Fire Emblem Gaiden
Encyclopedia
is the second installment in the Fire Emblem
Tactical role-playing game
series developed by Intelligent Systems
and published by Nintendo
. The game was released on March 14, 1992 in Japan
. It is also the second Fire Emblem game to be released exclusively on the Family Computer
(Nintendo Entertainment System). It serves as a side story to the original game ("Gaiden
" is literally Japanese for "side story"). Set in the same game world, the events of Fire Emblem Gaiden actually take place on a different continent, and thus have no bearing on the first game's narrative. However, several characters from the original game, such as the pegasus knight sisters, do make return appearances.
While the basic battle engine and formula from the original game are still present in Fire Emblem Gaiden, a number of new gameplay features were added or changed. Certain classes
feature branching promotion trees, allowing the player to select a character's promotion class. Only special weapons need be equipped, and neither these nor the unit's default weapons will ever break. Spells are learned through leveling up, and they drain the spellcaster's hit points with each use. The game also features an overworld map that players can travel through between battles and towns that can be freely explored, with more territory becoming available as the game progresses.
Despite the numerous changes to the Fire Emblem formula, most of the later games in the series reverted back to the gameplay of the original Fire Emblem before evolving into new directions. Some of these changes, such as a navigable world map and branching class promotions were later used in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
, which received critical praise for its design. However, other elements that Fire Emblem Gaiden introduced have not been reused.
of Japan
. VC Fire Emblem Gaiden website at Nintendo
of Japan
. Official Fire Emblem website at Nintendo
of Japan
.
Fire Emblem
is a fantasy tactical role-playing video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems , the maker of Advance Wars , and published by Nintendo...
Tactical role-playing game
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
series developed by Intelligent Systems
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese first-party video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co., Ltd. It has its headquarters in the Nintendo Kyoto Research Center in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture....
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. The game was released on March 14, 1992 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is also the second Fire Emblem game to be released exclusively on the Family Computer
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(Nintendo Entertainment System). It serves as a side story to the original game ("Gaiden
Gaiden
is a Japanese-language word meaning "side story" or "tale", used to refer to an anecdote or supplementary biography of a person. This use of gaiden is commonly used in popular Japanese fiction to refer to a spin-off of a previously published work that is neither officially considered a sequel nor...
" is literally Japanese for "side story"). Set in the same game world, the events of Fire Emblem Gaiden actually take place on a different continent, and thus have no bearing on the first game's narrative. However, several characters from the original game, such as the pegasus knight sisters, do make return appearances.
Plot
The game follows two protagonists, life-long friends Alm and Celica, over the course of five chapters and takes place in two kingdoms on the continent of Valencia: Rigel and Sofia. The world map is slowly revealed for players to traverse through the game's five chapters. Over the course of the game, it is revealed to both Alm and the player that he is actually the prince of Rigel, whereas Celica is both the princess of Sofia and a priestess of the goddess Mila. Fire Emblem Gaiden was the first game in the series where more than one main character could promote. Alm begins the game as a Fighter before eventually promoting to Hero. Celica is a Priestess, and she promotes into Princess.Gameplay
Character class
In role-playing games, a common method of arbitrating the capabilities of different game characters is to assign each one to a character class. A character class aggregates several abilities and aptitudes, and may also sometimes detail aspects of background and social standing or impose behaviour...
feature branching promotion trees, allowing the player to select a character's promotion class. Only special weapons need be equipped, and neither these nor the unit's default weapons will ever break. Spells are learned through leveling up, and they drain the spellcaster's hit points with each use. The game also features an overworld map that players can travel through between battles and towns that can be freely explored, with more territory becoming available as the game progresses.
Despite the numerous changes to the Fire Emblem formula, most of the later games in the series reverted back to the gameplay of the original Fire Emblem before evolving into new directions. Some of these changes, such as a navigable world map and branching class promotions were later used in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, known in Japan as , is a tactical role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance published by Nintendo. It is the eighth game in the Fire Emblem series, the third and final game in the series to be released for the Game Boy Advance and the second game in the series to be...
, which received critical praise for its design. However, other elements that Fire Emblem Gaiden introduced have not been reused.
Other appearances in media
- A remix of the game's songs, "With Mila's Divine Protection" and "Credits" appears on the soundtrack for Super Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
. It is a remix of the player's phase theme in Chapter 2 (Cecila's first map) and a remixed version of the Fire Emblem theme heard at the end of Fire Emblem Gaiden. - The player's attack phase theme is newly arranged in Fire Emblem: The Sacred StonesFire Emblem: The Sacred StonesFire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, known in Japan as , is a tactical role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance published by Nintendo. It is the eighth game in the Fire Emblem series, the third and final game in the series to be released for the Game Boy Advance and the second game in the series to be...
as the arena battle theme. - In Fire Emblem: Fūin no TsurugiFire Emblem: Fuin no Tsurugiis a tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. The game was released on March 29, 2002 in Japan, is the sixth game in the Fire Emblem series and the first of three games in the series that have appeared on Nintendo's Game Boy Advance handheld. Its...
, Alm's Map theme plays during the player's turn phase while in the Trial Maps.
External links
Fire Emblem Gaiden website at Intelligent SystemsIntelligent Systems
is a Japanese first-party video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co., Ltd. It has its headquarters in the Nintendo Kyoto Research Center in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. VC Fire Emblem Gaiden website at Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Official Fire Emblem website at Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.