Fire Emblem is one of Nintendo’s longest running series, though most in the Western world may not realize this. Getting its start in 1990 on the Famicom(the Japanese NES), the tactical-RPG series has gone from a niche franchise, to one of Nintendo’s premier series. With the newest title, Fire Emblem Engage, arriving January 20th, a large chunk of the characters present include characters from every previous entree. That said, many people may be curious to know more about these games, and which stands among the series best.
Having played all of the games in the series, this list will rank every mainline game in the series. This includes the games released exclusively in Japan, but won’t include spin-offs such as Fire Emblem Heroes, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, or Fire Emblem Warriors. Factors into this rank will consider story, characters, and game play. In addition, due to Fire Emblem Fates being released as three different games, it shall be ranked as such. This in part is due to each version having drastic differences in game play, maps, and story.
Honorable Mentions – Fire Emblem : Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light(1991-Famicom), Fire Emblem Gaiden(1992-Famicom)
While the first two games were innovative and still solid today, there’s not much reason to go back to these. This is due in part to remakes of both games fixing many of the original issues, while still keeping the original intentions of the game intact. Still, for those curious as to how the series got its start, it may be worth checking these games out.
16. Fire Emblem Fates : Revelations (2015 – Nintendo 3DS)
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Fire Emblem Fates : Revelations isn’t a bad game, far from in fact. That said, there are multiple problems which get in the way of enjoying it fully. Story wise, it’s no secret that Fire Emblem Fates is generally seen as having notoriously bad writing. Revelations isn’t the worst offender of this, but there are many contrivances and shallow moments that result from the flat characterization and substandard plot line. While the setting of Valla is visually interesting, the kingdom itself isn’t explored much, despite how important it is to the overall story of Fates.
What about game play? Starting with the positives, the general game play mechanics of Fates are among the series best. In addition, the large character roster in this game, alongside the extensive selection of classes, is this game’s strength. The sheer amount of customization and expression is simply tantalizing. As it stands, it’s probably the most expressive game in the series. The maps you play on, however, can be quite the mixed bag. Every map has some sort of gimmick, some which add to the experience, while others will frustrate you. For example, one map allows you to create your own choke points, a simple gimmick, but one which adds a ton of strategy. Meanwhile, a later map has you take one unit at a time on platforms that move each turn, causing it to drag on longer than it should.
Not helping this games case is it’s availability. Unlike other games which have seen some major physical releases, Revelations is only physically available to those who purchased the Special Edition of Fire Emblem Fates. With the eShop soon closing on the 3DS, it will be the only way for those who haven’t downloaded it to play it.
15. Fire Emblem : The Binding Blade (2002 – Game Boy Advance)
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With Roy’s inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Melee, many players were curious what exactly the origin of the fiery swordsman was. While his game has yet to release outside of Japan, many players would eventually discover that for themselves.
To say that The Binding Blade is a bit divisive would be an understatement. While many find it an enjoyable time with the classic Fire Emblem formula, others find it to be utterly frustrating. This in large part is due to many units, ax units in particular, being near useless. Though the most frustrating of these characters is unfortunately the main character, Roy. On top of not being a particularly interesting character, in a not particularly interesting plot, Roy doesn’t promote until the tail end of the game. This essentially means for a large chunk of the game, he is more a liability than anything else.
That said, the worst part of the game is accessing the true ending of the game. Not only does one have to fulfill out of the way tasks in various maps, this then leads to the Gaiden chapters. After completing them, the reward is one of the many legendary weapons. These weapons are needed by the end of the game, if you lose them, or miss one, you don’t get the true ending. Meaning, you have to start the game all over again. Still, it’s a solid game despite those flaws, as many of the maps are well designed, and the combat animations are fast and flashy.
