Secret of Mana

Description

Secret of Mana is set in a high fantasy world where three heroes, the boy, the girl, and the sprite, must restore the power of Mana and prevent an empire from using an ancient flying fortress to dominate the world. Unlike contemporaneous RPGs that relied on turn‑based combat, Secret of Mana features real‑time battles governed by a stamina bar, requiring players to time their attacks for maximum effect. It also introduced the Ring Command menu system, which pauses the action and allows players to select spells, items, or equipment without breaking the flow of combat.

One of its most distinctive features is the drop‑in cooperative multiplayer, allowing up to three players to control the party simultaneously. This was groundbreaking for console RPGs in the early 1990s and contributed to the game’s enduring reputation. The soundtrack, composed by Hiroki Kikuta, is widely praised for its atmospheric blend of ethereal and adventurous themes, and the colourful art direction by Shinichi Kameoka and Hiroo Isono gave the game a vibrant, storybook quality.

Commercially and critically, Secret of Mana was highly successful, earning acclaim for its expansive plot, innovative systems, and cooperative play. It broke through internationally into markets that has often been hesitant to fully embrace JRPGs. It also provided a template and inspiration for many that came after it – most obviously the US-themed Secret of Evermore. Retrospectively, it is often ranked among the greatest games of all time and remains beloved by many.

It has been re‑released on multiple platforms, including the Wii Virtual Console, the Super Nintendo Classic Mini, a half-decent iPhone/iPad port, and the Nintendo Switch as part of Collection of Mana. A full 3D remake for PlayStation 4, Vita, and Windows arrived in 2018 to mixed reception due to its reworked graphics and lack of significant gameplay improvements. Retrospectively it is a landmark in action RPG design, with mechanics that balanced accessibility and depth, and its cooperative system anticipated later trends in multiplayer RPGs. It was a cornerstone to 16‑bit role‑playing games.

This is an Australian packaged PAL release. Release date estimated from OFLC classification date (29/10/1994) and Hyper Magazine January 1995.