Secret of Mana

Secret of Mana was another in Squaresoft's outstanding series of memorable RPGs, with a more dynamic fighting system and co-op for up to three players. Players would select a Boy, Girl, or Sprite and battle in real-time, with the possibility to halt the action briefly by calling up spells, items, or other special instructions via a ring menu. Secret of Mana was many Western fans' first introduction to the Seiken Densetsu series, which features a clearly anime-inspired graphical style. Secret of Mana's sprite artwork was sharp, bright, and expressive, with several larger-than-life monsters and boss figures highlighting the style.

The game garnered a lot of praise for its brilliantly colored visuals, large narrative, Ring Command menu interface, and novel real-time warfare system. The music by Hiroki Kikuta and the adjustable artificial intelligence (AI) settings for computer-controlled teammates were highly appreciated by critics.

Release date: 1993

Platforms: PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4

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