Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones Game Boy Advance
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Release Date: May 23, 2005
Metascore
85 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 38 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 38
  3. Negative: 0 out of 38
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  1. Detroit Free Press
    100
    An ideal handheld game. It's simple to pick up, the quest is long and worthwhile, and there's plenty of replay value.
  2. Deeko
    95
    The gameplay is simply addictive, the graphics and sound are stellar and the storyline is incredible making Fire Emblem a must buy srpg for the GameBoy Advance!
  3. Next Level Gaming
    93
    Overall, this game is brilliant. Great gameplay, good graphics, witty writing and a rich storyline support this game and make it one of the best of its genre.
  4. Nintendophiles
    91
    This is easily one of the finest and most refined GBA games to date (maybe one of the last, too). It contains a narrative that takes the audience seriously (yet provides good comic relief) and a superb cast of characters.
  5. Game Informer
    90
    Strategy noobs might find this title a bit too much to digest, as character death is permanent and even normal fights stretch your brain to the limit. [July 2005, p.126]
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  6. Nintendo Power
    90
    Sacred Stones brilliantly treads the line between depth and accessibility, and Intelligent Systems has bone to great lengths with the difficulty settings to please gamers of all skill levels. [July 2005, p.100]
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  7. eToychest
    90
    It is challenging, with enough depth of both gameplay and story to please existing fans, while multiple difficulty settings will keep the title accessible to most everyone.
  8. GameCube Advanced
    90
    Just as good as the original, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table. For fans of the series and newcomers this is a great thing.
  9. PALGN
    90
    Not only is this title many times better than the original, it offers one of the best and fulfilling experiences for the Game Boy Advance.
  10. GamePro
    90
    A great little game that instantly sucks you into a deep fantasy world of conflict and combat. The learning curve is average for an RPG game, but the rewards are well worth the study time.
  11. GameSpy
    90
    Easily one of best GBA titles to ever come out for the handheld system. Its rich story, colorful characters, and excellent gameplay all add up to make this a truly satisfying experience.
  12. The New York Times
    88
    This approach is similar to chess, but there are far more variables.
  13. Da Gameboyz
    88
    One of the deepest and enjoyable games I have played in sometime, let alone the fact that is on the GBA.
  14. GameSpot
    88
    Offers a lengthy, rewarding, thought-provoking experience that truly makes you feel as though the decisions you make, waging one exciting battle after the next, carry serious consequences.
  15. Worth Playing
    88
    If you can handle a strategy game that'll ruthlessly punish you for making even minor mistakes, pick this up the next chance you get.
  16. N-Insanity
    88
    It takes a lot of time and effort to have the best experience. If you are like me and eat this stuff up like breakfast, Sacred Stones will last you 70 hours at a bare minimum.
  17. VGPub
    87
    While the story isn't as long as others, there's definitely much more depth involved with the game and plenty of replay value to it as well.

User Reviews

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User Score
9.5 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 67 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Teru_XD
    10
    Amazing game. I was a bit skeptical at first, but when I finally got to play it through the 3DS Ambassador Program, I was floored. This game is addictive as hell! The replay value is definitely strong in this one.… Full Review »
  2. KimJong-Fun
    8
    Great fun. Nice gameplay, great story and very, very addictive. Hard and infuriating when you lose a great unit, but still one of the best strategy games I have ever played.… Full Review »
  3. domflo
    10
    After the relative success that was Fire Emblem (Rekka no Ken, to be precise), Nintendo decided to release it's successor, The Sacred Stones, in the west as well. And, let me tell you this, it was the right decision.
    The game's art style is a bit darker than before, and the story is a bit more straightforward than Rekka no Ken's story was. The cast of characters has also been reduced, allowing for a deeper view on each character this time around. Gameplay wise, this game plays exactly like it's predecessor. The only notable differences are special class skills that some classes inhabit, and, most importantly, the world map. The world map feature allows the player to visit shops freely after clearing a certain chapter, and it also grants access to what most people would call training grounds: The Tower of Valni. It allows the player to go through it over and over, thus training your units. This can be used to make the game easier, or to level up characters post-story. Concerning difficulty, this game should be a good one for beginners, as it is a bit easier than other Fire Emblems, not only but also thanks to the Tower of Valni mentioned earlier. The replayability is, as one would expect knowing the franchise, very high. Not only can you continue playing after beating the story (to unlock certain characters, for example), but there are also two main routes to follow the story on. One has to play the game at least twice to get to enjoy all chapters, which could tick some people off, but shouldn't be a big deal, as this game is very addicting.
    To conclude, the game is one of the best in the franchise, and one of the best games for the system as well. It manages to be absolutely "Fire Emblem" while adding some spice with some small changes and attracting new players that are easily frustrated by the other installment(s). If you own a GameBoy Advance or a Nintendo DS/DS lite and are at least remotely interested in turn-based strategy, this game is a must have.    … Full Review »
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