It was the first game to offer "Casual Mode," which allows defeated units to return in the next chapter rather than being lost to permanent death.
It reintroduced "Base Conversations," allowing units to build relationships and gain stat bonuses during battle.
With 77 playable characters , it boasts one of the largest rosters in the series.
Battles take place on a grid-based map, and players can use mid-battle "Map Saves" to manage difficult encounters.
This entry introduced "Kris," the series' first fully customizable player character, who acts as Marth's trusted advisor and a secondary protagonist.