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Update:

Since the Direct broadcast, it's been confirmed that the game will also be out on iOS on 2nd February, following a statement it was 'coming soon' in the stream. Evidently Apple stepped up to approve the date, which is great news for iPhone / iPad owners.

Original Article:

The bulk of Nintendo's Fire Emblem Direct focused on Fire Emblem Heroes, the title that's heading to Android and iOS. It's coming pretty darn soon, too - it arrives on Android on 2nd February, with pre-registration open now; it'll come to iOS 'soon', so in a reverse of Super Mario Run it's Google getting supported first.

Fire Emblem Heroes will be a free download, with its microtransactions being driven by 'orbs' that you can earn in-game or buy in order to acquire heroes. There is a story to be tackled - you are a 'summoner' creating an army - but the acquisition of units and their strength (as represented by a rating up to five stars) is very much following the Mobile playbook. The following press release excerpt gives a handy summary.

Fire Emblem Heroes is an original strategy RPG about two warring kingdoms in a bitter clash. As a summoner, players build their army by calling upon popular Fire Emblem heroes from worlds that span the breadth of the series. Players will wage tactical battles streamlined for on-the-go play and level up a mix of new combatants and legendary heroes. Some familiar hero characters will become allies, while others will become enemy generals. Players can enjoy the full majesty of tactical role playing on bite-sized maps designed to fit nicely on a smartphone screen, even when playing in short bursts. Players lead their armies with easy touch-and-drag controls, including the ability to attack by simply swiping an ally hero over an enemy. If they manage to defeat every enemy on a given map, victory will be theirs. The heroes are depicted in new art hand-drawn by a variety of illustrators, and their voices have been newly recorded. Beyond the main story mode, players can engage in other modes to strengthen their army or to compete against others. Free and timely updates will add new characters and content for additional hours of gameplay as well.

Skip to 8 minutes 36 seconds if the video below doesn't do so automatically.

A rather nice official website has been launched, and includes a list of countries that will be supported. Some intriguing extra modes beyond the story include the Training Tower and Special Maps, the latter of which will feature seasonal events. Gameplay is certainly reminiscent of the main series, albeit in smaller grids; there's even a form of the Weapons Triangle.

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My Nintendo members can also link their account to this voting website - choosing your favourite heroes can net you 200 Platinum Points.

Fire Emblem Heroes certainly looks intriguing; it'll be interesting to see how it shapes up in early February - let us know what you think in the comments.