Software:Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE

Short description: 2015 video game

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE
Developer(s)	Atlus
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Mitsuru Hirata Eiji Ishida Kaori Ando
Producer(s)	Shinjiro Takata Hitoshi Yamagami
Designer(s)	Mitsuru Hirata
Programmer(s)	Masanori Kinoshita
Artist(s)	Fumitaka Yano toi8 Hideo Minaba
Writer(s)	Yoh Haduki Makoto Miyauchi Aoi Akashiro
Composer(s)	Yoshiaki Fujisawa
Series	Shin Megami Tensei Fire Emblem
Platform(s)	Wii U Nintendo Switch
Release	Wii U JP: December 26, 2015 NA/EU: June 24, 2016 AU: June 25, 2016 Nintendo Switch WW: January 17, 2020
Genre(s)	Role-playing
Mode(s)	Single-player

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE is a 2015 role-playing video game developed by Atlus and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The game is a crossover that combines gameplay, narrative, and aesthetic elements from Atlus's Shin Megami Tensei and Nintendo's Fire Emblem series. It was released in Japan in December 2015 and worldwide in June 2016. An enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch, Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore, was released on January 17, 2020.

Taking place in modern-day Tokyo and featuring real-life locations such as Shibuya and Harajuku, the game centers around hostile beings known as Mirages who seek to harvest energy known as Performa from humans and are responsible for several disappearances. The story follows a group of teenagers who become allied with friendly Mirages, based on characters from the Fire Emblem series, and merge with them to become Mirage Masters. Under the guise of the Fortuna Entertainment talent agency, the Mirage Masters fight to protect innocent people from the Mirages and find out who is behind the attacks.

The game was first proposed by Nintendo producer Kaori Ando, who envisioned a crossover between the Fire Emblem and the Shin Megami Tensei series. Although initially reluctant due to their workload, Atlus agreed to the collaboration, and much of the early work went into deciding what genre of game it was going to be and how best to incorporate both series while creating an original game. The production period lasted five years. A notable feature was musical numbers produced by Japanese entertainment company Avex Group.

The game was announced in early 2013, two months after full development began. Its Western release retains the Japanese voice track with subtitles rather than an English dub. Reception of the game was generally positive; many praised the battle system, reactions to the story were mixed, and other elements such as dungeon designs and a lack of Fire Emblem-related elements were criticized along with technical problems. The game was later chosen by critics as one of the best games for the Wii U.

Gameplay

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE is a role-playing video game (RPG), and a crossover between the Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem series. Set in modern-day Tokyo, the game follows the members of a talent agency during their conflicts with hostile beings from another world called Mirages. To help them, the main cast are allied with friendly Mirages inspired by characters from multiple Fire Emblem games. The game's story is split up into several chapters, with the player also able to participate inside stories for various playable and supporting characters, as well as take quests from non-playable characters (NPCs) in Tokyo. The game alternates between real-world Tokyo and the Idolaspheres—alternate dimensions where enemy Mirages roam.

Players control the main protagonist Itsuki as he explores both worlds, interacting with various characters. Players can spend money earned from battles to purchase restorative items that replenish health points (HP) and energy points (EP). Players can also purchase protective accessories, with shops offering lottery tickets allowing players to win additional items. Players can also find various items in the Idolospheres, either by finding hidden treasure chests or defeating enemies in battle. The Wii U GamePad displays an in-game social app known as Topic where players can receive messages from other characters, keep updated on available Unity fusions, and view a map of each area.

Unity system

By utilizing a place called the Bloom Palace, players can perform two kinds of Unity ritual to strengthen their party: Carnage Unity and Radiant Unity. Carnage Unity uses Performa, which are obtained in battle by defeating monsters and performing crowd-pleasing techniques, to create new weapons for each character. Each weapon carries four skills which a party member can inherit by earning experience in battle. These include Command Skills, which allow the party member to perform various attacks and spells, Passive Skills, which offer passive stat boosts and effects, and Session Skills, which are used to chain together Session Attacks. Each character can only hold six skills of each type, but if they inherit a skill they already have, it is stacked on top and becomes more effective. Radiant Unity uses Performa that is born from within each party member, either through plot progression and clearing side stories, or by increasing a character's Star Ranking in a battle to grant them Radiant Skills. These are permanent skills separate from those inherited from weapons, and include passive effects such as increased health or extended Session Attacks as well as skills that can be performed in battle.

Battle system

A battle from Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, showing the battle arena, main characters, current enemies, and HUD display

The party's activities alternate between events in the real world and exploration through dungeons in the Idolaspheres, each designed around a specific theme. Unlocked by progressing through the story, the party navigates through multiple floors, activating switches and devices to solve puzzles and advance while avoiding traps and encountering or avoiding enemies represented by sprites on the field. The dungeon map is displayed on the GamePad. Once cleared, dungeons can be replayed at any time. Friendly NPC mirages also act as merchants within dungeons. Battles are triggered when an enemy touches the party touched. The player can attack a Mirage on the field to stun it, allowing them to perform a pre-emptive attack or avoid battle.

The game features a turn-based combat system in which party members and enemy Mirages take turns to perform actions such as attacking, casting spells, and using items. The player's party consists of three main characters which, except main character Itsuki, can be swapped out both inside and outside of battle. Similar to both Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei's battle systems, party members and enemies each have strengths and weaknesses against certain types of physical attacks, such as swords and arrows, and elemental attacks, such as fire and ice. The affinities of each party member change depending on the weapon they have equipped.

Session Attacks are combination attacks that can be triggered by targeting an enemy's weakness. If another party member possesses a Session Skill linking to the type of attack used, they will automatically perform a pursuit attack, which may then trigger another attack and so on. For example, if one party member attacks with an ice attack, another party member with an Ice-Elec skill will follow up with an electrical attack. Session Attacks may also be carried out by the enemy if they target a party member's weakness. By building up a special meter through attacks, players can earn SP which can be used to trigger Performance attacks, which can be earned through Unity and by completing side-stories. These are called Duo Attacks which are performed by a partner's Mirage. Dual Attacks, on the other hand, can be triggered during a Session Attack to extend the combo at random times. Additionally, party members can learn Ad-lib Performances which may randomly activate while performing certain skills.

Along with items and money earned from battles, winning battles earn experience points which increase each party member's level and allows them to learn skills from their weapons. Performing well in battles, such as achieving quick victories or successful Session Attacks, increases party members' Stage Level, which unlock Performa for Radiant Skills and opens up new side stories. The game ends, sending the player back to the title screen, if all party members are knocked unconscious by running out of HP.

