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Link Arena

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Revision as of 20:40, 18 July 2022 by PikaSamus (talk | contribs) (Text replacement - "tatus condition" to "tatus effect")
The Link Arena's main menu in The Sacred Stones.

The Link Arena (Japanese: 通信闘技場 Communication Arena) is the multiplayer mode of the three Game Boy Advance installments in the Fire Emblem series. It is a mode where two to four players, each with their own copy of the same game in the series and the requisite number of link cables to connect the systems together, form teams of up to five units each and face each other in arena-style combat. The Sacred Stones, designed and released after the release of the GBA wireless adapter, is not compatible with the wireless adapter (the other two GBA games in the series predate the wireless adapter and are also not compatible with it).

Each of the three individual GBA games in the series is compatible only with other copies of the same game; for example, a copy of The Binding Blade is compatible only with other copies of The Binding Blade. Gameplay between different titles is not possible due to each individual title having characters appearing only within that game; for example, it is not possible for a copy of The Blazing Blade to play against a copy of The Sacred Stones.

Overview

Edit Teams

Team editing menu in The Sacred Stones.

Players must first use the "Edit Teams" option to build their teams. Selecting "Build Team" allows the player to create a team; the player chooses one of their save files, then selects up to five units in a preparations phase. Players can set up units' inventories within the preparations phase, negating the need to do so within the single player mode. Once the player has picked their units and set them up, the team is saved once the Start button is pressed on the unit selection screen.

For a unit to join a team, they must have at least one usable weapon in their inventory; this normally excludes Bards and Dancers from the Link Arena as they cannot inherently wield weapons, although both are programmed to be able to take part in the Link Arena should they somehow be given a usable weapon (normally a piece of dark magic inaccessible to the player). Manaketes may not be included in any team, nor can units exclusive to The Binding Blade's Trial Maps or unlocked via The Sacred Stones's Creature Campaign.

"Unit List" allows players to view the statistics of teams already built. "Swap" allows the order of already-built teams to be swapped in the list order. Teams are deleted with the "Disband" option.

Rule Settings

Rule settings menu in The Sacred Stones.

Players can tweak the exact rules of the battle using the "Rule Settings" option. There are three options under these settings:

  • Hide Units: If set to On, hides enemy units until they engage one of the player's units in battle. Once an enemy unit engages a player unit in battle, that unit will remain visible. If set to Off, all enemy units are visible at all times.
  • Victory Cond: If set to "Points", the highest score at the end of the battle wins. If set to "Survival", the last team with any units standing wins.
  • AutoWeapon: If set to Off, whatever the player sets as their units' inventories are what's used in battle. If set to On, the set inventories are disregarded and units are instead allocated the E-rank weapons of whatever weapon types a unit is capable of using, for example a Hero will be given an Iron Sword and Iron Axe; any unit capable of using dark magic, which lacks an E-rank version in the GBA games, will be allocated the D-rank Flux.

Battling

The Link Arena map in The Sacred Stones.
The results of a practice Link Arena match in The Sacred Stones.

Once a player chooses "Linked Battle", that player selects one of their teams and waits for the other players to do likewise; once all players select their teams, the battle will begin. The Link Arena also includes a "Practice" option, where a single player can take one of their teams and face them off against other teams of theirs controlled by the CPU; in this situation, the player sets the team they wish to control into the blue slot and the teams the CPU is to control into the other slots.

Gameplay goes counterclockwise from the bottom starting with the blue team (player 1), followed by the red team (player 3), the green team (player 2), and the purple team (player 4), with any team slot not present skipped over. The player whose turn it is selects one of their units, followed by one of the other players' units and then one of their weapons. Once these selections are made, a single round of combat begins. Units that survive the round earn points based on the experience formula. In The Binding Blade and The Blazing Blade, it is possible to make moves that score zero points; all moves score points in The Sacred Stones with the exception of the defeat of one of a player's units on the side of the player losing that unit. Gameplay continues until only one player has any units left standing. The last player with units standing will receive 30 additional points for each of their remaining units. If the victory condition is set to Survival, the last player standing wins; if the victory condition is set to Points, the player with the most points at the end of the battle wins.

Being unable to inflict damage in The Blazing Blade.

