Welcome to the Mains of Smash Tournament!

Where you get to demonstrate your skill of a particular character in standard 1-on-1 matches~! Show your fellow smashers your capability to use every move in a character's arsenal; become the best there ever was on My IGN!

Being the first of (hopefully) many tournaments I'll be hosting, I've decided to go with a simple theme for these inaugural matches!

Here are the updated brackets!

User and Character List:

Remember Smashers, you have 10 days to finish all of your matches!

I don't want to disqualify people for not responding or inactivity because that's a lame way to go, so don't dawdle! If I find you to be unresponsive, then I'll have to kick you out of the tourney. Buh-bye! Adiós! Salut!

And please be a good sport!

If a conflict arises between two competitors, then we'll re-do your matches, and I'll join your fight to monitor them. I don't want to have to babysit two grown up peeps, so be honest and mature! And lastly...

HAVE FUN!

Rules:

1. These will be 3-stock matches, best two-of-three games
2. Custom Move-sets and equipment are PROHIBITED!!! Not everyone has access to all of these nifty moves and items, so we'll keep these matches fair. However... 
3. Miis are allowed!
4. All Ω-Stages, Final Destination, and Battlefield in both versions are allowed
   1. Only Arena Ferox, Yoshi's Island, Prism Tower, Rainbow Road, Reset Bomb Forest, and Jungle Japes are allowed on the neutral 3DS Stages!
5. Items are PROHIBITED!!! Some of us with slower connections can't take the lag that items induces, so we'll keep them off this time around!

If you're looking for the Wii U tourney, go here!

Please finish your matches before end of the 18th! Hope everyone has a Smashing good time~!

Welcome to the Mains of Smash Tournament!

Where you get to demonstrate your skill of a particular character in standard 1-on-1 matches~! Show your fellow smashers your capability to use every move in a character's arsenal; become the best there ever was on My IGN!

Being the first of (hopefully) many tournaments I'll be hosting, I've decided to go with a simple theme for these inaugural matches!

AND HERE ARE YOUR FINALISTS

On the Wii U side we have...

ZeldaSymphony VS. ZeldaFinalFantasyFan!

And on the 3DS side, we have...

ZeldaFinalFantasyFan VS. ZeldaSymphony... wait a second...

WAIT

LMFAO HOW THE FUCK DID THIS HAPPEN! This has to be a conspiracy...

Well, there you have it! Both versions will have these two users against each other!

Remember Smashers, you have 10 days to finish all of your matches!

I don't want to disqualify people for not responding or inactivity because that's a lame way to go, so don't dawdle! If I find you to be unresponsive, then I'll have to kick you out of the tourney. Buh-bye! Adiós! Salut!

And please be a good sport!

If a conflict arises between two competitors, then we'll re-do your matches, and I'll join your fight to monitor them. I don't want to have to babysit two (young) adults, so be honest and mature! And lastly...

HAVE FUN!

Rules:

1. These will be 3-stock matches, best three-of-five games
2. Custom Move-sets and equipment are PROHIBITED!!! Not everyone has access to all of these nifty moves and items, so we'll keep these matches fair. However... 
3. Miis are allowed!
4. All Ω-Stages, Final Destination, and Battlefield in both versions are allowed
   1. Banned Neutral Wii U stages: 75 m, Pyrosphere, The Great Cave Offensive, Flatzone X, Palutena's Temple, Temple, Gaur Plains, Wily Castle, Gamer
   2. Only Arena Ferox, Yoshi's Island, Prism Tower, Rainbow Road, Reset Bomb Forest, and Jungle Japes are allowed on the neutral 3DS Stages!
5. Items are PROHIBITED!!! Some of us with slower connections can't take the lag that items induces, so we'll keep them off this time around!

May the best Smasher Win!

Building my own PC was one of many things I wanted to accomplish for a long while, and now with my current one hitting almost 6 years now, I definitely think it's time to upgrade. I used this guide to help me create this particular build, but I would like some feedback from some of you guys here.

Note that I'm not trying to bust my bank account with OP specs, I just want a decently powered computer that runs just about every other program smoothly. If there's something I'm missing, want me to clarify, or any other recommendations you'd like to make, let me know!

After some long delays, I am here to post the final results of the tourney!

It was fun hosting this tournament, and I'm happy with the turn out! I'll definitely be hosting another one in the coming weeks, with a unique spin on the theme and maybe even a different structure. I really want to experiment with this upcoming one, so look out for another sign-up blog soon! Now back to the blog topic...

The winner of the 3DS Tournament is....

zeldasymphony! Won 3-2 vs. ZeldaFinalFantasyFan

Now, I'll be keeping up to my word and drawing the character that the winner used. Behold!

This was painful x_x Hope you like it Emile!

And the winner of the Wii U Tournament is...

ZeldaFinalFantasyFan! Won 3-1 vs. zeldasymphony

And here's Martin's drawing!

Again, thanks to everyone for participating! Until next time!

On April 20th, 1990, Nintendo released Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi on the original Famicom, which marked the beginning of this beloved franchise. Since its inception, the series has significantly evolved and earned the adoration of Western fans with the influence of Super Smash Bros, and this year, Fire Emblem will be reaching a huge milestone in the coming weeks!

To celebrate the series' 25th Anniversary, I've decided to dedicate this month as a platform for everything Fire Emblem! Each Monday and Thursday, there will be a theme that will be discussed leading up to the 30th, and everyone can join in on the writing too! Just write up on my wall, or feel free to post the link to your blog in the appropriate comment sections!

