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At the expense of sounding like an old man at the age of 25, I just have to say that they don't make games like this anymore. Not quite sure if this is my favorite game of all time, but it's definetly in the top three, and I've played quite a few games. The original Secret of Mana is just such an awesome game. It's a Zelda-style adventure, but with three different characters, a well-worked system of magic, great musical selection, a vast world to explore, and an engaging story line. A multi-player addition (where a pal can control one of your three characters) makes the game so much more enjoyable.
This is a game that proves that an older game with a great concept beats the hell out of a more modern game with the greatest graphics in the world. If I wanted characters that look as close to real people as possible I'd watch TV. Video games are all about the concept and creativity behind the game. Secret of Mana epitomizes that. Probably out of production by this point, but if you can get your hands on it, you'll definetly be pleased. Or at least download it and play with an emulator.
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I am an avid RPG player and I personally think that this is one of the best that I've played. I think that FFVI (FFIII) and the Secret of Mana are best SNES games out there. I have never had so much fun playing multiplayer than I have with this game. For once an RPG that you can actually play with a friend, and NOT only in the battles. The story line is a little corny, but then again, so are most. The graphics compared to now days are weak, but they are very well done for a SNES game. They make the game all the more enjoyable. The music is great as well! Very midi sounding of course, but adds to the character of the game none the less. I find that playing it alone can get rather boring, but it's the most fun I've had playing video games with friends. It provides hours of entertainment and it is one of my favorite games of all time. Five BIG stars for Secret of Mana!
Rating: 
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Anyone who has ever played "Zelda III: A Link to the Past" on the SNES knows what an excellent action/RPG game is supposed be. Secret of Mana is not quite as good as Zelda III, but it is a lot of fun to play. Personally, I enjoy this game! But I will say right not that this is not a particularly hard game to play, but it is interesting and will keep you entertained.
I do not want to go into much detail about the story, but I will say this much. It is an action/RPG about a teenage boy who accidentally finds a magical, powerful sword embedded in a rock outside of his village. Suprisingly, the sword calls out to him and he ends up removing the sword. Little does he know that by doing that, he destroyed the protective seal around his village and monsters and other baddies move in and cause fear and chaos. When the villagers discover that he is responsible for the attack on their village, they banish the boy from his home, and he is forced to set out into the world to restore the peace and order.
Anyone who has ever played SoM can tell you that its best and most memorable quality by far is its music. SoM's music composer Hiroki Kikuta displays his extraordinary talent in this game. Almost every song is beautifully arranged and has an original and interesting composition. Most people who play SoM has his or her own special favourites, and they are so good that you may even find yourself humming them without even realizing it. Secret of Mana has one of the best sountracks of any RPG game (or any game for that matter). Even if the game itself does not satisfy your hunger just listening to its amazing songs will make the playing experience worth while.
Despite the fact that Secret of Mana is over 10 years old, and the graphics are outdated compared to today's polished, beautiful computer generated graphics, it can still hold its own compared to other games made back then. Everything is bright, colourful and detailed (except for the characters who are not as detailed). The most impressive designs are those of the palaces. Each palace is created with such beautiful and intricate detail, that you will forget that the game was made over 10 years ago.
The magic system is pretty simple. You have two magic users in the game, the girl and the sprite. The girl uses magic that has healing or enhancement properties, and the sprite uses destructive/attack magic. Each spell comes from a different elemental creature, and there are 8 elements altogether: Fire, water, earth, air, moon, shade, light and mana. Throughout the game you will meet each elemental creature and he or she will bestow their powers upon you, giving you the ability to use their spells in battle. The more you use a spell the more powerful it becomes. You can track a spell's progress on the Weapon/Magic Level screen in the menu. It will gain levels by decreasing increments (eg. To Level 1 - Increases by 0.1 each use, To Level 2 - Increases by 0.09 each use, to Level 3 - Increases 0.08 each use, etc.) This makes it more difficult to achieve more powerful spells causing you to use spells even when you don't need to in order to reach a higher level. In the end, all the trouble is well worth it when you acheive more powerful spells.
There is not much to the storyline of this game. And it is certainly not as deep and exciting as Zelda III or other RPG's for that matter. There is almost no character development here so if you prefer action over story, then this is the game for you. It is basically a "go-out-and-save-the-world-and-kill-as-many-monsters-as-you-can" type of game so there will be a lack of challenge for seasoned pros. And unfortunately, the dialouge is not too good either. The three heroes hardly say anything at all, except maybe for the boy who does a bit of talking. And what they do say is more at a child's level of understanding and entertainment. Chrono Trigger was made for people of all ages too, but even its dialouge and story were far above that of Secret of Mana in terms of quality, interest and challenge.
