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[speedpop]

The first time I ever played this was in a holiday home on a black & white TV.

I'd love to go back to it, especially with the VWF & Proper-case patches, but I feel that the combat system is going to bug me after the 2nd hour.

I still like to tell the story of how the Sprite managed to somehow glitch itself out of my party before the last dungeon was completed, meaning that there was no way in hell I could defeat the last boss outside of grinding forever. The whole thing caused me to restart.

 

[ethomaz]

The first game I bought in my life.

My first console was SNES bundled with Megaman X... so Secret of Mana was the first game I put my money.

Secreat of Mana is amazing.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Fantastic thread. I never got particularly far in Mana, but I did really like what I plated.

I was frustrated years back when I picked it up for a dollar, only to realize that I had actually gotten Secret of Evermore and confused the two, as I often still do. A good game, sure, but not Mana.

lol, can't go wrong for a dollar, but that still must have been disappointing

 

[Raist]

or why you fight a mana beast as a final boss.

To this day I think it's one of the biggest dick moves in the history of final bosses. "You know that cute little dragon you saved and went on incredible adventures with? Now kill it lolz".

 

[DiipuSurotu]

To this day I think it's one of the biggest dick moves in the history of final bosses. "You know that cute little dragon you saved and went on incredible adventures with? Now kill it lolz".

When I first played the game I didn't even realize it was Flammie. I don't know if I was too young to get it or if it was due to the shitty French translation I was playing.

 

[Nohar]

Didn't know about the Genesis OST, nice!
The remastered version of Still of the Night is wonderful... Damn, I'm getting teary-eyed.

 

[Skyfireblaze]

To this day I think it's one of the biggest dick moves in the history of final bosses. "You know that cute little dragon you saved and went on incredible adventures with? Now kill it lolz".

When I first played the game I didn't even realize it was Flammie. I don't know if I was too young to get it or if it was due to the shitty French translation I was playing.

Huuh o.o I might be very well wrong but I don't think the Mana Beast was Flammie, I always understood it that they were of the same species but not the same being :/

 

[sixteen-bit]

Huuh o.o I might be very well wrong but I don't think the Mana Beast was Flammie, I always understood it that they were of the same species but not the same being :/

yeah if it was Flammie, then that's one for the mind-blowing facts thread, lol.

 

[Ashram]

yeah if it was Flammie, then that's one for the mind-blowing facts thread, lol.

I also didn't get the idea that it was Flammie. The Woolsey-script also doesn't make any reference to the Mana Beast being Flammie:

Sprite: It's a Mana Beast!

Princess: Isn't it a Flammie?

Hero: I guess Flammies were once Mana Beasts...

Sprite: Hurry, or the Mana Beast will ruin the world! Come on! Do it!

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

LOL, yeah, I'm pretty sure it's not Flammie from that "a Flammie". But Japanese doesn't have "a" so who knows?

 

[Skyfireblaze]

yeah if it was Flammie, then that's one for the mind-blowing facts thread, lol.

Yeah indeed

I also didn't get the idea that it was Flammie. The Woolsey-script also doesn't make any reference to the Mana Beast being Flammie:

Sprite: It's a Mana Beast!

Princess: Isn't it a Flammie?

Hero: I guess Flammies were once Mana Beasts...

Sprite: Hurry, or the Mana Beast will ruin the world! Come on! Do it!

That's how I remember it aswell!

LOL, yeah, I'm pretty sure it's not Flammie from that "a Flammie". But Japanese doesn't have "a" so who knows?

Hmm I guess you have a point here... but weren't there multiple beings of Flammie's species anyway? I remember... I think it was in the Four Season Forest that a pink flying beast would occasionally fly over the screen... or was that at the Mana Tree? My memory is a bit fuzzy D:

 

[Raist]

Hum maybe I made that up
It's just that I thought Flammie was the last of its kind, the characters were knda reluctant to attack the mana beast, and I don't remember Flammie being seen anywhere in the ending. I dunno it just made sense to me that way. But then again last time I played the game was like 10 years ago.

 

[StarCreator]

Given how much of the script is lost in localization I think someone will need to get the Japanese script for this scene before we can draw any kind of conclusions on this one.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

This Flammie=Mana Beast stuff is something I hear from time to time. But judging from this thread I guess it may not be official.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Hum maybe I made that up
It's just that I thought Flammie was the last of its kind, the characters were knda reluctant to attack the mana beast, and I don't remember Flammie being seen anywhere in the ending. I dunno it just made sense to me that way. But then again last time I played the game was like 10 years ago.

