Intelligent Systems working on new Fire Emblem title for GameCube

Nintendo has Intelligent Systems busily beavering away on a Fire Emblem title for GameCube according to reports originating in Japanese V-Jump magazine. The first images and details of the strategy-RPG appeared in the magazine late last week, and scans were on the Internet soon after. (And we're pretty sure they're not fakes this time, by the way.)

From what we've read, it's called Fire Emblem: Aoi Honoo no Kiseki (reportedly translates as "Trail of the Blue Fire") and it should be out in Japan this winter. A Western release is also a distinct possibility, albeit an unconfirmed one, whilst some reports are pointing to an E3 unveiling.

The scans also reveal that the Cube Fire Emblem bears a strong resemblance to its GBA predecessors, if not visually then certainly mechanically. The game's turn-based combat will unfold on 3D battlefields using 3D characters, but movement on the battlefield is rigidly governed by a square grid overlay.

Story details are scant, but we do know at this point that players will control a young boy called Ike, as he follows his father's mercenary unit around Terius learning more about his old man's mysterious past. Staggering.

Intelligent Systems is also currently working on Paper Mario 2 for the GameCube amongst other projects, and as developer of the Advance Wars titles its mastery of console turn-based strategy games is unrivalled. Expect big things from this one. (Including buildings, trees and explosions.) If it's at E3, we'll bring back the secrets of fire...