Secret of Mana

[The NZA]

 

out of nowhere! crazy cause i was just listening to the OST earlier today, too.

 

it's a classic little action-RPG (with co-op!) but minimal character/story, i was here hoping we'd get the Mana collection japan got recently for the Switch, but this showed up instead. while not my first choice for a remake (that'd prolly be Vagrant Story), still pretty excited here!

 

 

 

[Little Nemo McFly]

...whenever I hear that title track...

 

 

Bam - LOL!

 

Is this a remake of the first one?! WHAAAA?! Jeez, not on Nintendo - amazing. I really can't wait till I eventually get dat PS4. I need to see more footage.

[Iambaytor]

I'm still hoping that collection gets localized but ho-lee shit. Do I dare dream that they may actually make the full Secret of Mana as intended instead of the truncated one for the SNES?

[The NZA]

wait, what was the full one? i'm down for some details here, never followed that too closely

[Iambaytor]

Secret of Mana was intended to be one of the first SNES CD games but when Nintendo's deal with Phillips folded they had to scale it down at the last minute. This is why the endgame of Secret of Mana after you get Flammie is basically just a series of short dungeons (or in case of the Lunar Seed, just walking down a few hallways and getting the prize.) They had a considerable amount more planned to make the back half of the game as rich as the first half but it had to be scrapped, they tried to make up with this with Seiken Densetsu 3 which is a much bigger game. I'm hoping that a lot of that stuff gets incorporated back into the remake.

[The NZA]

...well, damn. yeah that does explain those areas, but now i'm bummed we missed that fantastic OST on CD.

 

wonder if there was more character interaction there? id heard III had it but still havent played that one yet, was hoping to from that collection one day but who knows if we'll get it.

[Little Nemo McFly]

I jumped into 'Secret of Mana' this weekend - giving it a replay (going solo). In digging into my recently acquired 'upgraded' batch of SNES games - I noticed Secret of Mana 2 was on there...w/ a patched English Translation...and it works!

 

 

Totally doing 'Seiken Densetsu 3' as soon as I'm done w/ Mana '93!

[Iambaytor]

Oh Nemo, Seiken Densetus 3 will be the death of you. You're going to have to play it to completion at least twice to get every character's ending.

[Little Nemo McFly]

"Oooooh...shit."

 

Have you done it? Have you gotten all endings - or have been beaten Densetsu 3?

[Little Nemo McFly]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still a great game - but would totally benefit from expansion.

 

...this is why the endgame of Secret of Mana after you get Flammie is basically just a series of short dungeons (or in case of the Lunar Seed, just walking down a few hallways and getting the prize.) They had a considerable amount more planned to make the back half of the game as rich as the first half but it had to be scrapped, they tried to make up with this with Seiken Densetsu 3 which is a much bigger game. I'm hoping that a lot of that stuff gets incorporated back into the remake.

 

Think I'm gonna go for it...Secret of Mana 2...

 

With 'Secret of Mana' (93) - you can get really overpowered...pretty early on if you want to. The game is kind of a breeze.

 

I have no idea what's in store w/ the sequel - I just know it's gorgeous. Depending on how awesome it is - I'll go for the multiple endings. Hopefully, the game doesn't suck...and it doesn't take a month to beat.

 

Off I go...

 

 

 

 

 

[Iambaytor]

I never beat Secret of Mana 2 but there are six playable characters. Any one can be your main but you only get to choose 3. I'm not sure if you can play through the full story of a given character unless they are your main so you may even need to beat the game six times. It is a massively fleshed out improvement on Secret of Mana with day/night cycles and a more fluid battle system. It's great, you'll love it.

 

 

 

[The NZA]

 

[Little Nemo McFly]

^ Kiiiinda weeeeird. The combat seems to lack that...'snap' - when you swipe n' hit an enemy. Still interesting to get n' play the game...given modern-day attention / 'polish'...hype-levels definitely lowered, tho...but still hyped.

 

That 'Mantis' Boss battle...they could've worked in a couple o' frames in there to give a nod to the original..'sprite'? LOL - y'know what I'm saying? When you see 'em side-by-side...it's like, 'I'm just looking down on the top of his head.' They should've worked in a moment where he...roars or whatever and strikes a full-body pose at the '4th wall' - if not a nod to his original sprite...at least see the monster's design! LOL - I'm just looking down on his head n' back!

