Where do I even start? For a Tactical RPG this game has it all. There is clearly a huge budget at work here, providing a gorgeous portable game with a great deal of depth. I don't want to get into too much detail but I just wanted to say that this is the best Portable Tactical RPG I've played since Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. There is so much to see and do, and there's new levels and challenges being added by Nintendo thru DLC. If you want a new game for your 3DS, get this one. Why won't Sully love me? … Expand

Best FE in the series? Probably yes! Loved this game from start to finish. Side quest, children system, bonus arena map/ wifi bonus team/ DLC (free and paid), what not to love!!

Highly recommended to any SLG fans!

Thiswas my first Fire Emblem game and woah was it an incredible experience. The cutscenes are phenomenal and show off the games gorgeous art style. Battles are fun and tense. Menus and item management is simple, clean, and elegant. Character dialogue is funny, and compelling. The story is wonderful and the game itself is a blast to play. You'll be amazed at how attached you get to your characters, Everyone should play this game, its that good.… Expand

Simply amazing. Presentation, menus, graphics, gameplay, music and more, this game has it all. I love the sleek new look that they have given everything and the gameplay has gone through a great new reboot. This game is incredibly addicting and doesn't cease to please any hardcore strategy RPG fan. I recommend playing on classic hard mode for your first playthrough, I wouldn't recommend doing casual mode unless that's your thing I guess. All in all, get this game if you have a 3DS.… Expand

I'm a longtime fan and it's great to see FE evolve yet retain its essence. Intelligent Systems has managed to perfect the classic FE formula while adding new elements as well. They have listened to the fans and provided more character depth and support conversations. The game is more friendly for casual players than ever with the new casual mode and the normal/easy mode. However, Awakening's lunatic mode is a tremendous challenge, even for FE veterans like me. The music is lush, the gameplay is sublime, the presentation is the best on 3ds, honestly I can't find any fault in this game except that it's so addictive you'll be sucked into it and use up all your free game time! If you have a 3ds, don't do yourself the disservice of not playing this game.… Expand

Truly remarkable game and one of the best games period on the 3DS, this game is the first salvo that the 3DS is launching at the Vita this year, an attack the Vita might not survive in the US. First, it's easily one of the best SRPG's out there. Compounded by the fact that the graphics are absolutely stunning, with the cutscenes easily being the best system is offering right now. The complexity and the strategy needed to keep all your units alive every fight, as once they die they are gone for good, gives the game an added depth. It helps that each unit has it's own personality that makes you care for each of them individually, to the point where having even one of them die in battle is more than enough of a reason to reset it. If you do that you will be resetting pretty often as just one wrong move can put your flyer near an archer and you're done for. Still, it adds much depth to a game that already has a ton of depth to it. This game is easily one of the best on the system and it's going to stay that way for a long time. Every 3DS owner needs to pick this up as it will add a ton of game time to your 3DS, especially if the system has grown kinda stale on you over these past few months.… Expand

If you're a fan of the series, want to get into them or just like an awesome game; it is IMPERMEABLE, the fact, that you should play this wonder of technology. Almost everything about it is pure perfection. Easily the best Fire Emblem game ever released and apart from OOT (which will always best BGE), the best game for the 3DS up until now (April 2013). The only "complains" someone MIGHT have is some random dialogues (for example I just encountered one about "muscle memory" didn't know muscles had a brain, though they should create a game like that) and the fact that there are limited choices for the creation of a more personal avatar (meaning you may want to create an avatar that looks like a relative, a friend or even a celebrity as I did if you can't achieve creating someone that's like you) Other than those, selective, blemishes this is the absolute SRPG. If you have a 3DS, BUY IT NOW.… Expand

I never played a single Fire Emblem game before and the last tactical RPG I played was Pokemon Conquest which I found AWFUL. Since Shin Megumi Tensei is planning a crossover with Fire Emblem, I decided to give the Fire Emblem franchise a try. Fire Emblem: Awakening satisfied my tactical RPG itch. I love how the gameplay kept my attention. I felt I was being rewarded for any efforts I made on level-grinding, weapon upgrading, and actually stopping to THINK before heading into battle. Almost all the battles didn't seem outright unfair and you can win them all if you're prepared. Any losses that occurred I can blame only myself rather than the game. The DLC and bonus contents are worthwhile and gives ample opportunities to hone your skills. Especially since you can recruit characters from past games to fight alongside you. (Having Sigrun in my ranks saved me SO many times!!)

The art style is beautiful and this is so far the only game I want to play in 3D the whole time. I wish however more attention was given to the hair on some of the 3D models. I personally don't think hair going thru clothes and people is acceptable anymore considering the budget this game must have had.

I can't give it 10 for two somewhat petty reasons: the story and the use of voice actors.

The main story while a 1000% better than Pokemon Conquest which had nothing...the story in Awakening is kinda generic and predictable. Typical RPG plot points with no real surprises to speak of. They make up for a little bit with the relationship conversations where a character's motives and backgrounds are fleshed out and with that, the story writers have the ability to inject a lot more humor. However at the end of the day...the main story is still weak and lackluster. Not awful but not great.