14. Fire Emblem : New Mystery of the Emblem, Heroes of Light and Shadow(2010 – Nintendo DS)
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A remake of Book 2 from the third game, also exclusive to Japan, New Mystery of the Emblem is a controversial entry for the changes it makes from the original game. With the addition of the new avatar character, Kris, the spotlight is yanked away from Marth and many other characters. This results in most of the original stories more effective moments being undermined by a character that wasn’t meant to be there in the first place. Thus, what was originally a fine story, becomes infuriating as you just want Kris to get out of the way.
The story isn’t the only controversial change. While most of the maps remain the same, many changes were made to put far more power into the players hands. This results in a game that is fairly easy to break. That said, there are a number of ways to challenge yourself. In addition to including many difficulties, this is the only game to include the Reverse mode. Essentially, this makes it so enemies will attack first when you engage in combat. It completely changes the way the game is approached, and units that otherwise may have been useless, find more use in this mode.
13. Fire Emblem Fates : Birthright(2015 – Nintendo 3DS)
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When creating Fire Emblem Fates, the developers at Intelligent Systems had a predicament. With all the new players brought in with the newcomer friendly Fire Emblem Awakening. While its dark counterpart Conquest is catered to veterans of the series, Birthright is meant for those who’ve never played a Fire Emblem game before. The story and map design reflect this.
Ironically, despite having the simplest story, Birthright has the best story of the Fates set. The characterization is generally at its best in this story, and without the inclusion of Valla, it is able to focus on the premise of going against the militaristic nation of Nohr. It’s still not perfect though. While the handling of Corrin’s Nohrian siblings is mostly fine, the most important, Xander, is unfortunately problematic. In addition, Birthright is easily home to the worst death scene in the series. While it won’t be spoiled, given the reasoning for it, it comes across as truly distasteful.
Aside from the simple story, Birthright also has simple map designs. While other games have linear, goal-based maps, Birthright follows Awakening’s footsteps and has open, multi-approach maps, that only often require you to kill every enemy or the enemy commander. This can often leave Birthright being a bit too easy, that is until playing on Lunatic. While Lunatic difficulty is easy for a while, once getting to the last third, the game spikes up in difficulty. Still, on every other difficulty, this can result in a game with an easy, almost boring, experience.
12. Fire Emblem : Mystery of the Emblem(1994 – Super Famicom)
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For the quintessential, baseline Fire Emblem experience, Mystery of the Emblem is where to look. Divided into two sections, Book 1 is an abridged remake of the first game. Meanwhile, Book 2 serves as the continuation of the story, as Marth is called back into action after a friend turned enemy upends the peace that was established. It’s a simple, but effective story, one that shows how heroic and wise Marth is as a character.
The game play, like-wise, is basic, but solid. While the map designs are generally more intricate than Birthright, the objectives are still generally simple to understand. In addition, the more in depth mechanics introduced in later games are lacking her, making for a game that is easy to get into, yet not too memorable in comparison to other games.
11. Fire Emblem : Shadow Dragon (2008 – Nintendo DS)
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When the remake of the original game was released for the Nintendo DS, including in the West, it was met with lukewarm reactions, due in part to seemingly staying overly faithful to the original game. That said, as time has gone on, fans have looked back on this entry more fondly, realizing there’s more to this remake than meets the eye.
Thanks to the translation from 8-4, the original story received many improvements. For one, the series of events is made more clear to the player. In addition, while lacking the support conversations the series became known for, most of the side characters get adequate time to shine throughout.
Ultimately, Shadow Dragon is about refining the original game in small, yet meaningful ways. Most of the map design is the same, but a few new characters and mechanics iron out the kinks of the original game. From adding in a proper trading system, including the weapon triangle, and forging, this game is ultimately a much smoother experience than the original. That said, some of the mechanics new to this game are game breaking. Forging weapons in particular stands as the biggest contributor, as many will point to Caeda and the Wing Spear as a prime example.
