Another side purpose will hopefully be to talk about certain strategies, characters, choices, etc.
Intro to Fire Emblem
OK the Fire Emblem series are turn based strategy games originally from Japan that are some of the most difficult but addicting and fun games you will ever play. The biggest reason why they are so hard is because there is a special twist that most TBS's don't have: If any player you control dies, you will never be able to use that character again. This gives these games a unique experience.
They also have a very in depth story line that almost always has a main character that is a Lord of some Fictional Country on a fictional continent. This Lord's country usually gets invaded and then all hell breaks loose. You control a small band of heroes throughout the game that gain experience as you defeat foes. There is always a grid-style map that the characters interact on. Each player can move any number of units in one turn. Once a unit reaches 100 experience, they level up, plain and simple. Once they level up they have a chance to increase some stats. These stats are chosen by an RNG and each character has a different % to level up certain stats so you will quickly learn which characters are going to shine later on in the game. Very fun I promise.
I almost forgot. THE SOUNDTRACK IS AMAZING. you will have so many eargasms when you play, that you will vividly feel the gooey wax flowing down your shoulders in a hot sensual way.
On a related note: the black knights theme is my ringtone for my mom XD
So, I have never actually played any of the Japanese games because I am so addicted to the American games I continue to play them. In chronological order the games are:
http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/index.php?search=games&fulltext=0 great site for all help/info on the games
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light (Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi) AKA FE1
![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Fe1screenshot.png)
Fire Emblem: Gaiden AKA FE2
![[image loading]](http://www.vizzed.com/vizzedboard/nes/screenshot/Fire%20Emblem%20Gaiden-2.png)
Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem (Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo) AKA FE3
![[image loading]](http://www.coolrom.com/screenshots/snes/Fire%20Emblem%20-%20Monshou%20no%20Nazo.gif)
![[image loading]](http://www.snesclassics.com/snes-roms/images/boxart/fire%20emblem%20-%20monshou%20no%20nazo-1.jpg)
Fire Emblem:Genealogy of Holy War (Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu) FE4
![[image loading]](http://www.vizzed.com/vizzedboard/snes/screenshot/Fire%20Emblem%20-%20Seisen%20no%20Keifu%20(translated)-2.png)
![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/aa/Fe3box.jpg)
Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 FE5
![[image loading]](http://images.wikia.com/fireemblem/images/1/1c/Thracia776.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img.listal.com/image/425278/600full-fire-emblem:-thracia-776----jp:%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F-%3F%3F%3F%3F776-screenshot.jpg)
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi)
![[image loading]](http://www.gameboy-advance-roms.com/gba/scr/378b.png)
![[image loading]](http://ui26.gamefaqs.com/1753/gfs_20191_2_7.jpg)
Fire Emblem GBA AKA FE7
![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/GBA_Fire_Emblem_Box.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://images.wikia.com/fireemblem/images/1/14/Fire_screen011.jpg)
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones GBA (<<My personal Fave) AKA FE:8
![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1e/Fire_Emblem_The_Sacred_Stones.JPG)
![[image loading]](http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2005/146/reviews/921183_20050527_screen002.jpg )
Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance GC AKA:FE9
![[image loading]](http://www.gameogre.com/reviewdirectory/upload/fire-emblem-path-of-radiance.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.gaymerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/fire-emblem-path-of-radiance-20050517031239261-1.jpg)
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn Wii AKA: FE10
![[image loading]](http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/832/832368/fire-emblem-radiant-dawn--20071102020851742.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/767/767088/fire-emblem-goddess-of-dawn--20070223082226281_640w.jpg)
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon DS FE:11
![[image loading]](http://www.nintendosforsale.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/fire.emblem.shadow.dragon.4901.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.romulation.net/files/screenshots/roms/NDS/26490/s5a03e77c4d73e03b826248832128fe56.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Fe1screenshot.png)