As for the second reason, the voice actors for the game are very good but their talents are wasted on cliche grunts and catchphrases. It's understandable during combat since you can it turn off...but why? Why are they making those noises in the cut scenes and conversations as well instead having the voice actor speaking what is on the text bubble? Don't tell me there is no room on the game for that. If Shin Megumi Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked can add voice acting to every line in their game, so can Fire Emblem.

Overall, this is still a must have in your 3DS library. The gameplay mechanics alone is enough of a reason to play this game. BUY IT!!… Expand

This game is amazing. The graphics are amazing, which is difficult since it has 3 different art styles. it has these 3D models that you see walk around and in battle animations, it has beautiful 3D anime cut scenes, it has 2D anime characters for dialog, and it has sprites that battle on a 3D open word. This game is hard, but the different settings allow for new comers to play with ease. The characterization is amazing and you feel a connection to almost all of them, and if one of them dies you will be devastated. The gameplay is fun since it is an evolved form of Rock, Paper Scissors. My only gripe is that i wish you could turn perma-death on or off at will and have saving mid battle be turned on or off at will. This game gets a 9.8/10… Expand

This game is a must buy, This was the reason i bought a 3ds. Bravo for bringing this to the US. This game has awesome replay value. The DLC makes the already high replay value through the roof. I have 90+ plus across 2 save files. Pros: High Replay Value Highest Difficulties give a real challenge. Lots of customization You can re-roll any playable character in the game. Cons: 3, possibly 5 save slots if you use casual mode saves.
Certain skills make the game super easy, but later balanced to the harder difficultly… Expand

Great visuals, large amount of great quality content and lovable characters in a fantastic story. Excellent RPG system in how you can manage a character's growth into a variety of classes while retaining bonuses. This game is both perfect for newcomers and fans of the franchise.

I was never really into the Fire Emblem games before now, but this game really changed that, this game is amazing. its got a great story, lovable charters, great maps and challenges,and all sorts of things, 1 of the things i liked really enjoyed about this game was the support ability, the ability to see how your units really get along,(along with marriage if you really try) this also at times provides moments of humor (such as your avatar trying to teach Frederic how to stomach down bear, its more funny than it sounds). However, the thing i liked the most in this game is the ability to use casual mode. which makes it so you don't permanently loose your team when they go down. its also a lot less depressing and makes the game a lot more enjoyable. 1 more feature in this game is the ability to get characters from older Fire emblem games. (like Ike and such) from the bonus box, sure they don't talk or are involved in the story, but its still nice to see familiar face. in short, i would strongly recommend this game to players of rts games, fire emblem fans, and all other gamers alike, it is very enjoyable… Expand

The Fire Emblem you enjoy and loved now only better with awesome improvements. The characters and the story are engaging and well though, the battle system are improved with the Marriage and a much better Support system. The localization was superb, VAs fits the dialogue well, and man do I need to mention the awesome graphics that comes with different art styles? The gorgeous pixel arts. Story, gameplay and graphics. This game is solid.… Expand

Best Fire Emblem game ever made.
One of my top 10 games of all time.
With the range of characters, story, and DLC soon to be available..
This will definitely take GOTY for 3ds.

Excellent game across the board. Great strategic depth that stays true to the series classics, an attractive art style, and gorgeous animated sequences make this game a must have for anyone interested in the RPG or Strategy genres.

if you don't like turn based strategy games (valkirya chronicles, ghost recon shadow wars) then read no further, this game isn't for you. other than that, there's not a single negative I can give this game. the turn based strategy system in this game is the best I've ever used. seriously. there is so much to this game it is ridiculous. there are an endless amount of ways to approach each battle and decisions you make in battle will affect your characters and even the story in meaningful ways. if you have a tendency of pairing two ppl up in battle then you can also harness their relationship outside of battle through conversations. also, in classic mode (the way the game is meant to be played) character deaths are permanent and any story branches pertaining to that character and their actions will be gone. this is real decision making (spare me your conversational choose-your-own-adventure BS). the character building system is also very deep. you can level your characters, find dropped weapons for them to use, craft weapons to make them better, forge relationships and even switch their classes. I could go on for hours about this game's amazing depth but that's not what a review is supposed to be about. the last thing I would like to touch on is the graphics. the cut scenes are truly breathtaking and the 3D effects work beautifully. the actual in game graphics are the standard 3DS fare and are more than "good enough" to portray the action. the overall attention to detail and the varied environments make the game a pleasure to look at. the story and characters are all top notch and very engaging. in summary, if you are a turn based strategy fan then you should have bought this game yesterday. if you don't already own a 3DS/3DSXL then go buy the bundle NOW.… Expand

