Fire Emblem is one of the best SRPG series out there in my opinion, and needs its own love thread. It's one of the few games out there that I find actually difficult, and I'm not just talking about the fact that people are gone forever when they die.
For example, in the first GBA game, you don't have access to shops whenever you want, you have to decide whether or not you want to blow your cash on weapons now or save it up for later. Choose the latter, though, and you may find that you run out of weapon uses between now and the next chapter with an armory, which would qualify you as royally screwed. On top of this, the game gives you a funds ranking, so spending carelessly will give ensure that your tactical abilities get ripped on at the end of the game.
The support system is also a great gameplay element that makes you think twice about how you position your characters, as well as who you bring into battle and who waits it out on the sidelines. Weaker characters with great support options may be better than strong characters with nobody to support them. This becomes especially important on hard mode, and is a major factor in the ongoing gamefaqs debates over which characters will get you the best rankings with the least effort. On top of all this, certain support options will alter the endings, sometimes in unexpected ways (Guy + Priscilla A-level support is heartbreaking).
I won't go on and on about the game any longer, anyone reading this probably has an idea of what the games are about anyway, but if you're not familiar with the series and you like SRPG games, I urge you to try out the first Fire Emblem for the GBA as soon as you can. Emulate it if you have to, but don't pass it up - the series is amazing and one of the few I've found to be well worth my time in the past couple of years. And if you like that one, I believe all the SNES versions have been translated at this point (poorly in some cases, but oh well) and there are always the GC/Wii games, not to mention Sacred Stones for the GBA... you won't run out of Fire Emblem any time soon.
So yeah, who else out there is into the FE series? I'm hoping the DS remake comes to the U.S., I don't know if the GC and Wii games did well enough to justify it and NOA is weird about bringing games over (I'm glaring in the direction of Mother 3 as I say that) but we'll see.