Fire Emblem, though only recently introduced to North America, has been around since the early days of the Famicom in Japan. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is actually a remake of the very first Fire Emblem. Like the rest of the series, Shadow Dragon is a strategy RPG. The story revolves around Prince Marth, a character made famous by the Super Smash Bros. Series.

While the game is a remake of the very first Fire Emblem, Shadow Dragon has been sufficiently rebalanced and upgraded to the point that it is nearly a new game. The game includes four new prologue chapters, which not only give some back-story to the game, but also introduce the player to the game mechanics. The game also includes an impressive six difficulty modes and has incorporated a number of wireless modes, obviously unique to the DS release. Players can battle over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or they can choose the friendlier option and lend units. The game also supports voice chat and an online shop where items are available for a limited time for purchase with in-game money.

In the prologue, players learn of the unprovoked attack on the kingdom of Altea, a land ruled by Marth's father. Marth hears the news of his father's betrayal at battle and must take charge of his army with the help of his advisors to save his sisters as they flee from their home. From there, the game's scope increases to cover a continent at war.

The game plays much like any of the Fire Emblem games, which is to say pretty much like a strategy RPG, given that it's based on one of the originals of that genre. Shadow Dragon includes standard controls as well as intuitive touch-based mechanics, which are well-suited for this type of game. The game features a “rock-paper-scissors” battle system where swords, axes, and lances are each stronger and weaker than one of the other weapons.

One of Fire Emblem's somewhat unique features is that once a character dies in battle, he or she not just “critically injured,” but in fact, permanently dead. As such, players need to carefully strategize character position and their attack range and capabilities, which change depending on equipped weaponry, in order to preserve their party. Players must reach a goal during battle rather than simply defeating all enemies. Longer battles include sub-goal points where players can save their progress.

Though the graphics have been upgraded significantly compared to the Famicom version, the game isn't particularly pretty in places, but it's functional. Characters are outlined in black, almost cel-shaded, but feature little definition. Conversely, during dialog, characters’ detailed portraits are displayed. The game is fairly text-heavy, which is probably one reason it has taken until now to see a worldwide release.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon finally lets players around the world experience the story behind Prince Marth. The game falls in line with the Fire Emblem series, but adds new DS features that enhance the experience. Shadow Dragon is set to release in North America in early 2009.