Yggdra Union

Strategy buffs must be in love with the Game Boy Advance. It's home to some of the best magician-studded, spell-casting war games ever made - and this fall there's another fiendish uprising to stuff in Yggdra Union (say it with us: Igg-dra).

Like any globe-spanning, turn-based battle for supremacy, this one begins with an out of control empire pillaging a relatively peaceful community. It so happens they left alive Princess Yggdra, who escapes and vows revenge on the Bronkia empire.

So it's off to the grid-based grasslands, ragtag army in tow, to take back your land. You'll do so by using decks of Tactical Cards that control everything from movement to attacks, similar to the PSP's Metal Gear Acid. Creating a well-rounded deck of cards will probably dictate the battle plan just as much as your tactical expertise.

Based on the avalanche of beautiful artwork that Yggdra is boasting, we know that almost every mythological monstrosity in existence will make an appearance, from mace-wielding skeletons to crusty old mummies. To balance out the undead, expect a large helping of human aid, like archers, fencers and knights to make their rounds. Obviously, certain units will be strong and weak against other types, but that's part of the tactical charm.

The GBA was never a stranger to deep-as-the-ocean strategy games, but one more island of adventure in that vast sea won't bother us a bit. It also doesn't hurt that, thanks to the magic of backwards compatibility, Yggdra might recruit some new genre fans through the Nintendo DS.