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Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Tips, tricks and more for this iOS/Android game

Fire Emblem Heroes (iOS/Android) tips, tricks and everything you need to know: We explain the basics and divulge our tips and tricks for getting started with Fire Emblem Heroes for the iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. Here’s all you need to know about Nintendo’s first in-depth mobile RPG.

Just a couple of months after the release of Nintendo’s first full mobile game, Super Mario Run, we already have a new Nintendo offering on Android and iOS. Fire Emblem Heroes is a full-length mobile RPG which has been developed especially for mobile, although it’s based on the existing Fire Emblem mythology.

Just starting out with Fire Emblem Heroes, or keen to learn more? Here’s our complete guide, telling you everything you need to know about the game, full character bios, tips and tricks to get started and plenty more besides.

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Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: What is Fire Emblem?

Fire Emblem is a popular role playing game series which currently consists of over a dozen original titles, spread across a number of games consoles.

Fire Emblem first emerged back in 1990, in the guise of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light for the Japanese Family Computer. Since then the series has expanded into a number of stand-alone and inter-related titles, all set in the same historical time period with a heavy dose of magic and demonic shenanigans to jazz things up.

The Fire Emblem of the title is a magical device which actually changes its form between the different games. In the past it’s been everything from a jewel-encrusted shield to a gemstone to a medallion, and in each case it allows the hero to defeat the main antagonist – usually some kind of demon or god who wants to destroy the world for no real reason.

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Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: How does Fire Emblem Heroes fit into the series?

Fire Emblem Heroes is the first appearance of the Fire Emblem series on the humble mobile phone, and an all-new adventure rather than a port of an existing game.

Heroes offers similar gameplay as the console Fire Emblem titles, so you can once again expect to take down legions of foes in smart, tactical combat, while levelling up your characters to make them stronger in battle. However, it’s also suited to a mobile device, with more compact battle areas and so on.

Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Do I need to play the other Fire Emblem games to understand Heroes?

The good news is, Fire Emblem Heroes is completely stand-alone. In other words, while Heroes does feature existing characters from the Fire Emblem universe, you don’t need to have played those games in order to understand the story of Heroes.

Likewise, you should have no problem with Fire Emblem Heroes’ gameplay, as the tactical combat and everything else is explained in full when you begin.

Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: How to download Fire Emblem Heroes for iOS or Android

You can download Fire Emblem Heroes for your mobile device right now.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, then you need to download the iOS version. Head to the App Store and search for Fire Emblem Heroes, and the game should be the first thing that pops up. Make sure the developer is listed as Nintendo Co and you’re good to go. Heroes is free to download and play, so just tap ‘Get’ and wait for the download to complete.

Android users need to head to the Play Store and once again search for Fire Emblem Heroes. Again, this should be the first result that pops up. On Android the game is also free, so tap Download to get it.

The first time you start Fire Emblem Heroes, you’ll be required to download an 80MB file before you can start playing. That’s normal. Just be sure that your phone is connected to WiFi if you don’t have unlimited data, to avoid killing your data allowance.

After the first section of the game, you’ll need to download a second data file that’s around 200MB. Again, make sure that you’re connected to WiFi for this.

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Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Characters

Fire Emblem Heroes introduces some brand new characters, as well as bringing back some familiar faces from the existing Fire Emblem games. You have the ability to call up these characters throughout the game, to join you in battle.

Here’s a run-down of the main faces you’ll meet, including if they’re new or returning.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Anna

Previously appears in: No other Fire Emblem games.

A veteran fighter who leads the Order of Heroes. Alfonse and Sharena’s commander, and the first person you meet in the game. She’s the whole reason you’re in this sorry mess, as she summoned you from your two-bed flat in Swanage to help defeat the Emblian Empire.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Camilla

Previously appears in: Fire Emblem Fates.

Princess of Nohr who dotes on her sibling Corrin and is merciless to foes. Her father would almost certainly not approve of her rather revealing dress, but 15-year-old boys will probably screenshot her bio pic and make a hasty retreat to the loo.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Marth

Previously appeared in Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem.

Prince of Altea who fights for his homeland and deeply values his friends. Looks like a bit of a drip, to be honest, but has a rather lovely cape. He’ll probably ‘open up’ to you after a couple of shandies and end up crying with his head down on the table while you awkwardly pat his shoulder and tell him everything will be alright.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Tiki

Previously appears in: Fire Emblem Mystery of the Emblem.

A young Divine Dragon once put into a timeless sleep to keep her dragon impulses in check. Now longs for human company, apparently, which you can take to mean however you like. Looks like your little sister but better at killing things to death.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Roy

Previously appears in: Fire Emblem The Binding Blade.

The son of Eliwood, Marquess of Pherae, and a talented leader of its army despite looking about twelve. Which almost certainly means he has some serious dirt on one of the other commanders. Also has the best name in the game.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Lyn

Previously appears in: Fire Emblem The Blazing Blade.

A woman who grew up on the plains before learning that she’s nobility of Caelin. Her ridiculously long green hair is most likely a serious weakness in battle. Seriously, one tug and she’s over.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Robin

Previously appears in: Fire Emblem Awakening.

A tactician of Ylisse and Chom’s closest ally. Lost all memory of his life before meeting Chrom. Which means he’s probably an evil dude who’ll stab you in the back right at the end.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Lucina

Previously appears in: Fire Emblem Awakening.

A princess and daughter of Chrom who traveled to her past to prevent an apocalypse from occurring. Enjoys pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Takumi

Previously appears in: Fire Emblem Fates.

