Looks like there’s some excellent news for long-time fans of Fire Emblem. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light is finally arriving to US soil. The wait won’t be that long since it’s going to be launched on December 4 for the Nintendo Switch. There’s a catch though, as it’s only going to be available until March 31, 2021.
If you’re one of those wondering why the excitement, we’ll explain in a while. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light was released way back in 1980 and was the first game in the Fire Emblem franchise. This one was developed for the Nintendo Family Computer and released exclusively in Japan.
The game isn’t only going to be released in the US, but it’s also going to be localized into English. That means players in the US get to enjoy all the 8-bit glory of the game that features Prince Marth and brings with him all 25 chapters. This is not the first time for some players to encounter Prince Marth though. He has served as a fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series for a number of games.
In a statement, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Nick Chavez said that the Fire Emblem franchise has become this saga that many fans enjoy for both the memorable characters and the strategic gameplay. He added that through “Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light, Nintendo Switch owners can now experience the game that started it all with enhanced features that make this timeless adventure available to everyone.”
The Switch version is not only going to offer the original game, but also bring in features like rewind, fast-forward, and save states.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light is launching on the Nintendo eShop and Nintendo.com for $5.99 on December 4, with the offer ending March 31, 2021. Note that the game can still be played even after the date has passed provided it has been bought before then.
There’s also going to be the Fire Emblem 30th Anniversary Edition, which is priced at $49.99. According to Nintendo, this collector’s edition of the game includes:
- “A nostalgic, stylized” physical NES box
- A replica NES Game Pak art piece with a protective sleeve
- A colorful, 222-page Legacy of Archanea deluxe hardbound art book
- A game download code
That’s not all, as the NES box comes packed with an instruction manual, newly localized from the original Famicom release, plus a fold-out world map and a mini Nintendo Power retro collectible.
Learn more about the game, and even pre-order it, here.
