The original Fire Emblem is great, but Nintendo’s retro strategy is confusing

Like many years Fire emblem Fans, I have never actually played the first game in the series. 1990s Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and Blade of Light We have launched a series that is becoming one of Nintendo’s most important franchises: a combination of tense tactical combat and character-driven storytelling. But that’s not my fault. The original game has never actually been released outside of Japan.

Thirty years later, it finally Shadow dragon and blade of light With Nintendo Switch. A solid, no-frills port for only $ 5.99, it’s an attractive option for fans looking for history lessons. But it also shows an increasingly confusing strategy for Nintendo’s large library of classic games.

First, the game itself.If you are coming to Shadow dragon and blade of light After playing a more recent entry in the series-for example 2019s Three house — You will probably be shocked at how simple the original game is. There is no relationship building that has become a franchise staple in the end. Instead, the focus is almost entirely on turn-based strategic combat. You control a small army of Mars and soldiers and travel to different kingdoms to ward off enemies. This almost always means defeating all the soldiers and occupying the castle.

There are some great twists about goals and map geography, and the game blends story and combat well.I’ve noticed how amazing it really works Shadow dragon and blade of light Hold up. It’s especially great as a switch game where I can knock out fights, or even just a few turns, whenever I have free time. Mostly straight ports, but with some great modern touches such as rewind, bookmarking in combat, and the option to fast forward incredibly slow enemy turns.

I enjoy the game and wonder why it’s not part of Switch Online. Selling classic games individually is, of course, the way Nintendo used to operate them using virtual consoles on platforms such as the Wii and Wii U. But that changed with the switch. Nintendo has added features like Netflix to attract players to its new online subscription service. It features an increasing library of NES and SNES titles. It has become one of my favorites about Switch.

In the past, Nintendo has unreleased games, especially Star fox 2, Canceled SNES game that first debuted as part of the SNES Classic Mini Console, same as Mario’s Picross, Originally not released in North America. Surprise releases of these types are important to boost the excitement of streaming services. That’s why Netflix spends so much on the original series Microsoft has invested $ 7.5 billion in Bethesda to strengthen the Xbox Game Pass...

Switch Online isn’t exactly the same as them, but it still requires a stable stream of new (retro) releases for people to continue to subscribe.And, whether it is or not, it’s in a unique position with most games that announce it’s coming soon Donkey Kong Country Or Super metroid, Fans are already familiar.Release like Shadow dragon and blade of light Change this. That’s a rare surprise.

I fully understand that I will release the original Fire emblem It’s more complicated than most Switch Online titles. Not only does it have some new quality of life features, it’s also a text-heavy game that needs to be localized. So, in some respects, it makes sense for a standalone release. But it’s also a boon to subscription services, helping to simplify Nintendo’s often frustrating approach to its unique history scattered across platforms and devices. (More strangely like Super Mario 3D All Stars, The game will only be sold until March 31, 2021. )

Nintendo Switch Online has solved some of this problem by steadily increasing the number of libraries that subscribers can easily access on very popular hardware. And it’s not hard to imagine a future where that subscription will follow Nintendo devices in the future.Maybe someday I won’t have to buy it back Super metroid For all new Nintendo consoles.

I highly recommend Shadow dragon and blade of light For fans who want to delve into how the series has evolved.Play the original Fire emblem 2020 is a fascinating experience that has been postponed for a long time. I want the process of playing it, and the enviable lineup of the rest of Nintendo’s classic games was a little easier.Where are you now Mother 3..

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and Blade of Light It will be released on Nintendo Switch on December 4th.