Synopsis

Setting and characters

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE is set in modern-day Tokyo. The story moves between multiple well-known city districts, such as Shibuya and Harajuku. In the universe of Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, everyone holds energy called Performa that enables them to pursue their dreams. Performa attracts beings called Mirages, who hail from an alternate dimension called the Idolasphere: while some Mirages harvest Performa for malicious motives, others form alliances with humans to protect the real world. Those who form alliances with friendly Mirages are referred to as Mirage Masters. The main casts are employees and associates of Fortuna Entertainment, a talent agency that secretly acts as a hub and recruiting organization for Mirage Masters.

The main protagonist is Itsuki Aoi, a high schooler who by chance becomes involved with Fortuna Entertainment, and is initially uninterested in the business. The other human main characters are Tsubasa Oribe, an optimistic and hard-working classmate of Itsuki who seeks to become a pop idol; Touma Akagi, an impulsive friend of Itsuki and Tsubasa working to become an actor in a tokusatsu show; Kiria Kurono, a famous idol and veteran Mirage Master; Eleonora Yumizuru, a successful half-Scandinavian actress; Mamori Minamoto, a cooking show host with a taste for Shōwa period clothing and music; and Yashiro Tsurugi, a superstar male idol who is initially hostile towards the party and their ambitions. The group is aided by Maiko Shimazaki, a former model who is the head of Fortuna Entertainment; and Barry Goodman, a strict instructor from overseas with a love of otaku culture. The Mirages who ally with the cast are Chrom, Virion and Tharja from Fire Emblem Awakening, and Caeda, Cain, Draug, and Navarre from Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. A different Mirage is Tiki, who provides assistance to the Mirage Masters and is portrayed in the real world as a popular "utauloid".

Plot

In modern-day Tokyo, Itsuki accompanies Tsubasa to a talent audition. Hostile Mirages attack, and the two end up in the Idolasphere where they are attacked by Chrom and Caeda. Itsuki uses his Performa energy to cleanse the Mirages, prompting Chrom and Caeda to join them. With help from Touma and Kiria, respectively partnered with the Mirages Cain and Tharja, they defeat the Mirage's leader. Itsuki and Tsubasa are then enrolled in Fortuna Entertainment at Maiko's suggestion. They are aided by Tiki, who suffers from amnesia similar to the other allied Mirages. Further attacks follow at multiple locations throughout Tokyo, each focusing on leading entertainment and media figureheads being possessed by hostile Mirages: these Mirages are revealed to be servants of a greater power. During one mission, the group rescues producer Yatsufusa Hatanaka, who later keeps a close watch on them. They also gather new allies in the form of Elenora and her partner Virion; and Mamori and her partner Draug, the former partner of and initially possessed Barry. On many missions, Yashiro and his partner Navarre watch and sometimes act as an antagonistic force, before Itsuki persuades Yashiro that he can help him avenge his father, who vanished from an opera performance five years earlier in a Mirage attack that only Tsubasa and Yashiro survived.

Investigating a large Idolasphere portal, Hatanaka reveals himself as a partner to the malevolent Mirage Gharnef, both seeking to revive the Shadow Dragon Medeus through a ceremony dubbed the Opera of Shadows, which will destroy the world's creative energy. Using items called Dragonstones, Tiki recovers her memories, revealing she and the other Mirages failed to prevent the summoning of Medeus into their world. Tiki was banished to the Idolasphere and saved Yashiro and Tsubasa from an attempted performance of the Opera of Shadows five years earlier at the cost of her memory. They further learn that Gharnef and Medeus were defeated in ancient times by the Hero-King Marth using five gems dubbed the Fire Emblem. The group defeats Hatanaka and Gharnef, but their sacrifice, coupled with the offering of Marth's soul, completes the Opera of Shadows and summons Medeus. Traveling to the final Idolasphere realm, Itsuki is fatally injured by Medeus, but the Fire Emblem frees Marth's soul, which saves Itsuki and allows the group to perform the Divine Dragon Naga's Opera of Light and defeat Medeus. The Mirages, with their memories restored and Medeus gone forever, return with Tiki to their native realm.

Alongside the main narrative are side stories involving various members of Fortuna Entertainment, whom Itsuki can help as he learns from working in various sectors of the agency's business. These quests' storylines include Tsubasa working to create her idol persona; Touma's wish to become an inspirational actor; Kiria's discomfort with her softer side, which clashes with her professional identity; Eleanora's attempts to polish her abilities as an actress in preparation for a hoped-for Hollywood career; Mamori pushing to expand her professional range beyond her cooking host role; Yashiro breaking out of his self-imposed personal and professional isolation, culminating in a battle with his father's spirit; the often-tipsy Maiko's efforts to maintain Fortuna's public and private functions; Barry's antics and his growing insecurity after losing his Mirage Master abilities; and Tiki wanting the chance to experience the real world. If all the side stories are completed, a post-credits scene is unlocked where Maiko returns to modeling, and Itsuki is unanimously chosen as the new manager of Fortuna Entertainment.

Development

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE was the brainchild of Nintendo producer Kaori Ando, who voiced her wish to make a Fire Emblem crossover to fellow producer Hitoshi Yamagami in 2010. Ando's initial vision was for a collaboration between the Fire Emblem and Pokémon series, but this was rejected as a similar collaboration was being developed in the form of Pokémon Conquest. Ando redrafted her proposal and submitted it a week later as a crossover between Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei. Atlus, the developer of the Shin Megami Tensei series, had previously worked with Nintendo on a game titled Itsumo Purikura ☆ Kuradeko Premium for the Nintendo DSi and 3DS. When the project was originally pitched to Atlus in 2010, it was assumed that they were not interested after their unenthusiastic response and later said they were too busy to undertake the collaboration. Over a year later, Atlus inquired as to whether the subject was still open for discussion, and it transpired that they had been highly enthusiastic while still being too busy with other projects. Shinjiro Takada, who was also working on Software:Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, was appointed as a producer. While he had viewed Fire Emblem as a rival and quality goal for his work, he was honored to be given the chance to develop a title related to Fire Emblem. The game's directors were Mitsuru Hirata, who was supporting director on Software:Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, and Eiji Ishida, who worked on both Strange Journey and Shin Megami Tensei IV. Hirata was originally the project's sole director, but seven months after the game's public announcement, Ishida was brought on to co-direct so the amount of work needed for the title could be managed. According to Ishida, it was the company's first original game for eighth-generation consoles. Full development began in 2013. From conception to release, production on Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE lasted five years.

