More potential to discover

With the success of Castlevania and the Cyberpunk Edgerunners anime series, it is clear that game anime adaptations are worth investing in. They can heighten a franchise’s standing?? among the mass audience and attract new fans to each game.

Castlevania and Cyberpunk Edgerunners elevated the worlds they were based on. They had unique art s??tyles, engaging characters, and intriguing storylines that should inspire any game anime adaptation. Here are a few we’d love to see follow in that same pattern.

Bloodborne

[caption id="attachment_369924" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

The best live-action and anime adaptations take the source material and run with it. That’s what a studio should do with Bloodborne. It can take the gorgeous gothic world of Yharnam and layer it with a mysterious story loosely based on the game’s lore. It would be creepy, have a gripping art style, and be a huge win for Sony. Maybe it would even lead to a Bloodborne sequel at some point in the future.

Final Fantasy X

[caption id="attachment_369925" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

Final Fantasy XV saw a promotional anime mini-series based on the lead protagonists�friendship. However, we haven’t received a full-on anime series based on any of the franchise’s entries. That is absolutely bizarre, considering the grand source material. Final Fantasy X has one of the strongest narratives that a game anime adaptation could ask for. Each character ??has a great story arc, and the romance between Tidus a?nd Yuna would tantalize viewers until the very end.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

[caption id="attachment_369926" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Fire Emblem: Three Houses would make a compelling anime series you’d want to catch every week. Each character is well-written, and there’s a compelling plot about three factions forged between former friends. There could be intense fight scenes that play out on the battlefield, making every spell and swing of the sword look stunning in animated form. A studio could also add additional scenes that bring more nuance to the original game’s plot. There’s a lot of potential for an anime based on a game as dramatic as Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Kid Icarus

[caption id="attachment_370327" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Kid Icarus: Uprising is a thrill, despite its terrible control scheme on the 3DS. Part of what made the game’s fans toughen out the awkward controls is the script. The banter between Pit and Palutena is hilarious and would be perfect for a comedy. The action would be spectacular as Pit soars across the sky and shoots down foes. There were a few anime shorts to promote Kid Icarus: Uprising, but it would be outstanding to get a full show.

Kingdom Hearts

[caption id="attachment_370377" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix & Disney[/caption]

Even the most dedicated of fans would admit that the Kingdom Hearts lore is hard to follow. However, an anime based on the series could help with that. Rather than a full game, an anime recapping the events of the mobile games Unchained X, Union X, and Dark Road would be fantastic. The dramatic story of the Foretellers and other influential characters from those games is essential for future Kingdom Hearts games, as they’re positioned to be the next antagonists of the series. Rather than watching cutscenes from the now-defunct mobile game, it would be great to get an anime retelling to keep mainstream fans in?formed.

The Legend of Zelda

[caption id="attachment_370384" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

The Legend of Zelda is begging for an anime. You have engrossing characters, the gorgeous land of Hyrule, and a mighty antagonist for the hero to defeat. Breath of the Wild specifically would be fantas??tic for a game anime adaptation. You have the dramatic story of keeping Hyrule safe from Ganondorf, the growing r??elationship between Link and Zelda, and mighty battles against the likes of Master Khoga and the Divine Beast encounters.

Metal Gear Solid

[caption id="attachment_370396" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Konami[/caption]

One of the greatest game series in the eyes of many is Metal Gear Solid. However, it is so difficult to get into nowadays. Almost every game in the series isn’t available natively on the PS4 and PS5. Also, the older titles on the PS1 and PS2 have awkward controls by modern standards. An anime series based on the espionage titles would be amazing, especially with how the narrative has been praised over the years. It would catch up potential fans who missed the Metal Gear Solid franchise in its prime and ideally prepare the??m for a ?remake.

Metroid

[caption id="attachment_370379" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

The Metroid series is rich in lore and stunning sci-fi world design. It would lend itself to some beautiful animated scenes and grandiose battle scenes with Ridley and other aliens across the galaxy. With Metroid Prime 4 around the corner, an anime based on this cult-favorite series could bring Samus Aran into the limelight. If the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher could make Geralt a household name, it could work for Metroid.

A new Street Fighter anime

[caption id="attachment_370404" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

With today’s animation styles and an energetic sequel on the horizon, a new Street Fighter anime would be perfect. It could give the characters more depth and get folks invested in the battles of Street Fighter 6. Additionally, the fight scenes would look spectacular and take inspiration from the splash effects from the latest game. Ideally, this anime could give us more backstory on the events of Street Fighter 6.

Xenoblade Chronicles

[caption id="attachment_370409" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Another Nintendo franchise that’s waiting for a game anime adaptation is Xenoblade Chronicles. Imagine seeing the stunning Gaur Plains brought to life as Shulk and the gang stroll around the environment. Furthermore, the engrossing story would capture anime fans who have never given the series a chance. The music could be adapted beautifully too. To quote Shulk, “I’m really feelin�it!�/p>

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Claude's band of misfits are back

Nintendo has published the third faction spotlight for its upcoming musou crossover Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, featuring the Gol??den Deer. And yes, they're all here.

Today's Three Hopes trailer shows off the Leicester Alliance, better known as the Golden Deer in Three Houses. Claude and Hilda were already confirmed, but today's trailer makes it certain that all Deer will be feared in Three Hopes.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNllTZWziQc

If you couldn't tell, the Deer were my first and favorite playthrough of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. And it might be my favoritism talking, but these designs and combat kits are fantastic. Ignatz blots paint on the screen whi?le he? fights. Marianne unleashes the power of her animal pals. Hilda smashes stuff with her axe. It's all great.

