© 2012, 2013 Nintendo / INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS

Available now exclusively for Nintendo 3DS in stores (good luck!) and digitally on the Nintendo eShop

Digital File Size: 8,577 blocks

Nintendo Network: Spotpass, Streetpass, Downloadable Content

Genre: tactical RPG, turn based


Starting up Fire Emblem Awakening for the first time immediately reveals that the production value for the game is incredibly high. The simultaneous wonderment from both the top screen, sharp animation with outstanding use of stereoscopic 3D, and the bottom screen, listing the creative staff and crew alongside Nintendo and INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS, acquire even before seeing the title screen. The amount replay value is also present before the game’s first impression with multiple difficulty, mode preference, and avatar creation. When progression finally starts, the entertainment value kicks in and never descends. While the Nintendo 3DS is still young, Fire Emblem Awakening truly awakens as an easy candidate for the best exclusive title to own for the handheld system.

If you’re new to the series, Fire Emblem is a turn based tactical RPG where you command your units in positions on the grid battlefield in your turn. You may choose to attack an enemy when a unit is in reach of one; however, the best method to survive is by strategically place formations (press X to view the highlighted danger squares) and knowing what you’re up against (press A on an enemy to keep track on). When choosing to attack, a 3D battle animation displays the uncontrollable outcome. Fortunately, there is a forecast to see if your unit will survive, defeating the enemy, and displays percentage of successfulness and critical damage from either side. For veterans of the series, there are improving features and new tactics that even newcomers could easily take advantage of such as Pair Up and Support. When pairing two characters on the same square, it boosts stats to the leading pair who protects the weaker character, which that character can even protect the leader and strike addition blows during the battle animation for experience points. Pairing up specific characters can also boast a Support ranking to increase stat boasts and better executed teamwork. Placing characters in separate adjacent square can also activate Support and double attacks. The bottom screen (very important on highest difficulty) is very welcoming to newcomers as it displays information on both your characters and enemies on the battlefield, knowing the types of stats and weakness, details about the equipped weapons and skills.  Grinding in Awakening is not solely on leveling up.




Even when playing in Casual Mode, there is a redeemable reason why Fire Emblem players restart missions. While characters are permanently unplayable when they’re defeated during battle in Classic Mode, choosing to restart a missions is a godsend for a tactician (your avatar). As your bitterness from the previous match (or previous save in Casual Mode) could turn towards your favor when restarting the match with a more thoughtful approach on placing your units is very satisfying. If you decide to progress with casualties in Classic Mode, the game continues to introduce tactics such as class changes and more passionate characters to recruit, both new and nostalgia, that will help you move forward from the bitter taste. Fortunately, replaying missions is more acceptable when deciding to turn off the battle animation and watch adorable sprites drop like flies or you could press Start to skip an entire opponent’s turn unless a character levels up or dies.

If the gameplay wasn’t enough, the writing itself is really good as it should for this mystical franchise. The emotional level is high as it witness from your created avatar throughout the multiple store arcs. You will also read backstories from all the recruiting characters with the Support feature. Two characters will talk to one another in interesting, and hilariously disturbing base on whom they pair up with, discussions that could lead to a marriage proposal. The couple can even have playable children that interpreted well into the creatively told story, surprisingly.

You might point out that the characters don’t have feet during the battle animations or you might argue that the voice acting is mostly for brief, repeating, sentencing grunts. Those nitpicks can quickly slash away thanks to the array of options such as the viewing a riveting battle in first-person while stereophonic 3D (gets freaky when holding L and using the Circle Pad) is on and hearing their victory shouts in it’s original Japanese language. One minor issue needs to be address. When playing Causal Mode, The Bookmark is replace with a Save that can be use at anytime and stores your halt process in an alternate save file. However, choosing to restart a mission or continue playing in a completely different save file by wastefully pressing the home button and exit the software.



You could easily appreciate the visuals because there are multiple are styles that constantly switch back and worth. No matter what you’re doing whether it’s battling or reading dialogue, every aspect of the game is beautiful with delicious details such as facial expressions during cutscenes, sadly they are few and far between. The improve graphics can even make emotional aspect from this franchise even more dramatic such as witnessing a character being defeated in their point of view, seeing their fallen weapon in their final moment. The battle animation becomes more engrossing the more you progress when equipped with higher-ranking weapons, more auto-changeable camera angles, and breathtaking environments. The battlefield overview itself is enrich with sprite animations and added visual breeze. The music is decent, the only memorable parts are during character fulfillment and serious battle encounters.

The best aspect in the presentation that is new to the series is that the visuals determine how well your tactical work is. When viewing multiple hearts spewing from the map after completing a single battle animation reveals that your unit formation is almost bulletproof, better chance at dodging attacks and support in battle, and quickly increase support ranks.

Fire Emblem Awakening triumphs as a killer app for the Nintendo 3DS. It has overwhelming amounts of content and customization for a handhled experience. The alternating visuals combining with the best usage of stereoscopic 3D are gorgeous. With over 40 chapters including unlockable side quests in green and over a dozen more by purchasing Downloadable Content, the flames in this emblem is enormously bright.

10/10 retail points