During its early production, what type of game it would become relied on whether Atlus or Fire Emblem developer Intelligent Systems would develop it. One of the problems that needed to be overcome was the form of the initial proposal, which was for a simulation game similar to Fire Emblem developed by Atlus. Atlus, who was better known for making traditional role-playing games, was unsure which series to emulate. The decision was eventually made to create something along the lines of a traditional RPG, so Atlus took on primary development. Their first concept turned out to be a grid-based strategy game with strategic positioning elements similar to Fire Emblem, but they were eventually convinced by Yamagami and staff from Intelligent Systems to keep within their skill set rather than attempting anything radically different. The final product was visualized as a game only Atlus could make, incorporating elements from both series while standing as an original title that could be enjoyed by fans of both Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem. The game's platform was chosen based on the recent successful Fire Emblem entries for the 3DS: as Fire Emblem had appeared on the 3DS, Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE was to be a different "expression" designed for the Wii U. During these early stages, proposals were also made for a 3DS version, but this never materialized. Despite the final product, some of the conceptual ideas were taken from early plans for Fire Emblem Awakening to take place in a modern-day setting. The inclusion of a sharp symbol in the title, which represents a semitone increase in the pitch of a note in musical notation, denoted the game's status as a unique hybrid of the two series. The inclination of the logo was also designed to represent the game's altered perspective on the Fire Emblem series. The game's cutscenes were created by Studio Anima, who handled the animated cutscenes for Fire Emblem Awakening and Fire Emblem Fates, and Studio 4°C.

Scenario and design

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE's setting makes use of contemporary locations in Tokyo, such as the Shibuya 109 department store, which was used as the thematic inspiration for a dungeon.

The scenario was written by Yoh Haduki and Makoto Miyauchi. Haduki was in charge of the main narrative, while Miyauchi handled the side stories for the main cast. During the early scenario development, it was thought that the main characters would be reincarnations of Fire Emblem characters, but this was dismissed as it would link it too strongly to the Fire Emblem series. When going through how to help incorporate Fire Emblem characters within the "Atlus mythos", they decided to use a concept from Japanese Shamanism called the "kami oroshi", which stands for a deity possessing and communicating through a priest or ritual dancer. A further extension of this was the incorporation of the kagura ritual dance, which in turn led to the inclusion of the entertainment theme. Inspiration was also from traditional Noh theater. The character of Itsuki Aoi, who is not directly associated with any branch of Japanese media and entertainment, was created to introduce the setting and characters from an outsider's point of view. Itsuki was also a rarity among Atlus protagonists in that he took an active role in conversations with other characters rather than being a silent protagonist.

The side stories were created so the player could better understand and empathize with the struggles of entertainers in the industry and their private lives. Part of the team's struggle was balancing the main story and side missions and making both appealing to players. During an earlier stage, there was no divide between these two mission types, which ended up clashing with major story events and prompting players to ignore the side stories. To counter this, "Intermission" periods were created where side story chapters could be accessed. In the end, the side stories became a large part of the game's thematic base, causing Yamagami to consider them something more. The general infusion of Japanese pop idol culture and the performing arts into the title was Atlus's take on traditions within Japanese Shamanism where the dancing of priestesses brought them closer to the gods they worshiped: in the game, it is through their performances that the main characters draw the attention of the Mirages and summon them into the real world. Also working on the scenario was Aoi Akashiro, a writer whose resume included anime and video games.

Aesthetically, the game used Fire Emblem elements as motifs, but took its setting and premise of a clash between worlds from Shin Megami Tensei. The battle system was originally going to be similar to a Fire Emblem game, but while it did incorporate elements such as the Weapon Triangle, it ultimately became a turn-based RPG battle system. After Atlus was made primary developer, the story was set in modern-day Tokyo and written around a group of young people facing challenges together. Its upbeat focus on character drama was a deliberate shift away from the dark scenarios of the Megami Tensei series. The game takes place in multiple locations around Tokyo, including Shibuya and Harajuku. The modern setting provided challenges for incorporating Fire Emblem characters, as characters in medieval armor just dropping into a modern setting would have looked strange. Among the considered possibilities were introducing Fire Emblem characters as human party members. In the end, it was decided to make them summoned helpers similar to the demons of Shin Megami Tensei, drawn into the real world from their Idolosphere dimension.

To make real-world locations as realistic as possible, the team went on multiple scouting trips, taking photographs of locations like the Shibuya 109 department store. They originally wanted to mimic the chosen areas of Tokyo very closely, but they needed to consider how this might make travel times between locations overly long for players: this was done by incrementally reducing the scale of environments while keeping the scenery and aesthetic intact. According to Hirata, the process of designing Shibuya alone took between one and two years. Battles were designed around the concept of a stage, with an audience made up of Mirages raised into excitement by the party's performance. In-battle rewards of money were designed to be "ohineri" (paper-wrapped offerings) rewarded to the party for their performance. An early version of the battle transition screen was an "assistant director" using a clapperboard, then offering in-battle commentary. These elements were completely cut from the game. Other elements that were cut included a high amount of camera movement during battles and booing from the audience when the party made mistakes.

The game's art director was Fumitaka Yano of Atlus. The main aesthetic chosen for the game revolved around bright colors, a noted shift from the majority of Atlus's previous games. The bright colors were designed to emulate the focus on the entertainment industry, with various shades and effects portraying a colorful world. In contrast, the dungeons were designed around fantasy motifs and meant to embody the Mirages having been robbed of "expression". The game's dungeons were based around real-world locations within Tokyo, and had gimmicks inspired by a chosen location: for instance, one dungeon inspired by Shibuya 109 was themed around fashion. The main characters were designed by toi8, a Japanese artist noted for his work on .hack//The Movie. When he was approached, he was finishing work on the cover of a light novel and wondering what he would be doing next. While his previous work used a low color saturation, for Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE he used high color saturation suited to its setting. According to Takada, the team asked toi8 to design the world in this way to create "a feeling of both friendliness and splendor". The Mirage characters were designed by Hideo Minaba of Japanese design company CyDesignation, and were based on characters from Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and Awakening. They were designed to contrast with toi8's character designs with the deliberate exception of Tiki, having a machine-like appearance. This was due to the long battle the characters had been facing: their armor reflected the dark events they had faced, and parts of themselves unneeded for survival have degenerated. Minaba had been a fan of the Fire Emblem series and encountered difficulties designing the characters. His main aim was to remain true to the original characters while emulating the sharp and dark character style of Atlus games.