4/2 (Thursday) - Favorite Main Character(s)

4/6 (Monday) - Favorite Non-Main Male and Female Character(s)

4/9 (Thursday) - Favorite Class(es) and Weapon(s)

4/13 (Monday) - Favorite Villain and/or battle

4/16 (Thursday) - Favorite Region, Country, Continent, or simply favorite locale

4/20 (Monday) - Favorite Game or first Fire Emblem game

4/23 (Thursday) - Favorite Songs, Soundtrack, and Arrangements

4/27 (Monday) - Favorite Support(s) or base conversation(s)

4/30 (Thursday) - Favorite Moment of the series (could be scripted or based on your experience)

I hope everyone can spread word of this! Welcome to the year of Fire Emblem!

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

Of course, every game has its share of protagonists and heroes, and while some Fire Emblem fans often categorizes them as lords, not every main character of the franchise fits well into this description class-wise, hence a more open term. As long as these characters hold a significant presence throughout their respective story-line, they're fair game! For today's theme, I want you to talk about who are these characters and why you adore them!

My choice? Well one should be obvious enough!

"In days long past, a young man strode the lands of Tellius. He was simple yet true, his deeds brave and noble. He reunited two races long at war, and healed the heart of a goddess long gone mad."

While Ike appears in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, my first encounter with him was actually in Super Smash Brothers Brawl, where he stars as one of the newcomers. In fact, Ike was, my biggest influence in trying out the Fire Emblem games because of how much I grew attached to him in Smash, and learning about his charismatic personality made me go out to find his games.

Most renowned as the Radiant Hero of Legend, Ike rightly holds onto that title with the various exploits he's accomplished at a young age. Even when he rose through the ranks general, the Crimean Hero retained his aura of humility and kindness, and his compassion for his allies makes him one of the most respected leaders of all of Tellius; it's because of the moral values taught to him by his father and upholding those beliefs that has made him the revered person he is.

Despite the ongoing conflict between laguz and beorc that permeates Tellius' history, Ike was able to unite both races under one cause because he harbors no prejudice no matter their background, be they rich or poor, laguz or  beorc. This is coupled with the fact that he hails from modest life style as a mercenary, and he was still able to capture the admiration of powerful political leaders and even the laguz leaders that previously despised the beorc like himself.

Ike is well-known to be fiercely loyal to his companions, almost to a fault, and will do his utmost to protect them as he considers them family. Speaking of which, he was inspired by his father, Greil, to become a part of the mercenary crew, and he is driven by the notion that one day he would succeed him, which is what his first journey across Tellius pertains to. Even with his lack of self-confidence at the start of his mercenary career, Ike never backed down from the role of leadership presented to him, knowing that he would eventually have to take over. Through trials of loss, betrayal, and immense adversity, Ike is widely believed to have surpassed his late father, not only in terms of swordsmanship and leadership but character as well.

Ike is not only my favorite Fire Emblem character in general, but he's also my favorite fictional character in general, period. Behind that constant scowl etched on his stoic face is a heart of gold, and in some ways, I share similar ideals and passions with the fearless leader of the Greil Mercenaries. It's also because of my relationship with this particular character that I still continue to use him in Smash Bros. because I feel he's a part of me, especially since he helped push me into finding my favorite video game franchise of all time.

"Ask any you meet be they young or old, beorc or laguz, of a hero named Ike and you'll receive a warm smile and a tale or two of faith, courage, and honesty."

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

Last time, we talked about our favorite heroes, but what of the even bigger cast of supporting characters that rally behind them? No matter which game, these guys and gals make up these armies, and they all demonstrate their own defining quirks that make them distinguishable from one another, even if some of them share similar archetypes. Like the last theme, I want you to talk about your favorite supporting characters, who they are and why they're your favorite!

I've decided to go with 3 ladies and gentlemen of the Fire Emblem crew, but where do I even begin? So many to choose from! One thing's for certain, ladies first!

Perhaps the most energetic of the Greil Mercenaries, Mia isn't afraid to rise up to any challenge presented in front of her. Being a great foil to boss commander Ike, she is constantly sparring him at the break of dawn, and she is often searching for ways to condition her sword play. Despite her fanaticism for battling, she deeply cares for her comrades, and she will always look out for her brothers and sisters-in-arms. All of this while she seeks out her fated white-robed rival!

Nephenee is a character that I can relate to the most. Initially, she hid underneath the veil of her helmet to hide her country heritage, ashamed by her heavy accent. She comes across as timid and reserved, but she opens up to fellow countrymen and newly found friends; it's because of the latter that she learned of self-acceptance instead of hiding who she is, though she still has her bouts of shyness.

As a premier symbol of kindness, Tana is undoubtedly one of the most approachable leaders of Magvel. While sincere to a fault, she is always willing to help out her comrades, but her stubborn nature, more often than not, gets her into trouble. Fully aware of the burdens as a princess, the Frelian royal won't allow her rank to stifle her abilities to assist her friends, and she refuses any special treatment because of it.

Now for the men!

Despite his arrival from a dark future, Inigo appears as quite a dandy fellow, whose seemingly only interest is to flirt with women; however, his actions are only a facade to hide his true fears and shyness, and he also bears this mask in hopes to keep his close friends and allies in higher spirits.

Most don't take him seriously because of his philandering ways and happy-go-lucky attitude, unfortunately...

