Several days ago, notable Nintendo leaker Zippo claimed that a remake of a classic Fire Emblem game is currently in development. Although rumors about a Fire Emblem remake are nothing new, Zippo's claims have sparked the interest of Fire Emblem fans, given that they accurately predicted the announcement of a new Mario Party game as well as the long-awaited Metroid Dread.
Based on Zippo's claims, a Fire Emblem remake is in active development for the Nintendo Switch, though the actual game being remade is a mystery. The Fire Emblem remake will likely be either Genealogy of the Holy War or The Binding Blade, according to the leak. However, while both games deserve to be reimagined, another classic Fire Emblem title would benefit more from a remake: 2003's The Blazing Blade.
Why a Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade Remake Makes Sense
The biggest argument that some fans have to support the remake of Geneaology of War and The Binding Blade is that both of those titles never received English translations. Logically speaking, that argument makes sense since a remake with a western localization would mean players outside of Japan can experience these games. However, out of all the classic Fire Emblem games in the franchise, The Blazing Blade needs to be reworked given its weakness. In addition, it is worth mentioning that critics often point out The Blazing Blade's weak plot as its biggest flaw, given its story contains many plot holes and doesn't have a solid overarching plot compared to other games in the Fire Emblem franchise.
While The Blazing Blade may not have a great story, the game still contains a fantastic roster of characters that makes it a must-play for Fire Emblem fans. In The Blazing Blade, the story is divided between Lyn, Eliwood, and Hector. In each of these storylines, players will learn the origin stories of the main characters, and the game spends a lot of time developing them. It is worth mentioning that despite its shortcomings in terms of story, The Blazing Blade could at least compete with other Fire Emblem games through its roster of characters and overall emotional feel.
A Blazing Blade Remake is the Perfect Opportunity to Improve its Story
When video game developers remake old games, it is no secret that one crucial factor players often look for is faithfulness to the source material. However, remakes also allow developers to correct mistakes and improve any shortcomings of the original game. Given that The Blazing Blade already has a fantastic roster of characters and a solid gameplay experience, Nintendo now has the chance to address the plot holes and improve the depth of The Blazing Blade's narrative.
Although some argue that Genealogy of the Holy War and The Binding Blade should be remade first, The Blazing Blade badly needs to be reworked, given that excluding the narrative, it is a great game. To take things further, Nintendo could even implement the best elements of Fire Emblem: Three Houses to The Blazing Blade remake, just to make it more appealing to modern players and those who are unfamiliar with the gameplay of classic Fire Emblem titles.
As of this writing, Nintendo still hasn't confirmed the existence of the remake of a Fire Emblem game. However, recent leaks suggest the rumored remake is not the only Fire Emblem game in development, and a follow-up to Three Houses is also in Nintendo's pipeline. In the end, players shouldn't get their hopes up, given that no official announcement has been made yet. However, while Genealogy of the Holy War, The Binding Blade, and The Blazing Blade all deserve to be remade, a reimagining of the latter coupled with improvements to its overall plot and narrative would probably make for a better game on the Nintendo Switch.
A Fire Emblem remake is rumored to be in development.