Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (ファイアーエムブレム　新・暗黒竜と光の剣) (known as Fire Emblem: Shin Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi in Japan) is the eleventh installment of the Fire Emblem series and the first to feature online play. Announced in October 2007, the game is for the Nintendo DS and is a remake of the first Fire Emblem game, Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi. The game offers a graphical enhancement from Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi as well as utilizing the dual screen on the Nintendo DS and its online capabilities. The game features Marth as the main character of the game. The story centers on Marth as he embarks on a quest to win back the kingdom of Altea and rescue his kidnapped sister, Elice. Characters that were not present in the original version, such as Frey, have been introduced in this version. Fire Emblem: Shin Ankoku Ryuu to Hikari no Ken was released August 7, 2008 in Japan and in Europe on December 5, 2008. The North American version was released later, on February 16, 2009. Thus, the English localization of the game first occurred for the European market, using some name translations that the North American version did not end up using.

PlotEdit

Long ago, the continent of Akaneia was invaded by the Doluna Empire, led by the Shadow Dragon, Medeus, and the people lived in fear and despair. However... a miracle occurred. Anri, a youth from Altea, slew the Shadow Dragon using the divine Falchion sword. The Kingdom of Akaneia was restored and the world entered an age of peace. But 100 years later... Medeus was resurrected. He joined forces with "Demon King" Gharnef, who shared his ambitions of ruling the world, and launched an attack on Akaneia. Akaneia was defeated by Grust's General Camus, and, aside from Princess Nyna, the royal family was wiped out. Cornelius, the king of Altea and successor of the heroic Anri, left to battle Medeus, with the Falchion in hand. Meanwhile, Cornelius's only son and the prince of Altea, Marth, awaits his father's return as he passes his days with his martial arts training.

GameplayEdit

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is a tactical role-playing game with turn-based battles. Some of the gameplay mechanics of the Fire Emblem series, such as the weapon triangle, were not present in the original Ankoku Ryuu to Hikari no Tsurugi, but have been included in this remake. The game features over 20 character classes, including Armored Knights, airborne Pegasus Knights and Curates. Players can also directly swap a character's class using the "Class Swap" feature, for example; a Knight could switch to a Mercenary. Although, there are limitations on how many of one particular class you can have at the same time. Special classes like Lord or Thief cannot use "Class Swap".

In the middle of a battle, players can save their game by moving a unit onto a special "Save Point", which is found on the map and is usually located before a boss fight or a similarly dangerous event. Each Save Point can be used to save the game and only once, although players can load from created saves as many times as they want, as long as the save is not overwritten. Players can also choose to make a similar permanent save upon completing a chapter. The Suspend feature from previous games is also present.

For the first time in the series, players can battle each other online via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. These battles employ teams of up to five characters from the single-player campaign. Combat takes place multiplayer-exclusive battle maps, which allow free movement as opposed to the Link Arena in prior games (there is only one multiplayer map in the Japanese version). Only two players can do battle at a time. Fog of war can be toggled on or off, and a time and turn limit are also active. Victory is determined by either defeating the opposing army or securing the central castle's flag before the turns are over. Victors are awarded a "Card" for their efforts. One of these cards can be used on a party to give it special effects, and use of these cards can be toggled on or off. The Wi-Fi connection is also used to access an online shop, where players can purchase items using currency obtained in the main campaign. In addition to loaning units to other players, to assist with the single-player campaign.

Changes from Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no TsurugiEdit

• Multiplayer battles for two players.
• Event Recap and Sound Room Extras
• Map Save Points - There are saves points placed on the map. They can be used only once, and can be loaded from as many times as desired.
• Prologue Chapters - Takes place during Marth's escape from Altea before the original game.
• Gaiden Chapters - Can only be accessed if you have less than 15 characters in your entire army (this excludes Chapter 24x, in which Tiki must be dead and you did not obtain Falchion in Chapter 23).
• Master Seals
• Class Swap
• Nabarl and Radd are now Myrmidons instead of Mercenaries.
• Wendell and Gotoh are now Sages instead of Bishops and includes Mages now promoted to Sages instead of Bishops.
• Gharnef is now a Sorcerer instead of a Bishop.
• Shiida has an exclusive Wing Spear, which is a Lance, that is effective against Knights and Cavaliers.
• Pegasus Knights can either promote to Dragon Knights or Falcon Knights, although the Elysian Whip item, needed to promote into a Falcon Knight, is only available through the Wi-Fi shop in the extras section.
• Weapon Triangle Bonus is now +5 accuracy.
• Strength is used to calculate Attack Speed.
• Weapon Level is replaced with Weapon Rank.
• Strength and magic stats coexist.
• Classes such as Armor Knights, Fighters, and Hunters can now be promoted.
• New Classes that were not present in the original are added to the remake such as Myrmidon (first appeared in Gaiden), Swordmaster (first appeared in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War), Sage (first appeared in Gaiden), Warrior (first appeared in Genealogy of the Holy War), Berserker (first appeared in Mystery of the Emblem), Dark Mage (first appeared in Mystery of the Emblem), Sorcerer (first appeared in Gaiden), and Falcon Knight (first appeared in Gaiden).
• Clerics now gain experience from using staffs.
• New characters not present in the original game (e.g. Frey, Norne, Athena, Etzel, Horace, and Nagi, etc.).
• Graphics are pre-rendered sprites.
• Battle sequence is on top screen.

CharactersEdit

See main article: List of characters in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

ChaptersEdit

See main article: List of chapters in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

WeaponsEdit

See main article: List of weapons in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

ItemsEdit

See main article: List of items in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

External LinksEdit

• Official North American website of Shadow Dragon

GalleryEdit

Akaneia (Archanea)

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