Intelligent Systems

ConsoleNameReleaseGenreLucca's Notes
DSAdvance Wars: Days of Ruin2008StrategyA more post-apocalyptic setting than pervious entries, individual units can level up in combat (though the effect only lasts for one map)
DSAdvance Wars: Dual Strike2005StrategyIncorporates leveling of commanding officers to the army tactics game
3DSCode Name: S.T.E.A.M.2015StrategyA steampunky, comic book-styled game with gameplay similar to Valkyria Chronicles (SRPG with third-person shooting perspective/attacking), lots of public domain characters
GameCubeCubivore: Survival of the Fittest2002ActionA game about raising cubes like animals and making them fight and mutate
GBAFire Emblem2003StrategyTechnically Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, the 7th game in the series (but first brought to the west)
Wii UFire Emblem (VC)2014StrategySee GBA
JP FCFire Emblem: Ankoku Ryu to Hikari no Tsurugi1990StrategyOrigins of boy-king Marth, an SRPG featuring permadeath of units
JP SFCFire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo1994StrategyDivided into 2 "books": Book 1 is an abridged remake of FE1, Book 2 is a direct sequel to FE1
GameCubeFire Emblem: Path of Radiance2005ActionThe SRPG you know and love, with racial tensions! And Ike!
WiiFire Emblem: Radiant Dawn2007StrategyDirect sequel to Path of Radiance, multiple factions to control over the course of the game, also hard
JP SFCFire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu1996StrategyIntroduced the marriage/children mechanic that would be seen in later FE entries
DSFire Emblem: Shadow Dragon2009StrategyRemake of the first Fire Emblem game (and the first time Marth's story was told in the west) adding a lot of QoL features
Wii UFire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (VC)2016StrategySee DS
SwitchFire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light (DL only, delisted)2020StrategyFirst localized appearance of the original version of the first Fire Emblem with some modern UI improvements
JP DSFire Emblem: Shin Monshou no Nazo - Hikari to Kage no Eiyuu2010StrategyUnlocalized updated version of book 2 of Mystery of the Emblem, adds an avatar character, hard as ever
JP GBAFire Emblem: The Binding Blade2002StrategyAKA FE6 - Roy's our boy, and here's where you play as him!
GBAFire Emblem: The Sacred Stones2005StrategyActually FE8, set in a separate continuity to the previous games
Wii UFire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (VC)2015StrategySee GBA
JP SFCFire Emblem: Thracia 7761999StrategyTakes place during the middle of FE4, initially distributed as a Nintendo Power ROM cartridge
SwitchFire Emblem: Three Houses2019StrategyIf Fire Emblem took place at Hogwarts, this would be it; multiple story branches to take depending on which house you side with, very fleshed-out characters
3DSFire Emblem Awakening2013StrategyBrought the series back from the abyss of death, features a casual mode with no permadeath, support conversations can lead to having children who you can recruit
3DSFire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia2017StrategyA remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, brings back odd mechanics like a fatigue meter that can severely hamper stats if a unit is used too much
SwitchFire Emblem Engage2023StrategyA sort of delayed 30th anniversary title featuring major characters throughout the series, garish character design, and heavy Saturday morning anime vibes
3DSFire Emblem Fates: Birthright/Conquest/Revelation2016StrategyMaligned for its approach, as the story is split into 3 full games each requiring a separate purchase; brings back the child-producing mechanic, very tropey
JP FCFire Emblem Gaiden1992StrategyIntroduced elements like a navigable overworld that were then unused for a long time
SwitchFire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes2022ActionWhat if Three Houses, but as more of a musou, with not as much of a time skip, and a different plot/protagonist? Don't forget the tea!
JP GB+GBCKaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru1992ActionSort of like Link's Awakening, but with frogs and more stats!
N64Paper Mario2001Timed Turn-BasedContinues the timing-based attacks seen in SMRPG
Wii UPaper Mario (VC)2015Turn-BasedSee N64
Wii UPaper Mario: Color Splash2016ActionSystem based on paint and color, attacks are chosen by cards, story progress and some items confer stat increases
3DSPaper Mario: Sticker Star2012Turn-BasedEschews the traditional XP-based format in favor of finding items that increase base first attack power and increase HP; attacks can only be made via expendable stickers
SwitchPaper Mario: The Origami King2020Timed Turn-BasedNot much in the RPG department yet again (HP is upgraded by collecting hearts), but the turn- and timing-based combat returns with extra complexity
GameCubePaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door2004Turn-BasedEverything that made the first game so great, but more of it!
JP SFCSuper Famicom Wars1998StrategyTechnically a digital-only title (released via Satellaview), units can gather XP in combat that does not carry between maps
WiiSuper Paper Mario2007Action-PlatformMultiple playable characters and the ability to switch between 2D/3D for platforming; the last decent Paper Mario game, according to many