Dubbed the Silver Knight, Seth is the epitome of the regal knights of yore, and he demonstrates his deep loyalty to Renais with his constant vigilance over the royal twins; when it comes to the welfare of his country, duty comes first before himself. Along with his incredible poise and humility, Seth is one of, if not, the most revered generals on the continent of Magvel.

Having grown up impoverished without any means of communicating, Soren is rightly bitter and pessimistic, and for a while, he was confused about his origins and place in the world, though he becomes noticeably more disdainful towards the Laguz. It was thanks to Ike's generosity that he overcame these immense obstacles in order to find his savior, and he found his role as the leading strategist of the mercenary company in numerous, grueling wars.

Now here were last week's entrants and their theme posts about their favorite main character:

HiddenEmerald

assassinita

Chaos_Metroid

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

Weapons are key instruments for the heroes of the Emblem as they march on to their respective campaigns; what are they without their weapons? Quite useless is what! Along with defining classes, these characteristics are what determines each character's niche in Fire Emblem. So for this day's theme, what are your favorite classes and weapons?

Favorite Classes

Nephenee in Radiant Dawn

Soldiers tend to be the common enemy unit in the series, but it's made some very rare appearances on the playable side, namely in Gaiden, Path of Radiance, and Radiant Dawn. In the last two games, they promote to Halberdiers and Sentinels (RD), in which their proficiency with lances truly becomes terrifying.  To this day, there's only three of these lance-wielders that are recruitable. Of the three professional users in the weapons triangle, these guys and gals are the more durable of the trio with balanced stats.

Despite it's fairly limited presence, I loved the balanced stats of the class, and for me, it really doesn't make sense that these foot soldiers are mostly omitted for the players. I've always considered lances to be incredibly regal looking weapons, and of course, my natural affinity for a particular character drawn me to them. I'm still hoping that, one day, Intelligent Systems would bring back these common soldiers as a playable class.

Kris in Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

Compared to the rest of the purely sword users, Mercenaries offer a great balance of offensive and defensive stats, and their options for ranged attacks grows even more once they promote to Heroes with axes. Combined with evasion near par with the speedier classes, they are some of the most feared units of the series!

In short, these are the ladies and gents players send out by themselves to completely wreck the enemy team.

Lon'qu in Fire Emblem: Awakening

Myrmidons and Swordmasters are exceptionally lethal units thanks to their unparalleled speed and precision with the sword, and no class is more proficient with them than them! More often than not, their opponents will be blighted by a stellar fury of critical hits, which makes up for their usually sub-par strength. These cool cats are usually a must have for every sortie.

Favorite Weapons

Favorite Unique Weapon: Ragnell

Ragnell is a unique weapon in that it's one of few swords capable of long-ranged attacks; with a burst of energy, it rends opponents from far away with ease. Blessed by the goddess herself, its significance in Tellius' history is unmatched as it was used in the war against the Dark God nearly a millennium ago.

However, the holy blade also an inherent part of Ike's story in Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn. He receives Ragnell in the wake of tragedy, and it stays in his possession throughout his adventure in Tellius; being the only weapon that could harm his nemesis, Ike carried this sword into his fated battle.

Favorite common weapon: Killing Edge

Whenever a myrmidon is about, they're usually carrying a Killing Edge, and for good reason! They tend to have decent might at the time of recruitment, but the high amount of critical bonus they bear is what makes them deadly. In the hands of a skilled sword master, this blade will dish out incredible amounts of damage!

Favorite weapon design: Helswath

Like Ragnell, this axe also holds rich history in its respective continent, Jugdral. Wielded by one of the twelve renowned crusaders, only the one that carries the blood of Neir can use Helswath properly. It's powerful of its own might, but it can also be used as a ranged weapon as well!

Here were entrants for the last theme:

Chaos_Metroid

HiddenEmerald

assassinita

SmaugtheMagnificent

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

The antagonists of the series are some of the most varied of Nintendo's franchises. Fire Emblem does a fantastic job of balancing the black and white clash of good versus evil with grey morality, which makes exploring each of the installment's themes exciting. Like the previous character themes, highlight these villains or anti-heroes and why they're your favorite!

If you can't think of one, there's always a point of conflict that we've all endured; which one remains as your favorite? It could be based on key narrative events, the atmosphere of a particular map, or whatever great experience you've had. 

Note that there's spoilers!

Lyon is a fragile soul who wants nothing more than the best for all of the Grado Empire. As the prince of the aforementioned nation, he has the resources to help him fulfill his seemingly noble intentions. He lead a peaceful life along with his best friends, Eirika and Ephraim, and while he harbored a deep affection for the former, he aspired to have the strength and resolve of the latter in order to hopefully become a revered ruler. His gentle nature is considered one of his esteemed qualities.

In a twist of fate, Lyon had envisioned an earthquake that would result in the destruction of Grado, which he is determined to prevent. Unfortunately, his plan to save his beloved country went completely awry when he began to tamper with the world's incarnation of the Fire Emblem, which housed the spirit of the Demon King. Possessed, he was convinced to release the foul entity from his prison, so with his word, the empire went to war with all of Magvel. As he would face the Renais twins, feelings of immense remorse, for his unrequited love for Eirika, and jealousy, for lacking Ephraim's willpower, began to surface.

At a first glance, Sephiran seems like the ever calm, serene monk that cares for his people, and he even holds a station as the Head of the Senate and Prime Minister of Begnion. However, he holds a deep influence of Tellius' grand history that spans for nearly a millennium, and his intentions for the continent are far more darker than his sincere aura would indicate.

