Fire Emblem Engage, the latest entry in Intelligent Systems' long-running tactical-RPG franchise, frequently looks back and celebrates its history. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the concept of Emblem Rings at the heart of its story. These 12 rings represent protagonists of mainline entries going back to 1990's Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, each of whom offers the character they pair with new skills that can be expanded through Paralogue missions based on old Fire Emblem maps. This is but a taste of the series' history, and Nintendo Switch Online will soon offer the perfect opportunity to explore further.
The February 2023 Nintendo Direct both revealed and released Game Boy and Game Boy Advance (GBA) libraries through the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service. Accessing GBA games requires a more expensive Expansion Pack-tier subscription, but for many fans this (alongside the available N64 library) will be worthwhile for the six currently available titles including The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade is one of the confirmed "coming soon" additions, and it's likely the remaining two GBA entries will follow-suit to give fans of Engage a much deeper history lesson.
Fire Emblem's GBA Suite
Three Fire Emblem games released for Nintendo's GBA handheld in the time between the 1999 SNES entry Thracia 776 and its next console title, 2005's Path of Radiance on GameCube. Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade was a Japan-exclusive release in 2002, but its chief protagonist Roy and fellow Fire Emblem lord Marth became worldwide names thanks to Super Smash Bros. Melee. As a result, 2003's The Blazing Blade got an international release (just called Fire Emblem abroad), followed by The Sacred Stones in 2004.
All the GBA entries are represented in Engage through Emblems Roy, Lyn, and Eirika - who comes paired with her brother Ephraim, collectively called the "Azure Twins." The February 2023 Direct also announced further waves of Fire Emblem Engage DLC that includes Hector from The Blazing Blade as a new Emblem Ring, representing two of that entry's three lead characters.
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade and More Can Hit Nintendo Switch Online
Older Fire Emblem titles have not been made available through Nintendo Switch Online thus far, despite NES and SNES libraries offering an opportunity to experience entries like Genealogy of the Holy War with context for Emblem Sigurd. The original Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light did get a 30th anniversary re-release on Switch, but unlike Super Mario 64 its availability has not extended to Switch Online's NES offerings. With the impending shutdown of the Wii U and 3DS eShops, many more Fire Emblem games will become unavailable on modern hardware.
That's why the upcoming release of The Blazing Blade through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is worth watching. Fire Emblem Engage players who took an interest in Lyn and Hector will be able to experience their stories (and that of Roy's father Eliwood) for themselves, meeting some of the other characters available through Engage's Bond Ring melding system. Assuming this points to Intelligent Systems' growing openness toward classic releases, The Binding Blade and Sacred Stones would also fit Switch Online's GBA library.
The subscription service doesn't just have stop at Game Boy Fire Emblem releases. Fire Emblem Engage's historical lens primes players to go back and experience everything from the NES onward, getting context for every Emblem from Marth all the way through Byleth. The precedent set by Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade in Switch Online should lead to all of its NES, SNES, and GBA entries hitting the service, and if GameCube or Wii support is added the Tellius games with Ike and Micaiah can follow. It's unclear when or if any of this support will be added, but subscribing in time to play the first drop might encourage Nintendo to hit the others sooner rather than later.
Fire Emblem Engage is available now on Nintendo Switch.