Audio

Music

From an early stage, Atlus wanted to have Avex Group cooperating on musical numbers. The planned style, which would have vocal themes performed like music videos or sample trailers, needed a level of professionalism the team felt only Avex could provide. The in-game music was composed by Yoshiaki Fujisawa, who was famous for his work on the Japanese multimedia project Love Live!. Fujisawa was contacted in late 2013 by George Aburai, an in-house composer who also worked with multiple well-known entertainers at Avex Group. Fujisawa found the composition difficult as he was more used to composing for television series rather than video games. To help him, Atlus's sound team gave him advice about aspects such as the timing, feel, and emotive elements of tracks. Ultimately, he found the working environment fun and was pleased when he first saw a test video featuring one of his songs. As a central story theme was the entertainment industry, the soundtrack was filled with vocal tunes and "groovy" tracks. The game features stage performances involving the main characters, which were produced and choreographed by Aburai for Avex Group. The performances made use of full-motion capture, and the 3D animation for the choreographed performances was handled by Studio Anima.

Aburai formed a group from various areas of Avex Group to work on production. After forming his team, Aburai worked to analyze the personalities and traits of the main cast to determine how their performances would play out, in addition to other factors such as their professions' impact on their portrayal. The only vocal theme composed by Fujisawa was "Fire Emblem ~Drama of Light~", which used an arranged version of the Fire Emblem theme composed by Yuka Tsujiyoko. The remaining vocal themes each handled by different composers, many either working with or with previous ties to Avex Group. A prominent theme was "Reincarnation", which was the first song to be created and gave Aburai the most trouble as it would set the standard of the game's music. Two notable songs not performed by the main cast were "Distance between you and me" by the fictional idol group Emotional Key, performed by Karin Nanami, Yumi Wakatsuki and Mina Nakazawa; and the in-game anime theme "Dia Sweet Witch" performed by former Idoling!!! singer Mayu Sekiya.

A commercial CD release featuring all the game's vocal themes, Genei Ibunroku ♯FE Vocal Collection, was released on February 10, 2016 by Avex Group's music label Avex Trax. The CD included eighteen songs, all full versions mainly not heard in the game itself. A full soundtrack album, Genei Ibunroku ♯FE Encore Best Sound Collection, was released by Avex Trax on January 17, 2020. The 3-CD album included all the original vocal themes, official versions of the in-game music, and new music and the song "She Is..." from Encore.

Casting

Due to the performing aspect of the game, the team were faced with the difficulty of finding voice actors and actresses who could both act and sing. Voice actor Ryōhei Kimura was given the role of Itsuki, which he played so Itsuki would lack a strong personality as he was essentially the player's avatar. Itsuki's only two songs were "Fire Emblem (Drama of Light)" and "Smile Smile", which both focused on strong bonds with the other cast members. Actress and singer Inori Minase voiced Tsubasa; Minase played Tsubasa as the opposite of her normal persona, and encountered difficulties portraying her as "normal". Touma was voiced by actor Yūki Ono, who called the role "straight and refreshing". Ono also sang Touma's theme "Jump! Ōga!". Kiria's actress Yoshino Nanjō strove to portray her character in a "cool" way without her coming off as cold, reflecting the character's inner softness. Nanjō found recording the songs strenuous as she was unused to character-based singles. Nanjō's performance of Kiria's song "Reincarnation" needed to be redone around ten times until it fitted properly with the character's personality. Ayane Sakura voices Eleanora, who despite being nervous made an effort to portray the character in a bullish yet clumsy way, pushing to balance her forward manner with making her appealing for players.

Kaori Fukuhara, the actress for Mamori, portrayed her role so the character would sound childlike without being overly childish in her manner and tone. Yashiro's voice actor Yoshimasa Hosoya found singing for the role difficult as he lacked a natural sense of rhythm. Yashiro's main song was made deliberately complex, as the character singing it on stage would emphasise his skills. Tiki's voice actress Sumire Morohoshi found the role difficult due to Tiki's role as an explanatory figure, together with the dramatic elements of her amnesia and wish to experience the real world. Tiki's first song "Beastie Game" drew from multiple musical genres to reflect her status as a Vocaloid. When recording "Beastie Game", Morohoshi was surprised upon hearing her voice processed to sound like a vocaloid. For her second song, "Not A Phantom World", Morohoshi had to record multiple chorus elements which were then layered as backing for the main song, encountering difficulties making all her harmonies work together properly. Yuichi Nakamura portrayed Barry as the group's mood maker, while Maiko's actress Ami Koshimizu worked to make her character both aloof and charming. During voice and song recording, Aburai actively talked with the cast about their vocal nuances and interpretations of each song.

Release

The game was announced under the title Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem.

The game was announced in January 2013 as part of a Nintendo Direct presentation under the English working title Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem, and as one of many planned collaboration projects with third-party developers for the Wii U. The trailer featured artwork of characters from the Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem series, and concluded with the message "Development in Progress". There was much initial speculation by journalists as to the game's genre due to the trailer's vague nature. Atlus confirmed the following day that the game was an RPG, and that it would be developed by Atlus and produced by Nintendo. At the time of its announcement, many parts of the game had yet to be developed and finalized, as it had only been two months since the beginning of development.

The lack of reports after the initial announcement raised concerns that the game had been cancelled. During an interview at E3 2014 concerning Software:Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. and whether its development was affecting Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, Yamagami confirmed that the game was still in development and on schedule. In April 2015, a gameplay trailer was released during a Nintendo Direct broadcast, which also confirmed the game's Japanese title and release window. The Japanese title, Genei Ibunroku ♯FE, translates to "Illusory Revelations ♯FE". First-print runs of the Japanese release included codes for special costumes inspired by other Atlus games. In addition, Atlus produced a "Fortissimo Edition", containing a special box, an original artbook, a six-track CD release including "Reincarnation", and downloadable content (DLC) outfits for the playable characters. A Wii U bundle was also created, featuring similar content in addition to special stickers and special lyric cards. Between its original reveal and the retail release, Kiria's stage costume for her number "Reincarnation" was altered to be less revealing. DLC was created for the title as both promotional material and post-release content, which included downloadable scenarios including a "Hot Spring" scenario.

An English version was announced at E3 2015, with the release date being revealed in a Nintendo Direct presentation the following year in March. It was released in North America and Europe on June 24, 2016, and in Australia the following day. A limited edition similar to Japan's "Fortissimo Edition" was made available as an online exclusive through Amazon.com and GameStop: it is titled the "Special Edition" in North America and "Fortissimo Edition" in Europe. Aside from the Hot Springs scenario and its associated swimwear outfits, all Japanese DLC was released in the West for the game's launch.

Localization

Due to the game's Japanese setting and focus, in addition to many people preferring overseas songs in their original languages, the Western version of the game features Japanese audio with subtitles rather than an English dub. Finding English actors to perform the game's songs would also have lengthened the estimated localization time by a whole year. Its localization was handled by Atlus staff rather than Nintendo's internal localization division Nintendo Treehouse. Atlus was chosen over Nintendo due to fan expectation of the type of localization common to an Atlus-published title, and the wish to make the game appeal to long-term fans of the company's work. This placed the game in contrast with the majority of other Nintendo titles localized for the West, where Nintendo's attitude was described as "very hands-on".