A full house

With all three factions now shown off, we also now know for certain that every student from Fire Emblem: Three Houses is in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. That's a hefty lineup. I guess the question now is whether any of the faculty or side characters get a slot, too. Between teachers like Shamir and Manuela, and longtime Fire Emblem mainstays like Anna, the??re are still p??lenty of options.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, if you're catching up now, is a musou game collaboration with Omega Force. It's one of several that Nintendo's done now, and Three Hopes looks to follow in the footsteps of the most recent one, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. What I mean by that is Three Hopes is a seemingly alternate-timeline approach to the story of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, where new protagonist Shez teams up with one of the three major factions.

How this comes together, especially with Three Houses protagonist Byleth now an aggressor and the "Ashen Demon," will be neat to discover. I'm just happy all the Golden Deer are here, and all three houses will be taking the field in full force. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes hits Nintendo Switch on June 24.

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Edelgard and co. get some new duds

The next faction spotlight for Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is here, and it's all about Edelgard and the Black ?Eagles.

The Adrestian Empire is the banner they'll be fighting under, but Three Houses players will remember this motley crew as the Black Eagles. Edelgard is here, of course, but in today's trailer we get to see all the former students in acti??on.

There are some neat touches here, considering? the variety of skillsets in the Black Eagles. Two little aspects I dug were D??orothea using singing as a weapon, and Petra's big attack utilizing a bow (since she is an Assassin class when you fight her in other houses' campaigns).

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EGQ3oKDcj0

Two houses down, one to go

That's two of Fire Emblem: Three Houses' big factions down, one left to go. It looks like since we have Black Eagles and Blue Lions covered, the Golden Deer will be the l?ast crew?????????????????????????? to get a spotlight.

That said, it's impressive to see how every student in each house is a full-on playable character in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. With just the three houses and protagon???ist Shez, that's 25 characters.

I'm curious to see if we get any of the school staff or the endearing basement goths from the Ashen Wolves campaign. And I'd be really surprised if Anna, the series'? long-running "mascot" merchant, doesn't also make an appearance.

I'm hopeful (ha) that Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will turn out as a pretty good musou game, as the Nintendo crossovers have run the gamut. The Hyrule Warriors side has been generally solid to pretty darn good. But Fire Emblem Warriors missed some of that spark.

With a laser focus on just Fódlan and the world of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, maybe Three Hopes can make the Warriors side click. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes hits Nintendo Switch on June 24.

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Nothing to report

Fire Emblem Heroes is getting a new batch of heroes this week, chosen by popular vote. And one of them isn't the classic hero you'd expect, but a nameless NPC that became a fan-favorite: the Gatekeeper from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Earlier this year, Nintendo announced the winners of the fan poll for the Choose Your Legends event, which would add special versions of characters based on popular vote. On the women's side, Three Houses' Marianne came in first, followed by Eirika from The Sacred Stones. And in the men's d??ivision, the very well-known Marth came in second to the Gatekeeper, who swept the polls with a whopping 72,267 votes.

The Gatekeeper, voiced by Kyle McCarley and with art by Yamada Akihiro, arrives with abilities like the Charging Horn, Detailed Report, and Harsh Command+. More importantly, his attack looks like he opens the gates of Garreg Mach Monastery to let loose an army of Fire Emblem: Three Houses favorites. I think I ??saw Byleth, Sylvain, and Merce?des among the charging forces in the video.

?//twitter.com/FE_H??eroes_EN/status/1427110366329270281

These four characters all get their own variants, or in the Gatekeeper's case their unit debut, as well as parts in a new story chapter, Howling Descent. The summoning event ??will go live on Aug. 17 at 12 a.m. PT, under the New Heroes: Keepers ?of Faith.

It's been only two years since Fire Emblem: Three Houses hit the Nintendo Switch, but it still stands out as a major entry for both the console and the series, at least in my book. It wasn't just a highly produced, sprawling story with branching stories and a time-skip setup that felt reminiscent of Genealogy of the Holy War (still wa??iting on that localization), but its characters ??were so memorable.

The Gatekeeper was certainly a bit of a fan-favorite, with his cheery "nothing to report," but seeing Marianne in the lineup here too has reminded me of all the excellent characters in this game. I'm glad the Gatekeeper is at least getting his due, and a spot in the massive "everybody's here" of Fire Emblem Heroes.

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A group effort

Back in November of 2019, a group publicly revealed that they were crafting a Fire Emblem: Three Houses demake (in GBA ?form) and wanted everyone to know about it.

That call to arms paid off, as the original team ended up getting a lot of volunteers to help with the project; and I have to say, it's coming along quite well. The collective is putting all their heart and soul into the Blue Lions storyline (eschewing the other branches), and is chronicling their progress on Discord.

Right now it seems like they are working their way through Chapter 5, with the Tower of Black Winds portion completely finished from a gameplay perspective, and are working on the Gautier Inheritance portion now. There are 22 main chapters in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, but th??e pr??ogress has been immense in just a few months.

In case you're wondering, the below video features an arranged theme from project members Dethraxx and Kascade. Although it is a demake of an existing game, I really love how the creators are putting th??eir own spin on it! One of the leaders (that very same Dethraxx) notes that "most of the hardships have been resolved," so they can go "full speed now." Good luck!

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House Warming

In case you hadn't had your fill of Fire Emblem-related news this week, Nintendo has dropped a trailer for the next DLC expansion headed to the excellent Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

The new side-story - title "Cindered Shadows" - will see our heroes venture into th??e catacombs of the Garreg Mach Monastery, where they will make the shocking discovery of a fabled fourth house, The Ashen Wolves. The story will include brand new characters such as Constance, Balthus, Hapi, and Yuri, and offer generous tutors the opportunity to validate this self-proclaimed h??ouse of eager young students.