In the practice mode, gameplay can be ended early by pressing the Start button and answering yes when Anna asks the player if they wish to surrender. In the event two or more teams that are unable to do any damage to one other face off in the Link Arena, after three full turns in such conditions, Anna will tell players that the teams aren't doing any damage and ask if they would like to end the game.[1]

Most non-weapon items have no function in the Link Arena, i.e. players cannot heal themselves with vulneraries; the only non-weapon items that function in the Link Arena are the accessory items that nullify bonus damage to fliers (Delphi Shield in The Binding Blade and The Blazing Blade, Fili Shield in The Sacred Stones) and nullify critical hits (Iron Rune in Fire Emblem, Hoplon Guard in The Sacred Stones). Staves also play no role in the Link Arena. Long-range tomes do not activate in the Link Arena, nor would a ballista in the event one is hacked into an inventory; if one is in the equipped item position when their holder is attacked, only the attacker will get their strikes in. In cases where a weapon with 1 range fights against a weapon with 2 range, only the attacker will initiate their strikes; weapons with 1-2 range can take on any other usable weapon regardless of its range properties, fighting within range 1 should two 1-2 range weapons face each other.

The players' high scores are saved under the "Battle Data" option. High scores list the name of the team that achieved the listed score, along with the victory condition, their rank within the battle, and the number of players in the battle.

Trivia

  • Despite the color of player 4's units being purple, the text indicating the start of their phase is in yellow.
  • Death quotes typically aren't viewable in the Link Arena; however, if hacks or glitches are used to invoke situations that require the use of map animations in the Link Arena and a unit is defeated, their death quote will play.
    • In the event poison or petrification are inflicted in a Link Arena battle where a hack or glitch has made it possible to use such effects, these effects clear automatically at the end of the round.
    • In the event AutoWeapon is enabled and a team somehow has had a unit been given an E rank in dark magic via glitches or hacking, that unit will still be given their Flux tome and be able to wield it despite not normally having the correct rank to wield it.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

