Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, also known simply as Fire Emblem, is a 2003 tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It is the seventh installment in the Fire Emblem series, the second to be released for the platform after Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, and the first to be localized for international audiences. It was released in Japan and North America in 2003, and in Europe and Australia in 2004.
The game is a prequel to The Binding Blade, set on the fictional continent of Elibe. It tells the story of Lyn, Eliwood, and Hector, three young lords who band together on a journey to find Eliwood's missing father, Elbert, while thwarting a larger conspiracy threatening the stability of Elibe. The gameplay, which draws from earlier Fire Emblem entries, features tactical combat between armies on a grid-based map. Characters are assigned different character classes that affect abilities and are subjected to permanent death if defeated in battle.
Development began in 2002 as a companion title to The Binding Blade, but it was prolonged from its initial seven-month window as new features were added. While the Fire Emblem series remained exclusive to Japan due to concerns about its difficulty, the success of Advance Wars and popular demand following the inclusion of Marth and Roy in Super Smash Bros. Melee prompted the game's localization. The game was released to international critical acclaim and commercial success. Critics praised the game for its graphics, gameplay, characters, and story, and it established the Fire Emblem series in Western markets; its overseas success caused all subsequent games (except for Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem) to be released outside of Japan.
