It was the culmination of the Mana saga, but it did not reach the West until the Nintendo Switch Collection. A game ahead of its time that premiered in 1995.
Trials of Mana, or Seiken Densetsu 3, as it was originally known in Japan, was a title that broke the scheme of what the Super Famicom could do. Launched by Square in 1995, it immediately stood out for graphics that were among the best that the console had to offer at the time, and which, according to Cubed3, "were the most outrageously eye-catching" and embarrassing any other company in comparison (1 ); for enjoying a soundtrack that Nintendo Life described as “spectacular from start to finish” (2); and for having a gameplay rooted in the option of different paths that alter the future of the plot, and that made playing it a new experience every time.
Despite not having been translated at the time from Japanese due to technical limitations of the cartridges outside the Japanese country, the game became famous in the west thanks to a patch made by fans in 1999 that translated all the texts into English. Such was the popularity it reached that it became a classic of the time; This is surely why Square Enix decided to resurrect him in the 2020 trial remake of Mana. Today we will see why it is so loved by those who have played it.
Six paths, three stories
As soon as the game begins, we are offered the option of choosing between six different characters who will be our protagonist, as well as his two companions. We should not make this decision lightly, as who we choose as the main character will determine which of three different stories we will play, as well as who will be the final boss. If we choose Durán, the warrior of Valsena, or Ángela, the magician of Altena, we will face the Lord of the Dragons; If we opt for Lis, Brisia's Amazon, or Falco, Nebal's thief, our nemesis will be the Dark Majesty; And if we choose Kevin, the werewolf of Fierolia, or Charlotte, Wendel's cleric, we will fight against the Masked Sorcerer.
What's interesting about this is that, although most of the plot unfolds in the same way for all the characters, things will change a lot depending on our choices. If you also choose two characters that belong to the same storyline, you can see additional scenes and lines of dialogue to further immerse yourself in the narrative.
It must be said, however, that at quite a few points the story becomes confusing. This is because the game will focus on our protagonist and the resolution of his conflict, while relegating our companions to the background. This leads us to feel that these characters are shallower, or that their narratives are incomplete. In addition, although it is full of very original elements, the plot sometimes falls into stereotypes typical of the JRPGs or the genre of epic fantasy.
Play how you want
But the plot is not the only thing that varies. Trials of Mana offers a class change mechanic that, although it seems reminiscent of the Final Fantasy saga, is very different from this one. And, when we reach level 18, we can go to a mana stone to choose whether we want the characters to evolve towards the path of light or darkness (Lis, for example, can evolve from being Amazon to Valkyrie or Lady of the runes), and the techniques and strategies we can use will change a lot depending on our choice.
Again we will find this option when we reach level 36, at which point we can make the same decision. This gives us a total of four final classes: Light / Light, Light / Darkness, Darkness / Light, and Darkness / Darkness. As a general rule, light classes are more focused on health recovery and status enhancement, while shadow classes are more focused on attack and offensive magic.
Another option that allows us to opt for a more personalized play style is the use of the skill points that we gain by leveling up in some statistics or others. Thanks to this we can make our characters specialize in some fields or others, something that we must use together with the class change to get the most out of each fighter. Together, these game mechanics make each game completely unique.
An immersive world
One of the most praised aspects of this game is how original the universe in which it takes place is. The setting is that of a world of high fantasy in which monsters coexist with Valkyries, ninjas, werewolves, and all kinds of mythological creatures; but, far from remaining in the typical cliches of the RPG genre, the locations are very varied and imaginative. So, for example, we will visit the twilight Lampbloom Woods that is plunged into an eternal night; the Crystal Desert, a moor covered by clouds and surrounded by plateaus whose phosphorescent sands give it its name; or the Chartmoon Tower, plunged under the influence of the moon, where we will face a beast that has spent a long time trapped there …
All these places are absolutely magical, and the powerful graphic aspect of this game in the Super Famicom made diving into them a unique experience. This, together with the fact that part of the scenarios were drawn by hand, and the watercolor appearance that characterizes them, makes the world of Trials of Mana one of the most fascinating and memorable in the history of RPGs.
Another aspect that makes us fully immerse ourselves in it is that it not only has a day and night system, like many other games in the genre, but it also has days of the week. This not only serves to make the scenarios feel different, but also influences the gameplay. Each day is associated with an elemental spirit, while the morning is associated with the spirit of light and the night with that of darkness. Well, during those days, the magic of this element will be reinforced, which makes facing certain dungeons or bosses easier or more difficult depending on the time of the week we are. Additionally, Kevin, the werewolf, has the ability to turn into his beast form at night, making his attacks far more powerful in the moonlight.
Imagination, fantasy and memorable
Despite all that said, Seiken Densetsu 3 was not the perfect game. Both the plot and characters could seem simple or cliché at times, and the plot may seem confusing or inconclusive for those characters on your team who did not share the story with the protagonist. Menus in the form of rings for using items and magic needed to be refined, and the fighting often turned into a chaotic fray riddled with incomprehensible numbers and attacks.
However, it is a fascinating game that is not easily forgotten. His world is full of imagination and fantasy, and the graphic and musical aspects, so polished and well geared, only reinforce the fact that we are in a magical world worth exploring. The different plots of the different characters mean that, even after finishing the game, we want to return to discover new details of the other stories. The ability to personalize turns each game into a unique experience, making it very difficult to get bored despite visiting the same settings again.
All of us who have played this gem of the 16-bit era remember it as one of the most memorable games in RPG history, even in the entire industry. Now we just have to hope that Trials of Mana, the 2020 remake, knows how to capture all the aspects that made this adventure so fascinating and special.
Sources:
- 1. Cubed3, http://www.cubed3.com/review/321/2/seiken-densetsu-3-secret-of-mana-2-snes.html
- 2. Nintendo Life, http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2010/03/seiken_densetsu_3_retro
