductions, The Age of Kings is a good historical strategy, worthy to be on your Nintendo DS.
 | Two screens? |
As can be seen from the screenshots, the top screen is reserved for information about units, buildings and the types of areas, while all the action unfolds on the touch screen. As in AW: DS, all event can be controlled with the stylus, but much more convenient to do buttons.
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