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| Secret of Mana | |
|---|---|
| Title | Secret of Mana |
| Developer | Squaresoft |
| Publisher | Square |
| Director | Koichi Ishii |
| Producer | Hiroyuki Ito |
| Designer | Koichi Ishii |
| Writer | Masato Kato |
| Composer | Hiroki Kikuta |
| Platforms | Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Windows |
| Released | 1993 |
| Genre | Action role-playing game |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
Secret of Mana is an action role-playing game developed by Squaresoft for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and released in 1993. It follows a young hero wielding a magical sword joined by companions who seek to stop a destructive empire and awaken the world's power. The title is notable for its cooperative multiplayer, real-time combat, and influential soundtrack, and it played a key role in popularizing action-RPG mechanics in the console era.
Gameplay centers on real-time action combat, party management, and exploration across interconnected regions such as the Mana Fortress and the Palace of Seasons. Players control a protagonist who fights with a sword while two companions—an ally and a sprite—use weapons and ring-based magic; combat uses an active time-based "Ring Command" menu inspired by interfaces like Chrono Trigger and systems developed by staff from Final Fantasy projects. The game emphasizes equipment progression via weapon leveling, elemental mana upgrades, and resource management including consumables found in dungeons like the Water Palace and the Mana Tree area. Cooperative multiplayer allows simultaneous control by multiple players via the SNES multitap or local controllers similar to setups used in Contra III: The Alien Wars sessions. Exploration links diverse environments such as towns modeled after Pandora's Temple concepts, overworld travel by ship and dragon akin to navigation in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and mini-games that evoke mechanics from Secret of Evermore and other Squaresoft titles.
The narrative follows a young orphan who draws the legendary Mana Sword and unwittingly awakens an industrialized Empire bent on harnessing the world's power, setting up conflicts that intersect with locations like the Kingdom of Pandora's Temple and the Lazuli Forest. He is joined by a sprite companion rescued from a fallen tree and a young fighter whose village is impacted by the Empire's experiments; together they confront generals, thwart experiments reminiscent of themes in Final Fantasy VI, and attempt to prevent the revival of an ancient weapon sealed by the Mana Tree. Along the way the party visits disparate locales such as the Underworld, the Caves of Fire, and crystalline strongholds connected to artifacts and elemental spirits; plot beats resolve around freeing elemental guardians, confronting the Empire's ruler and a resurrected antagonist with ties to cosmic forces present in titles like Secret of Evermore and Phantasy Star IV.
Development was led by director Koichi Ishii with a team drawn from Squaresoft's talent pool including designers and composers who worked on Final Fantasy entries. Composer Hiroki Kikuta produced a soundtrack mixing orchestral samples and experimental textures, recorded with hardware similar to that used on Final Fantasy VI, and implemented dynamic music cues to accompany areas such as the Water Palace. The project experimented with real-time combat influenced by action elements from arcade titles and console innovations; programmers adapted the SNES's SPC700 audio chip techniques and sprite-handling routines comparable to those in Super Mario World and Illusion of Gaia. Artistic direction featured character designs and worldbuilding that echoed motifs from Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, while production constraints led to narrative edits paralleling cut content stories from Final Fantasy V.
The game launched in Japan in 1993 under the title released by Square on the Super Famicom and was localized for North America and Europe with translation and cultural adjustments similar to the localizations of Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger. Marketing campaigns included magazine previews in outlets that covered Electronic Gaming Monthly and Nintendo Power-style coverage; distribution utilized cartridge manufacturing and retailer partnerships akin to releases of Super Metroid and Donkey Kong Country. Subsequent re-releases appeared on digital platforms such as the Wii Virtual Console and compilation anthologies in line with offerings from Square Enix.
Upon release, the title received praise for its soundtrack by Hiroki Kikuta, colorful sprite work reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and engaging multiplayer; contemporary reviews compared its ambition to Final Fantasy VI and lauded its action-RPG pacing. Critics noted technical limitations including slowdown in large encounters and narrative simplification versus text-heavy RPGs like Phantasy Star IV, yet it earned accolades in year-end lists alongside titles such as Super Mario All-Stars. Retrospective coverage has reappraised its influence on later action-RPGs, with scholarly and fan analyses referencing its role in shaping genre conventions alongside entries like Diablo and Secret of Evermore.
The game spawned a franchise known for sprite-based sequels and spiritual successors, influencing designers behind Trials of Mana and shaping cooperative mechanics later seen in Secret of Evermore derivatives and indie action-RPGs. Its music continues to be performed in orchestral concerts and remix albums associated with events like Video Games Live and the Distant Worlds concert series. The intellectual property contributed to Square Enix's catalog considerations, merchandise, and cameo appearances in cross-franchise projects alongside characters from Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts.
Ports, remasters, and adaptations appeared across multiple systems: a Wii Virtual Console release, mobile ports for Android and iOS with touch controls, and a modern 3D remake by Square Enix for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Nintendo Switch released in the 2010s, which featured reworked graphics and orchestration comparable to remakes like Final Fantasy VII Remake. Fan translations and ROM hacks extended accessibility similar to community projects for Chrono Trigger and other Squaresoft classics.
Category:1993 video games