The Cindered Shadows DLC launches on February 13 for a princely $25. Of course, the big news this week was that Three Houses star Byleth is the next character headed to the roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. You can read all the details about that right here.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available now on Nintendo Switch.

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Lots of Sothis love

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is enjoying a rel??atively quiet back half of 2019. Although it had a relatively explosive debut Nintendo has been taking it easy with DLC since its July release, which has mostly been low key in the form of outfits and missions.

Now, for season pass owners (read: it's $25), you can download a free outfit to celebrate the holidays: a literal "outfit of your dreams," a little inside joke from Nintendo for those of you who played Three Houses. It's none other than the Sothis Regalia, honoring one of the more popular characters from the ne??w saga. If you have the pass you just get the outfit, no questions asked or loopholes, and there's one for each version of Byleth.

As a reminder DLC Waves 1-3 are already out, and include academy outfits (plus glasses) for Byleth, five auxiliary battles, new music, items, student attire, a recruitable Anna, the sauna, and maid/butler battalions. Wave 4 is scheduled to be released "by April 30, 2020" and will ?include new story content and characters, as well as a free general update for more battle appearance options, a save slot increase (from five to 25!) ad the chance to recruit Jeritza.

Again, Nintendo has been killing it with free first-party DLC and updates for their high profile games. Three Houses is just more proof.

A new outfit just in time for the holidays [Nintendo]

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For the honour of The Black Eagles

Fans of Fire Emblem: Three Houses will be pleased to hear that merch-maker Good Smile Co. has revealed the first in what is lik?ely a run of Figmas featuring ??the characters of Nintendo's schoolyard rumble. First up is the leader of The Black Eagles herself, the steadfast Edelgard von Hresvelg.

The axe-wielding Princess of the Adrestian Empire will be immortalised in the classic Figma format, standing a little under six inches in height and equipped w?ith the brand's trademark articulation, which allows for wide variety of proud and dramatic poses. Dressed to? the nines in her beautiful and regal uniform, Edelgard will include two choices of faceplate, along with her Killer Axe and Aymr weapons.

Edelgard von Hresvelg's Figma can be pre-ordered over at the Good Smile Co. website for ¥8,000 (or roughly $70 USD) not including shipping or any potential customs charges. Edelgard is expected to ship in July 2020.

So, if you're one of those people have trouble with procrastination, studying, or you have a tendency to dither over matters that need taking care of, you can now sit Edelgard high on your mantlepiece, where her stern but sensible face will ensure that you keep your shit together, whatever ?life throws at you.

Good Smile Co. Edelgard von Hresvelg Figma [Official]

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1.1.0

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a massive game, and there's no shortage of things Nintendo can tweak, add or take away. Although maj??or updates have been few and far between (just July and September so far), this new November update is a decent chunk of changes.

1.1.0 is now live for all Fire Emblem: Three Houses owners, and increases the number of save files from five to 25, new outfit options (monastery outfits can be used in battle), UI concealing options, new allies for Part 2, language fixes and a heap of bug fixes: a list that includes a bad bu?g that turn?s out-of-house students into allies. You can check out the full patch notes below.

The third DLC pack is also out, and it includes dress-up, a new sauna activity (!) and...dog/cat interaction?! You can also recruit Anna a?fter the third chapter. If you have the season pass and can pick this add-on up, it's an even heftier patch! All of this DLC is going to make future runs killer time sinks (in a good way).

1.1.0 [Nintendo]

Ver. 1.1.0 (Released November 8, 2019)

• New and Updated Features
  • Increased the number of save files from 5 to 25. Note: Increased number of save files will require approximately 12MB of additional system memory space. If you don’t have enough space, you can delete some application data or images saved in the album.
  • Added a new option, In Battle, in Appearance Options, allowing the player to select the monastery outfits for battle as well.
    • Note: You can set this from the Unit Appearance menu in Personal Quarters.
    • Note: Depending on the outfit/character/class combination, some outfits may not be reflected for mounted units.
  • Added feature that allows players to hide the UI when viewing a character in Unit Appearance.
  • Added new allies that will join in Part 2: Crimson Flower.
  • Changed the song that plays in the opening movie to the Korean version when the system language is set to Korean.
  • Added additional quests and new outfits (Servants Attire, Summer Wear, and Evening Wear) from the Expansion Pass.
    • Note: Additional quests include new activities, such as the sauna, feeding cats and dogs, and recruiting new battalions.
    • Note: Additional quests are marked with a light-blue icon during Exploration.
    • Note: New outfits (Servants Attire, Summer Wear, and Evening Wear) are provided for the protagonist and for the playable characters. They can be selected via Personal Quarters in the monastery.
  • Added an additional element of the Expansion Pass, making Anna available for recruiting in the monastery after the third chapter, Mutiny in the Mist.
    • Note: Anna can participate in battles and activities.
    • Note: Anna does not have Support relationships.
    • Note: Recruiting Anna unlocks a new paralogue after a certain chapter.
    • Note: It’s possible to set Anna as a traveler, but the recipient cannot recruit her as an Adjutant unless they also own the Expansion Pass.
    • Note: If a player has not purchased the Expansion Pass, only one of the new characters in the Expansion Pass can visit as a traveler.
  • Added Gifts for Dogs and Cats to the viewable rankings during the loading screen and the calendar screen while playing online.
• General
  • Fixed a bug that accidentally turned students who aren’t from the protagonist’s house into allies in Chapter 1: Three Houses.
  • Fixed a Ver.1.0.2 bug that caused an unintended sound to play at the beginning of Chapter 1: Three Houses (“The Academy “in the Movie Gallery) when the language is set to English.
  • Fixed a bug that caused Dimitri’s face to sometimes display incorrectly.
  • Fixed a bug that prevented a support conversation event from happening when certain inputs were made after increasing Support levels while exploring the monastery.
  • Fixed a bug that did not display the upward arrow during the Choir Festival day (though the bonus was still being added, despite the missing arrows).
  • Fixed a bug that displayed an incorrect stage name screen sometimes during the screen transitions.
  • Fixed a bug that caused the game to freeze when talking to a character in the monastery on rare occasions.
  • Fixed a bug that incorrectly displayed the character HP when selecting Convoy during battle.
  • Fixed a bug that set the Adjutant Follow-Up activation rate lower than intended for certain Support levels.
  • Changed the item the sniper holds from Spear to Silver Bow in the final episode of Part 2: Crimson Flower on Maddening difficulty.
  • Fixed a bug that sometimes showed blank epilogues.
  • Revised some text.
  • Improved gameplay by addressing a few additional bugs.

