Advance Wars: Days of Ruin (titled Advance Wars: Dark Conflict in Europe and Australia) is a turn-based tactics video game for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the fourth installment in the Advance Wars series (preceded by Advance Wars: Dual Strike) and was released in North America on January 21, 2008; in Europe on January 25, 2008; and in Australia on February 21, 2008.,

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin was intended to have a darker atmosphere and more serious tone in contrast to the previous installments in the series, and features a new storyline independent of the previous games. Set amidst a post-apocalyptic world, the story focuses on the Rubinelle 12th Battalion, one of the surviving remnants of the military of the country of Rubinelle, which had been locked in a century-long war with its rival, Lazuria, prior to a devastating global meteor shower. In the aftermath, the Battalion devotes itself to saving any other survivors of the disaster, despite the shattered nations renewing their war against each other and an uncurable disease ravaging both sides. Meanwhile, a mysterious faction with unknown motives takes advantage of the destruction and pushes both sides deeper into conflict from behind the scenes.[

A new take on war gives this game a fresh feeling, although feeling familiar at the same time. It sheds it's cutesy, almost comical approach to war, for a more serious and rugged post-apocalyptic setting. The addition of the CO system adds an exciting new layer to the already deep gameplay. This time around you can actually have a CO out in the field in the fray with your army. The dynamics of boosting your CO bar in order to use your CO power have been modified dramatically. The online portion is also fleshed out: you can battle with others online, and you can upload and download maps from Nintendo WiFi Connection to keep the gameplay experience fresh through the addition of new maps. Voice chat through VOIP is also present, but you can only do this with people in your friends list, so don't expect Halo-like trash talk fests. :) The only drawback is the lack of unlockables (which to me was icing on the Advance Wars cake). Overall this is a worthy addition to a very high Advance Wars pedigree, and a title that's worth adding to your videogame library. 5 stars.