A feauture of this game that is unique is that you can play with up to two other people if you have the adapter. That feature alone makes the game a lot more enjoyable. There is a glitch in the game however. If any of the characters are controlled by the computer they will sometimes become stuck behind objects and you may have to restart the game.
Secret of Mana may not be the most difficult RPG to play, especially for seasoned RPGamers, but for anyone who owns it my advice is to hang on to it and treasure it. Don't do what I did and sell it for some money. It may not have much in terms of character-driven stories, or an intricate, sophisticated plot, but it is a great game to play when you get the urge to kick some butt without losing the RPG theme.
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Let's get something out of the way first: I thought this was the best game when I first played it back in 1994. But in that same year, I was also in fourth grade, so I didn't really know any better. I thought it had the best storyline and combat system. What a shame. It's only now that I realize how average this thing really is. And after looking over the reviews, claiming how this is the "single best game ever made", it makes me laugh. But then there are the people claiming this is the best SNES game out there. No. How dare you people place this above Super Mario World, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, or even Street Fighter 2 Turbo? Secret of Mana is just as overrated as that other horrid game, Final Fantasy 7.
The story of SoM is nothing special at all. You play a very stupid boy who falls from a log seemingly 500 feet above ground level. Somehow, he gets back on his feet, and decides that he needs to get back up there, probably so he can do it again. On his way back, he finds a sword...calling his name. He gets the sword (because there are bushes in his way. What a sissy), and all hell breaks loose...or so they try to make it seem. He cuts down the bushes, and encounters a rabbit. Only this rabbit spins right at him, and causes danger. So eventually, the boy makes it to his village and...oh hell, I'm already sick of writing this. But after the first 40 minute, the plot becomes non-existant. I tried replaying the game again just last week, to see if there was anything I might have missed, but there isn't. I really hope all the five star reviews here are from people who haven't completed the game. If they are, there's a problem with this country's people.
The characters are horrible. The boy says a few lines in the beginning, and near the end. That's about it. When you go to the status screen, you'll see that he has the lowest intelligence. Big surprise. The girl (these characters don't have a deafult name, so I'm just calling them what they're refered to in the instruction book) is the clich? daughter of a king who "doesn't understand her". To make matters worse, she's in love with a soldier who pretty much could care less if she died. Later on when he disappears, she says "I have to find him!" and that's about it. Some touching moment that was. Then there's The Sprite. This thing comes along with you for no reason at all. This is how it goes right before you get him in the party "hey, you should take the Sprite along! Here's his boomerang and bow!". There, that's the whole reason of him being in the party.
Combat wasn't that bad, but the AI is. If you don't have 2 other people to play this with, the AI is going to get itself killed more times than should be possible. What's funny is that sometimes the characters will get stuck behind a rock or something, and not even try to go around it. Also, you can charge your weapon's attack. For what reason, I have no idea. By the time they're done charging, the enemy is accross the screen on the other side, and you'll miss. Magic's the only decent thing here, as you're invincible when casting spells. Oh, you can only carry 4 of each item for some reason.
The music *shakes head*. There are MAYBE 4 good tracks here, but they're heard once or twice. I'm curious about the number of total tracks, as the same one is repeated for at least 6 different areas. Very lazy of you Square. You're better off just muting the tv and playing a CD. And the sound effects are just downright silly. When you deliver a fatal blow to an enemy, they make a squishy sound, and burst into a rain of what appears to be yogurt. I can't believe I thought this was cool back in the day...
If I could go back in time, I'd slap myself for thinking this was a good game. What was I thinking? The only people that can give this thing 5 stars are those that've never played an RPG before in their life, or Square fanboys who think everything they put out is great. There is one pro about owning this game: I can sell it for at least $40, which is going to end up happening. Go get Chrono Trigger, FFVI, EarthBound or Mario RPG instead.
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Sorry, FFVI takes the cake for best looking. But when I played this game and saw the Mana Tree for the first time, I couldn't believe I was playing a SNES game. The graphics are some of the best on the system. And trust me, the graphics are not all this game has to offer. It features a very mystical well told story and it will grab your attention from the start. The multi player is also very fun. I think everyone with a Super Nintendo should play this game at least once.
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