Prince of Hoshido who wields the divine bow, Fujin Yumi. Prickly at times, not least because of his spiky hair. Looks like the kind who would spill your pint and not offer to buy you a new one.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Alfonse

Previously appears in: No Fire Emblem games.

A prince of Askr and member of the Order of Heroes. Kind and serious, and eager to maintain peace. Has weird blonde highlights in his otherwise blue hair.

Fire Emblems Heroes bio: Sharena

Previously appears in: No Fire Emblem games.

A princess of Askr and Alfonse’s sister. Cheerful and loves making friends. Wields a massive spiky pole thing. Her favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Digestive, but she tells everyone it’s really a Bourbon to appear cool.

Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Story and getting started

When you first start Fire Emblem Heroes, you’ll be welcomed by a character called Anna, the commander of the Order of Heroes. Admire her lovely red hair and then listen to what she has to say: this is the plot bit.

It seems that you’ve been summoned to a strange land, by Anna herself. Anna explains that she needs your help to defeat the Emblian Empire, who’s been super busy of late conquering every world it can find. These worlds are accessed via special gateways, you see, and now the Emblian Empire has found the gateway to Askr, Anna’s neighbouring kingdom.

Luckily you appear to have the ability to summon any hero you like, which should prove very handy in the battle ahead. Unfortunately before you can learn any more, you’re set upon by a mean guy with an axe, which is the game’s introduction to its turn-based combat.

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Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Combat basics

Each battle in Fire Emblem Heroes takes place in a compact grid, viewed from above. Your characters start on the left side, while enemy characters generally begin on the right. The objective of each battle is simple: to wipe out your foes, before they kill all of your fighters.

How to attack

You can move each character a set number of squares each turn, to manoeuvre them into a good position for battle. Give them a tap and you’ll see some coloured squares appear on the screen. The blue squares indicate areas you can move to. The red squares surrounding them show your attack range. If an enemy is in the red at the start of your attack, then you can have at them.

Remember that you can only move each character once per turn. So don’t squander your turn.

Early tactics for battle

Bear in mind that your Fire Emblem heroes have different abilities and weapons, so you’ll need to use different tactics depending on your chosen team. For instance, warriors like Anna will need to get up close to enemies to attack them with her sword. However, characters like Takumi, with long-range weapons, should keep their distance to avoid being attacked.

At any time during your turn, you can see your enemy’s range of movement and attack by giving them a tap. The blue squares indicate their movement range while the red squares show areas they’ll be able to attack, so make sure your characters aren’t sitting in the red at the end of their turns to avoid taking damage. You can also easily see the combined attack range of your foes by tapping ‘Danger Area’ at the bottom of the screen.

Make full use of your other characters and the environment when moving around. Make sure your long-range characters are at the back of your group and your toughest warriors are at the front, to soak up damage while the long-rangers fire over them. Try to trap enemies on bridges and other narrow paths, so their movement is limited. And whenever possible, flank them to attack them from multiple directions.

Triangle of power

Don’t forget the triangle of power, too. Each character has a coloured icon next to them in the battle view, which is either red, green or blue. This corresponds to their weapon type, which plays a key part in which enemies they can effectively attack.

Red weapons are superior to green.

Green is more powerful than blue.

Blue has the edge over red.

In other words, if you have a red weapon and you attack someone with a green weapon, you’ll get in some bonus damage. But try attacking an enemy carrying a blue weapon and they’ll have the advantage.

Don’t worry if you can’t remember this sequence; the triangle of power is always on show at the bottom right corner of the screen during battles.

Special skills and lending a helping hand

After a set number of moves, each character’s special skill unlocks. This can have a serious effect in battle, taking down enemies in one attack.

Got a character who can’t reach an enemy for an attack? Try dragging them onto another one of your characters instead. Some characters have the ability to help team mates, by reviving them or building up their defence.

Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Levelling up

If you take down enough foes and earn enough experience points, your characters involved in the battle will level up. This is a very straight-forward affair: a character’s stats will automatically improve, so you don’t need to assign points manually.

You can also level up your characters using gems, between battles. Head to the Allies tab at the bottom of the main game screen and then tap ‘level up’ to do so. Your characters can also learn skills if you head to the ‘learn skills’ sub-menu inside the Allies section. Each skill learned costs SP.

Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Quests

Throughout the game you’ll have a number of ‘quests’ to complete, which reap some decent rewards when finished. These are often pretty simple, and are refreshed regularly (often once a month) so keep checking back to see which new ones are available.

For instance, early on you’ll be tasked with using red-type allies to take down enemies, five times. You’ll also have to take down 5 flying enemies, 5 red-type enemies and so on.

To check your quests, head to the Home tab at the bottom of Fire Emblem Heroes’ main screen and tap the fountain in the bottom right corner. Remember that you’ll need to come here when you complete a quest too, in order to claim your reward.

Fire Emblem Heroes Guide: Other tips, tricks and game hacks

Head to the Home section of Fire Emblem Heroes regularly. This castle isn’t just your base, it’s also your main hub for messages, quests and other bits.

For instance, try tapping the owl as soon as you enter and you’ll be rewarded with two orbs as a welcome. Make sure you tap the characters too as they’ll occasionally bless you with free items. If one of the heroes has hearts floating out of their head, that’s a sure sign that they have something to offer.

Also, tap the castle icon in the top right corner. This allows you to upgrade your base using captured orbs. The result is an experience boost for each of your characters, allowing them to level up quicker.

Finally, be sure to log in every day. Doing so reaps some decent rewards.

We’re continuing to expand this Fire Emblem Heroes guide. Let us know your own Fire Emblem tips and tricks in the comments below!

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