Tactical fights, a great story, and a beautiful soundtrack all combine to make ‘Fire Emblem: Awakening’ one of the best handheld games of the year.
From: http://www.forbes.com/sites/games/2013/04/19/fire-emblem-awakening-review-3ds/
Tag Archives: Fire Emblem Awakening
Super Heroes and Strategy Games: Out This Week
Injustice: Gods Among Us and Fire Emblem: Awakening head up this week’s new releases.
From: http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/04/19/super-heroes-and-strategy-games-out-this-week
Luigi’s Mansion, Fire Emblem Sales Revealed
Nintendo has revealed sales figures for two of the year’s biggest 3DS titles. To date, Fire Emblem Awakening has sold 240,000 copies in the United States (more than 80,000 of which were purchased digitally through the 3DS eShop) and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon has sold 415,000 copies (the “bulk” of which were sold at retail).
Nintendo reports that more than 20 million 3DS games have been sold in the United States and that first-party game sales are up 55% in 2013 compared to last year (not including digital purchases). 20% of sales for Star Fox 64 3D and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D came via digital purchases in 2013, and 15-25% of sales were digital for casual titles including Brain Age: Concentration Training.
From: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/18/luigis-mansion-dark-moon-fire-emblem-awakening-sales-figures
Nintendo Direct and 3DS Showcase: Prediction Time!
While things have been rather quiet on the Wii U front – save a stray Toki Tori and LEGO here and there – when it comes to portables, Nintendo has been kicking butt and taking names. The 3DS software library is on fire, and recent releases like the masterful Fire Emblem Awakening (check out our full review here) and the ridiculously enjoyable Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (full review here) have made it hard to put the system down.
And yet it seems things will only keep getting better. Nintendo recently announced not only a 3DS showcase, where members of the press will have a chance to check out a variety of 3DS software, but also a 3DS-focused Nintendo Direct – and it’s all happening tomorrow.
From: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/16/nintendo-direct-and-3ds-showcase-prediction-time
New Content Announced for Fire Emblem Awakening
Fire Emblem Awakening content just keeps on coming, from frequent SpotPass items and teams to weekly DLC maps for your playing and grinding pleasure. Today Nintendo is further adding to the experience with a brand new map and a peek at some upcoming maps you can look forward to playing.
Starting today, you’ll be able to access a new SpotPass map called “A Hard Miracle,” which follows Chrom as he “encounters a mysterious woman and sets off on a journey with her to rescue a group of kidnapped villagers.” Like all SpotPass content, this map is also being offered free of charge.
More SpotPass fun is scheduled for the coming weeks as well. On March 28, the “Ghost of Blade” map will be made available, which presents “a haunted tale about a ghost and the ultimate sacrifice.” April 11 will bring a map called “The Wellspring of Trust,” which will offer an array of challenging enemies. Finally, “The Radiant Hero” map will arrive on April 25, and “takes place on an isolated island as Chrom and his allies search for a legendary hero.”
Nintendo's Pikachu 3DS XL Tease
Stateside portable gamers have it rough. Sure, we’ve been treated to some amazing games from overseas (Fire Emblem Awakening, anyone?), but we’ve also been forced to watch jealously from afar as Japan and Europe get all manner of special edition 3DS XL systems.
But could that all change in the coming weeks?
A new commercial for Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (below) leads us to believe there may yet be hope. Notice what the dude on the couch is playing the game on? It sure looks an awful lot like that ridiculously adorable Pikachu-themed 3DS XL that came out in Japan and Europe late last year…
Super NVC Podcast: 3DS Summer Fun
So last week was a pretty good week for Nintendo 3DS owners. Hot on the heels of the excellent Fire Emblem: Awakening, Nintendo unleashed yet another Nintendo Direct, this time revealing three new 3DS games coming this Summer – Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Mario Golf: World Tour and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.
We were pretty excited by all that news, plus plenty of other (good and bad) things have been happening in the world of Nintendo. We figured it would be time to chat about everything that’s been happening over the past week, so Rich, Sam and Brian gathered to argue and banter about Mario Luigi happenings.
This podcast has two distinct halves – a Nintendo Direct discussion in the first half, reader Q&A in the second half. Regardless, you can listen or watch it in its entirety below.
Fire Emblem Awakening: Recruiting Roy
Last Thursday another new piece of Fire Emblem Awakening DLC was released (check out my full review of Awakening to find out why you should care). Called Champions of Yore 2, this new pack allows players to recruit Roy, yet another legendary hero from FE‘s illustrious past. Gamers outside Japan probably best know Roy as one of the playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee, so this is a great opportunity for those who aren’t into importing Japanese titles to see the teen in his natural state – on a grid-based field of battle!
Take a look at the new DLC below, then check it out for yourself by visitng Outrealm Gate (this opens up after you’ve reached Chapter 5). Enjoy!
Fire Emblem: Awakening Missing From Store Shelves
Here’s an interesting twist to the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening, which has an advertised release date of today – you’re going to have a tough time buying it anywhere other than the 3DS eShop.
Though hardly scientific or comprehensive, a quick search on Amazon, Best Buy (site and stores) and local GameStop stores yields the same result – the game isn’t available yet. Our local GameStop store told us that the game is due to arrive tomorrow, while Amazon itself blames delays on “manufacturer shipping delays.”
