The latest Nintendo Direct was all about Fire Emblem. Nintendo’s signature tactical RPG series has been limited to the Nintendo 3DS in the last few years. This year we’re going to see an explosion of new Fire Emblem games across the 3DS, the Nintendo Switch, and even a brand new Fire Emblem game for mobile devices.
“In recent years, the popularity of the Fire Emblem franchise has grown exponentially,” said Doug Bowser, Senior VP of Nintendo of America. “The devoted fan base and series newcomers alike will soon have an abundance of new games to play on a variety of devices. There’s never been a better time to be a Fire Emblem fan or jump in for the first time.”
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia: We’re getting a new 3DS Fire Emblem title this year. Echoes is actually a remake of 1992’s Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second game of the series that released exclusively in Japan on the Famicom (NES). The entire game has been rebuilt to take advantage of the 3DS, including voice acting and cutscenes. Echoes also recreates what made Gaiden unique in the series – dungeon crawling. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia will release on May 19. Two new amiibos based on main characters Alm and Celica will also be released.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Koei Tecmo’s Warriors series gave us a fun licensed game with Hyrule Warriors in 2014. A Fire Emblem Warriors title makes perfect sense given that series’ focus on war and combat. Fire Emblem Warriors will capture the same look and gameplay of Hyrule Warriors. It’s coming to both New Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch this Fall.
Untitled Fire Emblem Switch: A new mainline Fire Emblem game is coming to Nintendo Switch. The last Fire Emblem to do so was Radiant Dawn on the Wii back in 2007. Nothing was shown about the game, not even its title. The Nintendo Fire Emblem Direct gave an estimated launch window of 2018.
Fire Emblem Heroes: About half of the Fire Emblem Direct was dedicated to this new mobile title launching in just two weeks. Fire Emblem Heroes is a spinoff that gathers together heroes and warriors from previous games in a giant battle royale. The game will include new artwork and voices for each hero. Battle maps are designed to fit a smart phone screen, but include the same tactical gameplay that the series is known for.
Fire Emblem Heroes will include a single player campaign and online multiplayer. Free updates promise to add new characters and content. The mobile title will be free to download with in-app purchases on iOS and Android. Microtransactions will take the form of purchasing orbs that can unlock new random heroes, though you can also earn orbs and heroes through gameplay.
Fire Emblem Heroes launches February 2nd on iOS and Android. Nintendo is running a promotion called Choose Your Legends. You can vote for your favorite Fire Emblem characters to earn Nintendo points. The most popular heroes will appear in the game with special outfits.
For a series we normally see once ever few years, it’s awesome that we’re getting so much here. As a fan I’m very excited to already get another Fire Emblem on 3DS, a nice-looking mobile title, and some strong incentives to get a Nintendo Switch.