Formerly known as Lehran, he was once the leader of the Serenes Herons until his union with Altina. Consequently, he was bereft of his race's powers, and the consequence of their fall out resulted in the racial stigma that Beorc and Laguz could not be together. Thus, his spiraling depression continued further as both races could not find coexistence, with his Laguz brothers and sisters enslaved by the Beorc at one point. Coupled with the near-complete obliteration of his people, he wallowed in the depths of despair and sought to bring judgment to all of Tellius' inhabitants. From these series of tragedies, he would orchestrate the events that would shake the foundation of the entire continent.

Here were the entrants for the last theme:

Chaos_Metroid

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

Many of the realms of Fire Emblem have their own worlds for the player to explore; at a first glance, these worlds may appear monotonous with the seemingly similar fantasy themes, but each of these places have their own varying social and political climates, with equally engrossing and rich lore. For today's theme, describe why these world(s), or specific country, area, or locale, happens to be your favorite!

Tellius is a world ripe with an intriguing, bloody history, one I felt was thoroughly explored between the two games. To begin with, the continent is inhabited by two distinct races in general. The shape-shifters, who are called the Laguz, take a bigger presence with this particular realm than past games, and both these people and the humans, the Beorc, have coexisted since the beginning of time or tried to at least. Unfortunately, these races never could trully accept one another, which have lead to an ever burning conflagration of conflict and war. Save for the draconic tribes, the Laguz were actually enslaved by the Beorc for a period of time, and even with the advent of the Mad King's War, many of them still resent what the humans did to their ancestors. It is only with the aforementioned war that these weary races finally begin to bridge the gap between each other.

The Laguz tribes are differentiated between three distinct affiliations: Beast, Bird, and Dragon tribes. All three groups have their own sub-species that define their cultures. Despite their similarities, it's the Bird Tribes, most notably the Hawks and Ravens, that are the most disconnected of the Laguz, with key events separating them further. On the other hand, the Beast tribes are the most closely knit group, even with their various differences among the felines and the wolf tribes. The only tribe whose culture is completely unknown is the dragons of Goldoa due of their isolationist policies, which detracts them from all of Tellius; even with their Laguz brothers and sisters becoming enslaved, the dragon kin were disturbingly unapologetic to their plight.

Whereas the Laguz social structure have always been reminiscent to their primal counterparts, the Beorc were actually under a singular, grand nation at one point. Begnion once stretched to about 3/4ths of the entire continent before Crimea and Daein became their own sovereign countries; interestingly enough, these three nations developed their own distinct cultures and forms of government despite their origins.

Firstly, Begnion is the oldest Beorc country of the three, and as a theocracy, the empire is wholly dedicated to the Goddess Ashera. Its reigning governing body is separated into two parts: the Apostle and the Senate. While both of these factions are meant to be working in tandem governing the empire, recent years have both of these figures at odds with each other. In terms of Beorc countries, Begnion is supposed to be the most progressive when it comes to the treatment of the Laguz, having only abolished slavery twenty years before the start of Path of Radiance. However, the majority of its society do not reflect the ideals of Apostle Misaha, the author of the emancipation, and some of the upper echelons of the nobility ignore this decree.

The Begnion Empire is entrenched with its luxurious, complex traditions, and defying what is the heart of their culture is considered a grave transgression against them, which is why most outsiders feel incredibly alienated. At the capitol, the wealthy elite reside at the heart of Sienne, where all of historical districts are located. The most significant locale is the Tower of Guidance, where the Goddess Ashera is believed to be in deep slumber. Additionally, Begnion is the most geographically diverse nation in all of Tellius, boasting arid deserts, boggy marshlands, and more.

Having mostly fair lands, Crimea is the only Beorc nation that is aggressively pursing the acceptance of the Laguz, being the major factor in seceding from Begnion in its founding years. However, like Begnion, it is only the monarchy and the nobility that follow the ideals of the first king of the country, but in spite of this, they are the most tolerant of the three Beorc nations. More than anything, the people of Crimea holds peace as their highest priority and consistently seeks to establish relations with their neighbors.

In the harsh winter mountains of the North, Daein holds vastly different values when it comes to their governmental structure and culture. For one, there isn't any real form of classes; anyone could hold an influential position should the decide to move up the ladder, and the strongest individuals are encouraged to assume these roles of power. As to emphasize its opposing viewpoints, Daein is intolerant of the Laguz, and a majority of its citizens participate in grueling hunts of persecution. It is believed that these conflicting ideals regarding the Laguz would be the main reason the nation declares war on Crimea.

Even with all of these social and political differences, all of these qualities are beautifully interwoven in the plot of Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn. 

Here were the entrants to the last theme:

assassinita

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

Happy 25th Fire Emblem! As one of many fans, we've all gotten into the series at some point or another! And for those of us familiar with the franchise, there must be one game that stuck with us or made a wonderful impression. To commemorate the series' 25th anniversary, what is your first Fire Emblem game, or why you put a particular title above the rest? 

It's also Lucina's birthday, soooo HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Like many western fans of the series, my first introduction to the series was with Super Smash Brothers Melee, but it wasn't really until Brawl where my interest in Fire Emblem piqued, especially with Ike being my favorite newcomer of the game. Amusingly, it was my brother who made the first step in purchasing one particular title for his birthday in 2008, who was actually more interested than me in fact! Kinda ironic how things turned out for us, haha.