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Top of the Class?

If there's one thing Nintendo Switch RPG Fire Emblem: Three Houses isn't short on, it's characters. With three separate schools, not to mention a fistful of tutors, all vying for your attention, its?? onl??y natural some of these students and faculty will stand out in both your head and your heart.

To that end, Japanese magazine Famitsu ran a poll of its readers, asking them to nominate their favourite characters encountered in the hallowed halls of the Garreg Mach Monestary. Once the dust had cleared and the votes were tabulated, the winning male and female characters were the Blue Lions' leader Dimitri and the Black Eagles' with??drawn noblewoman Ber?nadetta.

Still, in both cases it was an incredibly close call, with less than 100 votes between first and second place, leaving Golden Deer leader Claude and one of his fellow classmates,  Lysithea, just out of luck. But we're also interested in hearing your thoughts. So, after perusing the full rankings below, drop us a note in the comments, where you can agree with me that Manuela was robbed. Utterly robbed.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available now on Nintendo Switch.

Male Character Poll:

    1. Dimitri (1,335)
    2. Claude (1,249)
    3. Felix (1,160)
    4. Sylvain (913)
    5. Ferdinand (661)
    6. Byleth (572)
    7. Lorenz (566)
    8. Hubert (523)
    9. Ashe (458)
    10. Linhardt (398)
    11. Caspar (322)
    12. Raphael (315)
    13. Dedue (287)
    14. Seteth (280)
    15. Gatekeeper (195)
    16. Jeralt (180)
    17. Rodrigue (104)
    18. Cyril (90)
    19. Hanneman (74)
    20. Alois (69)

Female Character Poll:

    1. Bernadetta (1,083)
    2. Lysithea (1,008)
    3. Hilda (988)
    4. Edelgard (916)
    5. Ingrid (767)
    6. Mercedes (721)
    7. Byleth (709)
    8. Shamir (675)
    9. Marianne (555)
    10. Annette (540)
    11. Sothis (440)
    12. Dorothea (418)
    13. Flayn (333)
    14. Petra (236)
    15. Leonie (231)
    16. Rhea (120)
    17. Manuela (97)
    18. Catherine (71)
    19. Kronya (29)
    20. Judith (10)

Fire Emblem: Three Houses character poll [BlackKite / Japanese Nintendo]

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Black Eagles for life

In case you haven't been following along, Fire Emblem: Three Houses has, well, three houses to choose from, which drastically alter the course of the plot. But it's not just the narrative that's altered, as the choice severely impacts which characters you can use on a daily basis: and the Black Eagles are the clear-cut fan favorite, even winning our fan poll by a significant margin.

Naturally the chief Black Eagle member and house leader Edelgard is going to be a popular choice, as evidenced by in-game "popularity" loading screens tha??t gather info from players to showcase which party members are the most frequently used. Even during my review period for the game Edelgard crushed the charts, but the tide is finally turning: Black Eagle member and innate wizard Dorothea is now on top. Dorothea not only crushes the charts as the "most deployed" (a chart that Black Eagles has the top six spots for), but also "most activity prone." She's also second in "most-gifted," and third in "tea party participants."

Having played through the game multiple times, I gravitated toward most of the Black Eagles cast and found Dorothea to be one of my favorite party members. It was always a joy to speak to her even if it was just small talk, and she ended up becoming one of the more key members of my team. A spot well earned, but you could say that about most of the characters of Three Houses.

Dorothea unseats Edelgard as most popular Fire Embl?em character [Polygon]

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Also, more DLC

After a token waiting period, Nintendo is finally ready to deliver the goods for Fire Emblem: Three Houses players: the new difficulty mode, "maddening."

Three Houses is also getting a number of upgrades thanks to its 1.0??.2 patch??, including more renown (basically, New Game+ bonuses for your character), the ability to browse Goddess Tower events in the extras menu, the arrival of more expansion (season) pass DLC content, and a handful of bug fixes. Byleth's male voice actor has also been changed, and the DLC specifically includes new items, five extra auxiliary battles, a new song (Corridor of the Tempest) and more accessories.

This is the most substantial update for Three Houses since it launched on July 26, following a small day one patch. But it really hasn't needed any pick-me-ups as the massive three-campaign concept stands on its own, and the fanart community has been behind the game 110%. The sales back it up: Three Houses is o??ne of the franchise's most? successful efforts to date.

1.0.2 [Nintendo]

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Three Bricks

This coming weekend, Nintendo will be holding a Fire Emblem: Three Houses themed "Maximus Event" for Tetris 99, its free battle royale puzzler. Running from August 23 until August 26, players that score 100 event points will unlock a theme based on the recently released tactical strategy RPG. Now you can sh??ow your love fo??r the Black Eagles, Blue Lions, or Golden Deers while dropping blocks on fools.