Link Arena

French

Arène Link

Link Arena

Gallery

See also

References

Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
Playable characters AlenAstolfoBartheBartreBorsCathCeciliaChadClarineDayanDieckDorothyDouglasEchidnaElenElffinFaeFirGarretGeeseGonzalezGwendolynHughIgreneJunoKarelKleinLanceLarumLilinaLotLughMarcusMerlinusMeladyNiimeNoahOgierPercevalRaighRoyRutgerSaulShannaSinSophiaSueTheaTrecWardWoltYoderZelotZeiss
Trial Map characters BrunnyaEliwoodGalleGuinivereHectorMurdockNarcianZephiel
Non-playable characters EliwoodGuinivereHectorMaryMordred
Bosses ArcardoBorsBrakulBrunnyaChanDamasDebiasDoryEinErikFlaerGalleGuerreroHenningIdunnKabulKelKudokaJahnLeganceMaggieMarralMartelMonkeMorganMurdockNarcianNordOatesOrloPeresRaithRandyRoartzRobertsRoseRuudScollanScottSiguneSlaterThorilTickWagnerWindhamZephielZinque
Background characters AthosBariganBramimondDurbanElimineHanonHartmutRoland
Regalia and personal weapons ApocalypseArmadsAureolaBinding BladeDurandalEckesachsForblazeMaltetMulagirRapierStaff of the Saint
Chapters Tutorial • 1: Breath of Destiny • 2: Princess of Bern • 3: Latecomer's Sorrow • 4: Crumbling League • 5: Fire Emblem • 6: Ensnared • 7: The Ostian Revolt • 8: Reunion • 8x: The Blazing Blade • 9: The Misty Isles • 10A: Western Resistance • 11A: The Hero of the West • 10B: Amidst a Struggle • 11B: Flight Toward Freedom • 12: The True Enemy • 12x: The Thunder Axe • 13: Rescue Mission • 14: Arcadia • 14x: The Infernal Truth • 15: The Dragon Child • 16: Storming the Capital • 16x: The Glorious Ascension • 17A: Ocean's Parting • 18A: The Frozen River • 19A: Bitter Cold • 20A: Ilia's Salvation • 20Ax: The Freezing Lance • 17B: The Bishop's Teachings • 18B: The Laws of Sacae • 19B: Battle in Bulgar • 20B: The Silver Wolf • 20Bx: The Bow of Swift Wind • 21: The Binding Blade • 21x: The Elder Revelation • 22: Unattained Dream • 23: The Ghosts of Bern • 24: Legends and LiesF: Beyond Darkness
Trial Maps Valley of DeathRainy IslandSnowy DefensivePirate's ChallengeRoy's Trial
Locations ElibeBern (Dragon TempleShrine of Seals) • Etruria (Aquleia) • IliaLycia (AraphenLausOstiaPheraeThria) • Missur (ArcadiaNabata) • Sacae (BulgarTaras) • Western Isles
Groups, objects and concepts Disturbance of BernEnding WinterFire EmblemGenerals of EtruriaThe ScouringWar Dragons
Lists ChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden treasureItemsScriptsSupportsWeapons
Related topics Elibe DisturbanceHasha no TsurugiName chart • Other games (The Blazing Blade) • Pre-release information (Unused content) • Sound RoomTimeline
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
Playable characters AthosBartreCanasDartDorcasEliwoodErkFarinaFioraFlorinaGeitzGuyHarkenHawkeyeHeathHectorIsadoraJaffarKarelKarlaKentLegaultLouiseLowenLuciusLynMarcusMatthewMerlinusNilsNinianNinoOswinPentPriscillaRathRavenRebeccaRenaultSainSerraVaidaWallaceWil
Non-playable characters BramimondDesmondElbertEleanoraEphidelFaeFargusGuinivereHannahHausenHelleneHelmanIgorJahnJakeJanKishunaLeilaLilinaMarkMurdockNatalieReissmannRoySophiaUtherZephiel
Bosses AionBattaBaukerBernardBeyardBoiesBoolBrendanBugCameronCarjigaDamianDarinDenningDragonEaglerErikEubansFargusGeorgGlassGroznyiHeintzJasmineJermeKaimKennethKishunaLimstellaLinusLloydLundgrenMaximeMigalNergalOlegPascalPaulPuzonSealenSoniaTeodorUhaiUrsulaVaidaWireYogiZaganZoldamZugu
Background characters AenirAeshaAthosBariganBramimondDurbanElimineHanonHartmutHassarKellesMadelynRoland
Regalia and personal weapons ArmadsAureolaBasilikosDurandalEreshkigalExcaliburForblazeGespenstLuceMani KattiRapierRegal BladeRex HastaRienflecheSol KattiWolf Beil
Chapters Lyn's Tale P: A Girl from the Plains • 1: Footsteps of Fate • 2: Sword of Spirits • 3: Band of Mercenaries • 4: In Occupation's Shadow • 5: Beyond the Borders • 6: Blood of Pride • 7: Siblings Abroad • 7x: The Black Shadow • 8: Vortex of Strategy • 9: A Grim Reunion • 10: The Distant Plains
Eliwood's Tale 11: Taking Leave • 12: Birds of a Feather • 13: In Search of Truth • 13x: The Peddler Merlinus • 14: False Friends • 15: Noble Lady of Caelin • 16: Whereabouts Unknown • 16x: The Port of Badon • 17: Pirate Ship • 18: The Dread Isle • 18x: Imprisoner of Magic • 19: Dragon's Gate • 20: New Resolve • 21: Kinship's Bond • 22: Living Legend • 22x: Genesis • 23: Four-Fanged Offense (Lloyd, Linus) • 24: Unfulfilled Heart • 25: Pale Flower of Darkness (Kenneth, Jerme) • 26: Battle before Dawn • 26x: Night of Farewells • 27: Cog of Destiny • 28: Valorous Roland • 29: Sands of Time • 29x: Battle Preparations • 30: Victory or DeathF: Light (part 1part 2)
Hector's Tale 11: Another Journey • 12: Birds of a Feather • 13: In Search of Truth • 13x: The Peddler Merlinus • 14: False Friends • 15: Talons Alight • 16: Noble Lady of Caelin • 17: Whereabouts Unknown • 17x: The Port of Badon • 18: Pirate Ship • 19: The Dread Isle • 19x: Imprisoner of Magic • 19x pt 2: A Glimpse in Time • 20: Dragon's Gate • 21: New Resolve • 22: Kinship's Bond • 23: Living Legend • 23x: Genesis • 24: Four-Fanged Offense (Lloyd, Linus) • 25: Crazed Beast • 26: Unfulfilled Heart • 27: Pale Flower of Darkness (Kenneth, Jerme) • 28: Battle before Dawn • 28x: Night of Farewells • 29: Cog of Destiny • 30: The Berserker • 31: Sands of Time • 31x: Battle Preparations • 32: Victory or Death • 32x: The Value of LifeF: Light (part 1part 2)