Despite its notorious difficulty, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn was, in fact, my first foray into this cherished franchise. You could also say it was my first introduction into Strategy RPGs in general, which I also haven't tried until then. Even though it was my brother's game, I was the one that ended up playing the Wii title nigh endlessly, to the point where the combination of this game and Brawl destroyed our console's laser! It's a game that I still go back to, and it hasn't diminished in the slightest for me even after clocking in over 1000 hours.

Even with some of its design flaws, I love Radiant Dawn to bits. All of the political intrigue and Machiavellian schemes really had me gripped with the narrative, and for me, there hasn't been a game that comes close to it in terms of story. In spite of the limited interactions, I adored just about every character introduced throughout my first journey across Tellius. And as I've talked about earlier, the myths and legends surrounding the continent left me intrigued and left in awe with its richness. Eventually, these wondrous experiences spurred my desire to find the other Fire Emblem games, with this next game being the second:

It's also the 10th Anniversary for this game, soo... HAPPY 10TH TELLIUS SAGA!!!

I was incredibly fortunate to find this particular title that same year after many days of unsuccessful searches; it was a casual trip to a game store for my birthday where I stumbled upon the only copy in the area, and it helped tide me over while my Wii was at Nintendo getting repaired.

Whereas Radiant Dawn's tale is much more grandiose in scale, Path of Radiance tells the personal journey of the Radiant Hero as he discovers himself in the world. Ike grows from a humble mercenary to the renowned savior of Crimea, all while maintaining his simple views of life; he not only fights for his friends and countrymen, but he fights for staying true to his beliefs. With most of the cast still present in this game, they were as lovable, if not more, than ever thanks to the additional support conversations, which I had discovered were notably absent in its sequel. If it weren't for another title, I would label this game as the best game of the series mechanically and design-wise.

Both of these games I cherish a great deal, but there's one more that I want to talk about that I would be hard-pressed to leave out. One that truly reignited my love for this series into a raging passion:

It's apparent that Intelligent Systems poured all their efforts into what would be the last Fire Emblem game, and out of the ashes came Fire Emblem Awakening. It's a game that I've already spent countless hours on, coming in hot on my last recorded time for Radiant Dawn. Awakening also came at a time where I was struggling a great deal around here, so my relationship with this game is really personal.

Like the aforementioned games, the cast in Awakening is spectacular, and they most definitely make this game for me. I can only say that all the time I've spent with the Shepherds is simply precious, even more so with the arrival of the second generation; there was always a reason to check up on them daily, be it another skirmish or celebrating a birthday. The support conversations and interactions both on and off the the field really made these guys and gals feel like a complete unit. And the game really does an exceptional job of making you, the player, part of that wonderful camaraderie.

The day has arrived, but that doesn't mean the celebration is done! We still have the rest of the month left, so see ya next time!

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

~

Fire Emblem always have the utmost quality standard when it comes to music; the series, in my eyes, are the best that any one of Nintendo's franchises offers. While some songs perfectly captures the various atmospheres of multiple scenarios, other tunes rally our soldiers on with the battles ahead. With today's themes in mind, what are your favorite Fire Emblem songs? Either original or rearranged works!

It'd be criminal to not post all of my favorite songs, but I'll try to limit myself in order to not slow down everyone's browsers. (I probably won't be able to help myself, but eh. Apologies in advance!)

Favorite Player phase:

Eternal Bond ~ Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

Truth, Despair, and Hope ~ Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones

Enemy phase:

Insurrection ~ Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem (New Ver.)

Player phase (Attack):

Destiny (Ablaze) ~ Fire Emblem: Awakening

Early Innitiative ~ Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem (New Mystery version)

Clash ~ Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Enemy phase (Attack):

Annihilation (Galvanized) ~ Fire Emblem Awakening 

The Enemy Draws Near ~ Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Boss:

Special Bosses:

Clash of Two Virtues ~ Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

Character themes:

Brave General, Brave King ~ Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Events:

Endgame:

A Grasping Truth ~ Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn

There's only two more themes left for Fire Emblem Month, so I hope everyone enjoyed this! Until next time!

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary!

~

The myriad of interactions among the throngs of characters is arguably my favorite aspect of the series; it's always a joy to cultivate the interrelationships between these soldiers. Since their first appearance, the dialogue allows us to delve into each of the characters involved in a conversation. Some of these reach deep into a character's history while others are light of heart, jumping between the nonsensical or a simple reliever of war's troubles. For today's theme, what is your favorite conversation? 

Seth and Eirika - Sacred Stones

There isn't a pairing that is as clichéd as the princess and her knight, yet I can't help but admire Eirika's unwavering concern and blossoming love over her guardian and general, Seth; despite his stone face, she was aware that he was masking his pain from his past injuries, and with one of them a result of protecting her, she felt guilty and began staying close to him. Being the astute knight he is, Seth tried to push her away, believing that he shouldn't get preferential treatment, but the two end up confessing to each other before dedicating themselves to the task at hand. At the end of the game, they were wed, and they received the blessings of all their comrades along with the King and Eirika's brother, Ephraim.

Ike and Soren - Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn

Having grown up in a rough childhood, Soren never had any friends until he met Ike, who was the first person that treated him like a human being. He also didn't know of his true heritage until the Mercenaries successfully escorted the Princess of Crimea into Begnion, where he discovered that he was a Branded. Cherishing his friendship with Ike, he feared rejection once he told the commander who he was, but it turned out his worries was all for naught. From then on, Soren would stand by his dearest friend even when they travel beyond Tellius.

