The Video Game Revue

Secret of Mana

Here's one a little more out of left field: the SNES classic "Secret of Mana," known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan. I chose to rant about this game in particular because I am a big Squaresoft fan and a huge RPG fan, but such was not always the case. My entry point into the genre lies somewhere between The Legend of Zelda and the American version of Dragon Warrior, but Secret of Mana represented a definite turning point for me. You might say that Secret of Mana put my love for RPGs into sharp focus, even though it is only itself an action-RPG, so that by the time Final Fantasy VI arrived, I was primed for total and utter fandom.

Personal stuff aside, it's easy to see the appeal of the action-RPG known as Secret of Mana on this side of the Pacific. When the game was released, it certainly pushed the envelope in terms of the quality of artistic direction put into video games. The visual artwork is stunning, and the soundtrack is excellent. The level design, character design, and monster design are all top-notch. This game even introduced the Squaresoft "Moogles" which have become so emblematic of the Final Fantasy series (I am pretty sure that Final Fantasy VI--released in North America as Final Fantasy III for SNES--was the first Final Fantasy to have any Moogles in it.) Generally speaking, Secret of Mana ideally fills the role that RPG games play in terms of drawing the player into a fascinating fantasy realm. Even the plot and character development are strong for a game of that era, and as an extra bonus, Secret of Mana supports multiplayer for up to 3 players simultaniously. Imagine a game back in 1994 that offers nearly everything that Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles offers, and you're pretty close to Secret of Mana. I would even say that Secret of Mana was a far better game in its time than FF:CC is now.

Unfortunately, Nintendo of America didn't see fit to translate the sequel to Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3, over to America because it arrived too late in the SNES life-cycle and Nintendo 64 development was already gearing up. That's a real shame, because from what I've seen of Seiken Densetsu 3, it is a real gem of a game--truly a Squaresoft masterpiece, and probably even the best in the Seiken Densetsu series. As for Seiken Densetsu 1, it's a GameBoy game and was available in America as Final Fantasy Adventure; there is now a GameBoy Advance remake of it known as Sword of Mana. Seiken Densetsu 4, a PlayStation game, also made it to America under the title "Legend of Mana."

If you are a Squaresoft fan at all, you really should investigate this classic game. It was a huge influence on the development of future Squaresoft titles, and made a signficant impact on the console RPG genre in general. And, of course, it's one of my all-time favourite games.

posted by Parappa @ 3:29 PM