FIRE EMBLEM

is a strategy video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems (specifically Shouzou Kaga),^[1] the makers of ''Advance Wars'' (which shares some of ''Fire Emblem's strategic elements), and published by Nintendo Co., Ltd. The ''Fire Emblem'' series is well-known for its innovation and for introducing the first tactical role-playing game, with a strong emphasis on Western forms of medieval folklore. The series is also renowned for having deeply developed characters, as well as the fact that most units' death — or defeat in battle — is permanent in the game until the end of the playthrough.^[2] The series currently spans ten games, and has been released on the Famicom, Super Famicom, Game Boy Advance, GameCube and Wii.^[3]
''Fire Emblem'', the seventh title in the series, became the first to see an international release in 2003,^[4] largely due to the popularity of ''Fire Emblem'' characters Marth and Roy's appearances in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''.^[5] Released outside of Japan simply as ''Fire Emblem'', the game was designed specifically with newcomers to the series in mind, and the first ten chapters were structured in a manner that eased newcomers into the gameplay.^[6] All ''Fire Emblem'' titles produced since have also seen international release.^[7]

Contents

Gameplay

Basics

Units

Supports

Death

The Fire Emblem

Setting

Games

Music

Influence on other media

Anime

Card game

Appearance in other games

Media reception and sales

See also

References

External links

Gameplay

Basics

The ''Fire Emblem'' series is a series of turn-based strategy games that involve moving units through a map grid in order to defeat the opposition and eventually complete a mission objective such as seizing a base,^[6] surviving for a number of turns, or defeating a boss. Many conventions of traditional console role-playing games are also present; for example, the player may spend money to buy weapons and special items from shops, visit villages and towns, engage in conversations with NPCs or enemy characters, and transfer equipment between characters.^[9]
Depending on the game, these actions may take place during or in-between battles.
The combat system bases itself on a rock-paper-scissors method of fighting,^[2] as each weapon type has both an advantage and a disadvantage against other types. From ''Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu'' to the most recent game '', the weapon triangle has been lance beats sword, sword beats axe, and axe beats lance.^[11] Bows are unaffected by the triangle and can do higher amounts of damage against flying units like pegasi and wyverns,^[2] but this is offset by the bow-wielder's inability to counter-attack direct melee strikes. A similar trinity of magic, that varies from game to game, has also existed. In the Game Boy Advance ''Fire Emblem'' games, light beats dark, dark beats anima, and anima beats light.^[13] In other games, fire beats wind, wind beats thunder, and thunder beats fire. Magic is also unique in that magical attacks can be used from either a distance or in melee range.
Unlike in most other games, most weapons in the ''Fire Emblem'' series have a finite number of uses and will eventually break. Therefore, the player must often buy replacement weapons or spend gold to have broken weapons repaired.^[6] Typically, weaker weapons such as the low-tier iron weapons allow more uses than the more powerful steel and silver weapons.

Units

Unlike in ''Advance Wars'' and other tactical RPGs such as ''Final Fantasy Tactics'', player-generated units are absent. Instead, ''Fire Emblem'' utilizes a distinct cast of characters, each belonging to one of many character classes and having a personality and past of his or her own.^[2] Typically, the size of the player's character roster is very small at the beginning of each game, but as progress is made, other units may join the player's party through story events or through actions taken. The latter games in the series typically contain playable rosters between thirty and fifty characters deep.^[16]
Using units in battle will allow them to gain experience points; a character's level will increase upon gaining one hundred experience points. Leveling up party members can be a challenge, as many newly recruited units arrive with inferior levels and statistics,^[17] but because the amount of experience earned from defeating an enemy is determined by the level discrepancy between the battling units, characters at lower levels earn more experience than higher-leveled characters when defeating enemies of comparable level. In addition to statistics, units have weapon ranks, which run from E (lowest) to S (highest). Units can only use weapons or magical tomes whose rank is equal to or lower than their own, but weapon ranks can be increased by repeatedly using weapons of that type.
As characters level up, they may gain the ability to change to a more powerful character class, often referred to as "promotion." Depending on the mechanics of the particular game, characters may promote upon reaching a certain level,^[2] or through the use of special items that instantly cause promotion. Major characters may automatically promote during story events. Characters that promote receive a one-time statistics upgrade that is higher than the average leveling upgrade and additional abilities that are standards of the higher-tier classes.