Chrom and Robin (the Avatar) - Summer Scramble

Being an amnesiac, Robin has the blessing (or curse?) of having just about everything being a new experience for them, and they become excited for all the new discoveries they make. However, they suddenly began to ponder deeply about their past that leaves them lost in thought, but Chrom wants to change that during their stay at the Outrealms; the Prince of Ylisse made it his duty to make sure that Robin would have new wonderful memories at the beach resort. Comically, all of his plans and attempts to cheer up the befuddled tactician were hilariously destroyed, but Robin was nonetheless happy with the efforts.

Here were the entrants to the last theme:

Chaos_Metroid

Only one more theme left~! I want to thank everyone that has come to celebrate this wondrous occasion! Until next time!

Welcome to Fire Emblem Appreciation Month! For the entirety of the month, we'll celebrate all aspects related to the series in anticipation of its 25th Anniversary! Being the last day of the month, today will mark the end of this momentous occasion, so I want to thank everyone for participating whenever they could! 

Together we ride, always!

~

With the narrative strengths that the series is known for, there will always be a moment where it leaves a lasting impression on us, be it tragic or bearing a glimmer of hope. Of course, not every moment in the series we've encounters was completely scripted; some of them might have occurred in the heat of battle, where anything could happen! In our last theme of the month, what is your favorite moment of the series?

This first moment is my favorite CG moment of the series, and what I truly consider the most epic. For some background, this takes place at the end of Elincia's story in Radiant Dawn, where the nation of Crimea is on the brink of rebellion under her fragile rule. After the defeat of the rebel's commander Ludveck, the Queen of Crimea was forced to make a cruel decision; she must choose between her country's stability or the life of her beloved friend and sister-like figure, Lucia, who was held captive by the enemy before the decisive battle.

Ultimately, Elincia's loyalty to her country proved unwavering, and she refused to give into the rebel's ransom. For her refusal, the rebel army would execute the Queen's loyal vassal before her eyes, but what would be imminent death turned out to be one of the most harrowing rescues seen yet. A familiar band of heroes lead an assault against the rebels, foiling their ploy to recover their commander.

The next moment I wanted to talk about is one you've probably heard already before, but gosh darn it, I can't help but bring it back again for this theme. For what Chapter 11 of Fire Emblem Awakening does, it meshes presentation and the narrative's atmosphere brilliantly. There was no mistaking the demoralization of the Plegians and the unbridled grief of the Shepherds, which was about to burst into pure rage. Rarely did I ever feel pity for the enemy army, but this was one of the few exceptions I've made in the many games I've played, and fewer times did I actually tear up, feeling compassion for both sides. All while this song was playing in the background.

This last moment leans considerably on the comical side, which in part can be blamed for the, oftentimes, random nature of Fire Emblem's game mechanics. It was in the late game of Radiant Dawn, where I was able to take control of the Greil Mercenaries as they marched to Sienne. The objective was to rout all the enemies in sight, but it was in the midst of battle that a sniper had tried to confront our heroes. Huge emphasis on tried here...

Unfortunately, he was pitted against the might of the resident Reaver of the Mercenaries, Boyd, and he had invoked his wrath upon my instructions. Amazingly, he somehow survived the match-up, but to his utter dismay, his bow was completely destroyed thanks to an equipped skill, Corrosion. He was no longer a threat, so we left him be for the remainder of the battle; however, it became clear that I would eventually be forced to kill him off. My younger self didn't want him dead yet, though...

So what did I make the mercenaries do to him? It was pretty much became a shoving fest as I had them corral the poor soul into the top left corner of the map. Once the deed was done, I did have to kill him off to progress the game, but this moment still has me cackling to this very day!

Well, we've finally reached the end of this series! Once again, I want to thank everyone that stopped by, participated, and commented on these themes! Until next time!

Welcome to the second Super Smash Bros. Tournament, hosted by yours truly!

With the end of the school year coming up, I think this would be an appropriate time to start up yet another tourney~! In case the header and title didn't give it away, this theme is dedicated to the female fighters of Smash! Sorry guys, but you'll get your chance... another day!

I'll just need you NNID this time around (and/or 3DS code if you wanna enter there as well/instead). I initially plan this for it to be Wii U only, but if there's enough interest on 3DS, I'll support that platform as well! I'm also open to using customs if the majority is okay with using them, but you must lemme know if you have any preferences! Asides from no longer being limited to one character, rules for the previous tournaments apply to these upcoming matches as well, which I will post once it begins!

Unlike the last tournament, this one will be a round-robin tournament, so I'll need to know who's participating by 9 PM PST on May 15th! Don't dawdle!

Welcome to the Super Bash Sisters Tournament!

Where all the ladies of Smash come together and fight!

Demonstrate your skills with your favorite female fighter and do your best!

Unlike the last tourney, this one will be using Round Robin format, and the user with the most wins in each bracket will advance. In other words, as long as you rack up wins with each opponent, your chance to move onto the Semis will be higher.

Now for the brackets:

Competitive Etiquette: 

I don't want to disqualify people for not responding or inactivity because that's a lame way to go, so don't dawdle! If I find you to be unresponsive, then I'll have to kick you out of the tourney. Buh-bye! Adiós! Salut!

And please be a good sport!