 

Anyway - I beat Seiken Densetsu 3. I thought it was a sequel - turned out to be a 'prequel'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Took well over 40 hours...

 

 

...and I just ran through it. It looks amazing - it felt like it was a PS1 game...the sprites and effects were that impressive for a 'SNES game'.

 

Combat is a bit different - still free-style, but it's tweaked...took a bit getting used to coming right off the original. You can just hold down the 'attack button' - and your character will automatically attack / dodge...take care of business. The ring command menu is still intact, but they moved unequipping / upgrading armor n' weapons to this needlessly complex sub-menu thing...hated getting new armor n' weapons. Something that could've taken seconds - took minutes.

 

Leveling up is also different...so different, I eventually had to google how to level up my characters and magic...properly. Weapons no longer have to be leveled up - but you have to designate points to stuff like Intelligence, Wisdom...shit like that, to effectively level up magic and stuff. Sucked...game doesn't explain how any of it works. Got to a point where I kept getting destroyed - learned the hard way I was 'leveling up my characters wrong'.

 

I prefer the system / menus / gameplay of the first game - but the graphics and size of SD3 blows the first game outta the water. No way I'm gonna play through it again w/ all the characters - LOL!

 

Each character has their own 'story' - you pick 'a main' and then 2 companions. The 'main's story takes center stage - and you get snippets of your companions' stories during your journey...but to play it all again 6 times (6 playable characters) - naaaaw, I'm good. To it's credit - you do get a taste of a larger story...and I'm sure playing as different characters (mains) - you can get the full scope of the effects of...the events in the game. It is kinda compelling.

 

I picked the 'Sprite' as my main. I figured since she died in the last game - I'd play her 'reincarnated' form...but I eventually figured the game wasn't a 'sequel' - more like a 'prequel'. (shrugs) Felt like her story was the main one, anyway. I'd recommend SD3, but it could get to a point where a stat / magic / level-up guide - tutorial-thing is required to get over an eventual hump.

 

 

[The NZA]

 

 

art style's feeling...more off-putting with every rendition at this point. 

 

gotta say, replaying this with CD quality music on SD2SNES is seeming like the better option for me 

[Little Nemo McFly]

Sounds like they're putting sum solid TLC into this.

 

I like the ability to switch to the original music, mute dialogue...LOL - they have the shop dudes dance, now!  The graphic improvements are really noticeable...more vibrant.

 

I'm okay w/ the art style / design.  I think it fits.  (shrugs)

 

Looks like they're still working hard at this.  It all feels like a work in progress, tho - but, I'm totally sold - I just can't believe it ain't coming to the Switch.  I'd pick this up.

[The NZA]

okay, so i finally started Seiken Densetsu III, and i gotta ask, @Iambaytor - the game looks & sounds beautiful, but is there much story here? 

 

picked the beastman as my main (i read this was a good choice?), and it's interesting so far, but....like, the plot/character in Secret of Mana was minimal, and even for a shorter RPG, i don't know if i'm inclined to do that again.  

 

just wondering if this is gonna be another FF V where everyone raves about the engine/class system but the story is kinda forgettable. 

[Iambaytor]

You'd do better asking Nemo there, I only made it about a quarter of the way through before my laptop died 10 years ago and I haven't picked it up since.  I do know from what I've played that the sic charactera have much more in-depth stories than Randi, Purim, and Popoie in the first (second) game.  I don't know how that effects the narrative on the whole but I do know it influences the final boss at very least.

[The NZA]

ah, alright - i'm gonna give it a bit more time 

 

also, just found out the physical disc for this remake is a $40 gamestop exclusive! 

[Newtype]

FUCK.THIS.GAME

 

The fucking thing keeps crashing and I lose 40-50 minutes of play time.

I refuse to keep playing till they fix it.

[Little Nemo McFly]

[The NZA]

shit, for real? about how far in/where does it crash?  that's some bullshit 

[Keth]

I've literally only heard bad things about this thing.

[The NZA]

yeah? what's going around about it? 

i played just long enough to beat the first boss, there's clear changes but the ability to switch back to the original OST on the fly is cool