Some aspects of the game were changed for its Western release: these changes included the removal or alteration of several revealing costumes, the removal of visual and dialogue references to Gravure modelling, and changes to the ages of certain characters. Multiple sections of dialogue were re-recorded to match these changes. The game's Hot Springs scenario and associated costumes also went unreleased. The removed outfits were replaced with Western-exclusive outfits. Changes to content were attributed to Nintendo's varying content requirements and regulations for the regions the game was released in. Staff later defended these changes as necessary adjustments based on the regions they would be releasing the game in, while working on keeping the core identity intact. After the game's Western release, staff were divided on the issue: Yamagami was positive about the game's adaption for a Western audience, while Hirata was initially disappointed with the alterations before seeing positive responses to the game from Western fans. Following the game's Western release, a fan-developed patch was released that reverted all the localization changes, ranging from cosmetic alteration to script changes.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore

An expanded port for the Nintendo Switch, titled Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore, was released worldwide on January 17, 2020. The port includes new story content and additional party members along with new music. Some new content was also incorporated from more recent Fire Emblem and Atlus titles such as unlockable costumes based on Persona 5, Etrian Odyssey Nexus and Software:Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Previous DLC was incorporated into the base game. As Nintendo were aiming for a simultaneous worldwide release, they decided to use the Western version as their base. Nintendo later issued a formal apology and offered pre-order cancellation options to Japanese buyers for failing to provide information regarding the changes ahead of time. A live concert organised by Avex Group, where the voice actors will perform their songs in front of a live audience, was originally scheduled to take place on June 27, 2020, but was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reception

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE (and Encore)

Review scores Publication Score NS Wii U 4Players 84/100 84/100 Destructoid N/A 8/10 Edge N/A 7/10 EGM N/A 7/10 Eurogamer N/A Recommended Famitsu N/A 34/40 Game Informer N/A 8.25/10 GameRevolution N/A GameSpot N/A 8/10 GamesRadar+ N/A GamesTM N/A 7/10 Hardcore Gamer 4/5 3/5 IGN N/A 7.6/10 Jeuxvideo.com 15/20 14/20 Nintendo Life Nintendo World Report 9.5/10 9/10 Polygon N/A 9.5/10 RPGamer 3.5/5 3/5 The Guardian N/A USgamer 4/5 4/5 Aggregate score Metacritic 81/100 80/100

Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu found the story's premise entertaining and interesting, and praised the side stories' focus on the supporting cast. Chris Carter of Destructoid noted that its focus on Japanese culture and similarity to fringe anime such as Revolutionary Girl Utena might put some people off, while Game Informer's Kimberley Wallace called the narrative both amusing and predictable. Cassandra Khaw of Eurogamer praised the character portrayals and the story's inclusion of the entertainment industry's darker elements. GameRevolution's James Kozanitis praised the game's over-the-top display and tone, enjoying the story despite its slow start, feeling that the pace was better suited to players who enjoyed anime. Alexa Ray Corriea, writing for GameSpot, found the story to be "a bit of a cheesy mess", but positively compared side stories to the Social Link systems from the Persona series. David Roberts, writing for GamesRadar, noted the story's lighthearted tone compared to other Atlus projects despite its dark opening premise, and Meghan Sullivan of IGN found the characters bland and the narrative poor compared to other aspects of the game. Nintendo Life's Conor McMahon noted the story's blatant use of its contemporary setting and entertainment theme, praised the side stories and praised the way the personalities of Fire Emblem characters were preserved. Daan Koopman of Nintendo World Report enjoyed the narrative due to its brisk pace and highlights of the Japanese entertainment industry, while Polygon's Janine Hawkins positively compared the story to magical girl anime, calling it "a co-ed version of Sailor Moon for the Love Live! age". Multiple reviewers noted a lack of Fire Emblem references, with several expressing disappointment with this imbalance.

Famitsu praised the aesthetics and user interface design, while Cartar enjoyed the art design despite clear technical limitations. Khaw praised the animated cutscenes, and Wallace praised the character and monster designs despite finding the graphics dated and environments lacking detail. McMahon positively referred to the visuals as "undoubtedly one of its greatest strengths, with every aspect of its visual design firmly planted in the vibrant world of idol culture". Koopman also praised the visuals despite criticizing long load times. The music received praise from multiple reviewers, with several praising both environmental tracks and the musical numbers.

Famitsu generally praised the gameplay, comparing it favorably to the Persona series while also commenting upon its unique elements. Carter greatly enjoyed the combat systems, saying they made up for more formulaic aspects such as general progression, Wallace praised the controls and combat, finding satisfying depth in its systems despite a need to grind for experience points. Khaw enjoyed the mechanics and style of the combat system, and praised the game for its relaxed pace. Kozanitis praised the blending of elements from both series, praising the combo mechanics and character growth systems. Corriea found the overall experience entertaining and engaging, but found boss fights brought down the experience due to becoming endurance tests rather than requiring any strategy. Despite criticizing the limit on skills, Roberts enjoyed the complexity and strategy of combat, praising it for removing the more tedious elements of its parent series. Sullivan praised the combat, calling the Session attacks its best feature and enjoying the overall spectacle and customization systems. McMahon praised the game's unique systems along with its blend of series elements, but found the GamePad difficult to use. Koopman said the battle system "[hit] the sweet spot" between Persona and Fire Emblem in its use of gameplay elements from both series in combination with its unique features. Hawkins also enjoyed the Session attacks, and praised the combat system and growth systems. Several reviewers found dungeon progression difficult due to backtracking or bland puzzles.

Sales

According to Famitsu, the game debuted at #13 with 23,806 units, having a moderate sell-through rate. At release, the game ranked as #8 in Nintendo's weekly download charts. The following week, it dropped to #16, selling another 9,094 units, bringing total sales up to just under 33,000 units. By mid-January, it had dropped to #27, but its sell-through rate had increased. According to Media Create, the game reached #14 on their charts, with all versions selling 26,340 units. By the following week, it had dropped out of the top twenty. According to Dengeki Online, the game had sold 32,896 units by January 2016. In its first week on sale in North America, the game sold 50,000 units. Upon its UK debut, the game reached #18 in the all-format charts and #16 in single-format.