Supports

Romance and friendship are prevalent themes throughout the ''Fire Emblem'' series. Starting from the sixth game, ''Fuuin no Tsurugi'',^[19] this characteristic has been further emphasized in the gameplay itself through the use of support conversations. In the GBA ''Fire Emblem'' titles, these conversations can be triggered by having specific pairs of characters end their turns standing next to each other. After a specific number of turns have accumulated, the player is given the option to view a support conversation between the two characters; this process can occur up to three times.^[16] ''Path of Radiance'' altered the approach by requiring characters to be in a certain number of battles together and not necessarily adjacent to one another.^[21] Characters who support each other receive statistical bonuses, based on support level and each character's elemental affinity, that activate any time they are within three spaces of each other on the battlefield.^[16] If two characters with a mutual romantic attraction, strong friendship, or other form of mutual connection engage in three support conversations throughout the game, the result will sometimes affect the game's ending.^[23] Depending on the characters involved, such results could include marriage, a deepening of friendship, or a continued pursuit of their ongoing relationship.

Death

''Fire Emblem'' characters that run out of hit points and die cannot be brought back to life in game.^[2] This also affects recruitable NPC and enemy units. If a player wishes to continue using a character or to recruit a would-be playable unit that has been killed, then the player must restart that chapter from the beginning. In addition, a "Game Over" occurs whenever one of the main characters falls, or in other situations depending on a mission's requirements. Only under special circumstances, such as being significantly related to the story, will characters who have fallen in battle not actually die, though the player will still be unable to use them in further battles.^[9] In extremely rare situations, characters that fall in battle can become playable at a later point in the game. For example, in ''Fire Emblem'', the game is split into two parts, Lyn's tale and Eliwood's (or Hector's) tale; all characters from Lyn's tale are recruited again in the second part of the game, whether or not they survived the first part. Exceptions aside, there is normally no method for restoring a fallen character's life.

The Fire Emblem

The eponymous item of the games is a plot device or item that has taken multiple forms throughout the series, changing with the setting. The original Fire Emblem was a shield. In the remake of the original game in ''Monshō no Nazo'', Marth can use the Fire Emblem to open chests, and in Book Two (the second half of the game), it can be upgraded with five orbs to turn it into the Shield of Seals.^[26] In ''Seisen no Keifu'', it does not appear, but it is mentioned as the family crest of the Velthomer house by the person succeeding it.^[27] In ''Fūin no Tsurugi'' and ''Fire Emblem'', the Fire Emblem is a gemstone required for a ceremony to recognize the heir to the throne of Bern and also to seal away Idoun, the Dark Dragon. In ''The Sacred Stones'', the Fire Emblem is the Sacred Stone of Grado, which holds the Demon King's (a dark deity in ''Sacred Stones'') spirit, but it is split in two (the other half forms the Dark Stone), and the Fire Emblem is crushed. In ''Path of Radiance'' and ''Radiant Dawn'', it is another name for Lehran's Medallion, an artifact containing the imprisoned spirit of a dark god.

Setting

The primary settings of the ''Fire Emblem'' series are commonly defined by the names of the continents on which the games are set. Aside from Akaneia and Barensia, which are confirmed to be part of the same world, each continent is thought to exist in its own separate universe with its own incarnation of the Fire Emblem. Games set on the same continent are typically linked through the overarching storyline and character relationships. For example, ''Fire Emblem'' is a prequel to ''Fūin no Tsurugi'',^[28] and some of the characters in these games are blood-related. There are currently six continents:
'Akaneia:'^[1] ''Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi'' – ''Monshou no Nazo''

'Barensia:^[30]' ''Gaiden''

'Jugdral:' ''Seisen no Keifu'' – ''Thracia 776^[31]

'Elibe:' ''Fūin no Tsurugi^[19]'' – ''Fire Emblem''^[28]

'Magvel:' ''Sacred Stones''^[34]

'Tellius:' ''Path of Radiance''^[35] – ''Radiant Dawn''^[36]

Games

The following is a list of games released in the series.
:''Games predating ''Fire Emblem'' were released only in Japan. Due to this, there are no official English language titles for these games. An official English language title may be given if Nintendo elects to localize any of these games to North America or the PAL region.''

