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Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones pre-release information

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.

Prior to its release in 2004, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones received previews in the Japanese gaming press and in other sources. Some of the screenshots of the game used in previews are comprised of preliminary content or data which is clearly different from the game's final form, especially in previews from earlier points in the game's development.

Pre-release build

Eirika's famous preliminary battle sprite
Main article: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones prototype

A largely incomplete pre-release build of the game was leaked from the Intelligent Systems FTP server in 2008 and subsequently widely distributed. In its degree of incompletion, it is uncertain to tell how much of what was in there was planned for the finished product at one time or another; interesting differences include different layouts for Chapters 5 and 6, significantly different portraits for some characters, and a small number of completely different names.

Magazine features

During Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones's pre-release, like many other games, it was featured in various video game news outlets, including magazines.


Ss fe08 preliminary magazine eirika portrait.png The early version of Eirika's portrait from the prototype appears in magazine previews. Vanessa also has a very slightly different portrait from the final release.
Ss fe08 preliminary magazine eirika battle.png The incarnation of Eirika's early animation, also appearing in the prototype, was featured in a magazine.
Ss fe08 preliminary magazine stone shard.png An item called the Stone Shard (魔石のかけら) is a recurring feature of pre-release material, including the pre-release build. Acting as a temporary monster weapon for Revenants and Baels, in every pre-release appearances it uses the icon of Flametongue. It still exists in the final game, dummied out and now using a Red Gem icon, and is technically usable by all monsters.
Ss fe08 preliminary magazine prologue.png An alternate version of what may be the prologue. Featuring a single cavalier, and a village, both which differ from the prologue in the final release. The general tile layout of the mountains is also different.

Monster artwork

Artwork for the Mauthe Doog and Elder Bael appear in some magazines, however the full size and high quality versions were never publicly released, artwork for the rest of the monster classes is not known to exist.

FESS Mauthe Doog unedited.png Artwork of a Mauthe Doog from a magazine.
FESS Elder Bael unedited.png Artwork of an Elder Bael from a magazine.

Official website screenshots

Curiously, the game's official Japanese website uses screenshots from what appears to be an earlier build of the game in its "Screenshot" pages; other pages which use screenshots, like the Unit page, use more recent screenshots in line with the final version.

Ss fe08 preliminary website user interface.png In almost all prerelease sources, the battle and other windows use the same HUD style as The Binding Blade and The Blazing Blade. Given that some early screenshots and sources also include scene where entirely new HUD frames had to be drawn, it is uncertain whether the original intention was to retain the original HUD style, or whether completing the overhaul simply took until fairly late in the development process.
Ss fe08 preliminary website franz generic palette.png No character seen in battle has a personal palette, using only the class's default for playable units.
Ss fe08 preliminary website great knight.png The Great Knight's sprite is fairly different: it has no shield, and its saddle is red compared to the dark blue armor.[1]
Ss fe08 preliminary website marisa.png Marisa starts at level 12, instead of at level 5 as in the final product; assuming the Shamshir's might is the same, Marisa has 8 strength instead of her 7 in the final version.[1]
Ss fe08 preliminary website myrmidon shaman.png In chapter 2 Eirika is accompanied by a female myrmidon and a shaman that are not present in that chapter in the final game. Ross is also seems to be absent, and Bone, the boss, is in a different location.
Ss fe08 preliminary valni 01.png A Maelduin is present in the first floor of the Tower of Valni, an impossibility in the final version. The layout is also slightly different, the female cleric map sprite also has yet to be changed to the version used in the final release.
Ss fe08 preliminary revolt at carcino.png Though barely visible in the screenshot, Tethys still appears to use Ninian's Dancer map sprite.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones: Screenshot 1, nintendo.co.jp (Japanese), Retrieved: May 8, 2012
  2. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones: Screenshot 2, nintendo.co.jp (Japanese), Retrieved: May 8, 2012
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
Preliminary data and content
Pre-release information Shadow Dragon & the Blade of LightGaidenMystery of the EmblemGenealogy of the Holy WarThracia 776The Binding BladeThe Blazing BladeThe Sacred StonesPath of RadianceRadiant DawnShadow DragonNew Mystery of the EmblemAwakeningFatesTokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FEEchoes: Shadows of ValentiaHeroesWarriorsThree HousesWarriors: Three HopesEngage
Unused content Shadow Dragon & the Blade of LightGaidenMystery of the EmblemGenealogy of the Holy WarThracia 776The Binding BladeThe Blazing BladeThe Sacred StonesPath of RadianceRadiant DawnShadow DragonNew Mystery of the EmblemAwakeningFatesTokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FEEchoes: Shadows of ValentiaHeroesWarriorsThree HousesWarriors: Three HopesEngage
Pre-release builds The Blazing Blade pre-release build 0206The Blazing Blade pre-release build 0219The Sacred Stones pre-release build 040531_2253
Other Fire Emblem 64Fire Emblem Wii