Fire Emblem is a popular strategy role-playing game franchise, developed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo. It is from the developers of Advance Wars, from the Nintendo Wars series. It was created by Shouzou Kaga, the developer of Tear Ring Saga. The Fire Emblem franchise graced the NES, SNES, and Gameboy Advance. It was confined to Japan until the seventh installment, which was released on the Gameboy Advance during the Nintendo GameCube era (2001-2005). Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken (Blazing Sword), for Gameboy Advance, is the first Fire Emblem game to be released in the United States. Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 is the last game on the Super NES. The Fire Emblem series was scored by Yuka Tsujiyoko, the composer for Paper Mario who also scored part of Tetris Attack. Shouzou Kaga resigned from Intelligent Systems after Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 and started his own business, Tirnanog. Death is permanent in a Fire Emblem gameplay if the game progress is saved. Fire Emblem rivals Final Fantasy as to soundtracks. It features many character classes.

The name of Fire Emblem comes from the synopsis of the series first installment that the Fire Emblem was an emblem which was combined with Marth's sword, Falchion (used in Super Smash Bros. Melee), and that only Marth, the wielder of the Emblem, was allowed to wield the Falchion.

Fire Emblem: Dragon of Darkness and Sword of Light, Famicom (1990)

This is the first Fire Emblem game. It takes place in Akaneia. It stars Marth, a character who starred in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Marth is the first in the Lord class. He is the prince of Aritia. He was sent to exile from Aritia. His mentor is Jeigan. Jeigan was sworn to guide and protect Marth all through the game. He is an old but powerful knight. Dohga, a heavy-armored knight, is a member of Jeigan's squad. Gordon is an archer for the Aritian army, and Ryan is his brother. Abel is one of Aritia's top soldiers.

Fire Emblem Gaiden, NES (1991)

This is a side story to the original Fire Emblem. It is the last Fire Emblem game on the Famicom (NES). It stars Alm and Celica. Alm and Celica knew each other since they were children. They each run a separate army. Alm's party is usually larger and stronger than Celica's party. Several characters, including Paola, from the original Fire Emblem made a comeback in Fire Emblem Gaiden.

Fire Emblem: Monsho no Nazo (Mystery of the Emblem), SNES (1993)

Fire Emblem: Monsho no Nazo is Fire Emblem's first Super Famicom (SNES) installment. The events of the original Fire Emblem game have been reinvented into this game. Monsho no Nazo mainly has the direct sequel to the original game, and also stars Marth. Most of the characters from the original Fire Emblem game returned in Monsho no Nazo. Monsho no Nazo held the no. 1 position on the Famitsu chart for one year.

Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu (Genealogy of Holy War), SNES (1996)

Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu is the most imported Fire Emblem game. It has been very popular through emulation. Many who played this game studied Japanese. It takes place in the content of Jugdral (pronounced YOOG-druhl), located about southeast from Akaneia. The first half of the game stars Sigurd, the prince of Chalphy (pronounced SHAL-fee), son of Byron, a descendant of Baldo. His Chalphian squad includes Arden (a heavy-armored knight), Noish (a social knight), and Alec (a social knight). He has a younger sister named Ethlin and a brother-in-law and close friend Cuan, prince of Lenster. Sigurd and his forces meet their destiny at end of the fifth chapter. At the beginning of chapter two, Sigurd marries Diadora, who first appeared in chapter one. In chapter five, their destiny is delivered by Alvis and the Thracian army. The second half of the game stars Selis, son of Sigurd, and his forces, who are either children of the characters in the first half or substitute characters that replace them. Fin, a knight of Lenster, is the only character in the game who fights in both halves of the game. He also starred in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776. Seisen no Keifu has great graphics and sound for a Super NES game. Chapter one opens with the appearance of Eltshan, the king of Nodion. Gunpei Yokoi was the producer of this game. Seisen no Keifu has the largest soundtrack of any Fire Emblem game, composed of 114 tracks. It has been considered Tsujiyoko's largest work.

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, SNES (2000)

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 is the last game ever released for the Super Famicom. Therefore, it is the Super Famicom/SNES finale. It happens between chapters five and six of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. It stars Leaf, the son of Cuan and Ethlin; his guardian Fin who took him into hiding in chapter five of Seisen no Keifu, and a host of many other characters, including characters from Seisen no Keifu. Leaf retaliates against the Thracian army, because of what they did to his parents. Thracia 776 introduces night combat, which is only portions of the map are show and the others blacked out. A torch is needed to light the way in night combat. There is also Arrest feature. Some characters from Seisen no Keifu, including Fin, have been carried over to Thracia 776.

Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi (Sealed Sword), Gameboy Advance (2002)

Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi stars Roy, who previously appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It takes place in Etruria. Roy led a revolt shortly after his father fell ill. He is from Pherae.

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken, Gameboy Advance (2003)

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken is the first Fire Emblem game to be released in the United States. It is the prequel to Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi. The first part stars Lyndis, the first female character to be in the Lord class. That may make her a lady. The later part stars Eliwood, Roy's father. The game has an in game tutorial and a version of a song from the original Fire Emblem game.

Notes

Two Fire Emblem characters, Marth and Roy, are secret characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Marth starred in Fire Emblem: Dragon of Darkness and Sword of Light, and Fire Emblem: Monsho no Nazo. Roy starred in Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi.

Fan translations of the first five Fire Emblem games are underway, being translated from Japanese to English. North America has been showing interest in the Fire Emblem series since the invention of game emulation, or since the release of Super Smash Bros. Melee.

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