While the Fire Emblem series has only recently gained widespread prominence, it actually has an extended history in both Japan and the U.S. The series’ turn-based strategy entries have graced Nintendo platforms since 1990, but they didn’t arrive in the West until 2003. Known for compelling characters and tough gameplay, Fire Emblem has developed a dedicated fan base across the world.
During a recent Nintendo Direct, developer Intelligent Systems announced Fire Emblem: Engage, the next entry in the main series and a celebration of the series’ history. In the game, players will be able to call on heroes from previous games to aid them in battle. To start the hype train rolling, we’re taking a look back at which Fire Emblem games are the best of the best.
Here are the best Fire Emblem games, ranked.
Note: We’ll only be including Fire Emblem games that received official releases in the U.S.
7) The Blazing Blade
The Blazing Blade, otherwise known simply as Fire Emblem, is the first of the series’ games to come to the U.S. It’s a sequel to The Binding Blade, which was never released outside of Japan. The reason the game came to the U.S. at all was the inclusion of a handful of the series’ characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee; Japan had already seen the release of six Fire Emblem titles. The Blazing Blade introduced international audiences to the series’ trademark tough but fair gameplay, permadeath for defeated characters, and vast stories. While it’s a little tough to find today thanks to its status as a GBA game, it’s worth playing if you want to see where the series began.
6) Sacred Stones
Thanks to the success of The Blazing Blade, Nintendo and Intelligent Systems created another series title for the GBA: The Sacred Stones. While it builds a little on its predecessor, it’s fundamentally the same game with a new setting and new characters: a small brigade of heroes set off to save the world from a greedy, overstepping empire. The Sacred Stones holds up a little better than its predecessor, but it’s outshined significantly by Awakening, the series’ next entry on handhelds.
5) Radiant Dawn
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn was the series’ one and only entry on the Wii, and it’s not hard to see why: the sideways Wii Remote control scheme it used was somewhat awkward. Even so, the game is still a great example of classic Fire Emblem characters and gameplay. It’s a direct sequel to the acclaimed Path of Radiance, but instead of bringing all the old characters back, it introduces a new cast, which grants new perspectives on an existing world. The story flows well and the gameplay is engaging until the end, with some interesting objectives sprinkled in for variety.
4) Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is the franchise’s most recent main-series game, and it took some serious risks. For the first time, players could move around in a large, ever-changing hub world, make choices that change the course of the story, and complete quests outside of battle. Three Houses also included three unique story paths with different characters, making it one of the biggest Fire Emblem games to date. While the characters are strong and the story is interesting, the game suffers from uninspired map design and easy battles.
3) Path of Radiance
Path of Radiance is notable mostly for its rarity: physical copies of this GameCube title are incredibly difficult to find nowadays, with some selling for over $100 at retro game shops. Thanks to interesting maps, a story with plenty of twists and political intrigue, and a fascinating world, Path of Radiance became one of the only games to receive a direct sequel in the form of Radiant Dawn. While its graphics aren’t much to look at, the gameplay still holds up well today and is a great example of the Fire Emblem spirit.
2) Fates
Fates was a controversial entry in the series. The game is split into three different entries: Birthright and Conquest, both of which received physical releases, and Revelations, which was only available via digital download. While the story might be one of the worst the franchise has ever seen, Fates more than makes up for it with phenomenal map and objective design. Conquest in particular shines as one of the purest examples of Fire Emblem gameplay: it’s challenging but fair, and the changing objectives always keep you on your toes. If you’re someone who wishes the series would return to its hard-as-nails roots, play Conquest on the highest difficulty and ignore the story for a true challenge.
1) Awakening
Awakening is the game that cemented the future of Fire Emblem. Up until its release, the series had mediocre sales in the U.S. and Nintendo was considering not releasing any more entries outside of Japan. Awakening revitalized the franchise on the 3DS with a great story, interesting maps, and a huge cast of likable characters alongside a protagonist who wasn’t just a player avatar, something later games would move away from. While more recent Fire Emblem games have received quality-of-life changes that make Awakening feel a little dated now, at the time, it received glowing reviews and was hailed as the savior of the franchise—a title it absolutely deserves.