graphics looks amazing for the 3ds the terrain on the maps looks fantastic and if you turn on 3d all i can say is wow. combat animation is very good you have the option to see your character the auto tilt of the camera angle is really good then pause while they fight turn on the 3d and they looks like a live action figure now for the gameplay is the best in the series if i compare it to the previous game fire emblem awakening to other fire emblem game you will notice the big improvement of the game. the strategy is keep getting better with the new combat system pairing will give you an advantage you can use it in many different way like killing your enemy much faster because when you pair 2 units into 1 you will get stat boos assist boost dual attack and block. correct me if i'm wrong but i think this is the 1st fire emblem game that have an voice acting during combat animation. next up is the classing system and skills wow this thing is amazing on your previous fire emblem game you can do reclassing but not here when you reclass you will go back to level 1 and your stat will remain there is so many potential will your character the weapons i like the new idea of making the weapon actually they holding it instead of the default weapon during their combat animation and not to mention the weapon increase in durability and i like it. the settings on the game also involve in the game play i like the option where you can change voice language skip enemy animation either movement or all you can also disable other animation including healing and dance there is now an option that during your turn you will only have a combat animation your enemy doesn't have. now for the story i'm not yet done with the story mode but i choose hard classic and at chapter 23 i already spend a freaking 80hrs on my save file the reason behind that is i really enjoy grinding when you learn how to grind fast you cant stop doing it ok back to the story the is fine may around average or above because what makes the story is your decision so i don't want spoiler here but i like the story so far in addition the support conversation add a big value into the game my favorite is owain and inigo where owain tell inigo your weapon is suffering it needs a name and then owain said to inigo you should ask your and then inigo cant have the answer because he can't speak sword man that was the funny part other part is sad by the way. last this game is an single player focus i was wondering if this game have an multiplayer where you can fight other player online no i realize it maybe lack of that feature but they did a really good job for a single player game focus there is a multplayer mode but if ever you really fight other army. last the streetpass wow it's only a small portion of data but i find fun because my first victim is may college prof haha street pass enable other view his profile fight him buy item and recruit, there is also spot where they give spotpass team of previous fire emblem game you can fight them recruit or buy an item i use them as grinding spot spot pass also giving free item for now its only tryfrying but maybe we can see many item in the next month, there is also a map right now i can't access it last the avatar log book you can create your avatar into a profile card something you can also recruit your other save file if you make an avatar logbook but it cost you a gold, wait the DLC so far DLC is a big help get the gold pack now while they are 6$ that dlc is totally worht it.
if your a fire emblem fan get this game best version ever in the fire emblem series for now. if your a fire emblem fan who doesn't have a 3ds you have to buy one trust me the game is very worth playing and addicting. last for all fan of SRPG get this game no need to doubt because if you are new to the series there is a casual mode to play with but a hard core SRPG no doubt i recommend you to start playing classic Normal if you are new to fire emblem for old fire emblem fan go straight to hard or lunatic not casual straight ahead to classic.… Collapse

Great graphics with multiple art styles and a voice acting 2nd only to kid icarus It has the same formula as all the fire emblems you come to love but gives you the choice to play on easy mode so beginners to the franchise can first get used to it then can play it harder, it even receives some great crafted dlc and wireless co-op mode to make t on of the greatest games in the 3ds library, that's allot to say considering you have mario 3d land and kid icarus.… Expand

Its like chess but with tiny people. Lol no im just kidding in all honesty if you dont know what fire emblem is its like final fantasy tactics but a million times more in depth. Great game. It's all fun and games until one of your heroes gets perma-killed. 10/10 would bang.

This is a game-changer. This game has so many features, So many characters, So many stories, Such high quality. Epic StreetPass and SpotPass, Excellent DLC quality and VERY generous free updates. So re-playable with the limitless free SpotPass Cast, you could be playing for years. A must-have for any gamer, and excellent motivation to buy yourself a 3DS, especially with Poke'mon X/Y coming out.

A very good reason to buy a 3DS. The best way to bring newcomers into the franchise with an easy mode that is optional. It takes away the option of permadeath in the game and allows the gamer to proceed the story without worry of an important death in the squad. CGI cutscenes bring the entire story together into a cohesive blend of action gameplay and a great story to back it up. Free Day 1 DLC brings a favorite character of the franchise with more DLC to come in the future. Totally worth the $40 and a new 3DS.… Expand

This is a Fire Emblem game, through and through. If you've played one before, you know what to expect. The best part is being able to flip open my 3DS and resume from right where I left off. The game is slightly easier than I expected, but it has a lot of depth and replay value. I'm having fun finishing new challenges even after having beaten the game and max leveled most of my characters. Now I need to explore strategies that will strengthen them even further through the Second Seals. This game is fantastic.… Expand

Probably one of the best Fire Emblem games to grace American shores to date with enough feature options (like turning perm-death off) to appease even the holdouts that believe the series to be too hard for their tastes. I was unable to put down my 3DS sans to sleep after receiving the game and I'm already planning second and third playthoughs so the replay value is very high.

I was once told "brilliance comes in small packages", and after playing Fire Emblem: Awakening, those words couldn't be any more true. With superb game play, stunning graphics and a brilliantly written story with top notch voice acting, FF:A is the definitive RPG for 3DS, with tons of replay value, a steady stream of DLC and multiple difficulties this game is sure to keep players tuned for hours to come.… Expand

Easily a goty contender and it's portable! Get it now... It is everything that is fine in a srpg and so much more. Excelent in every aspect, from character development to graphics...

Easily the best game to date in the 3DS, a game that sets the tone for what's to come for the 3DS as the successor of the "king of rpgs" the DS... Go buy it now, you won't be disappointed.