Fire Emblem: Gaiden AKA FE2
![[image loading]](http://www.vizzed.com/vizzedboard/nes/screenshot/Fire%20Emblem%20Gaiden-2.png)
Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem (Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo) AKA FE3
![[image loading]](http://www.coolrom.com/screenshots/snes/Fire%20Emblem%20-%20Monshou%20no%20Nazo.gif)
![[image loading]](http://www.snesclassics.com/snes-roms/images/boxart/fire%20emblem%20-%20monshou%20no%20nazo-1.jpg)
Fire Emblem:Genealogy of Holy War (Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu) FE4
![[image loading]](http://www.vizzed.com/vizzedboard/snes/screenshot/Fire%20Emblem%20-%20Seisen%20no%20Keifu%20(translated)-2.png)
![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/aa/Fe3box.jpg)
Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 FE5
![[image loading]](http://images.wikia.com/fireemblem/images/1/1c/Thracia776.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img.listal.com/image/425278/600full-fire-emblem:-thracia-776----jp:%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F-%3F%3F%3F%3F776-screenshot.jpg)
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi)
![[image loading]](http://www.gameboy-advance-roms.com/gba/scr/378b.png)
![[image loading]](http://ui26.gamefaqs.com/1753/gfs_20191_2_7.jpg)
Fire Emblem GBA AKA FE7
![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/GBA_Fire_Emblem_Box.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://images.wikia.com/fireemblem/images/1/14/Fire_screen011.jpg)
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones GBA (<<My personal Fave) AKA FE:8
![[image loading]](http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2005/146/reviews/921183_20050527_screen002.jpg )
Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance GC AKA:FE9
![[image loading]](http://www.gameogre.com/reviewdirectory/upload/fire-emblem-path-of-radiance.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.gaymerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/fire-emblem-path-of-radiance-20050517031239261-1.jpg)
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn Wii AKA: FE10
![[image loading]](http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/832/832368/fire-emblem-radiant-dawn--20071102020851742.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://wiimedia.ign.com/wii/image/article/767/767088/fire-emblem-goddess-of-dawn--20070223082226281_640w.jpg)
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon DS FE:11
![[image loading]](http://www.nintendosforsale.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/fire.emblem.shadow.dragon.4901.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.romulation.net/files/screenshots/roms/NDS/26490/s5a03e77c4d73e03b826248832128fe56.jpg)
Now with Emulators being so available, I encourage you to try one of the GBA games and see how you like it. They are all incredibly fun games that for some reason always fly under the radar. But there is a WARNING: If you are the type to get easily frustrated, or don't want to play a challenging game, don't even bother.
Oh and PS: If you were ever wondering where Ike/Roy/Marth from Super Smash Bros. came from, here it is.
Hope I didn't bore you!!!

If someone could please post a link to a good ROM site or at least say the best place I will edit it in to the OP. Thanks so much!
For anybody who has played some of these games on normal or easy difficulties and are looking to challenge themselves, you may want to check out this link Archetypes. It is super helpful knowing which units to avoid and which are worth it.
For everybody new to the series i think this poll will help some.
Poll: Favorite Fire Emblem?
FE7 (68)
48%
FE8 (20)
14%
FE4 (19)
13%
FE10 (13)
9%
FE9 (7)
5%
FE6 (6)
4%
FE5 (4)
3%
FE1 (2)
1%
FE11 (2)
1%
FE2 (0)
0%
FE3 (0)
0%
141 total votes
FE8 (20)
FE4 (19)
FE10 (13)
FE9 (7)
FE6 (6)
FE5 (4)
FE1 (2)
FE11 (2)
FE2 (0)
FE3 (0)
141 total votes
Your vote: Favorite Fire Emblem?
(Vote): FE1
(Vote): FE2
(Vote): FE3
(Vote): FE4
(Vote): FE5
(Vote): FE6
(Vote): FE7
(Vote): FE8
(Vote): FE9
(Vote): FE10
(Vote): FE11
And for funsies!
Poll: Favorite LordCharacter
Lyn (40)
26%
Hector (36)
24%
Ike (28)
18%
Emphraim (9)
6%
Eliwood (9)
6%
Marth (7)
5%
Roy (6)
4%
Eirika (6)
4%
Micaiah (6)
4%
Cellica (2)
1%
Alm (2)
1%
Leaf (1)
1%
152 total votes
Hector (36)
Ike (28)
Emphraim (9)
Eliwood (9)
Marth (7)
Roy (6)
Eirika (6)
Micaiah (6)
Cellica (2)
Alm (2)
Leaf (1)
152 total votes
Your vote: Favorite LordCharacter
(Vote): Marth
(Vote): Roy
(Vote): Ike
(Vote): Emphraim
(Vote): Eirika
(Vote): Eliwood
(Vote): Hector
(Vote): Lyn
(Vote): Micaiah
(Vote): Leaf
(Vote): Cellica
(Vote): Alm