If a conflict arises between two competitors, then we'll re-do your matches, and I'll join your fight to monitor them. I don't want to have to babysit two grown up peeps, so be honest and mature! And lastly...

HAVE FUN!

Rules:

1. These will be 3-stock matches, best two-of-three games; make sure to fight everyone in your group and report the results to me~!
2. CUSTOM MOVES... ARE ALLOWED! However, equipment is still banned. :^)
3. Only Characters Allowed:
   1. Peach
   2. Rosalina & Luma
   3. Wendy Koopa
   4. Zelda
   5. Sheik
   6. Samus
   7. Zero Suit Samus
   8. Palutena
   9. Female Robin
   10. Jigglypuff
   11. Female Villager
   12. Female Wii Fit Trainer
   13. Lucina
4. You can choose whoever you like of those listed, not restricted to just one
5. ITEMS ARE PROHIBITED!!!
6. All Ω-Stages, Final Destination, and Battlefield are allowed
   1. Banned Neutral Wii U stages: 75 m, Pyrosphere, The Great Cave Offensive, Flatzone X, Palutena's Temple, Temple, Gaur Plains, Wily Castle, Gamer

You have until May 31st at 9 PM PST to complete all of your matches~! Hope everyone has a Smashing time~!

Welcome to the Super Bash Sisters Tournament!

Where all the ladies of Smash come together and fight!

Demonstrate your skills with your favorite female fighter and do your best!

Unlike the last tourney, this one will be using Round Robin format, and the two users with the most wins in each bracket will advance. In other words, as long as you rack up wins with each opponent, your chance to move onto the Semis will be higher.

Now for the brackets:

Competitive Etiquette: 

I don't want to disqualify people for not responding or inactivity because that's a lame way to go, so don't dawdle! If I find you to be unresponsive, then I'll have to kick you out of the tourney. Buh-bye! Adiós! Salut!

And please be a good sport!

If a conflict arises between two competitors, then we'll re-do your matches, and I'll join your fight to monitor them. I don't want to have to babysit two grown up peeps, so be honest and mature! And lastly...

HAVE FUN!

Rules:

1. These will be 3-stock matches, best two-of-three games; make sure to fight everyone in your group and report the results to me~!
2. CUSTOM MOVES... ARE ALLOWED! However, equipment is still banned. :^)
3. Only Characters Allowed:
   1. Peach
   2. Rosalina & Luma
   3. Wendy Koopa
   4. Zelda
   5. Sheik
   6. Samus
   7. Zero Suit Samus
   8. Palutena
   9. Female Robin
   10. Jigglypuff
   11. Female Villager
   12. Female Wii Fit Trainer
   13. Lucina
4. You can choose whoever you like of those listed, not restricted to just one
5. ITEMS ARE PROHIBITED!!!
6. All Ω-Stages, Final Destination, and Battlefield are allowed
   1. Only Arena Ferox, Yoshi's Island, Prism Tower, Rainbow Road, Reset Bomb Forest, and Jungle Japes are allowed on the neutral 3DS Stages!

You have until May 31st at 9 PM PST to complete all of your matches~! Hope everyone has a Smashing time~! 

Yello! With the latest theme of the weekly blog, of course I couldn't resist sharing some of my favorite gaming music! I tried to keep these diverse as possible, but there will be some repeats from certain games/series because I can't help myself; a lot of these are from fairly recent games, which have definitely influenced some of my choices. Without further interruptions, here would be my favorite songs~!

Apologies in advance for slowing down everyone's browser.

I was tagged by a ginger, and, therefore, must create a profile blog lest I spontaneously combust...

Sorry if this seems a bit sparse, but I don't think I'm a very interesting person x)

Basic Information

Name: Crista Elizabeth Cornejo

Age: I'll just say I'm a '90s kid

Origin: Santa Ana, California

Nicknames: Cris, cookie, do misspellings count?

Reason behind username: I am one of many cookie monsters who's determined to steal your treats. But seriously, I don't really have any idea myself as to why I went with this, but the one thing I do know is that 426 stands for my birthday: April 26th!

Best My IGN friends: Sam, Anthony, Geeee-off, Blair, Peter, Jose, John, Anna, and Jarred comes to mind. You guys and gals are the best~! <3

My IGN Archenemy: None I can think of. Honestly I just fight for my friends.

Hobbies: playing video games (shocking!), drawing and doodling, listening to music whenever I'm occupied, reading, watching some sports, swimming, and just hanging out with friends and family.

Pets: Only a pair of goldfish now...

Pet Peeves: People with a superiority complex, obnoxiously loud people in public, rudeness, NO COFFEE IN THE MORNING (lack of coffee actually triggers headaches for me)

Gaming

Gaming Consoles Owned:

• N64
• Gamecube
• Wii
• Wii U
• GBA
• DS
• 3DS
• PS2
• PS3
• PS4
• Vita

Favorite Console: Uhhh, I think I'll go with Gamecube, though PS3 and Wii are pretty close.

Favorite Games:

Fire Emblem, duh! I know my constant talk can get tiring, but I just love this series to bits~! ♥♥♥

Top favorites would be Awakening and Path of Radiance

Final Fantasy XIV. I probably wouldn't love this game as much if it weren't for the amazing friends I play with; they've made this game a wholly worthwhile experience these last couple of months. ♥

Dragon's Dogma. I haven't played an action RPG that played so wonderfully mechanically. I really hope its Online successor comes here~!

