Strategy Games (NAPSA)—King or Queen for a day: For literally thousands of years, people have loved to simu- late epic battles in the form of games. Manyof us enjoy being a sovereign or a general in control of his or her own little corner of the world. Then: Perhaps the earliest battle-strategy game, chess, is believed to have originated in ancient India under the name Chaturanga, or “four-corps”’—the namefor the four traditional army divisions. The name “chess” is derived from the Persian word “shah,” meaningkingor ruler. The earliest written references to the game date back to A.D. 590-628, while the oldest pieces found are datable to A.D. 900. Now:The grand gamesof military strategy have moved to the realm of interactive entertainment, which offers more options and challenges than any board game can! New for Game Boy Advanceis Fire Emblem, from Nintendo, a gamethat lets you test your skills as a military strategist as you guide yourforcesin battle. Fire Emblem challenges you to dominate the field war with dozens of soldiers, weapons and magic spells that will be at your command. Take control of an army of soldiers, but use them wisely. As in chess, each of your soldiers possesses unique skills— but if they fall in battle, they’re lost forever. You can strike from above with your Pegasus Knights or guide your armored footmen in close combat. One of the heroes of Fire Emblem is Lyn, an ordinary young girl who uses her good Lyn evolves from an ordinary girl to a brave heroine in a new inter- active gameof military strategy. judgement and courage to conquer seemingly overwhelming odds. Lyn, an orphan, comes to the rescue of a traveler, and the two embark on a journey to hone their skills at swordplay and battle strategy. Shortly after their jour- ney begins, Lyn learns sheis heir to the throne of the neighboring Caelin and becomes entangled in the battle for succession The gameis a sure-fire way to test a player’s military strategy skills, as you guide Lyn’s forces toward victory. Like old-time games, you can see how your skills match up against those of your friends in multi-player mode. Who has the better fighting force—and who is the better strategist? You can find this great gameatlocal stores.