Beautiful graphics, epic cutscenes, and a dynamic story makes this one of the best games available on the 3ds. In fact, it might be the best game in the entire Fire Emblem series. And with 20 chapters, it will keep you entertained for quite awhile with it's fantastic turn-based gameplay. Overall, it is a terrific action-packed video game that deserves it's share of recognition. By the end, you'll be begging for more, trust me. And with dlc on the way, that wish may just come true.… Expand

Best game on 3DS.All it needs would be online play and for it to be released sooner in Europe.10/10 I got 30hours of gameplay from it in 4 days.Probably the best made fire emblem aswell.

great game.its fun,challenging,and very satisfying.story is engaging with chracters you care about,lots of customization,has good graphics and level design,controls are great,and music is one of the better soundtracks from a video game ive heard in awhile.a game that tests your brain rather than kill things mindlessly and that what i like about it the most. even after i finished the game i still want to go back and play it, its that good. a game worth $40 and one of the best 3ds titles to date.… Expand

The best Fire Emblem game to date. The graphics are top notch and the 3D is very well implemented. Voice acting is great, even the English dub. Gameplay is the best it's ever been with the addition of the new support and tag systems. Character interactions and support conversations are the best in the series and the revived marriage system is just delightful and adds lots of choice and depth to gameplay. The best Fire Emblem and 3DS game yet. Great for either series veterans or newcomers, with it's various difficulty options and even various menu options to support player preference.… Expand

Sem duvida não podemos negar que e um dos melhores games do 3DS...
Não existe como negar!
Tudo esta equilibrado, consegue ser difícil, mas mantem a os modos originais que consagraram a franquia.
Sem duvidas esse game merece 10/10!

Been a good game to me so far. I say this since I am normally terrible at grid based strategy games. Fire Emblem Awakening caters to my casual intensity with a mode just for the risk adverse personalities. My primary role in playing any game is for the sake of a story. Fire Emblem Awakening opens that up with a casual mode nobody dies and breaks your heart.

Add on top of that a class switching system, a customized player character, a StreetPass system that adds a random battle element, and romance-able characters: amazing!

Class switching is a little difficult since it requires a level 10 character and the purchase of some rather expensive materials. But I am in the early parts of the game.

Also, it gets kind of hard to get two characters to hookup if there is a level discrepancy. Relationships are fostered in large part by supporting characters in battle. If one character is basically useless, they become an impediment and not worth the stray resource that could have been occupied by someone with some battle merit.

Overall, this game is pretty sweet and a welcomed experience.… Expand

First off: This is a masterpiece. The best game in the series. Not by far, but it is, and that is saying much considering the quality of it.
Why is it a masterpiece? Take really solid gameplay and mix it up a bit. Take characters that are, while sometimes a bit silly, really well written, funny and interesting. Take simple, but beautiful graphics (that look even better in 3D). Then combine all this. You got yourself a great game, a fantastic game, a game worth buying the console that it is an exclusive for. Fire Emblem: Awakening has not got the best story in the series, but it is compelling enough to keep you playing, especially combined with the above aspects. There is tons of content, hours of gameplay. The SpotPass stuff will keep you playing for months, the ability to train your units endlessly and finding all the right skills to form a bad ass army will hook you for hours upon hours, unlocking the tons of support conversations to learn more about the excellent characters and their backstories will make you wanting to play this game non-stop. I warn you right now: Don't buy this game if you don't have enough time: You will not be able to leave this game alone for some days at least. You get so much bang for your buck that it isn't even fair.
And all this is not even counting the DLC, that, while being a bit expensive, is especially cool for long time fans or experts of the series, as it offers tons of fan service via chapters where you fight against/alongside Fire Emblem characters from past games, recruit some of them, get special dialogue between old and new characters and so on. It may not be the excellent deal the game itself is, but, too me, it is well worth its price. Good news: If you don't want to buy it, you won't loose any of the experience. The game is excellent all by itself.
Do I recommend this game? Yes. Of course. What a silly question. This may very well be the best SRPG of all time, and it is the best title in the 3DS library to date. If you own a 3DS, you'll need this game. And even if you don't own one, I highly recommend getting it alongside this gem. Truly a game for the ages.… Expand

This game is awesome. It has everything I expected from it and a little more. I've played other FE games but never finished them. I love the fact that there is DLC. Cause I hate when games go longer than they should have ruining he story.
Well, it's time to keep playing.

A game that, again, makes me glad I bought a 3DS. The visuals are nothing to laugh at and can even compare to Wii standards. The gameplay has been improved greatly since the last installment to the franchise, allowing units to team-up in order to increase stats, void any damge or even grant extra attacks, and with the new Support mechanism, it won't only make sense for anyone to NOT do this. The story is easy to follow, although has its compex parts to it. What makes the characters in this game stand out from any other is how there are so many and yet they all managed to have a personality, some awesome ones at that. Fire Emblem Awakening is like the crowning gem of all the games on the 3DS and the inspiration for all the following games to come. Intelligent Systems and Nintendo made a fantastic game for a system that needed some.… Expand

