The original NES Fire Emblem is now coming to the West on the Switch. Players will now get to experience Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light for the first time.
The original NES Fire Emblem never came to the West. The game stayed in Japan, coming released 30 years ago in April 1990. Now, Westerners can get through the nitty-gritty of the game that started it all.
Nintendo will bring original FE to the West next week
This week, Nintendo announced on Twitter and the official website about its localization efforts. The first Fire Emblem will arrive on the Switch on December 4. The game will have English content and quality of life improvements for the legacy title.
30 years ago, the first #FireEmblem introduced beloved characters like Marth, and the series’ signature strategic gameplay. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light comes to #NintendoSwitch, fully localized for the first time! Available 12/4.https://t.co/UUSjOSgyPu pic.twitter.com/B0vW1jIYCE
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 22, 2020
“Play the Famicom classic that started the Fire Emblem™ legacy—localized for the first time,” said the post on their website.
“Meet Marth and recruit some of the most beloved Fire Emblem characters in their 8-bit glory as you play through all 25 chapters of this classic Famicom tactical role-playing game, localized and released for the first time in North America—for a limited time.”
Shadow Dragon & The Blade of Light will come to the Nintendo eShop on the 4th and will cost a decent US$5.99. It’s low enough for a super old game, so fair enough. The game, however, will be on limited release too.
The game will only be available until March 31, 2021. After that, the game will go away, which is currently the weird detail in Nintendo’s catalog of titles.
New Fire Emblem localization will include several improvements
The upcoming NES Fire Emblem is not a 1 to 1 port of the original game. That will not be a pleasant time for players, considering the system is too old. Shadow Dragon & The Blade of Light will be a clunky mess without them.
Several enhancements will make the game easier to play and friendlier to new gamers. These will include save states, checkpoints, and rewinds to make permadeaths and mistakes easier to handle.
Get a lesson in #FireEmblem history with the Fire Emblem 30th Anniversary Edition.
✅ Replica NES Game Pak art piece & game box
✅ Mini #NintendoPower collectible
✅ Legacy of Archanea deluxe art book
✅ + more!Available 12/4, while supplies last.https://t.co/Z2Ku04mPez pic.twitter.com/ZUdFsYN5aB
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 22, 2020
The original Fire Emblem introduced many landmark characters in the series. For fans of Smash, this is the game where Marth got his first foray into saving his kingdom.
For collectors, a Fire Emblem 30th Anniversary Edition pack is also available. The set will include a download code for Shadow Dragon & The Blade of Light. It will also have a Legend of Archanea deluxe art book.
The collection will also include a replica game box and art piece, plus an instruction booklet and Game Pak art piece. It will even have a mini-Nintendo Power collectible.
The NES Fire Emblem game will be available for a limited time on December 4. Players can check the Nintendo eShop for more details.
Featured image courtesy of Nintendo/Official Press Release