Fire Emblem - Someone Fill Me in Please

[marlowe221]

Quick questions from a guy who has never played a single Fire Emblem game:

1. What's the best game to start with?

2. WTF? Why are almost all of them in Japanese and are there English versions of all the games?

3. What do I need to know that I am not asking about (because I am so ignorant I don't even know to ask)?

As stupid as this sounds I really just kind of found out what these games were all about and they sound like the sort of thing I would really get into.

Thanks!

[Erik_Twice]

1. What's the best game to start with?

Probably the first one released in the western world, which is just titled "Fire Emblem" and released for GBA. It's good, it's cheap and I haven't heard anything about it not being accesible.

The other GBA one is a bit of a departure from the series and while not bad by any means, it's regarded as inferior to FE. The Gamecube game is really great but incredibly expensive and the Wii one, besides being a sequel to the GC game, is very hard. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is a remake of the first game, which means it's pretty dated design-wise, I don't re

2. WTF? Why are almost all of them in Japanese and are there English versions of all the games?

The series wasn't regarded as good for western audiences until the popularity of Marth and Roy in Super Smash Bros Melee made them reconsider it.



The games aren't complicated and they are very fun so I don't think you need to know much before playing them. However, it's always cool to read HG101 retrospective on the series, google it

[MrPopo]

Definitely start with the first GBA Fire Emblem. The first chapter is a large tutorial mode to get you used to all the mechanics.

There are fan translations of FE2, 4, 5, and 6. I don't know if there was ever one released for 3. I believe one is being worked on for the DS updated rerelease, but I don't know what the status is of that.

[alienjesus]

Quick questions from a guy who has never played a single Fire Emblem game:

1. What's the best game to start with?

2. WTF? Why are almost all of them in Japanese and are there English versions of all the games?

3. What do I need to know that I am not asking about (because I am so ignorant I don't even know to ask)?

As stupid as this sounds I really just kind of found out what these games were all about and they sound like the sort of thing I would really get into.

Thanks!

1. Fire Emblem for GBA. The first English one, nice and simple, but with some of the best mechanics imo. Personally I think it hasn't been improved on yet.

2. The series wasn't localised until it became better known in the west due to Marth and Roy appearing in Smash Bros Melee. Most of the series has been released in English since, starting with Fire Emblem 7 (known as Fire Emblem in the west) for GBA.

3. Fire Emblem for GBA is the 7th in the series, Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones for GBA is the 8th. The stories are unrelated. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance for GC is the 9th in the series, and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn for Wii is the 10th, and is a DIRECT sequel to 9 - I wouldn't recommend playing it without working through 9 first. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon for DS is a remake of the first Fire Emblem for NES, but is generally thought of as the worst game released in the west, simply because it's a little too simple and hasnt been developed as much as the later entries in the series.

tl;dr: You can start withthe GBA or GC ones fine, but don't play the Wii game without playing the Gamecube one first. I wouldnt recommend starting with the DS one, it's more of an entry just for the fans.

These games are awesome, some of the best turn based strategy games around. Definitely worth picking up, but they can be pricy.

[equalsign]

It should be said that the Wii one is the most forgiving of the bunch.

[benderx]

2. WTF? Why are almost all of them in Japanese and are there English versions of all the games? Thanks!

You got to blame Nintendo of America its their fault, you can say that to a bunch of their good nintendo games that never made it to american shores. NOA likes to make an excuse: oh were on snes now, oh were on n64, gamecube, wii. Too hard to translate, doesnt make enough money, too weird for american audience. the list goes on. I wish there was more nintendo world stores across major cities like apple.

i started playing first on gba fire emblem, quite smilier to advance wars. Tried to get the gamecube games but was too pricey.

[flojocabron]

yeah, the GBA ones are great.

Played the first one to death and I tried not to let any of them die.

I actually do have the console sequels. I got the first one along with a gamecube at a Salvation army for $15 bucks! Sadly no box on it. But totally worth it.

I bought the Wii one clearance where I work for about $20 bucks. Very nice game.

Havent beaten them yet.

I am working on the DS one whenever I get the chance. Its at a reasonable price at gamestop right now.

Play the GBA ones first, and yeah they do have quite the similarity to advancewars. Its the same company I believe.

Try not to let anyone die!

[marlowe221]

Sweet crap on a stick! I don't have a GBA....

How many hours of gameplay are we talking about on one of these games?

[alienjesus]

Sweet crap on a stick! I don't have a GBA....

How many hours of gameplay are we talking about on one of these games?

Starting with the Gamecube one is OK, but the GBA ones are probably a btter start point.

You're looking at a good 20-30 hours for the ones I've played ( I haven't played the Wii one yet)

[TheBrick]

Yeah, go with either Fire Emblem GBA or the GC's Path of Radiance.

They're all in Japanese because Nintendo doesn't like america/europe. That is all.

And one thing: you will die inside if you want to finish a game without a character dying, because of permadeath. All of the games have that kind of balls-hard difficulty, but Thracia 776 for the super famicom is the worst of the bunch. And to think, people have played perfect games...

Anyways, all of the japan-only games are easy to emulate, if you don't mind that kind of thing. All you'd need to do is apply a translation patch to the rom, and cart systems are generally the easiest emulators to work for those without technical expertise.