According to a recent rumor from our crazed “Rumors Editor” Louie the Cat, Napoleon will not be released outside of Japan. Although this strategy game seems like it would be a great game for North America, Nintendo allegedly feel the interest might not be there. The rumor might be incorrect –this is just something we’ve heard.

If the rumor would be true, it seems like we’d be missing out a great game. To make matters worse, Napoleon features a great deal of Japanese text, making it VERY difficult to appreciate (or play) the game fully if you don’t know the language.

We hope Louie is wrong; if he is, we might see Napoleon at Nintendo’s booth next month at E3. If nothing else, we can hopefully get some answers from Nintendo on the matter.

Last updated: 01/16/2001 by Max Lake

It figures, just hours after I first uploaded this preview, Nintendo released new screens and info on it. So, check out the new pics at Napoleon's profile, and know that two-player battles over the link cable have been confirmed! The game is still planned for release at GBA's launch in Japan.

Last updated: 01/10/2001

Along with some mascot driven games, Nintendo is also readying some new endeavors for its upcoming handheld, Game Boy Advance. Sure, Mario and Pokemon are great n’ all but Nintendo is clearly trying to establish an eclectic offering of software for the GBA. This is certainly encouraging to see, especially for the older crowd. Among these new games is Napoleon, a realtime strategy game (or RTS) with luscious graphics and in-depth gameplay.

Set in the revolutionary war, Napoleon puts you in charge of an army with your sites set on “conquer.” It seems that you actually take the role of the legendary commander himself, yet for now the role the historical title-character will play is unidentified. What is certain is that you do control a general on horseback and must lead your troops into battle, ordering the fall of all who stand in your way.

Your army is divided into various regimens. Unlike most RTS games, you will not able to omnisciently bark orders at all of your troops at once. Instead, you must evidently walk close to the commander you wish to give orders to, who in executes the instructions to his set of troops. Morale also comes into play; the enthusiasm of your troops will begin to diminish when you are losing a battle. However, you can let lose a battle cry (“Hurrah!”) that helps raise their spirits. The manner in which you treat your troops will actually influence their performance,

The primary object of the game is to overcome opposing forces and capture the enemy’s fortress. For each mission, you must position your soldiers strategically in order to best help them obtain victory. Winning battles helps you accumulate funds that you can use to buy more soldiers, weaponry and tools to assist you in your next clash. One of the available screenshots displays snow, indicating that battlefields will feature a variety of weather conditions, something that could affect the outcome of each skirmish.

Although there were only two missions playable at Space World 2000, hands on reports indicate that the graphics, animation and sound all reflected genuine quality. Although there are frequently several units onscreen at once, the Napoleon runs smoothly throughout. The title is jam packed with detail, strategy and a pretty mature setting. Napoleon is another perfect example of how Nintendo won’t just be paying attention to the kiddies this time around.

The game will support the link cable, though it is currently uncertain how many players can get in on multiplay. Although nothing has been mentioned, as an RTS game, Napoleon seems like the ideal title to include some form of online multiplayer.

Appears that Napoleon will be available for launch in Japan on March 21st. There is probably a lot of text in the game, making it a little less tempting to import. However, there’s no indication that Napoleon won’t be a US release for GBA. It simply looks too good to be obscure.