Finally, the game everyone's been waiting for! Though most are still impatiently waiting (due to shipping issues), some have proceeded to download the digital copy and immediately thanked themselves, among other unspeakable things. This is definitely the much needed scratch for the strategist's itch. From the intuitive battle system, beautiful music scores and masterfully written dialogue, this game is easily another must have for anyone even slightly interested in the genre. The battles have never been more intense, as you've never felt more of a connection with the characters. Each characters flowing with personality. Some charming, some annoying, some lovable, and ALL capable of being turned into cannon fodder, should you let your guard down (or if you're conspiring). Top it all off with enthused, well spoken voice overs that never overstep their purpose and vivid cut scene videos that never fail to impress. All in all, this game is a MUST HAVE for anyone seeking to exercise wit and is even tailored to newcomers in the new Classic mode. I'm slightly bummed out at the limitations of online mode. Should a DLC for online battles be released, I'd change my score to a perfect 10. I highly recommend picking this one up, even if you're slightly interested. I know a couple of people who recently purchased the 3ds for this game alone, if that tells you anything. "9 out of 10" plasticEGO… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gorgeous graphics, a compelling story, and some of the best tactical strategy combat on offer all combine to make Fire Emblem a must-have game for any 3DS owner. Even having not played any of the previous instalments in this long-running series, I have become totally engrossed in every little detail about this game, seeking that perfect experience.

The streetpass functionality in this game is brilliant allowing you to trade with, as well as, fight and/or hire your friends and strangers who own the game as well. The added DLC means that even when the story mode is done, there will be extra content to further enhance your Fire Emblem experience.

The vast amount of characters you can recruit, even early in the game, means that your future playthroughs could be radically different from your first. These addition playthroughs will also be influenced by the well-crafted difficulty scale, which can be absolutely brutal or, for newcomers, a way to get you into the game without ruining the experience. The scaling difficulty is also enhanced by the casual/classic playthrough options, which means life and death for your characters who fall on the battlefield.

There are few detracting aspects about this game. As a beginner, the tutorials offer a quick, yet thorough, explanation to most aspects of the game. My only complaint is the lack of explanation for how the job system and stats work. I've also found the game, on a whole, looks better on the XL over the regular 3DS. The only major story flaw I've had an issue with has been an apparent life or death choice for a major NPC, which the player is faced with fairly early in the game. No matter which option the player chooses, the outcome remains the same, save for a few lines of dialogue. If the choice had no impact on the story, the question of why it was there in the first place must be asked.

Fire Emblem: Awakening, is an amazing game, and one that most 3DS owners should buy. Its rich story, stand-out characters, excellently-crafted battle system, and unique job classes, will pull you in to the game and hold you there.… Expand

Amazingly addictive in every way!!! Nintendo has somehow crammed enough content to fit 2 console games or 300 iphone app games!!! This game has easily reached first place as a must buy for any 3ds owner or hardcore player.

After spending countless hours in the first two GBA Fire Emblem games, I freaked out when I heard there was a new one coming out. This game is easily the best 3DS game and should be a candidate for Game of the Year (if they include handheld titles). The gameplay is far from revolutionary, but it's Fire Emblem. you know what you're getting into. Fans of the series will feel right at home, but there are lots of little improvements, tweaks, and additions that make the game practically perfect as far as a turn-based RPG goes. You can now create your own character as well as form friendships and romantic relationships that actually feel real between the characters. The game looks amazing and the 3D effects are stunning. In short, I cannot like this game anymore than I already do. The only reason I put the game down is because my arms fall asleep from holding the 3DS up. If I didn't have a 3DS, I'd buy one JUST to play this game. If you have a 3DS and you're a fan of RPGs, you'd be a foolish fool not to buy this game.… Expand

I can surmise Fire Emblem Awakening with a sentence: BUY THIS GAME RIGHT NOW! Fire Emblem Awakening, is my most anticipated handheld title of this year, yes, I looked forward to this game more than Pokemon: X and Y. I'm a longtime fan of SRPG's, seeing as Final Fantasy Tactics is my favorite game ever, I love the genre, and I am extremely happy Fire Emblem Awakening sold so well, it shows that people still love SRPG games, and it was also proved last year with XCOM, a game that was fine if you got past all the glitches. Fire Emblem Awakening, is nothing of the sort, it just seems to get better the more I play it.


First off, you can create your main character, which is a nice plus in these games, and you can pick your battle attributes. Whether you want to specialize in Magic, Defense, Attack, Health, all that, and you can even pick your wekaness as well, which is nice. In true Fire Emblem fashion, the game is also very difficult, and has a permadeath mode, which, in my opinion, is the best way to play the game.

I would tell you about the story, but pretty much eveything that ever happens in the game is intrical to the plot, but trust me when I say, this game is highly cinematic, as well as entertaining. The game doesn't have full voice acting, but still does have some to make it cinematic, the cutscenes, as well, are beautiful, this is one of the best looking games on the 3DS. The games presentation is very well done, the story and characters being rich and well-developed, no problems there. The UI is outstanding, not confusing for new players, yet complex enough for you hardcore fans to get. Also, it has a unique system in which you can actually get married to another unit. It basically means when you combine units you make one hell of a super unit, couples unite! You can also have children that can become units as well, and have a unique appearance based on their parents, it makes for a really cool, unique experience.