10. Fire Emblem : Radiant Dawn (2007 – Nintendo Wii)
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Radiant Dawn is another divisive entry in the series, one that saw mixed reviews upon its release for its difficulty. Yet in many ways, Radiant Dawn has both the best, and worst aspects of Fire Emblem.
Of all titles in the series, Radiant Dawn perhaps puts the most emphasis on the tactical aspects of the series more so than any other game. This is due to the way the game and its story is set up. Rather than stick with one team throughout the majority of the game, the player switches between different sets of characters at different intervals. Each one of these groups have their own story lines that ultimately culminate in one of the most climactic moments in any Fire Emblem game. While this does help the world of Tellius feel more grand and fleshed out, this set up does present problems. Story wise, characters from the game’s predecessor, Path of Radiance, can overshadow this Radiant Dawn’s cast, including its main character Micaiah. Also due to the grand endgame, the plot is often forced into that direction via contrivances(ex : Blood Contract).
This setup also has an effect on the difficulty. Most fans point out how underwhelming the Dawn Brigade is. During Part 1, they aren’t too bad, but once the player gains control of them again, that’s when the problems show. As most of the enemies have increased in stats and levels, the Dawn Brigade was left to dry. Still, assuming you’re ready to take on the difficulty, you’ll find a game with fantastic mechanics. Some mechanics include shareable skills, various weapon strength and weaknesses, map elevation having an effect on game play, and far more to experiment with.
9. Fire Emblem : The Sacred Stones (2004 – Game Boy Advance)
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The final GBA Fire Emblem game, The Sacred Stones is well known for being one of, if not, the easiest game in the series. This game allows the player to grind for resources outside of the main game and side quests. While common now, such a feature wasn’t common in the series back then. In addition, the units available in this game are all incredibly powerful. Still, unlike other easy games in this series, The Sacred Stones has more interesting maps, and a myriad of unique mechanics to make it more engaging to play.
On top of the more interesting map design, this game also has a split in the narrative. At one point, the player chooses to follow the story of either Eirika or Ephiram. Each one has a few chapters with maps exclusive to them, and both affect the narrative in different ways. This can most be clearly with this game’s main villain Lyon, who stands as one of the most tragic villains in the series. That said, aside from the villains, there isn’t too much of the story that is memorable.
8. Fire Emblem : Awakening (2012 – Nintendo 3DS)
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Often referred to as the game which saved the series, this game’s success is partly responsible for Fire Emblem becoming a major franchise for Nintendo. A good thing too, as had this game not succeeded, Fire Emblem actually wouldn’t be around today.
With the knowledge this game could be their last, the developers took many risks with this game. This includes making it far more accessible than previous games were at that point. This is the first game to introduce the Pair-Up mechanic, where two units can combine their strengths. While previously introduced in New Mystery of the Emblem, the Avatar character and Casual Mode became mainstays with this game. While the Avatar character is still a debated topic today, casual mode is generally seen as a fantastic inclusion. Given the fact permanent death made the series hard to approach for many, the ability to turn it off made the game far more approachable for newcomers.
As for the story and characters, Awakening is a mixed bag. Robin is arguably still the best avatar in the series, and many characters in this game have become fan favorites. Despite the fantastic cast of characters, the story is remarkably standard, and it has among the series the weakest villains. Even the game play is a mixed bag. Much like Birthright, the maps in this game are often flat and don’t branch out from killing all enemies or the boss. In addition, the game has major balance issues. It’s very easy to create single units which can solo entire maps, and the various difficulty selections all go to very opposite ends of the difficulty spectrum. Normal and Hard are not tricky at all, while Lunatic, and Lunatic+ especially feel horrifically unfair. Still, there’s certainly an appeal to breaking the game.