The Nintendo Switch version, Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore, debuted at #6 in Japan with 18,797 units sold according to Famitsu, while Media Create reports the game debuted at #5 in Japan. In the UK, the game debuted at #17 in the all-format chart, and launch sales are reported to be 17% stronger than the original Wii U release.

Awards and accolades

Critics were generally positive. The game scored an 80 out of 100 on aggregate site Metacritic based on 62 critic reviews. It was ranked by the site as the sixth best Wii U game of the year. Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE was awarded the Dengeki Online Award 2015: Dengeki referred to the game as a "masterpiece", calling it one of the best recent role-playing game and applauding the evolved Megami Tensei battle system and lighter-toned story. Destructoid awarded it as their best Wii U game of 2016, while RPGamer awarded it for Wii U RPG of the year. It was also nominated for and was the runner-up for IGN's "Wii U Game of the Year" in their "Best of 2016" awards. In Nintendo Life's 2016 Game of the Year awards, the game came third in the "Readers Votes Wii U Retail Game of the Year" category behind Software:Paper Mario: Color Splash (#2) and Software:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (#1). GameSpot ranked it among the best Wii U games of 2016. It has been ranked by Kotaku, USGamer, Polygon and GamesRadar as one of the best video games for the console.

External links

• Official website
• Official Japanese website
• Official Japanese website (Encore version)

Short description: Tactical role-playing video game franchise published by Nintendo

This page is about the video game series. For the seventh game in the series internationally released with no subtitle, see Fire Emblem (video game).

Fire Emblem
Logo since 2013
Genre(s)	Tactical role-playing
Developer(s)	Intelligent Systems Koei Tecmo (2019) Atlus Omega Force Team Ninja
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Creator(s)	Shouzou Kaga
Composer(s)	Yuka Tsujiyoko
Platform(s)	Family Computer Super Famicom Game Boy Advance GameCube Wii Nintendo DS Nintendo 3DS Wii U Android iOS Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2
First release	Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light April 20, 1990
Latest release	Fire Emblem Shadows September 25, 2025
Spin-offs	Fire Emblem Heroes Fire Emblem Warriors Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE

is a Japanese fantasy tactical role-playing video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. First produced and published for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, the series currently consists of seventeen core entries and five spinoffs.

The core gameplay revolves around discrete battles between the player's team of characters and enemy non-player characters across grid-based maps. The player and enemy each take turns moving their characters across the map and having them perform combat-based actions. The games also feature a story and characters similar to traditional role-playing video games, and occasionally social simulation aspects as well. A notable aspect of gameplay is the permanent death of characters in battle, rendering them unusable upon being defeated, although this aspect of the game can be turned off starting from Software:Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem onwards.

The series' title refers to the "Fire Emblem", a recurring element usually portrayed as a royal weapon or shield representing the power of war and dragons. The development of the first game began as a dōjin project by Shouzou Kaga and three other developers, and its success prompted the development of further games in the series. Kaga headed the development of each entry until the release of Thracia 776, when he left Intelligent Systems. He went on to found his own game studio, Tirnanog, who developed Tear Ring Saga.

The series debuted in the West with the seventh game The Blazing Blade in 2003, under the title Fire Emblem. According to the game's director, this was because of the international success of the similarly turn-based Advance Wars. The inclusion of Marth and Roy in the 2001 fighting game Super Smash Bros. Melee as playable characters is also cited as a reason for the series' international release. Many games in the series sold well, although sales suffered a decline during the late 2000s. This downturn resulted in the series' near-cancellation until the critical and commercial successes of Fire Emblem Awakening (2012) and Software:Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019).

The series has been lauded for its gameplay and is frequently cited as the seminal series in the tactical role-playing genre, codifying various gameplay elements that would come to define the genre. Characters from across the series have been included in crossovers with other video game franchises, including the Super Smash Bros. series.

Common elements

Gameplay

Fire Emblem's developers have described it as an "RPG simulation" that combines tactical simulation gameplay with the plot and character development of a role-playing game, creating a sense of connection with characters not present in previous tactical games. Battles in the Fire Emblem series take place on a grid-based map, with the player controlling a set number of characters across maps tied to the game's story and optional side stories. Each character has a specific character class which gives them set abilities and affects how far they can move across the field; some classes have innate skills unique to them. Depending on the installment, a character's class can be changed or upgraded, sometimes by using special items. During a battle, a character gains experience points by performing actions, such as attacking an enemy, healing an ally, or slaying a foe, which typically offers the most experience points. Each character has their own stats, and once a certain level is reached they level up and new skill points are awarded randomly to their attributes, such as health, agility, or strength. A character gains more experience the more they are used in battle.

A key element present in combat since Genealogy of the Holy War is the Weapon Triangle, a system governing the strengths and weaknesses that certain weapons and types of magic have against each other in a rock–paper–scissors fashion. For weapons, lances have an advantage against swords, swords have an advantage against axes, and axes have an advantage against lances. In the magic system, fire is stronger than wind, wind is stronger than thunder, and thunder is stronger than fire. From The Binding Blade through Radiant Dawn, these three elements are collectively known as anima magic. Anima is stronger than light, light is stronger than darkness, and darkness is stronger than anima. In Fates, the Weapon Triangle relationships add other weapons: swords and tomes are stronger than axes and bows, axes and bows are stronger than lances and shurikens, and lances and shurikens are stronger than swords and tomes. Most games use a Weapon Durability system: after being used a certain number of times, a character's weapon will break. Different installments have various systems related to weapons: in Genealogy of the Holy War, weapons can be repaired at special shops; in Path of Radiance and future games, weapons can be bought and upgraded. Fates replaces the durability system with a system where more powerful weapons weaken some of their wielder's stats.

Character relationships can be developed through support affinity both inside and outside of battle, which increases certain battle abilities. A feature introduced in Genealogy of the Holy War and used in later installments is that characters who fall in love can have a child who inherits certain skills and stats from them. One of the recurring features in the series is permanent death, in which units defeated in battle are permanently removed from the party, with very few exceptions, one being the main character, whose death results in a Game Over instead. Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem introduced Casual Mode, in which dead characters are revived at the end of a battle. Fates added Phoenix Mode, in which defeated characters are revived on the player's next turn. Another inclusion from Fates is 'My Castle', a customizable castle serving as the player's base of operations throughout the game.

Story and themes

The Fire Emblem games take place across unrelated settings within a medieval or Renaissance-themed time period. The main protagonist, who is usually either royalty or a mercenary, is caught in the conflict of two or more countries across a continent and fighting for their cause. The continents of Archanea and Valentia are the settings of Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, Gaiden, Mystery of the Emblem, and Awakening, and were the planned setting for Fire Emblem 64. Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776 are set in Jugdral, which is distantly connected with Archanea and Valentia, while The Blazing Blade and The Binding Blade take place in Elibe. The Sacred Stones is set in Magvel, and Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn are set on the continent Tellius. Fates is set on an unnamed continent, with the story instead focusing on the two powers fighting over its territory. Three Houses takes place on the continent of Fódlan. Engage is set in the continent of Elyos.