The mechanics, as per usual, are stellar. You can mange your units, equipment and weapons at the hub of the game, and give them new equipment and such. There are several classes of charcters, so each new party member is useful in his/her own way, making the game add a nice spice of variety. You can also change for primary and secondary weapons/magic in the game in combat, so you can adapt to strategy. When you attack an enemy, it plays a little cutscene, and you actually see the enemy get hit, and you take hits as well. The game has the best SRPG engine of any game I've played, and it shows. I've alway wanted these games to have more flourish to them, and seeing your troops actually attack the enemy, and vice versa. The game does a great job of keeping you invested, showing you eveything that happens makes it much less static, which is a problem with other SRPG's, even my favorite.

To sum it all up, I can say this. This is the best Strategy RPG to come out in years, since Final Fantasy Tactics. If you love strategy, or strategy games, this needs to be an instant purchase for you. The game has so much polish, you can tell a lot of thought was put into it. In fact, I will admit wholeheartedly this game is better than Final Fantasy Tactics, which isn't easy for me to admit. To give you an idea how good it is, this game is a SERIOUS contender for Game of the Year, in my book. I know its only February, but trust me, it really is that good. So far I'm loving it, I know you won't be dissapointed if you buy it as well. This is the BEST handheld game I've played since Dragon Quest 9, and its even better than that! The game is so rich, deep, and full of playability, customization, and a great story that 3 hours in, gets REALLY good.… Expand

This is my very first review on a game and on metacritic. Fire Emblem: Awakening is a must-have game for 3DS owners everywhere. This game has lots of content built into it and the DLCs that are still coming just makes it even more worth it.
The characters are awesome, they have very unique personalities, and it's very enjoyable making supports with every character which brings out their personalities and help the players understand them more, especially your avatar.
The story is simply epic to behold. The story takes place thousands of years after Shadow Dragon, but rarely makes references to it so you can say it's a new game in its own right instead of calling it a sequel. I don't want to give off spoilers, but you can read other reviews and they mostly, if not all, say it's great.
There are over 40 classes that exists in the game. You can reclass to many other classes to unlock new skills with your avatar, but some are limited in reclassing, but it shouldn't bother most people much.
The gameplay keeps the traditional feel of past Fire Emblem games except for the newly added Dual System which helps characters pair up and fight against other enemies together for more advantages. So, in a way, it feels "new" from my standpoint because I still haven't fully grasped its full potential. There are many ways to use it that it'll blow your mind.
This game is flowing with content and you'll keep playing it for a very long time.
I know it seems like I didn't explain everything most of the time, but I'm not very good at reviews and I'm making this review for Fire Emblem: Awakening because of how much it impacted me to just let it all out and try and express how great the game is. Again, it's a really great game to have in your 3DS library and you'll have a great time with it like I have and many others.… Expand

This game is absolutely art. It has 2 key features that change a great Fire Emblem into a PERFECT fire emblem Re playable Maps and Option for non permanent death. Never before have I felt so emotionally invested in characters from a video game, Except maybe Kingdom Hearts.. The mechanics to this game where absolutely perfectly well done. I cannot WAIT to play all the loads of DLC yet to come!

The DLC is bringing back some of my favorite characters from old games. Karel, Hector, Marth, Ike, and many MANY more.

This is easily in the top 10, if not top 5 of my favorite games of all time.… Expand

the Fire Emblem game of my dreams. I've played all the handheld games released in the U.S., and none of them compare to this one. I would have preferred to give it a 9.5 or so, but a 10 isn't implausible. games like this validate Nintendo and their relevance to the game world.

I didn't know what to expect when i heard about a 3ds Fire Emblem game but this is easily the best game of the franchise. You can play as characters from every FE game via SpotPass and dlc. Everything in the game is solid and well executed. I believe this is the best 3ds game to date. If you like RPG's or strategy games i would definitely recommend it.

I've been a long time user of metacritic, yet never had the desire to create an account. Having said that alone is a sure indication of how brilliant I feel this game is. I also haven't owned a nintendo product since SNES, but I already feel this system is gonna pay for itself with this game alone. This game is putt my fanboyism to rest, and is a much needed from the shovelware circus that is modern gaming. Why are you still reading? See for yourself.… Expand

It feels great to be back on a fire Emblem game. it is the best 3DS game since Super Mario 3D Land. The animation cut scenes are breath taking, and look gorgeous on the 3DS. the game play is still a amazing jrpg and rts game of all time in quit a long time. the voice acting is great in English and Japanese there is no complaint for not listening to both in English and Japanese. upgrading your character is end list to want you want to upgrade on all your character. There is a lot of side quest to level up your characters in the game. This is game is great to have in your 3Ds library!… Expand

This game is just amazing and probably the best portable game I've played in a while. If you thinking of getting a 3DS, get it. If your not getting a 3DS, well your just missing out. This game is perfect for people who are just starting out with it's casual mode or for the hardcore fans that have been there from the beginning. The game offers some new features like creating your own character to the new and improved support system that let units marry(But don't be too creepy). The gameplay follows what has been done since the first one on the GBA, you start off with a small army and you lead them to kill bandits, zombies, etc. By the end of the game, you will have a god army. Now in this game, there is an open map and you can grind your way to the top with side quest and challenges just like Fire Emblem The Sacred Stones. Overall, I really don't know why you still haven't picked up this game. Oh yeah, DONELL IS THE BEST UNIT EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!… Expand

all the people that gave this game negative feedback, must be disgruntled PSVITA owners.
this game is just incredible.

easily one of the best portable games of the current gen handhelds

Fire Emblem. 3DS. Awesome. Want more words? Get it. Makes excellent use of 3D, engaging story and characters, tried-and-true Fire Emblem strategy RPG gameplay.