7. Fire Emblem : Genealogy of the Holy War (1996 – Super Famicom)
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Genealogy of the Holy War is often considered the magnum opus of Fire Emblem’s original creator, Shozu Kaga. Perhaps it’s fitting this game released the same year as A Game of Thrones, as the story is a sprawling, epic, tragic narrative spanning multiple generations. So prominent is the role of politics, conspiracy, and a few adult themes within the narrative; it’s hard to believe this could be a game released by Nintendo. For those reasons, it’s best to go into this game as blind as possible.
Game play wise, Genealogy of the Holy War introduced many recurring elements that would be used by many games moving forward. This game introduced the series iconic weapon triangle, a rock-paper-scissor-like mechanic where swords have an advantage over axes, axes over lances, and lances over swords. In addition, this is the first game to introduce child-units, still at its best in this game. Still, there are other elements which may be more divisive. This is the only game in the series to feature giant, multi-objective maps. While this helped create a grand-sense of war, this also essentially makes units who travel by foot useless, as they are unable to move around effectively. This makes the game flow very different from other Fire Emblem games. More so that it’s slow compared to others. It’s not the most concise or fun game to play as a result.
6. Fire Emblem : Three Houses (2019 – Nintendo Switch)
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The best-selling game in the series at the time of writing this, Fire Emblem : Three Houses does a lot right, and some wrong. First and foremost, this game had perhaps the best character roster in the series. Most characters across this game all have so much history and depth to them, and over the course of the game, all grow past the flaws they have as a result of the broken system of Fodlan. On the subject of Fodlan, this game has some of the most intricate world-building in the series. There is so much lore to Three Houses, you may well be able to write multiple, long essays about the many facets of this game. It’s a grand narrative, perhaps, a little too grand.
Due to the sheer size of the story, and the multiple routes of the game, not all routes are equal in story. While the Blue Lions route following Dimitri is the most concise, the other routes have some problems. The Black Eagles route following Edelgard is notably shorter than the others. The Church route is fine, but unmemorable due to not having an interesting protagonist. The Golden Deer, following Claude, is just a copy of the Church route, only with a more charismatic character and more epic ending.
The effects of this over ambition extend to the game play, both the good and bad. On the one hand, the actual mechanics of the battles are fun. Battalions add a new layer of strategy, in combination with combat arts and skills. Unfortunately, this goes along with rather underwhelming maps, many constantly reappearing through the game. The Monastery, at first, is a nice break from the combat missions. Further in and future sessions become a drag, however, no more activities open up.
5. Fire Emblem : The Blazing Blade (2003 – Game Boy Advance)
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The prequel to Fire Emblem : The Binding Blade, and the first game to release outside of Japan, the seventh entree in the series cleaned up a lot from the previous entree. Gone was the secret ending, and no longer were a majority of units utterly useless. Map design is also a huge step up, with this game having one of the best defense maps in the series with Battle Before Dawn.
Story wise, the best comparison to think of is the equivalent of a summer popcorn movie. The variety of likable characters and interactions help to distract from a nonsensical story. It’s flashy, the presentation is an improvement, and the soundtrack is solid. It’s simply a fun, solid game.
4. Fire Emblem Fates : Conquest (2015 – Nintendo 3DS)
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Easily the best game of the Fates trio, Conquest is one of the finest game play experiences in the series. On top of having the already fantastic mechanics of Fire Emblem Fates, Conquest puts it to fantastic use with amazing map design. From a defense map on a harbor, to a large staircase where the player must escape as fast as possible, Conquest always goes out of its way to challenge the play. Without the ability to grind, and limits on resources, Conquest is all about the tactics. It is arguably the best game play experience in the series.
So what holds it back?
The story, quite frankly, is the worst in the series. With so many contrivances, hypocritical characters, and the worst main character in the series with the player avatar, Corrin. Conquest does have some unique ideas, but it’s ultimately infuriating due to how poorly executed it all is. The prose of the writing doesn’t help. Characters become either cartoon levels of evil, or overtly noble, and not in a self-aware, parody type of way. Still, the game play is more than enough to support this game as one of the best to play.
