Secret of Mana (Super Nintendo, 1993)

To this day, I keep my SNES hooked up only for a few certain games, the most prominent of which is Secret of Mana. Although I've beaten it a good twenty times already, every now and then I'll get bored of these new, 3D, insuperior RPGs and go back to the real classics...
SoM has an excellent storyline, an even better battle system, and great music. You can control three characters (the boy, the girl, and the sprite) alone, letting the CPU take care of the two you're not currently playing with, or, if it's your thing, you can grab a partner and share the control. Each character has their own specialty: one with fighting, another with attack magic, and the final with healing magic. The battle system is not turn-based, which is something I, for one, enjoy.

The entire Seiken Densetsu series (this is Seiken Densetsu 2) is excellent. I would highly recommend buying Final Fantasy Adventure (Seiken Densetsu 1) and Legend of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 4) in addition if you enjoy this game, which I have no doubt you will if you like RPGs. They don't stand up to the quality of Secret of Mana, but they're decent games nonetheless. Unfortunately, Seiken Densetsu 3, in my opinion perhaps the best RPG I've ever played, was never released in the United States, but was translated later as a ROM.

This is an incredible game. Get it quickly, pop it in your SNES, and start the fun.

Secret of Mana is the first game in the Mana series(others include dawn of mana, sword of mana, etc.) and in my opinion it is the best. With great graphics and an original story this game is a delight for classic RPG fans. Another thing that made this game great is that you can play with two other people coop-style. The game play is more like zelda, opting for real time combat rather than turn-based. Similar games on the Super Nintendo are Secret of Evermore, though Mana is much better and more fun. This game is a must have for any collector of SNES games or RPGs.

Secret of Mana, if you are any kind of SNES gamer, is one of the games you MUST have. It's essentially an RPG mixed with zelda-esque fighting, except it has a two-player option as well. The music, graphics, story, fighting system, and even the menu system are unique and awesome. You take the role of a young boy who finds a magical sword and is therefore made an outcast. You meet a young girl and a sprite, and even a baby dragon that you eventually ride. Enemies include Rabites, killer snails, goblins, hydras, giant tigers, robin hood-like rogues, and hundreds more. In addition to your own level, you can increase each character's level of proficiency in eight weapons, as well as eight different schools of magic with spectacular and flashy results. This game never stops being fun--if you've never played it, you should at least try it one day if you can find a copy.

There are few SNES RPGS that really stick out to me. Most are turn based and require so much grinding. They hardly seemed to have any character. And then there is Secret of Mana. This game is simply amazing. Its like The Legend of Zelda but with a 3 player option. Its so much fun when playing with other people. The combat is easy to understand and the ring selection tool is very well done. The ring allows for easy equipment changes and magic use. The graphics are colorful, bright, and add to this amazing experience. Though this game does have some flaws. Such as the delayed attacks. An example of this would be; you attack an enemy with your sword and the enemy is knocked back. If you were to keep hitting the creature it would not be able to move and each attack is registered but they take a few seconds to show. This also works both ways. So you could find yourself getting the snot beat out of you and you can't do anything about it. It can be kind of frustrating after making so much progress and then getting beat to death without a chance. That aspect of the game makes a second player someone you would like to have around to plan strategies with. Its a lot of fun and anyone who has a SNES should get this game.

First off, it's funny they have people who buy the games review them on eBay. If someone bought the game on here, it usually means they wanted it to begin with!

Anyways, Secret of Mana is one of the greatest Action RPGs for the SNES. With the ability to do up to 3 player multi-play and a great (though slightly flawed) battle system, the game really keeps things varied and interesting. Unfortunately, the story is a bit oddly paced and doesn't quite hold up substance wise, especially when compared to much deeper titles that came out around the same time and have come out since. Be aware, too, that this game will be very monotonous and boring for people who aren't into the idea of running around areas and killing enemies for hours, which can become quite laborious with how the energy percentage system works. Basically, every time you attack something or run, your energy depletes to 0%. It then charges back up (quickly), and if you attack before it's back up to 100%, you'll do 1/2 your normal damage or less (usually). While this usually isn't a problem, there are points in the game where this slows things down considerably.

The graphics for this title were very good for when the game came out. Definitely holds all the Super Nintendo charm. Characters often show frames of emotion in response to certain dialogue in the game. I remember this creating a stronger sense of connection to the characters when I first played the game, but unfortunately the effect doesn't seem as strong as it once was.

Overall, a great game, and definitely worth playing, especially if you have a friend or partner who would enjoy this title along with you!