On a platform with very little solid titles this game in and of itself has justified my purchase of the 3DS system. I have never seen the 3D feature used as elegantly as in Fire Emblem: Awakening, nor with such grace. The gameplay is just what you'd expect from a Fire Emblem game excellent. However, they add a few new features to the mix, which after some experimentation, I felt really complemented the core feature set. The only complaint I have is that there is no archive of support conversations so if you want to read the dialogue between characters once more, you will need to either watch it on youtube or earn it again on a new saved file.… Expand

Over the period I have owned a 3DS, I have purchased games of varying types. Small disappointments aside (*ahem* Kindgom Hearts *ahem*), I had always been hard pressed to pick a favorite. I had my fill of nostalgia with the Ocarina of Time remake, had loads of fun with both Super Mario 3D Land and New Super Mario Bros. 2, got extremely invested in (and touched by) Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask. It seems, however, Fire Emblem: Awakening has come out the gates swinging to grab that title and just not let it go. No game in the platform is as addictive, as flawless in its presentation, as outright fun to delve into. It says something that I, having always liked my RPGs to NOT be grind-heavy, keep purposefully grinding and grinding this game just to have it last longer. This is an instant classic, and (so far, at least) the absolute best bang for your buck in the 3DS platform.… Expand

This is a game that has been refined for all players... a simplistic battle system on the outside, with an intricate and detailed system underneath to add mroe depth to the battle system with options for every skill level of players. It also includes a very engaging story, although maybe a bit chatty at times, is still one that has me wondering what will happen next.

The story is very engaging, although i feel a bit upset that the character that you create has very little impact on the story... your character feels like he's just standing off to the side watching as the bigger events unfold. however the smaller, person-to-person interactions are plentiful, even with your character. As you play, character who fight beside one another get better relationship strength, and over time you have the option to see interactions between them, which really dive into the characters personalities and back stories. It's often small and meaningless to the grander story, but it's still interesting to learn about the individuals that make up your team.

The gameplay is simplistic, with a turn based, and grid based battle system, along with a rock-paper-scissors bonus that is easy to understand, and easy to see on screen. There is rarely a moment that you are unsure of how your move will have an effect on battle or surprised when a move goes bad because of how well the information is displayed. You're given all the information you need to make solid decisions, and the only reason that a decision might go badly for you is by your own carelessness or by a slim chance of a critical hit that you weren't expecting. It feels fair and balanced, and you never truly feel like the game has cheated you, only that you made a poor decision in some way when things go south.

Thankfully, there is a new variant on difficulty levels in this game. not only can you choose how deadly the opposing teams cane be, but you can also choose whether or not your fallen comrades die when their HP reaches 0 or for them to retreat and come back in the next battle. So you can choose to have a moderately difficult enemy, but at the same time you won't have to fear the loss of life because of a single wrong move.

The graphics are very nice, with hand drawn portraits conversing together in cut scenes, detailed battle zones, and 3D models of the character battling up close. however there's not really much to look at. with your camera high in the sky overlooking the battlefield, the 2D sprites dont look very special scattered across the battlefield, and although the 3D fight scenes are intriguing, they're not particularly interesting after watching them for a few hours, although you CAN change the camera for different effects, which is interesting. It's nothing t ocall home about, but it's a notable improvement.

All in all, this RPG is a great game for anyone who enjoys a long and enjoyable experience with various degrees of difficulty and plenty of levels of depth.… Expand

Fire Emblem: Awakening is one of the best reasons to own a 3DS at the moment, There is a surprising amount of depth here for a handheld game and this is easily one of the best experiences you can find on the Nintendo 3DS at the moment. The story is interesting with some nice twists and the game also has some of the most interesting and fun characters to interact with in a long time, the game will last a solid 20-25 hours on a basic runthrough of the story alone but if you add in the fact that there is loads of side content, character development to explore and tons of ongoing DLC support for the game you can easily double, if not triple that gametime.

The gameplay is a turn based strategy RPG where you move your characters on a battlefield from a top-down perspective and defeat your enemies by positioning your characters in ways to get the advantage over enemies, for one example if you position two characters next to each other they will support each other in battle with provides bonuses to stuff like defense, attack and other things and also improves those two characters relationships that can lead to fleshing out those characters more.

There is two modes for playing this game... Classic mode makes it so that if a character dies on the battlefield they will die permanently and you will lose them unless you reload a save, This makes the game very challenging but it also adds to the tension of the experience since every move counts. There is also the Casual mode which turns off perma-death so characters that die will come back at the end of that particular battle, Whether you play Classic or Casual you will find an enjoyable experience, Just make sure you pick the right one for you when you start the game. There is also 3 different difficulties to the game which you can choose from. With all these varying difficulties that will add up the possible amount of time you can play this for as well.