Title	Year	Platform	Notes
'' ("The Dragon of Darkness and the Sword of Light")[37]		Famicom	The first ''Fire Emblem'' title.
''Fire Emblem Gaiden'' ("Sidestory")[38]		Famicom	Side story of the first title.
'' ("Mystery of the Emblem")[39]		Super Famicom, Virtual Console	Enhanced remake of ''Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi'' along with a sequel. It was adapted into a 2-part anime series. Released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan in December 2006.
'' ("Genealogy of the Holy War")[40]		Super Famicom, Virtual Console	Deviates from standard ''Fire Emblem'' gameplay mechanisms. First ''Fire Emblem'' set in a separate universe. Released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan in January 2007.
''[41]		Super Famicom	A side story of ''Seisen no Keifu'' first released on the Nintendo Power download service. Regular ROM version was released in 2000.
'' ("Sword of Seals")[42]		Game Boy Advance	The first ''Fire Emblem'' title to appear on a Nintendo handheld. As of July 2007, it is the last Japan-exclusive ''Fire Emblem'' title.
''Fire Emblem''Released in Japan as ''Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken'' ("Blazing Sword")[43]		Game Boy Advance	The first ''Fire Emblem'' title to be released in the West and the prequel to ''Fūin no Tsurugi''.
''Released in Japan as ''Fire Emblem: Seima no Kōseki''		Game Boy Advance	First title to incorporate several play mechanics not seen since ''Fire Emblem Gaiden''. It is currently the only ''Fire Emblem'' title not related to any other game in the series by setting or story.
''Released in Japan as ''Fire Emblem: Sōen no Kiseki'' ("Trail of the Blue Flame")[44]		Nintendo Gamecube	The first title in the series to be rendered in three-dimensions and to incorporate full motion video.
''Released in Japan as ''Fire Emblem: Akatsuki no Megami'' ("The Goddess of Dawn")[45]		Wii	The sequel to ''Path of Radiance''.

A ''Fire Emblem'' game was originally planned for release on the Nintendo 64,Miyamoto Interview – reveals Fire Emblem 64"> Miyamoto Reveals Secrets: Fire Emblem and Mario Paint 64 but the project was discontinued.

Music

The musical scores for ''Fire Emblem'' have been composed by Yuka Tsujiyoko for most of the series' history .^[46] The first eight games in the series all featured soundtracks composed entirely of instrumental music. However, '' broke from this trend with the end credit theme "Life Returns", a lyrical piece sung in the language of the fictional heron laguz (beastial humanoids) tribe.
There are also recurring tracks in the Fire Emblem series. The most frequently used is the "Fire Emblem Main Theme" which is played at some point during each game. Its use is particularly varied, as it is sometimes used as the title screen theme, while in ''Path of Radiance'', the song is not heard until the very end of the game, when each character's performance is ranked. Another track that is frequently remixed is a character recruitment theme entitled "Together We Ride," although it is not used in every game. Since '', battle themes of previous Fire Emblem games have been remixed as arena battle themes. Similar rearranging appears in other circumstances, as well; for example, the musical score for the trial maps in ''Path of Radiance'' was originally the music score for Chapter 10 of ''Seisen no Keifu''. The games' music has been released on various soundtracks in Japan.^[47]

Influence on other media

Anime

In 1995, an anime OVA (co-produced with KSS) named Fire Emblem was produced and released; it was closely based on the first three acts of ''Monshō no Nazo'' and was cancelled after only two episodes.^[48]

Card game

The ''Fire Emblem'' trading card game was released by ''NTT Publishing Co., Ltd.'' in August 2001. Six series were produced before its termination in 2006. The first three series depicted characters from ''Seisen no Keifu'', the fourth featured characters from ''Thracia 776'', and the Anthology expansion featured characters from both games, but with artwork from different artists. The final two expansions featured characters from ''Monshō no Nazo''. The trading card game is similar to battles in ''Fire Emblem'', but players battle with different types of cards, such as character, terrain, weapon and surprise cards. ''NTT Publishing'' also published ''Fire Emblem'' soundtracks and books.^[49]

Appearance in other games

in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
Since its inception in 1990, the ''Fire Emblem'' series had largely been confined to Japan. In 2001, however, Nintendo released ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', a fighting game containing characters from throughout the company's videogaming history. The original Japanese release of this game contained two characters from the ''Fire Emblem'' series: Marth, the protagonist of the first game, ''Fire Emblem: Ankoku no Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi'', and the third, ''Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo''; and Roy,^[50] who stars in the then-unreleased sixth game, ''Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi''. According to Nintendo's official Japanese website, Marth was put in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' upon the request of Japanese gamers.
Marth's design and playability earned him extra attention while the game underwent debug testing in North America, and it was by the decision of Nintendo of America that he was included in the North American version. Roy had been included in Japan to promote the upcoming release of ''Fūin no Tsurugi'', and was likewise included in the North American version. It was due in part to Marth and Roy's popularity from their appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' that Nintendo eventually decided to localize and market ''Fire Emblem'' games for North American and European release.^[5]
If Marth is unlocked and all players hold some specific buttons, a remixed version of some songs that were present in previous ''Fire Emblem'' games will play instead of the stage's original music.^[52]Although there is no word yet on whether Marth or Roy will return in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', Ike (from and ) has been confirmed to appear as a playable character.^[53]
In another Intelligent Systems game, '', a minor character in Petalburg raves about his favorite video games when spoken to. The first game he talks about is ''Fire Emblem''.^[54] Likewise, the Nintendo DS game ''Daigasso! Band-Brothers'' features the ''Fire Emblem'' theme as a song.^[55]