A quick trip to Twitter yielded clear signs of confusion, with many replying that no store near them carried the game. Reasons ranged from a ‘pulled release date’ to some store employees insisting the release date was something entirely different than February 4. Some stores claim to have copies of the game in stock, but reports of anyone actually being able to purchase the game today are few and far between. (A few readers have said they were able to secure copies that were in a store’s inventory but not out on display yet.)
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games
Playing Fire Emblem Awakening's Marth DLC
As Fire Emblem fans probably already know (and are freaking out about), the first piece of DLC for the latest entry in the series – Fire Emblem Awakening – is a rather exciting one. It allows players to recruit Marth to their team, the legendary prince from the very first game. More characters from old FE games are also set to be distributed via DLC and SpotPass updates in the near future, and a new DLC map is going to be made available every week for the first two month’s after the game’s February 4 launch – but this is certainly the most epic way to kick off this incredible game’s North American debut. The DLC is also free for a limited time, so be sure to snag it right away.
To get Marth on your team, you’ll need to first play through to Chapter 5. This will open up Outrealm Gate, which is located to the south. From there, just go to Purchase Maps, download the Marth map, and then go to Play a Map to, well… play the map. After that all you have to do is win the battle (be sure to talk to the characters for some cool dialogue) and Marth will join your team. Fire Emblem fans will notice some other familiar faces during the course of the battle too, such as Ike from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn or Eirika from Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games
This Week on the Wii U and 3DS eShop (1.31.13)
Fire Emblem is just a few days from arriving in stores and on the 3DS eShop. In case you missed our review of Fire Emblem Awakening – it’s pretty fantastic. Look below for a glimpse of what else the eShop is offering. As always, each Thursday we’ll be bringing you a list of what’s available (retail and original software, DLC, demos and more), complete with prices. For more information, jump over to your 3DS or Wii U!
•Puddle ($7.99)
•The Cave (Free)
•Fire Emblem Awakening (available Monday, February 4, for $39.99)
•Ikachan ($4.99)
•Witch’s Cat ($4.99)
•Bloofy Vampire ($4.99)
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games
Fire Emblem Awakening Review
Far too few people have played the Fire Emblem series. A darling of the hardcore strategy RPG crowd – and one of the shining gems of the genre – the biggest hurdle the franchise has faced in terms of reaching a broader audience has largely been due to its niche nature and brutal difficulty. But with Fire Emblem Awakening, that velvet curtain has been pulled back, and the series has finally come into its own as something gamers of all proficiencies and backgrounds can enjoy. The folks at Intelligent Systems have created a remarkably accessible Fire Emblem experience, and they did it without sacrificing the intensity that FE loyalists hold near and dear. Boasting both the depth and nuance that tactical RPG fans crave and the ease-of-use and fluid tutorial system that newcomers require, Awakening is the ultimate portable strategy RPG, and the new crowning jewel of the Nintendo 3DS’s fledgling library.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games
Fire Emblem 3DS Bundle Confirmed for North America
Nintendo has confirmed that a Fire Emblem: Awakening bundle is headed to the United States and Canada. The bundle includes a Cobalt Blue 3DS system (not a 3DS XL) with Fire Emblem: Awakening pre-installed, and Nintendo says on Twitter that more details — presumably including a price and release date — are on the way.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Tech
The Incredible Depth of Fire Emblem Awakening
We’re just a month away from the arrival of Fire Emblem Awakening, the next chapter in one of Intelligent Systems most beloved franchises. I had the chance to spend some time with the game earlier this week, and while it’s clear I only scratched the surface of what the new adventure has to offer, the scope and polish I witnessed has me champing at the bit to get my hands on the full game.
Here’s why…
Awakening starts with a bang – and by a bang, I mean a battle and a mystery. You play as a customized avatar who acts as Lord Chrom’s right-hand man. Lord Chrom is one of the kingdom of Ylisse’s shining heroes and the leader of the Shepherds, a group of soldiers sworn to protect the land from their Plegian neighbors. We start off with a gloriously animated cutscene, featuring some beautiful, anime-inspired artwork, the same you’ll be treated to during the battle animations and character interactions. In this cutscene I caught a glimpse of whom I can only presume is the game’s main baddie, Validar, as well as a powerful a bit of magic, which left my avatar somehow altered… and mostly amnesiac.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games
Fire Emblem: Awakening DLC Details, Demo Next Week
Nintendo has revealed new details on downloadable content for Fire Emblem: Awakening. From day one, players will be able to buy new maps, with additional maps “distributed regularly.” For a limited time when Fire Emblem: Awakening first hits stores, the initial map will be free, serving as “an introduction to the steady weekly stream of additional maps.”
The downloadable maps will be available at different price points depending on their content, and future maps will include new storylines or special bonuses like extra experience, gold and rare items. Downloaded maps are accessible in the game by visiting the Outrealm Gate in the world map after completing the fifth mission in story mode.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games
10 Bold Nintendo Predictions for 2013
Whatever ends up happening, 2013 is without a doubt going to be a big year for the Big N. Its latest home console, the Wii U, just launched a couple of months ago, so this year is certainly going to be a defining one in terms of convincing the world that U is the future of gaming. On the portable front, several key 3DS titles are due to arrive in the coming months, such as the recently announced Pokémon X and Y, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Fire Emblem Awakening, and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games