The graphics were quite nice for 3DS but I didn't feel they were amazing personally, but nonetheless they are not bad. The CG Cutscenes for this game are absolutely gorgeous however.

You get to create your own character to use in the game which I think is a first for Fire Emblem if I remember correctly. the character creation options have a fair bit of depth so you can feel like you have a lot of choice on how your character is designed.

There is a very deep leveling up system in the game where you can change upgrade classes and also switch classes of characters which can lead to interesting and powerful characters. There is also some other features in the game that add to the depth like Marriage among other things.

There is a great amount of downloadable content support for this game so far which is nice to see on 3DS.

Overall Fire Emblem Awakening is one of the best games you can find on the Nintendo 3DS, It's definitely got the most depth of any 3DS game on the market so far. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has a 3DS or is looking for a game to make them jump into the 3DS.… Expand

Awakening is my first game in the Fire Emblem series. I love the emphasis on strategy in this RPG adventure. The permanent death feature can be upsetting when you lose a character after a lots of leveling and relationship building, but it's one of Fire Emblem's best feature because it makes battle strategy very crucial. You must decide whether your strongest soldier can hold a line, or whether to risk a weak character in a pinnacle portion of a battle. I strongly recommend that all non-beginner gamers keep the feature on.

Overall, if you like RPGs and/or strategy games, do yourself a favor and play this game!… Expand

"FIRE EMBLEM AWAKENING is the best FIRE EMBLEM I’ve ever played. It’s the fully realized potential of the series & stands as the best Nintendo 3Ds game right now.

The story is fantastic as the game takes place over multiple global wars spanning years while injecting surprisingly effective science fiction into the mix. The characters are distinct, unique & memorable as you’ll grow attachattached to these people & fight to ensure that they never fall in battle.

Add in multiple difficulty modes, DLC maps, limitless variations to class customization, marriages effecting future units & the award systems, yeah. FIRE EMBLEM AWAKENING is undoubtedly the best game so far of this year.

If you own a 3DS, were thinking of getting one or want the next best SRPG, look no further than this. This is, pun intended, the awakening the series has been longing for."

Read my full review: http://tmblr.co/ZOA6Eye8ICFp… Expand

Fire Emblem Awakening is a wonderful game that should be played by all fans of the RPG Genre/Turn Based System. This takes turn based combat to a new level, as you have new people in new battlefields. The main story is around 20-30 hours long, depending on the difficulty level you choose, and the fun of the game makes replay value very high. The high amount of Spotpass items, DLC, and good streetpass capabilities cause this game to also have great replay value outside of story mode! Highly recommended for all RPG Fans!!… Expand

I had tried similar RTS games in the past and other than Pokemon Conquest, was never able to get into them. Fire Emblem Awakening has totally changed that. This game is gauging and addictive. The story and cutscenes add to the experience with rich graphics and a twisting plotline. However, the gameplay and the ability to build your team of characters along wtih their capabilities has you coming back for more again and again. I haven't quite made it through the entire story, but I can tell you that I will definitely be buying and playing DLC packs for this game, which is something I never do on any system.… Expand

I really enjoyed this game, actually that is an understatement. This was the first time I played a Fire Emblem game and can't wait till the next installment, hopefully we get more Fire Emblem games out here in the west. My first play through I had no idea what I was doing, the second time I enjoyed the game even more.

This game was just utterly amazing. I signed up just to review this game. I am not a fan of strategy RPG games but Fire Emblem has changed my mind about the whole genre. This game came as a shock for me because I would not have imagined the amount of love I have for this game. If you own a 3DS and don't own this game then that's your loss at an amazing experience.

Very, very easily one of the best 3DS games so far. The graphics are amazing, the story gripping, and the possibilities endless. The inclusion of "Casual mode" definitely makes the game more available to newer players, while the original mode makes each decision important, just like the previous games. I do think that the game was made a bit too easy in parts- you could recruit maxed out characters via Spotpass even before you completed the game, which I think they should have waited until the end to grant you. More diverse choices may also have been a good addition, like in Sacred Stones, where at one point you had to choose to go with one or the other protagonist. Besides these, I think that a new portable Fire Emblem game was far overdue, and this is the perfect way to bring the franchise back.… Expand

Best game on 3ds so far by far, fire emblem features a better version of the series trademark turn based squad strategy combat. In this game you can pair up charters in battle for greater attacks and have them develop relationships and even get married. The story in this game is great and the anime cutscenes are animated very well, helping to flesh the story out. the graphics are not to flashy but what you would expect for a 3ds strategy game, but the battle sequences are AMAZING. bottom line BUY THIS GAME… Expand

Amazing game. The relationships, the gameplay, the graphics.. It was quite some time ago since such a good game was released. Polished to perfection. If you like turnbased strategy, this is a nobrainer.

This is not only one of the best games on the 3ds, but right up there with one of the best games i've ever played. It gives you great characters, amazing gameplay, a story that keep you interested, and much more. the DLC for the game is good for the price you get them at. The only problem I have with this game is there are parts that give you a choice during cut scenes but they really don't do anything for the story as far as I can tell. Overall though this is fantastic, now excuse me i'm on my 4th play through… Expand