A recurring element in the series is the titular artifact known as the "Fire Emblem". In Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and other games set in Archanea, it is a shield inset with five magical gems named after its connection to dragons and weapons of war, being the "emblem of flame". It also appears as a family crest in Genealogy of the Holy War, a family seal in The Binding Blade, a magic gemstone in The Sacred Stones, a bronze medallion holding a goddess of chaos in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, a sword in Fates, and hereditary magical sigils in Three Houses. Other magical elements, including feuding gods and mystical species such as dragons and shapeshifters, are also recurring elements in the series.

Development and history

The first Fire Emblem game, Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, was originally never intended as a commercial game, defined by creator Shouzou Kaga as a dōjin project with three other job-holding students. However, the game's unexpected commercial success prompted the development of more games in the series. The game was developed at Intelligent Systems, whose previous notable game was the strategy game Famicom Wars. Kaga worked on the Fire Emblem series until Thracia 776, when he left Intelligent Systems and began development on Tear Ring Saga for the PlayStation. After Thracia 776, the Fire Emblem series had several releases on portable devices. In 2001, Marth and Roy, from Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and The Binding Blade respectively, appeared as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee. This, alongside the international success of Advance Wars, is cited as what led to Nintendo localizing The Blazing Blade for Western regions under the title Fire Emblem. Due to its success overseas, it was decided to return the series to home consoles for Path of Radiance for the GameCube. Despite it arriving late in the GameCube's life cycle, it provided a late boost to sales, reaffirming Nintendo's faith in the series. By 2010, the series was suffering from declining sales and Nintendo told Intelligent Systems that if their next Fire Emblem failed to sell above 250,000 units, the series would be canceled. This prompted Intelligent Systems to include many features new to the series in Awakening, with the intention of making it the culmination of the entire series up to that point. The game's reception and sales ended up saving the series from cancellation, convincing Nintendo to continue production.

The series' original music was composed by Yuka Tsujiyoko. As the only music composer at Intelligent Systems when Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light was in production, she acted as both composer and sound director, up until Thracia 776, when she left the company to become a freelancer after completing the score for Paper Mario. She has worked on later Fire Emblem games, alongside other composers including Saki Kasuga, Hiroki Morishita, and Rei Kondoh. The series includes several other notable staff members: Tohru Narihiro, who was involved in every Fire Emblem since the original; Masahiro Higuchi, who began as a graphics designer for Genealogy of the Holy War; and Kouhei Maeda, who wrote the scenarios for every game since The Blazing Blade and became a director for Awakening.

Multiple artists are associated with the series. The characters of Mystery of the Emblem and Genealogy of the Holy War were designed by Katsuyoshi Koya, who later worked on designs for the Fire Emblem Trading Card Game. Katsuyoshi, who was unsatisfied with his work on the series, stepped down for Thracia 776. The designer for Thracia 776 was Mayumi Hirota, whose brief tenure with the series ended when she left Intelligent Systems with Kaga after the game's completion. Nevertheless, her art for the series was described by Kaga as his favorite up to that point. Other artists involved in later games are Eiji Kaneda (The Binding Blade), Sachiko Wada (The Sacred Stones) and Senri Kita (Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn). For Shadow Dragon, the character artwork was remade by Ghost in the Shell artist Masamune Shirow. The in-game portraits were instead designed by longtime contributor Daisuke Izuka, who returned as character designer for the remake of Mystery of the Emblem. For Awakening, art director Toshiyuki Kusakihara worked with character designer Yūsuke Kozaki, who was brought in to give a new look to the series. Kozaki later returned as character designer for Fates and Heroes. For Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, illustrator Hidari was hired to revise classic Gaiden designs in addition to creating new ones. To depict a "glamorous, aristocratic society" in Three Houses, Intelligent Systems contracted character designer Chinatsu Kurahana, best known for her work on otome games such as Uta no Prince-sama, while freelance artist Kazuma Koda provided the concept art. Kurahana returned to design protagonist Shez, Arval, and the house leaders in its spin-off, Warriors: Three Hopes, with Kusakihara filling in for the rest of the cast.

Games

There are currently seventeen games in the core Fire Emblem series, of which fourteen have been original games and three have been remakes.

Main series

The first entry in the series, Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, was released in 1990 for the Japanese Famicom. A second game for the Famicom, Fire Emblem Gaiden, was released in 1992. It is known for having unusual mechanics compared to the rest of the series, such as dungeon exploration. It takes place in a similar timeframe as Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, but on a different continent. In 1994, Mystery of the Emblem was released for the Super Famicom, containing both a remake of Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and a sequel of the first game. Two more games were released for the Super Famicom in 1996 and 1999 respectively: Genealogy of the Holy War and Thracia 776.

The next entry released was The Binding Blade in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance. A prequel to The Binding Blade, The Blazing Blade, was released for the Game Boy Advance the following year. It was released overseas under the title Fire Emblem in 2003 in North America and 2004 in Europe, becoming the first official release of the Fire Emblem series in these regions. This is due in part to the inclusion of Marth and Roy in Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Gamecube in 2001, and the earlier release (and success) of Advance Wars in the West, prompting Intelligent Systems and Nintendo to finally release Fire Emblem in the West. The final entry for the Game Boy Advance, The Sacred Stones, was released in 2004 in Japan, and in 2005 in North America and Europe.

The ninth installment in the series, Path of Radiance, was released worldwide on the GameCube in 2005. It was the first Fire Emblem game to feature 3D graphics, voice acting, and full-motion animated cutscenes. A direct sequel to Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn was released for the Wii in 2007 in Japan and North America, and 2008 in Europe.

In 2008, the series returned to handheld systems with two releases for the Nintendo DS. Software:Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, an expanded remake of the first game, was released in 2008 in Japan and Europe, and 2009 in North America. Shadow Dragon makes use of unique DS features unavailable to the Famicom and introduced new characters, added additional story elements, revamped mechanics, and modernized graphics. A Japanese-only entry, New Mystery of the Emblem, was released in 2010 for the DS as an expanded remake of Mystery of the Emblem.

