Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (Nintendo DS)

Fire Emblem, a series of strategy games that combine strong role-playing elements with lush narrative and deceptively deep strategy, is among Nintendo's most loved and critically acclaimed franchises that don't star an instantly recognizable mascot like Mario or Donkey Kong. Sadly, gamers residing in the Western Hemisphere have never had the opportunity to play the legendary game that began the series, Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ry? to Hikari no Tsurugi for the Nintendo Entertainment System, which was released only in Japan.

FIRE EMBLEM: SHADOW DRAGON is set to remedy that, to a degree. It's a remake of the 20-year-old classic that lets Westerners finally experience the story that started it all while enjoying updated graphics, dialogue, game play, and missions. Players familiar with the series will find Shadow Dragon's chess-like strategy, simple but appealing visuals, and compelling storytelling to be very similar to what they've experienced in other modern entries in the franchise, while Fire Emblem newbies are welcomed aboard via a lengthy and accessible tutorial that plays out in the form of a five-mission prologue. Bonus: A two-player wireless mode for gamers with separate GameCards adds a multiplayer element unavailable in previous Fire Emblem titles.

A couple of things most people don't expect in their handheld games are beautiful writing and a memorable story, but that's exactly what Shadow Dragon delivers. The plot, which concerns a crusading prince who in his youth was exiled from his homeland by an invading army that decimated the kingdom's royal family, is nothing new, but its eloquent characters, many of whom often burst with genuine passion as they sacrifice themselves or mourn their comrades, effectively turn this trite tale into something a player can legitimately care about -- all the more so since these personalities could die on the battlefield at any moment and become forever lost.

On the flipside, the one thing players have come to expect of the Fire Emblem games is bar-setting turn-based strategy, and in this regard Shadow Dragon is at least on par with its predecessors. The chess-like tactics involved in managing multiple unit types with varying attacks and movement abilities require a keen mind to master, and countless variables -- such as weapon capabilities, changing odds of landing a hit, and the series' trademark weapon triangle (think rock, paper, scissors) -- provide eager strategists with plenty to chew on before each move. Battles combine with the game's sympathetic personalities to make for an extremely challenging but marvellously satisfying game of tactical role-playing.