Honestly, I'm in love with the crossovers Nintendo is putting into Tetris 99. Something as simple and pure as Tetris is ripe for repping different IPs and Nintendo has a fantastic catalog of series it can pick from. The last Maximus Event featured Splatoon 2 and it even pushed me to checking out some rounds of the inky shooter when I was finished. Maybe I'll be compelled to grab Three Houses once I'm done mopping up in Tetris?

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Well, the Switch will do that for a game

The numbers are in, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses is rocking it.

As per US NPD data (gleaned from industry analyst Mat Piscatella), Fire Emblem: Three Houses was the second best selling game in all of July, only behind Madden NFL 20. This is inline with another tidbit of info revealed from the NPD: hailing the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller as "the best selling video game accessory of July 2019," the Switch has the best selling hardware of the month (and best selling of 2019), and noted that six of the top 10 best selling games in July 2019 in the US are Switch exclusives (Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8, Smash Ultimate, Ultimate Alliance 3, Mario Maker 2, Fire Emblem: Three Houses).

That's uh quite a win! Also, easily explainable. Fire Emblem has been on a roll in the past seven years, garnering a lot of good will following the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening in 2012, during one of the best years for the 3DS (note: Awakening is still the top selling game in the series, though that could change). That train kind of never stopped, leading into Fates (which was essentially three games) and now, Three Houses. The three to four year iteration cadence ensures that folks aren't getting burned out, and Nintendo has made a concerted effort to make the games more accessible, leading to success with a more ge?neral audience.

It deserves it!

Mat Piscatella [Twitter]

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Full House

Nintendo has released a new trailer for their pocket battle Fire Emblem Heroes, giving fans a heads up that yet another batch of Fire Emblem: Three Houses stars are joining the ros??ter of the free-to-play crossover tit??le.

Headed to Fire Emblem Heroes are Golden Deer's axe master Hilda and the Blue Lions' mistress of magic, Mercedes. The Black Eagles are bringing double trouble, in the form of stoic mage Hubert and brainiac sword-bearer Petra. This quartet join up with previous Fire Emblem Heroes additions Eldegard, Byleth, Dimitri, Claude and Sothis.

The warfaring students will arrive along?side a new story chapter "Omnicidal Witch", which sounds like a good name for a band. You can start hunting for Hilda and friends tomorrow, August 7 from 00:00 PT / 03:00 ET / 07:00 BST.

Fire Emblem Heroes is available now on iOS and Android devices. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available now on Nintendo Switch.

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Maybe you've dabbled in a few now that the game has been out a bit

The dust has settled a bit on Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

The game arrived on Switch on July 26, which is eons ??in the gaming industry, when everyone inevitably moves on to talking about the next big thing. But given that I've always been one to dwell, especially for big-budget SRPG releases in 2019, I'm back with another discussion point for this? lovely game. Odds are you have a favorite house at this point. Whether it's due to multiple playthroughs or just a partial run, you've had the chance to interact with every other student and house leader on campus, and probably have strong feelings on the matter.

Me? I was with Edelgard on day one. I made my choice in a vacuum with an advanced copy and didn't think ??twice: it was always Edelgard and her Black Eagles. That said, I actually like both of the other houses: the Blue Lions and the Golden Deer. Dimitri's pretty boy demeanor is always funny and I love his rapport with Edelgard, and the idea that "everyone just adores" Claude is hilarious...and believable, after seeing him in action!

Sound off with your choice below, but note that although there are no spoilers discussed in this article?, the comments might go there! Stick to the poll!

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Shoeless Sorceress

Following on from its previous roster additions of Dimitri??, Eldegard, Claude and Byle??th, Nintendo's mobile battle title Fire Emblem Heroes continues to crossover with popular Switch release Three Houses,? adding another character from the latter in ?its latest update.

Joining the huge roster of the free-to-play adventure is the mysterious Sothis who, without giving too much away for those of you still in the early hours of Three Houses, has a powerful hold over time itself, with her fate being intert?wined with that of lead protagonist Byleth.

Speaking of which, a male version of Byleth (Byleth: Tested Professor) has also been made available in the summoning pool, so it seems that Nintendo is all-in on this Fire Emblem cross-promotion. The more the merrier, right? There d?oes not appear to be a new paralogue chapter with t?his update, but Sothis will be made available in-game today

Fire Emblem Heroes is available now on iOS and Android devices. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available now on Nintendo Switch.

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Yep, all three houses

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is out, and there's just one problem: the?? cover has all three major houses on it. For those of you who are choosing one and shunning the others completely that can get awkward, so Nintendo is proposing a solution, and it involves arts and crafts.

You can log into your My Nintendo account now and hit up the Fire Emblem section to print new box art featuring each house (Blue? Lions, Golden Deer, Black Eagles), prominently showcasing thei??r house leader (Dimitri, Claude, Edelgard respectively). In such a personality-driven game I dig the options, and I also love the idea of swapping them out after each playthrough.

Nintendo also reminds folks that you can buy packs of Nintendo Switch game card cases here ($6.99 for five),??? or you can try to find dirt cheap clearance games and just perform open case surgery yourself. The box art covers will "cost" you 50 Platinum Coins, which you can earn from daily logins.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses [My Nintendo]

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And you may tell yourself, 'this is not my beautiful house'

It's hard to believe that we could be living in a world with no western Fire Emblem availability. We can owe it all to Super Smash Bros. Melee, whic??h sort of introduced the series?? to the west by way of Roy and Marth, and the rest is history.