Xenoblade Chronicles

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Ike and Robin in one game? Best. Roster. Ever~!

Metal Gear Solid series

Kingdom Hearts series

Kid Icarus series

The World Ends with You

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Persona 3. That game brought out all sorts of feels I thought I couldn't for a video game ;w;

Favorite Genres: RPGs are my forte, though I like just about anything action-y

Least Favorite Genres: Visual Novels, Horror, and Sports in general.

Other Favorites

Favorite Food: 

Caldo de Res, pupusas, quesadilla, chinese food, sea food, hot wings, and pretty much any chicken and beef. I prefer to have my chicken with ketchup, and my steaks with A1 sauce. Also, Vanilla Ice Cream with Oreos~! ♪

Favorite Drink:

Milk, Coffee, Rasberry and Peach Tea, Cherry Cola, and Cola Champagne. Again, I love me a good Oreo shake

Favorite Movies:

Pretty much most of the Disney Animated movies, with my top favorites be Treasure Planet, Mulan, and Tarzan, The Incredibles, Toy Story trilogy, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter movies, Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Favorite Book:

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Chronicles of Narnia series

Favorite Show/Anime:

I don't really watch shows much, but eh.

Full Metal Alchemist (both), Code Geass, Avatar: The Last Airbender,

Favorite Music:

Linkin Park, Imagine Dragons, Florence and the Machine, Bon Jovi, Queen, My Chemical Romance, Royal Blood, Three Days Grace, Metallica, Kelly Clarkson, The Offspring, Gorillaz, The Beatles... I think I'll stop. I tend to like just about anything besides country and rap.

Miscellaneous Facts

I hate cold weather.

My mom was also born in Santa Ana, the only difference is our country of birth!

Of my extended family, I'm actually the second youngest girl; I would be youngest, but my cousin was born last summer. In my immediate family, I am the eldest with a younger brother.

I like to sing/hum to my favorite songs (loudly too); I just don't do it around most people... >_>

When I was still in high school, I played the saxophone, trombone, and marimba. I still want to learn how to play the violin and flute someday.

I was part of a decent softball team. I could've gone into basketball, which I was way more invested into, but I was apparently too short even then.

My dream is to travel across a myriad of landmarks around the world, which is why I want to learn more languages. I've studied about three years of French in high school, though I've admittedly become quite rusty. Technically, Spanish is my second language, but I really don't know how to write in it.

In a span of one year, I've transferred to three different elementary schools. It wasn't fun.

I currently reside in Arizona (almost a decade now!), but California will always be my first home. I used to live about 10 minutes away from Disneyland, and my whole family would make frequent trips to Downtown Disney; beach trips were also abundant, especially Huntington and Newport. That was all before I moved to Riverside and, eventually, Arizona, though I still go to those locales as a habit whenever I visit.

I attribute my affinity for video games and music to my family, specifically my cousins, who've been the biggest influences of my life. My IGN would be a close second, and I'll forever cherish all the amazing friends I've made here.

TAGGING:

SAM31007

firethorn43 (fiyathorn forty threee~!)

ZeldaFinalFantasyFan

Welcome to the Super Bash Sisters Tournament!

Where all the ladies of Smash come together and fight!

Demonstrate your skills with your favorite female fighter and do your best!

It's unfortunate that we've had so many inactive fighters, but rules are rules. I've decided to void all their matches and give the wins to those that have kept in contact with me. It's frustrating that no one got their matches done even with an extension, but now that's passed, we're onto the next set of matches!

On the Wii U side, we have...

multibottler0cket vs. ZeldaSymphony

and

ZeldaFinalFantasyFan vs. ZeldaRacer

Annnnd on the 3DS side:

MetaMoonStar vs. ZeldaSymphony

and

ZeldaFinalFantasyFan vs. umadbroooo

Competitive Etiquette: 

I don't want to disqualify people for not responding or inactivity because that's a lame way to go, so don't dawdle! If I find you to be unresponsive, then I'll have to kick you out of the tourney. Buh-bye! Adiós! Salut!

And please be a good sport!

If a conflict arises between two competitors, then we'll re-do your matches, and I'll join your fight to monitor them. I don't want to have to babysit two grown up peeps, so be honest and mature! And lastly...

HAVE FUN!

Rules:

1. These will be 3-stock matches, best two-of-three games; make sure to fight everyone in your group and report the results to me~!
2. CUSTOM MOVES... ARE ALLOWED! However, equipment is still banned. :^)
3. Only Characters Allowed:
   1. Peach
   2. Rosalina & Luma
   3. Wendy Koopa
   4. Zelda
   5. Sheik
   6. Samus
   7. Zero Suit Samus
   8. Palutena
   9. Female Robin
   10. Jigglypuff
   11. Female Villager
   12. Female Wii Fit Trainer
   13. Lucina
4. You can choose whoever you like of those listed, not restricted to just one
5. ITEMS ARE PROHIBITED!!!
6. All Ω-Stages, Final Destination, and Battlefield are allowed
   1. 3DS: Only Arena Ferox, Yoshi's Island, Prism Tower, Rainbow Road, Reset Bomb Forest, and Jungle Japes are allowed on the neutral 3DS Stages!
   2. Wii U: Banned Neutral Wii U stages: 75 m, Pyrosphere, The Great Cave Offensive, Flatzone X, Palutena's Temple, Temple, Gaur Plains, Wily Castle, and Gamer

All players must have their matches completed by the 14th! May the best Smasher win!