The series moved to the Nintendo 3DS with Fire Emblem Awakening, the thirteenth game in the series, released in 2012 in Japan and 2013 in North America and Europe. Awakening was a major critical and commercial success, and is credited for revitalizing the franchise. The second entry for the Nintendo 3DS, Fates, was released in June 2015 in Japan, February 2016 in North America, and in May 2016 for Europe and Australia. Fates comes in three versions: two physical versions titled Birthright and Conquest, and a third route titled Revelation released as downloadable content. Fates was later re-released as a special version with all three versions included. A third entry, Software:Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, was released on the Nintendo 3DS in April 2017 in Japan and in North America and Europe the following month. Echoes is an enhanced remake of Gaiden, maintaining many of the unique features of Gaiden while revamping the graphics and script, and adding several ease-of-play improvements.

A Fire Emblem game was announced for the Nintendo Switch during a Fire Emblem focused Nintendo Direct in January 2017. The game was officially revealed as Software:Fire Emblem: Three Houses during the Nintendo Direct presentation at E3 2018, and was released in July 2019. Fire Emblem Engage, a second entry for Nintendo Switch, was announced during a September 2022 Nintendo Direct and released in January 2023. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, an entry for the Nintendo Switch 2, was announced in September 2025 and is scheduled to be released in 2026.

Spin-offs and cameos

In 1997, an episodic prequel to Mystery of the Emblem titled BS Fire Emblem: Archanea Senki-hen was released through Satellaview. The events of Archanea Senki were included in the remake of Mystery of the Emblem. BS Fire Emblem is considered an official part of the series by some developers, but not generally by fans. A crossover with the Shin Megami Tensei series, Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, was released in December 2015 in Japan and worldwide in June 2016 for the Wii U. Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE was developed by Atlus rather than Intelligent Systems and combines gameplay, narrative, and aesthetic elements from both the Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei series. On January 17, 2020, an enhanced version titled Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore was released on Nintendo Switch. Fire Emblem Heroes is a spin-off gacha game for Android and iOS, and was released in February 2017 for mobile devices. Heroes is a crossover of characters from across the Fire Emblem series, rather than with another series, and also introduced original characters not seen in any other Fire Emblem game. A crossover with the Dynasty Warriors series, Fire Emblem Warriors, was released for the New Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch in 2017. It was developed by Omega Force and Team Ninja. A second Warriors game, based on Three Houses, and titled Software:Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes was announced in a Nintendo Direct on February 9, 2022 and released on June 24, 2022. Fire Emblem Shadows, the second mobile game in the series was announced and released on September 25, 2025 as a social deduction strategy game.

Characters from the Fire Emblem series have appeared in a number of other games as cameos or as part of crossovers. This includes multiple entries in the Super Smash Bros. series, beginning with protagonists Marth and Roy in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Characters from the series also appeared in Intelligent Systems' strategy game Software:Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. as optional characters unlocked via amiibo.

Cancelled games

A Fire Emblem game was initially in development for the Nintendo 64 and its peripheral 64DD. Originally codenamed Fire Emblem 64, it was first revealed by Shigeru Miyamoto in 1997. Ultimately, due to poor sales for the 64DD and internal structural changes at Intelligent Systems, Fire Emblem 64 was cancelled in 2000 and development shifted to what would become Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade. Work done for Fire Emblem 64 was incorporated into The Binding Blade.

An additional RTS-based game for the Wii was planned and would have been released after Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, but after trial and error and an unfocused development schedule, the project was cancelled. Intelligent Systems never planned a Fire Emblem game for the Wii U. Nintendo producer Hitoshi Yamagami said such a game would need to sell 700,000 copies to be profitable. A rumored Fire Emblem remake for the Nintendo 3DS had been in development following the success of Echoes. According to the reports, it was one of many video games that had been in development for the platform late in its life but were ultimately scrapped, with many speculating those projects could be moved to the Nintendo Switch.

Reception

Sales in Japan were the highest with Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light but progressively declined with future games, which sold 329,087; 324,699; 776,338; 498,216 and 106,108 copies respectively. As of 2002, total sales had reached over two million copies. Awakening topped the total sales of both Radiant Dawn and the Mystery of the Emblem remake in its first week. It went on to sell 2.35 million copies worldwide and become the best-selling Fire Emblem game in Western territories at the time.

In 2007, a Japanese public poll named Mystery of the Emblem as one of the country's All Time Top 100 video games. Speaking to USGamer, Massive Chalice creator Brad Muir commented on how Fire Emblem had influenced the game, referring to it as "[a] venerable strategy series", making positive reference to its gameplay and character relationships. In her review of Awakening, IGN's Audrey Drake said that "Far too few people have played the Fire Emblem series", calling it "[a] darling of the hardcore strategy RPG crowd - and one of the shining gems of the genre".

Several journalistic sites have cited its low notoriety in the west as an effect of Nintendo's sporadic localization efforts, along with its place in a niche game genre. At the same time, they have praised the series' gameplay, regularly noting its high difficulty and relationship mechanics. The series has been cited as an inspiration for later tactical role-playing games, with Gamasutra naming Software:Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, Final Fantasy Tactics and the Disgaea series as being influenced by its design. In 2014, Destructoid writer Chris Carter praised the series' mechanics, and at the same time chose Mystery of the Emblem, Path of Radiance, and Awakening in his list of the five best games in the series. Awakening is generally cited as having brought the series more publicity and player attention outside of Japan.

Legacy

Tear Ring Saga lawsuit

After Kaga left Intelligent Systems, he founded a studio called Tirnanog and began development on a game titled Emblem Saga, a strategy role-playing game for the PlayStation. The game bore multiple similarities to the Fire Emblem series, and Nintendo filed a lawsuit against Tirnanog for copyright infringement. The first suit failed, and the court ruled in Tirnanog's favor. Nintendo filed a second lawsuit, and this time was awarded a cash settlement of ¥76 million. Nevertheless, Tirnanog and publisher Enterbrain were still allowed to publish the entry, though they changed its name to "Tear Ring Saga", and eventually developed a sequel. Nintendo attempted taking a third lawsuit to the Japanese Supreme Court in 2005, but the second ruling was upheld.

In other media

A short, two episode original video animation series based on Mystery of the Emblem released in 1996. These anime episodes were released in North America in 1998, five years before The Blazing Blade was localized, making them the first official Fire Emblem media to be released in the region. Nintendo produced Amiibo figures of several Fire Emblem characters; they are compatible with Fates, Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Three Houses, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Manga based on the games have also been produced, including The Binding Blade, Awakening, and Engage. Two trading card games have been made with the Fire Emblem franchise: Fire Emblem: Trading Card Game, which was released from 2001–2006, and Fire Emblem 0 (Cipher), which was released in 2015 and was discontinued in late 2020 with the twenty second expansion pack being the last one.

See also

• Wars series, a modern military strategy series also developed by Intelligent Systems
• List of Japanese role-playing game franchises