Western audiences immediately resonated with the strategy series by genre veterans Intelligent Systems, and they never really looked back. From there, Nintendo did everything they could to spread the word with retro re-releases and timely localizations. We are now finally at the point where Fire Emblem games are worldwide releases.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a perfect game to usher in that standard.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)
Developer: Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: July 26, 2019
MSRP: $59.99

Gone is the "multi-game" concept of Fates. Instead, you're buying one release in Three Houses, which offers up the typical kingdom versus kingdom intrigue by way of one unified branching storyline. Although I dug the idea of getting two full games and viewing the different perspectives in Birthright and Conquest, the back-to-basics approach is appreciat??ed here.

The narrative is far from "basic," however, as Three Houses takes a decidedly Hogwarts-esque approach in framing everything around a powerful school that has a role to play in the territorial conflict to come. While the school's houses are indeed three strong, there are also three nations in the picture, all with their own wants and needs. Yep, it's a Fire Emblem game alright.

The first thing that grabbed me: the stunning character designs and cutscenes that pop. Man, this game is mesmerizing — not just in the context of its anime sequences, but the way the in-game engine is able to capture that anime feel. The ability to play Three Houses on the go as a bite-sized strategy experience or binge it on a gigantic TV that highlights all of the visual nuances is a microcosm of bliss: a perfect reason why so many people have resonated with the Switch. Anyway, Three Houses!

Speaking of anime feel, Three Houses doubles down on the over-the-top nature of the past few entries, which is either a boon or a curse depending on what side of the coin you're on. Me? I dig the harrowingly real, violent anime cutscenes juxtaposed to the absurdity of eating entirely too much tuna fish with your classmates and engaging in silly, jovial conversation. Spending a lot of time at a kooky school having tea with your friends is a really easy way to forget about the horrors of war. Fire Emblem kind of rules, doesn't it? That's to say nothing of ??the introduction of a time lord-esque diety in the first few minutes.

Without spoiling too much, Three Houses' narrative gist involves spending a ton of time with your students (no matter wh??ich house you pick, they all kind of hang out), then blowing it all up with a five-year time skip roughly halfway in. The story wildly varies depending on which house you sided with at the start, but for the most part, despite a few hand-waved events (and a few exposition-based cutscenes that mostly focus on a map), it does deliver and even provides an epilogue for party members.

To accomplish all this carnage you'll stomp around in two locations: free-roaming the hub academy t??o hone your skills, impart knowledge on your party, and socialize, and the grid-based battlefield, home to SRPG combat (with permadeath and a hard mode off the bat, if you wish). Socializing is really one of the big focuses, and I found myself resonating with a few characters in particular. Hilariously, I even regretted my first house choice (Black Eagles) because a few of its members openly sco??rned me after learning that I was to become their professor.

Most of the game's RPG systems are facilitated through menus, with a calendar that dictates when and what act?ions you can take (roam the monastery, rest, hold a seminar, battle, things of that nature). You have your own room, there are "days off" where nothing in particular is happening, and activities like fishing or (automatic) gladiatorial combat to partake in.

All of the RPG elements are very much in your face. Few modern forays into the genre deal with schools, salaries (I'm getting warm flashbacks for Final Fantasy VIII), and examinations for new class archetypes.? It's all-encompassing and Intelligent Systems really commits. Some of it is fluff, baked into the ?backbone of classic RPG bookkeeping, but I love it all the same.

Much of my love is for Three Houses' personalities. I adored watching  Bernadetta grow out of her shell, Caspar gain confidence, and Hubert become...slightly less of a condescending asshole. Certain kinds of gifts (lost items) provide hints for which cast member they belong to, and if you pay attention?? to their conversations (and thus their likes and dislikes), it's easy to match them up. You might learn, for instance, that Ferdinand is a tea fiend. Remembering that will make a few future sidequests or gift-giving that much easier. Of course, you could do none of that if it isn't your thing, and forgo small bonuses and support links/conversations.

Not every mechanic is a winner. There's a lot of basic "yes or no" responses to requests, and rather cold "buy flowers" prompts for birthdays on the calendar until you get the (stressful!) on-demand birthday tea party option (this game puts a huge focus on tea if you couldn't already tell). The mostly (outside of battle cries) silent protagonist thing is fine, as there's already a ton of spoken dialogue and two gender options, but a Mass Effect Shepard style emotive avatar would have been an interesting approach. Either way, there's joy in interacting with your students: after witnessing the combat fruits of my labor following an intense class session, I immediately thought of Mushu sending Mulan off to battle&n??bsp;after her training. Yes, there's battling in this tea-drinking dating simulator.

It takes a bit to ramp up. Initial skirmishes ?are light on tactics, mostly selling you on the idea of weapon durability (which is directly linked to ability costs) and unit placement. From there you'll graduate to class nuance: things like learning the range of abilities, which units are weak to what type of element or mechanic, and counter tech (some powers allow you to strike without the chance of a counter, someti??mes you want to be countered so you can counter-counter). I found myself visibly grinning at the idea of building up a party, fine-tuning it through tutoring, and meshing my perfect class composition together.

It almost always worked out, and that's because Three Houses gives you a ton of freedom in terms of how you want to build your party. Class graduation swaps are tran??sparent, easy to strive for, and even easier to take back if you feel like you made a mistake. Mistakes, mind, that are less punishing given the limited "Divine Pulse" (read: rewind turns) mechanic that's intertwined with the story.

There's something to be said about an SRPG that feels like you have unfinished business after the credits roll. Over the course of this lengthy review session (my playthrough was roughly 40 hours), I started a new game (NG+ is in, with some professor-based stats/items carrying over) with another house just to f??raternize with new people and see how the narrative cha??nged: a rarity for a demanding RPG. Much to my surprise, quite a bit of it was different, particularly during the time-jump portion, which featured a wildly divergent ending.

