Fire Emblem Gaiden (Japan)

Fire Emblem Gaiden is a unique turn-based tactical role-playing game released on the Famicom. The game stands out by introducing two protagonists, Alm and Celica, each with their own separate campaigns that eventually converge, offering a story from two distinct perspectives. The biggest departure from previous installments is the inclusion of a World Map and Dungeons.

On the World Map, players can freely navigate between locations such as villages, towns, dungeons, and battle points. Dungeon exploration is conducted from a first-person perspective, allowing players to search for treasures, confront monsters, and gain experience. The combat system retains the series' traditional turn-based tactical style, where players control military units on a grid, utilizing terrain and unit types to gain an advantage. Like other Fire Emblem games, character death is permanent (perma-death), requiring players to be cautious with every move.

Another unique mechanism is the magic system: mages use their Hit Points (HP) to cast spells instead of limited spell uses. This creates an interesting balance between magical power and unit survivability. Character promotion occurs at specific shrines, rather than automatically or through promotion items. Fire Emblem Gaiden laid the groundwork for many ideas developed in subsequent Fire Emblem titles, while also providing a distinct experience from the first game.