Best Fire Emblem Games

This is our list of the best games in the Fire Emblem series to release in the West, and now includes Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Low-cal. If you disagree with our personal ranking, our reader poll of the best Fire Emblem games might make for an interesting comparison. Enjoy!


It might have taken a while for Nintendo's premier SRPG series to detect its anxiety in the West, but the storming success of 2019's Fire Keepsake: Three Houses on Switch proves that xxx years since commencement launching in Japan Intelligent Systems' plough-based strategy serial is now up there with the Marios and the Zeldas in terms of hallowed Nintendo franchises. With then many entries and nary a low signal among them, it'due south high fourth dimension we attempted to wrangle them into a ranked listing. As you can see below, nosotros have done merely that and landed upon our personal ranking of the best Fire Emblem games available to humanity.

Well, that's not quite correct. You see, we haven't included Nihon-only Fire Emblem games that never officially left their homeland. That means you lot won't find the Super Famicom trio Mystery of the Emblem (in its original or 'New' form), nor Genealogy of the Holy War, Thracia 776, The Bounden Blade on GBA or the ephemeral BS Fire Emblem for the Satellaview. We've got our fingers crossed for rereleases/remakes of those Nihon-only treasures, but in the meantime nosotros'll have to 'make exercise' with the lilliputian lot beneath.

We accept included the spin-off Burn down Emblem Warriors and the mobile game Burn down Emblem Heroes, although we decided against Tokyo Mirage Sessions #Atomic number 26 (Encore) on the grounds that it's really a Shin Megami Tensei game with Fire Keepsake cameos and it seemed a tad unfair to rank it here when the championship doesn't even feature the words 'Burn Emblem'. Fire Keepsake Warriors might be Musou in Fire Emblem clothing, but it's got plenty of that clothing, no?

And if you don't like their inclusion? Mentally pluck them from the list and you're adept to get. If there'south one thing that'south clear from the selection below, it's that the overall quality of this series rivals the Mario and Zelda franchises in terms of consistency. Ordering these was a real challenge; information technology's not actually possible to play a 'bad' Fire Emblem game. If yous're interested to find out how our personal list differs from the that of Nintendo Life readers, cheque out our reader-voted poll of Burn Keepsake games.

So, climb aboard your mounts if yous've got 'em, and prepare for battle equally we countdown the all-time Burn down Keepsake games ever...

12. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Lite (Switch eShop)

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light (Switch eShop) Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 4th December 2020 (Us) / 4th Dec 2020 (UK/Eu)

It'due south lovely to meet Burn down Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Bract of Light finally localised for the West (in its original form), simply while we can appreciate the foundation this first game in the series put down, it's tough to render to this comparatively restrictive eight-bit version of the series' turn-based gameplay. Fans volition get a kick out of it, and the new features introduced go far less of a grind than information technology might be, but all but the most devoted FE aficionados volition find it difficult to enjoy this i after 30 years of iteration and improvement.

eleven. Fire Emblem Heroes (Mobile)

Fire Emblem Heroes (Mobile) Fire Emblem Heroes (Mobile)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Appointment: 2nd Feb 2017 (USA) / 2nd Feb 2017 (U.k./Eu)

In pure revenue terms, this mobile entry in the series is hugely popular and it's not without a certain charm. The fact that Fire Emblem Heroes costs nothing to endeavor is certainly a positive, although the mobile game's trademark timed mechanics and mixture of currencies will no doubt rub series veterans the wrong manner.

As a 1-handed, 'lite' interpretation of the series it's not bad, although its battles quickly become repetitive in one case you've built a strong team and the gatcha mechanic used to 'discover' new allies moves abroad from the careful weaving of cadre gameplay, narrative and grapheme relationships which makes the Fire Emblem formula so special.

10. Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch)

Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch) Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Tecmo Koei

Release Date: 20th Oct 2017 (USA) / 20th October 2017 (Britain/European union)

Love 'em or hate 'em, Koei Tecmo'southward Dynasty Warriors games have a loyal, passionate fanbase and the steady stream of crossover Musou games has helped keep the formula fresh and given fans of other franchises an attractive entry point into the world of Warriors. Zelda fans have Hyrule Warriors and Burn Emblem enthusiasts have their predictably named crossover, too.

Fire Keepsake Warriors delivers trademark Musou gameplay - which pits you confronting hundreds of enemies simultaneously in real-time combo-licious combat - only also adds a layer of unit direction and gives you the ability to instruct units on-the-fly and cipher between them across the conflict zone at will. Consequently, you become a Burn down Emblem-style feeling for the entire battlefield, in addition to the adroit third-person push button-play you'd expect from a Warriors title. Throw in luscious visuals, loads of characters and a dusting of mechanics borrowed from Nintendo'south series and you're left with a compelling hack-and-slash that even Musou sceptics would do well to investigate if they've got an ounce of Burn down Emblem fandom in their veins.

Don't think it should exist included here? Well, only imagine that Heroes is at number x instead and everyone's a winner.

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9. Burn down Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN)

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN) Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Engagement: 17th Oct 2005 (Usa) / quaternary Nov 2005 (Uk/European union)

The first dwelling house console Fire Keepsake to be released in the West (and merely the third to exist localised), GameCube'south Path of Radiance introduced us to Ike, leader of the Greil Mercenaries and rocker of a blueish barnet. The game was the outset in the serial to feature fully 3D graphics and as a first attempt it does a adept job. By mod standards it's lacking somewhat when it comes to presentation, only as we said at the commencement, in that location really aren't whatsoever bad Fire Emblem games - just ones lacking refinements and/or favourite characters. We similar Ike, simply non every bit much as some of the other greats.

8. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii)

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii) Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii)

Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 5th Nov 2007 (USA) / 14th Mar 2008 (U.k./EU)

Radiant Dawn is a direct sequel to Path of Radiance and could even accept save data brought over from its predecessor which boosted character stats. Information technology was well worth doing, too, equally Radiant Dawn was noted for its high difficulty and whatever advantage was welcome.

The Wii entry brought back dark magic and increased the scope and number of characters in comparison to Path of Radiance, only arguably didn't push the envelope and wasn't the sales success Nintendo had hoped. Despite having their fans, the GameCube and Wii entries represented a depression point in sales that pushed the developers back towards portable hardware until the series came to Switch 12 years later on.

7. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS)

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS) Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 16th Feb 2009 (U.s.) / 5th Dec 2008 (UK/European union)

The adjacent game to release after Path of Radiance, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is a DS remake of the original Famicom Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light that launched the franchise in Nippon and never saw release on the NES (or in the West until recently on Switch). Featuring series favourite and Nail Bros. veteran Marth, it was the beginning time people exterior Nihon could experience the original game and the DS provided the perfect platform for information technology. Nintendo has a reputation for acme-notch remakes and this is no exception, with a localisation courtesy of 8-iv Ltd. It'll cost yous a pretty penny to option upwards a copy nowadays.