Media reception and sales

The ''Fire Emblem'' games have scored well in the media — ''Fire Emblem'' was awarded 95% by IGN in 2003.^[9] However, the games have gradually been receiving lower average scores as the series moves on. On Game Rankings, ''Fire Emblem'' averages 88%, ''The Sacred Stones'' averages 85%, and ''Path of Radiance'' averages 86%.^[57] Critics have welcomed the character development and plotlines but have criticized the limited multiplayer options.^[9] Critics have also commented negatively on the 3D graphics of ''Path of Radiance''.^[59] In 2006, '' appeared in ''Famitsu'''s ''Top 100 Games'' list, where it is number 68.^[60]
As of July 2007, ''Radiant Dawn'' — which has yet to receive a Western release — ranked 78% on ''Game Rankings''.^[61] On the week ending February 25, 2007, ''Radiant Dawn'' was the highest selling Wii game of that week, with 73,359 sales.^[62]

See also

★ Nintendo Wars

★ Tear Ring Saga

References

1. 'A History of Fire Emblem: Dark Dragon and Sword of Light'
2. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review'
3. 'Fire Emblem Database list'
4. 'IGN: Fire Emblem'
5. 'Fire Emblem Database'
6. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review — Eurogamer'
7. 'Fire Emblem Database'
8. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review — Eurogamer'
9. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review — IGN'
10. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review'
11. 'Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu'
12. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review'
13. 'Fire Emblem — Weapons'
14. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review — Eurogamer'
15. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review'
16. 'Fire Emblem — Support Conversation'
17. 'Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance — Chapter 19'
18. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review'
19. 'A History of Fire Emblem: Sword of Seals'
20. 'Fire Emblem — Support Conversation'
21. 'RPGFan Reviews — Path of Radiance'
22. 'Fire Emblem — Support Conversation'
23. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance cheats'
24. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review'
25. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review — IGN'
26. 'A History of Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem'
27. 'The Fire Emblem summaries'
28. 'A History of Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword'
29. 'A History of Fire Emblem: Dark Dragon and Sword of Light'
30. 'Barensia Map'
31. 'Nintendo Database — Fire Emblem: Thracia 776'
32. 'A History of Fire Emblem: Sword of Seals'
33. 'A History of Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword'
34. 'Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones for Game Boy Advance Review'
35. 'Nintendo Database — Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance'
36. 'Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn Preview'
37. 'Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryu to Hikari no Tsurugi'
38. IGN: Fire Emblem Gaiden'
39. 'IGN: Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo'
40. 'IGN: Fire Emblem: Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu'
41. 'Nintendo Databse — Fire Emblem: Thracia 776'
42. 'Nintendo Database — Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi'
43. 'IGN: Fire Emblem'
44. ''Path of Radiance'' preview at Nintendo Gamenet
45. Fire Emblem: The Goddess of Dawn (Wii)
46. 'Artist: Yuki Tsujiyoko'
47. 'Fire Emblem: The Sealed Sword Original Soundtrack'
48. 'Fire Emblem (Internet Movie Database)'
49. 'The Fire Emblem : TCG'
50. 'Roy'
51. 'Fire Emblem Database'
52. 'Super Smash Bros. Melee for GameCube Cheats'
53. 'Ike in Super Smash Bros. Brawl'
54. 'Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Walkthrough '
55. 'Daigasso! Band Brothers official Japanese Nintendo website'
56. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review — IGN'
57. 'Gamerankings — Fire Emblem '
58. 'Fire Emblem for Game Boy Advance Review — IGN'
59. 'Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance'
60. 'Japan Votes on All Time Top 100
61. 'Gamerankings — Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn '
62. 'Fire Emblem: Akatsuki no Megami sales'

External links

★ Official ''Fire Emblem'' website (Japanese)

★ Official Trading Card Game website (Japanese)

★ Classic Gaming 101 — ''Fire Emblem''

★ English ''Fire Emblem'' Documentary