This is where Fire Emblem really forms into how we know it today, an attempt at a more complex and nuanced storyline combined with swords and sorcery heroism with a large cast of characters that have more depth breathed into them than previous entries. For its time, its also impressive that it managed to pack a remake of the first game into it (although I've never finished this version of Shadow Dragon).

Mystery of the Emblem's main claim to fame is taking most of the maps from the original Shadow Dragon, adding a few more, then completely recontextualising those maps and adding new kinds of enemies and objectives. I previously mentioned that Shadow Dragon's maps are surprisingly decent, especially for its time, and Mystery of the Emblem reusing those maps keeps the overall map quality at a decent baseline. Other quality of life features from previous games include finally being able to trade items between units, and being able to physically see movement range as opposed to counting out tiles or stretching the movement arrow until it can't move anymore.

The main new addition in this entry is the dismount system, and I find myself a little wanting at this inclusion, certainly it makes mounted units more versatile, and balances them a bit more but I don't think this game leverages the system enough, especially in comparison to a certain famous future entry.

Mystery of the Emblem is notable in how it manages to round out the roots that Shadow Dragon planted to form the game series as we know it today, and viewing it through that historical lens definitely makes this iteration of Marth's Adventure a high quality and still very playable journey today.