Surprise! Nintendo is finally releasing the original Fire Emblem in the U.S. via a Switch port that comes out on December 4.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light came out for the Famicom (the Japanese version of the NES) in 1990. The franchise remained exclusive to Japan until Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade (just called Fire Emblem in the U.S.) released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003.
Starting with the 2012 release of Fire Emblem: Awakening on the 3DS, the tactical role-playing game series has seen a surge of popularity in and out of Japan. The latest entry in the franchise, Three Houses, came out for Switch in 2019 and has sold over 2.89 million copies.
Now, U.S. fans can see where it all began as Nintendo celebrates the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Along with an English localization, this Switch version of the first Fire Emblem includes rewind, fast forward, and bookmark features. The digital version will cost $6, and it will only be available until March 31. Nintendo is also releasing a physical collector’s edition for $50 that includes goodies like a replica NES cart, a map, and an art book.
It’s nice to see Nintendo localizing old games that never left Japan. Maybe there is hope for Mother 3 after all!