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 The Fire Emblem series is slated to return to handhelds, and although there isn't much information on this soon-to-be Nintendo DS title, I couldn't help but make a list of what fans of this awesome series deserve to see. The last two Fire Emblem games have come out for the GameCube and Wii respectively, but the game is always best on handhelds. Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn didn't even live up to the graphical expectations with technical upgrades to console gaming, and if Intelligent Systems won't bother to maximize their resources, they may as well keep the series on handheld systems from now on, where pause-and-play works perfectly with tactical style RPGs (see Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis). While the GBA Fire Emblem games were excellent, the Nintendo DS has even more bells and whistles to work with. In gaming circles, the Fire Emblem franchise is appreciated by the most hardcore of fans - and in my experience, it's the more hardcore, the harder to please...
First deserved by the Fire Emblem faithful are improved aesthetics - the franchise needs a facelift. Although the Fire Emblem franchise has always emphasized gameplay over glitz and glam, a few visual and audio upgrades can go a long way. The Nintendo DS is much more capable of handling a few extra sprites per character (than the GBA), so it's only natural we should see more battle frames, more idle unit frames, and a little more pizazz. Past musical scores have always been decent, save for a few annoyingly repetitive tunes (the desert level in Sacred Stones comes to mind).  And on the Nintendo DS, a system renown for its awesome stereo speakers and surround sound (use headphones), there is no excuse for anything less than a spectacular soundtrack. I'm thinking along the lines of epic compositions like the re-vamped Fire Emblem theme in Super Smash Bros. Brawl with the lyrical Latin vocals laced over that familiar melody. Whether or not Nintendo composer Yuka Tsujiyoko is on this project, the music better be Grammy-worthy. No MIDIs circa 1991, please. Since Fire Emblem is a game with extremely high replay value with a strong hardcore following of perfectionist gamers, you can expect a lot of time to be spent (especially if you're re-setting to save a character), and a few graphical and audio improvements will make the experience much more enjoyable.
And enjoying the Fire Emblem experience is what it's all about. In achieving this, the single most important thing Nintendo and Intelligent Systems can give us is a great multiplayer and online experience.
Imagine battling armies against each other - you assemble your army with a handpicked assortment of units, explore the map, fighting the fog of war and gaining terrain advantages to outwit and rapier your online/WiFi foes. Rounds can be timed so that laggerts won't ruin the game. Fire Emblem veterans have long been salivating over the prospect of battling live opponents, and the Nintendo DS is the platform that will make it a reality.
Nintendo also needs to address friend code issue. Sometimes having to use friend codes gets in the way of the action. I understand that having friend codes helps keep child molesters out of your Animal Crossing town, but I simply want to connect to someone else and play. It may take a centralized server to arrange, but the prospect of playing multiplayer free-for-alls or 2on2s online is too juicy to deny. Nintendo could even give the game a ladder ranking system, which could increase interest in the game (and the tactical role-playing genre in general).
Really, this game can't come any sooner. It's set for an August 7th release in Japan. Hopefully Nintendo/Intelligent Systems come through with what its loyal fans have been waiting for. Improved aesthetics isn't much to ask, and online play is a natural evolution on a platform as capable as the DS. Marth and friends won't be the only ones obliged!
** Update This game will be called Fire Emblem: New Dark Dragon and the Sword of Light.
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