Re-fight the Korean War on your Android! Computer Game Review

Passed Inspection: detailed play, nice graphics, great AI, fantastic value for the price

Failed Basic: too easy to move a unit by mistake and no option to take back a move, solo play only

Joni Nuutinen is a Finnish developer of strategy games for the Android system. An overview of his games for the Android Operating System was published back in 2015.

http://armchairgeneral.com/conflict-series-android-os-game-review.htm

With tensions being so tight on the Korean Peninsula right now, it seems the time is right to look at one of Nuutinen’s newer games – The Korean War 1950-1953. The app size is small and will fit easily on many devices without taking up too much storage space. This app is for Android versions 4.1 or higher.

The game is a strategic look at the Korean War. The player controls divisions from the Republic of Korea as well as America and other United Nation Allies such as the British and the Australians. Each turn represents 4 days of the conflict. At the bottom of the screen is a status line showing the turn number and month, day and year. Also on the status line are indicators for the victory points earned, temporary movement points and rail movement points.

Units are divisions and battalions of infantry, engineers, artillery and armor as well as air squadrons. The air squadrons are P51 Mustangs left over from World War II. United Nations forces have Sherman tanks while the North Koreans and Chinese forces have T34s for their armored battalions.

Each unit is rated for damage points, movement points and fatigue. In addition, each unit has a tactics menu which allows the player to customize the units attack strategies and defensive strategies. For example, a unit can be ordered to maintain a breakthrough attack strategy which makes it very aggressive at the risk of losing damage points by being overly concerned with taking ground over defense. For defensive strategies, a unit can be ordered to offer a stiff, normal or flexible defensive posture.

Engineer units can be used to set up M*A*S*H hospital units, lay minefields, make or destroy roads and railroad tracks, make airfields and even to provide support to the infantry when attacking fortifications.

Ships provide much needed supplies and reinforcements.

When two opposing units are adjacent to each other, they can engage in combat. Combat can result in the unit being destroyed, being damaged, retreating or restating the attack.

Terrain includes mountains, swamps, cities, forests, etc.

The graphics are very attractive for a strategic level game but there are no sounds effects. The menus and main screen are laid out well with everything big enough to see even on a smaller cell phone screen.

The game is turn based. You move and attack with your units and then end the turn. At the end of each turn, the results are displayed along with a list of additional resources that you gain for the next turn. In addition, factoids about the Korean War and other conflicts are displayed. So you learn as well as have fun!

During each turn, resources become available which allow you to augment your forces with heavy weapons, give them extra movement or heal them as well as other options.

The game autosaves so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to save your game. Only one game can be saved at a time as the new save overwrites the old save file.

The game is solo only; there are no two player options.

The game accommodates touch screen technology for picking up units, scrolling the maps, etc.

My only real complaint is that there is no way to take back a move. Sometimes ship convoys seem to move even when you don’t want them to – this appears to be a result of trying to scroll the map and accidently picking up a ship convoy with your finger.

This game is very fun and demonstrates the challenges of fighting in Korea during the 1950s. The AI is very fierce and aggressive – especially when the Chinese get involved to support their North Korean allies. I thought I was going to lose the game as the Chinese forced my United Nations forces and our South Korean forces almost in to the sea. Then more United Nations forces arrived by convoy including much needed leaders and armored battalions. In the course of a few months worth of turns, we forced the Chinese and North Koreans back, retook Soul and landed reinforcements at Inchon.

If you want a fun and addictive strategy game to add to your Android device, try the Korean War, it’s a blast and look for other games by Joni Nuutinen covering subjects as diverse as the American Revolutionary War to World War II battles. For less than $4.00, you really can’t go wrong.

Armchair General Rating: 90 %
Solitaire Rating: 5 (1 to 5 with 1 being Poor and 5 being Perfect for Solo)
About the Author
A college film instructor and small business owner, Richard Martin has also worked in the legal and real estate professions, is involved in video production, film criticism, sports shooting and is an avid World War I and II gamer who can remember war games which came in plastic bags and cost $2.99 (he’s really that old)!