Locations ElibeBern (Shrine of Seals) • EtruriaIliaLycia (AraphenCaelinCornwellKhatheletLausOstiaPheraeSantaruz) • Nabata Desert (Arcadia) • Sacae (Bulgar) • Valor (Dragon's Gate) • Western Isles
Groups, objects and concepts Black Fang (Four Fangs) • Fire EmblemGenerals of EtruriaMorphsQuintessenceThe Scouring
Lists ChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden treasureItemsScriptsSupportsWeapons
Related topics List of version differencesMario Kart: Double Dash!! bonus discName chart • Other games (The Binding Blade) • Pre-release information (Pre-release build 0206Pre-release build 0219Unused content) • Sound RoomTimeline
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Playable characters AmeliaArturColmCormagDozlaDuesselEirikaEphraimEwanFordeFranzGarciaGerikGilliamInnesJoshuaKnollKyleL'ArachelLuteMarisaMoulderMyrrhNatashaNeimiRennacRossSalehSethSyreneTanaTethysVanessa
Creature Campaign characters CaellachFadoGlenHaydenIsmaireLyonOrsonRievSelenaValter
Non-playable characters DaraKlimtMansel
Bosses AiasBanditBazbaBeranBinksBoneBreguetCaellachCarlyleFomortiisGhebLyonMorvaMurrayNovalaO'NeillOrsonPabloRievSaarSelenaTiradoValterVigardeZonta
Background characters GradoLatonaMacGregorMonicaNada Kuya
Sacred Twins and personal weapons AudhulmaExcaliburGarmGleipnirIvaldiLatonaNidhoggRapierReginleifSieglindeSiegmundVidofnir
Chapters Pre-split P: The Fall of Renais • 1: Escape! • 2: The Protected • 3: The Bandits of Borgo • 4: Ancient Horrors • 5: The Empire's Reach • 5x: Unbroken Heart • 6: Victims of War • 7: Waterside Renvall • 8: It's a Trap!A New Journey
Eirika's Route 9: Distant Blade • 10: Revolt at Carcino • 11: Creeping Darkness • 12: Village of Silence • 13: Hamill Canyon • 14: Queen of White Dunes
Ephraim's Route 9: Fort Rigwald • 10: Turning Traitor • 11: Phantom Ship • 12: Landing at Taizel • 13: Fluorspar's Oath • 14: Father and Son
Post-split 15: Scorched Sand • 16: Ruled by Madness • 17: River of Regrets • 18: Two Faces of Evil • 19: Last Hope • 20: Darkling WoodsF: Sacred Stone (part 1part 2)
Locations MagvelCarcino (Caer Pelyn) • Darkling WoodsFrelia (Tower of Valni) • Grado (Renvall) • Jehanna (Jehanna HallLagdou Ruins) • Rausten (Melkaen Coast) • Renais (Za'ha Woods)
Groups, objects and concepts Five heroesGerik's MercenariesImperial ThreeLegend of the Sacred StonesMonstersSacred StonesSacred TwinsWar of the Stones
Lists ChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden treasureItemsScriptsSkillsSupportsWeapons
Related topics Creature CampaignThe Sacred Stones ComicNovelizationList of version differences (Name chart) • Pre-release information (Pre-release buildUnused content) • Sound RoomTimelineWorld map
Game mechanics
Out-of-battle management Base (BarracksBase CampBase conversationEveryone's ConditionsExpeditionGarreg Mach Monastery (Abyss) • My CastleSomniel) • Bonus experienceDungeonsGameplay modes (DifficultyCreature CampaignNew Game +) • GoldLessonsMila ShrinesPeddlerPreparationsRenownShopping (ArmoryBargainsForgeItem shopMerchantOnline shopSecret shop) • Supply convoyWorld map
Battles and chapters ArenaBattle saveBossCastleChapter (Alternate routeParalogueSide quest) • ChestCombat forecastEvent tilesHidden treasureObjectivesReinforcementSkirmishTerrain (Hazards) • Turn (Turn rewind) • Weather (Fog of war) • Village
Stats Units ActionAffinityAuthorityBiorhythmCharmClass (Class masteryClass relative powerUnit type) • Constitution (Aid) • DefenseExperienceFollow-up critical multiplierGrowth rateHit pointHoly BloodInventoryLevelLuckMagicMovementProficiencyResistanceSkillSpeedStrengthWeapon levelWeight
Weapons Brave weaponCritical rateDurabilityHitKill bonusMightPersonal weaponsRangeWeapon experienceWeapon levelWeightWorth
Unit mechanics and commands AdjutantAttack (Counterattack) • Auto-BattleBattalion (Gambit) • CantoChain attackChain GuardClass change (Reclass) • Combat artCrestsDance (GaldrarPlaySing) • Death (Decoy) • DismountDragon VeinEmblem RingsFatigueInventoryLaguz transformationLove (JealousyInheritance) • Pair UpRallyRecruitmentRescue (Capture) • Skills (Offensive skill) • SmashStaggering BlowStatus effectsSupportTalkTradeUnit (AvatarBond unitsBonus unitEinherjarLoan unitPrisonerReplacement unitSubstitute character) • Visit
Calculations AttackAttack speedAvoidBonus damageCritical hit (Combination bonusDodgeTriangle Attack) • Hit rate (True hit) • Random number generatorWeapon triangle (Trinity of magic)
Connectivity amiiboData transferDouble DuelDownloadable contentLink ArenaMultiplayer battleOnline shopSpotPassStreetPass
Other BarrierBirthdayClass rollGlitchesMultiple endingsRankingsSound RoomTactician bonus