I cannot stress enough how much Fire Emblem: Three Houses exemplifies the "RPG" part of the acronym "SRPG." While strategy is indubitably a large part of Fire Emblem's DNA, the vast majority of my enjoyment was found having lunch with classmates and getting to know them better, or doing errands while running around the lovely academy grounds. This is a world you can absolutely lose yourself to for months on end, but if you find menus tedious, you might be reticent to the modern relationship-heavy Fire Emblem formula that's cemented in Three Houses.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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'Beyond normal and hard'

There's going to be a lot of Fire Emblem to go around the table after Three Houses launches this year. So we know that Nintendo is releasing DLC that will run through April 2??020, allowing for an already long tail. But thanks to a tweet from Nintendo of Europ??e, we also know that the publisher plans on giving us at least one free update.

According to the tweet, there will be a free DLC update later this year for something "beyond normal and hard mode," that adds "an even harder" difficulty setting to the game. This mode isn't named in the tweet, but "difficult," "lunatic," and "maniac" have been moniker??s that have described more challenging settings in the past. Typically, these esoteric alterations allow for even more restrictions for players in addition to stat changes, like an increase in enemy counts and more skills for enemy elites.

As I mentioned in my review, I immediately started a second run of the game with a new house after finishing my first. I replay Fire Emblem games frequently, ?so the more mode??s to accommodate longevity, the better.

Nintendo of Europe [Twitter]

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School of Hard Knocks

We are mere days away from the release of the newest title in the beloved Fire Emblem series, Three Houses. In recent weeks, Nintendo has released trailers showcasing the titular places of learning who will turn to? you for guidance during a bitter civil war in the land of Beseria. You have ties to all involved, but when steel clashes and the arrows start flying, where will you stand?

A??s for your own constituency, the newest trailer in this recent series looks at the Officer's Academy, where the faculty and higher-ranking members of the Garreg Mach Monastery operate. Think of it as a sort of hub-world, a neutral ground between the warring factions, where you can study, talk with students, train for combat and plan your strategic options for the next battle.

As I've covered these recent trailers, I've breezed through comments from fans both here and elsewhere, and there is very much trepidation about Three Houses. Everyone wants it to be a great game - of course they do - but there is very much a stand-offish atmosphere surrounding the release, with many players seemingly concerned about getting their h?opes up too high.

At least this ice will be broken soon enough, as Fire Emblem: Three Houses will? launch on Nintendo Switch Ju??ly 26. One way or another, the truth will out.

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New Kids on the Block

A brand new update for Nintendo's mobile battler Fire Emblem Heroes will add four new characters from the upcoming Fire Emblem: Three Houses, giving fans the opportunity to see the warriors in action befo?re the latter's release.

Joining the Fire Emblem Heroes roster will be The Black Eagles' Eldegard, The Blue Lions' Dimitri, The Golden Deer's Claude and a female variant of Three Houses lead protagonist, Byleth. Maybe this will give Fire Emblem fans the oppo?rtunity to feel out the three house leaders, and see which one fits the cut of your jib, so to speak.

If that wasn't enough, then a five-star rated male equivalent of Byleth will be made available to all Heroes players who also purchase Three Houses. Syncing up your accounts will unlock the tutor, torn between di??vided loyalties to the titular places of learning.

The new characters - along with new paralogue chapter "Cohort of the Dead" will be joining the roster on July 22 at 00:00 PT / 03:00 ET / 07:00 BST. Fire Emblem Heroes is available now on iOS and Android devices. Fire Emblem: Three Houses launches on Nintendo Switch July 26.

Fire Emblem Heroes adds Three Houses c?haracters and Byleth bonu??s [Official]

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What's your range?

Nintendo has released the third in a series of videos introducing us to the titular trio of academic sororities that make up Fire Emblem: Three Houses. We have already perused the magic lovers at The Black Eagles and the nobility and strength of The Blue Lions, with this new preview f??ocusing on The Golden Deer.

The Leicester Alliance, ot?herwise known as The Golden Deer, are the Garreg Mach Monastery's eastern division. Considering themselves a rogue?? nation, the school is made up of rebellious young students, many of whom are proficient in ranged weaponry, such as bows, and can use lances and spears to maintain distance even in close-quarters.

??Led by Claude von Riegan, The Golden Deer are arguably the scrappiest and most unorthodox of the Three Houses, but what they lack in structure and authority, they make up for w??ith expert marksmanship and a strong personal bond. When war for Beseria breaks out, all three groups will turn to you, their former tutor, for help and guidance. Which way does the wind blow?

Fire Emblem: Three Houses launches July 26 on Nintendo Switch.

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I present: the amiibo gazebo

"The ami??ibo gazebo" might be the greatest conc?eit yet for amiibo functionality.

Even if you absolutely hate the idea of physical toys unlocking content, that name has to bring a smile to your face. Here's how it all works in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Basically, the amiibo gazebo (hah) is a physical location in the academy (the game's hub world) that you can visit to unlock small in-game bonuses with amiibo figures. While any ol' figure will work, Fire Emblem&nb?sp;characters will grant you special bonuses, mostly in the form of extra music.

To access the gazebo you need to finish the game's tutorial mission, get accepted into the academy as an instructor, then complete the initial academy tour. After the day ends and you begin your life as a teacher anew, the game will let you tour the grounds wi??thout guards blocking off the?? gazebo. At that point you can run in and just scan to your heart's content.

I own every Fire Emblem amiibo to date, and scanned all of them to net a handful of new music tracks, as well as a heap of items like fruit blends,? seeds, or potions. The items appear on the ground as green dots and you can pick them up instantly. Scanning is instant and painless (no "registering" or saving data to them).

