Fire Emblem Too Mainstream?

[Kitsune]

I never played Awakening. I was interested in it, but I never got it. The prior one I completed was Radiant Dawn, right now I'm working on Fates and while I have been enjoying it, some of the changes feel odd(though I can't put my finger precisely on what). I personally don't think Phoenix mode should exist, it dumbs it way too much to the point of "why even try". If I wanted someone to figure out Fire Emblem, I would hand them Sacred Stones since I found that entry easy to get into and learn the mechanics of, but that's just me.