3. Fire Emblem : Thracia 776 (1999 – Super Famicom)
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The final game in the series by Shozu Kaga, and the least played game, Fire Emblem : Thracia 776 is a brutal, but fair game, one which tells a tight, gripping narrative about overcoming all odds.
Following the character of Leif as he attempts to take back his homeland of Thracia, he starts off in the worst state of any main character in the series. His forces are small, ill-equipped, and constantly on the run. Much like the character, the player starts in a desperate state, needing to capture and pilfer equipment from enemy units. Players will need to cycle out units as they get exhausted. Careful planning is required to get through the game’s toughest challenges.
The biggest flaw this game has, is it doesn’t explain its mechanics well at all. This most certainly shouldn’t be one’s first Fire Emblem game. Still, despite all the challenges the game throws at the player, it also gives you many tools to overcome those challenges. From scrolls which give your units a boost in various stats, to staves and weapons that are among the most powerful in the series. There are few major flaws to find in this game outside of its accessibility. Still, once the player understands what the game expects, the game becomes one of the most refined experiences in the series.
2. Fire Emblem Echoes : Shadows of Valentia (2017 – Nintendo 3DS)
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Fire Emblem Echoes : Shadows of Valentia, a remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, is the most beautiful game in the series. The art direction, soundtrack, and full voice acting(the first for the series), elevate the original story. Led by two amazing characters in the form of Alm and Celica, it tells the story of two armies coming together after trying to solve the issues of the world in their own ways. Alm by the way of the sword, and Celica by the way of religion. The twists, turns, and additions to the remake in addition add many new layers to the original story which weren’t there before. This includes elements of classism, the corruption of ambition and power, and duty.
The remake also fixes many of the issues from the original game. It’s now far less punishing, and gives the player more tools to approach the game. With the addition of combat arts, a few new units, and a rewind mechanic, Shadows of Valentia is a far more approachable game than its original counterpart. Free roaming areas, and dungeon crawling elements only help further engross the player in the world of Valentia.
The only negative about this game is the map design, a leftover from the original game. But with how much more brutal that game was, it made the bad maps stick out far more. This prevents the great maps from shining through the muck. Still, some of the maps aren’t exactly the greatest, such as the swamp maps or Nuibaba’s Abode. Ultimately though, the majority of maps are solid. Considering that with everything else in that game, it stands as one of Fire Emblem’s best.
1. Fire Emblem : Path of Radiance (2005 – Nintendo Gamecube)
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When it comes to a Fire Emblem game which has the perfect blend of a great story, awesome characters, fantastic presentation, and amazing game play, Path of Radiance takes the cake. The game follows the mercenary Ike as he’s pulled into a plot of a mad king to start a race-war with the shape-shift Laguz on the continent of Tellius. It’s a simple enough narrative, but what makes it amazing is the characters and politics of Tellius. Tellius’ history is vast, and the way the game handles racial tensions is surprisingly mature for a Nintendo game. Ike is an effective protagonist, doing the right thing for the sake of it. The supporting cast is also fantastic, from the Greil Mercenaries, the Laguz, and of course the villains. Both the Black Knight and Mad King Ashnard are some of the most intimidating foes in the series.
Path of Radiance introduces many of the mechanics which would later be refined in Radiant Dawn. While it may sound like they’d be bad here, they are still quite fun in this game. Plus, given the player only has to worry about one army, there are no worries about any difficulty spikes. It’s a moderately challenging game, though a little bonus awaits for those playing on harder difficulties. More impressive is the variety of maps, each with different objectives, and none being particularly frustrating. Path of Radiance is simply a joy to play, whether a newcomer or series veteran.
To see more about the Fire Emblem Engage, check out Nintendo’s website.
Graduated from Point Park University in 2021 with a Degree of English Creative Writing.
Author of the Chronicles of a Broken World Series
Avid Nerd and Enjoyer of All Things Fun and Thoughtful