Currently unlocked music tracks are: Tempest of Seasons, Dwellings of the Ancient Gods, The Time to Ac?t, Eternal Bond, Id (Purpose), Conquest (Ablaze), Beneath a New L?ight (Roy's Courage), March to Deliverance, With Mila's Divine Protection, Alright (Storm), A Dark Fall (Fire), Destiny (Ablaze), The World Tree, Fodland Winds, and Blue Skies and a Battle.

And that's it! They're really small bonuses and the functionality opens up roughly 30 minutes into the game at a maximum. It's just a cute little area where you can get some respite, and if you want, a few bonuses. You can expect our full Fire Emblem: Three Houses review closer to launch.

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More first world problems in fantasy academia

Next week sees the launch of epic fantasy title Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Nintendo is gearing up for release by d?ropping a new trailer, showcasing another of the three places of learning that will turn to you for help and guidance through the battle for ?Bersia.

The Blue Lions, as their name suggests, hold high the standards of pride, strength and chivalry. This particular faction of the Gareg Mach Monastery are renown for the courage and never-say-die spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. Led by Prince Demitri, The Blue Lions are made up of stoic warriors, favouring strength in combat over the arcane arts of The Black Eagles, or the ranged skills of The Golden Deer. Whose side?? wi?ll you choose?

Fire Emblem: Thr??ee Houses launches on Nintendo Switch July 26.

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The groundhog saw his shadow, you are getting nine months of DLC

Nintendo has confirmed to Destructoid that Fire Emblem: Three Houses is getting a season pass, and it will operate how it has similarly in the past on the 3DS. The actual massive strategy romp (which will no doubt feel complete on?? its own) is out on July 26, and after ??that a combination of free updates and paid DLC will keep it going well throughout the year.

Throughout 2020 in fact, as Nintendo has noted that the first DLC will arrive sometime after launch, and the last bit will come on April 30, 2020. If you want, you can buy the expansion pass as part of a bundle, which comes with "all four waves of DLC as they release, as well as new ??Officers Academy outfit??s for the Byleth main character on launch day." New playable characters, maps, and costumes are said to be part of the DLC content plan.

Three Houses is $59.99, and the bundle is $84.98. You can find more info on the whole affair here.

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Would you get a load of the nerds?

We are less than a month out from the anime academia warfare of the latest release in the long-running Fire Emblem series. Fire Emblem: Three Houses will te??ll an?? epic tale of the divided loyalties of a university tutor (that's you) forced to take sides when conflict breaks out between your faithful students.

A new t?railer from publisher Nintendo introduces us to one of the houses of learning engaged in the battle. The Black Eagles represent the Adrestrian Empire, and are masters of magic, spells an??d illusion. Led by Edelgard, a talented young leader who apparently dislikes "losing control" - sounds ominous - The Black Eagles will be looking to you to guide them through the conflict shattering the setting of Fodlan.

Can you imagine if this was what school was like? If you actually wore those uniform?s daily, stood in semi-circles and liked "Coffee and Irony"? It sure beats the city academy of Getting the Shit Kicked Out of Me that was my place of learning. They may be uppity, but The Black Eagles certainly look more than capable in battle. They could serve you well.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses launches July 26 on Nintendo Switch.

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With whom do you stand?

Nintendo has released a typically emotional trailer for upcoming RPG Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The new preview not on??ly lets us hear the characters speaking in their English voices??, but also reminds us of the release date: July 26.

In Three Houses, players will begin their dramatic tale teaching bands of promising young students at a trio of universities (the titular "Three Houses") based in the land of Fodlan. You will build these students, teaching them in the ways of life, morals and turn-?based RPG battles. Just like real life sc??hools.

Unfortunately, five years later, war will engulf the land, putting the various regions at odds with each o??ther. With ties to so many people, many of whom have spent their lives looking to you as mentor and guide through the perils and dramas of their lives, pyou may be forced to take sides, shun those you care about, and rise up in battle with, or against, your friends.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses launches on Nintendo Switch July 26. A limited edition, featuring an art book,?? soundtrack CD, steelbook casing and a c??alendar is also available to pre-order now.

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Pin it!

If you're looking forward to Fire Emblem: Three Houses and haven't given up on the idea of pre-ordering, GameStop has an offer that might be of interest for you. All pre-orders for the upcoming strategy game will come with a pin set representing the titular "Three Houses" from the game. You won't need to pre-order the collector's edition, either, as the offer is valid for? either version of th?e game.

With Three Houses hitting Switch on July 26, 2019, you still have a few months to figure out if this offer is worth it to you. I'm a much bigger fan of physical bonuses for pre-ordering, so I think the deal is neat. It's not the most elaborate thing around, but I'll take it over some in-game nonsense that will disappear once servers shut down in?? the future.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses Pre-Orders At G?ameStop Come With ??Exclusive Pin Set [Siliconera]

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Steelbooks are my kryptonite

Nintendo will be releasing a special edition of Fire Emblem: Three Houses in Japan. Called the "Fódlan Collection," it will contain special packaging (designed by Kazuyuki Koda), an artbook, a soundtrack selection disc, and a steelbook. It will be available the same day as Three Houses' standard edition on July 26, 2019.

Alongside the announcement, Nintendo showed off a few shots from the artbook and uploaded some of the soundtrack to YouTube. It looks exactly like the stuff that mega fans will eat up. I may not be the biggest fan of Fire Emblem, but I'm all about steelbook cases. I may just have to import this version of the game for myse??lf.

Amazon JP currently has pre-orders up for ï¿¥10,778 (roughly $96). They do ship internationally, so there shouldn't be any problem getting one sent to the US.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses Jap?anese Box-Art &am??p; Fodlan Collection Contents Revealed [Nintendo Soup]

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