Fire Emblem is one of Nintendo's oldest franchises, but one that has managed to stand the test of time. Ever since the 1990s, it has provided top-quality tactical role-playing titles for numerous generations of fans, and it seems that it has no intentions of stopping anytime soon.
Given how many games it has managed to produce, there's the question of which one can help potential newcomers get started in their Fire Emblem journey. As someone who has played a good amount of them, I would say that The Blazing Blade would make for a great starting point.
Released in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance, it is a game that helped the franchise take its first steps towards becoming more international, and it managed to do so successfully due to the quality of its gameplay and interesting plot. However, given its age, some may wonder why The Blazing Blade would be a better entry point than something like Fire Emblem Engage or Three Houses, which have streamlined longtime staples and mechanics to make them easier for modern gamers.
One good reason I can provide is that The Blazing Blade, despite being over two decades old, already does a great job of easing people into the franchise's take on the tactical role-playing genre. Right from the start, it provides a tutorial that covers everything from character movements to attacking enemies, and it does so in an engaging manner by tying it to a story element.
It does the same in the next few chapters, allowing players to learn about important things such as the different classes of party members, how they can evolve into stronger forms, and even how they permanently die if lost in battle. Only after teaching does the game get more and more difficult, which is good, considering that it's a way to test everything you've learned and how you can use your knowledge to overcome the insurmountable odds you're bound to face.
Another good reason why Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade makes for a great entry point is its complex yet easy-to-follow plot. The game starts players off with the Sacaean Warrior Lyn's campaign, which properly tells the narrative of how she discovers her noble lineage and how she tries to save it from those who seek to take it.
After that, players can then branch out to the stories of two powerful Lords, Hector and Eliwood, which involve them eventually working with Lyn to save their continent of Elibe from being destroyed by a mysterious evil.
Every one of the game's story chapters does a good job of getting anyone interested in the plot, as the dialogue covers enough to make it exciting to learn about the deep plotlines, while not being too long that it gets boring. The characters with major roles also undergo great growth throughout their journey, further ensuring that people who pay attention to the narrative are fully invested in what happens.
That said, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade is an excellent game, and given what it has to offer, it would make for the perfect gateway to the franchise. Hopefully, potential fans don't skip it in favor of the modern entries, as the game's quality holds up even in today's modern standards, making it worth playing.
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