I believe all magical creatures were wiped from existence at the end, so that's why Flammie and Popoi are gone.

 

[sugarless]

So...back in the day was anyone else mistakenly pronouncing the word 'mana' as 'main-ah' rather than 'man-ah' because they hadn't heard it before, and only found out they had it wrong years later?

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

So...back in the day was anyone else mistakenly pronouncing the word 'mana' as 'main-ah' rather than 'man-ah' because they hadn't heard it before, and only found out they had it wrong years later?

I'm pretty sure it's actually pronounced mah-nah.

 

[sugarless]

I'm pretty sure it's actually pronounced mah-nah.

Yes, that's the correct pronunciation I mean by 'man-ah'. To use your notation, we used to say 'may-nah' in my house and still call the game that despite knowing better now...

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

Yes, that's the correct pronunciation I mean by 'man-ah'. To use your notation, we used to say 'may-nah' in my house and still call the game that despite knowing better now...

I never said "may-nah" but I used to say "man-ah" and now I say "mah-nah"

 

[NonexistentK]

I recorded a game soundtrack first time in my life for this game (to a tape nonetheless) This game represents the golden age of Square for me, perfect blend of artistry and entertainment.

 

[Natetan]

So...back in the day was anyone else mistakenly pronouncing the word 'mana' as 'main-ah' rather than 'man-ah' because they hadn't heard it before, and only found out they had it wrong years later?

Mana was in so many other games like battle of Olympus etc that already knew how to pronounce it. I think it was in some books I read in school too, nah e the hobbit? Yeah

 

[Natetan]

To this day I think it's one of the biggest dick moves in the history of final bosses. "You know that cute little dragon you saved and went on incredible adventures with? Now kill it lolz".

So, why was the mana beast the final boss? I mean square usually pulls a random final final boss thing, but the mana beast deemed especially random.

 

[Natetan]

I might be totally making this up from the recesses of childhood imagination, but the way I remember it is the Mana Beast basically being a conglomeration of all the magical beasts in the world, and it took the form of Flammie because Flammie was the largest and most powerful magical beast.

And then killing it caused the magic to leave the world, which also meant the Sprite was gone.

Why did he suddenly go nuts after being nice and flying you around everywhere?

I'm pretty sure mana beast and flammie are different.

I guess it doesn't matter, I mean did zeromus in ffiv make any sense? At least the lunar whale wasn't the final final boss though...

 

[Sinople]

I've replayed the Jp version (Seiken Densetsu 2) recently and, to me, it's natural to think Flammie is the final boss.
The "Isn't it a Flammie?" line is a mistranslation. It should say "Isn't it Flammie?" (or "It looks like Flammie!" to be closer to the original).
Flammie is its name and white dragon (白&#31452 its race, there's no multiple flammies.

 

[Digital-Hero]

I've replayed the Jp version (Seiken Densetsu 2) recently and, to me, it's natural to think Flammie is the final boss.
The "Isn't it a Flammie?" line is a mistranslation. It should say "Isn't it Flammie?" (or "It looks like Flammie!" to be closer to the original).
Flammie is its name and white dragon (白&#31452 its race, there's no multiple flammies.

Destroying my childhood man.

 

[jaxword]

I might be totally making this up from the recesses of childhood imagination, but the way I remember it is the Mana Beast basically being a conglomeration of all the magical beasts in the world, and it took the form of Flammie because Flammie was the largest and most powerful magical beast.

And then killing it caused the magic to leave the world, which also meant the Sprite was gone.

There's a line by Jema that says that the magical beasts will all combine and thus form the Mana Beast.

Sadly, this probably means Flammie as well. So it may not BE Flammie, but it likely combined with her.

Notice how Flammie doesn't turn up in the ending...


Also, did anyone actually try using the drum during the final battle? Try it next time.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

I've replayed the Jp version (Seiken Densetsu 2) recently and, to me, it's natural to think Flammie is the final boss.
The "Isn't it a Flammie?" line is a mistranslation. It should say "Isn't it Flammie?" (or "It looks like Flammie!" to be closer to the original).
Flammie is its name and white dragon (白&#31452 its race, there's no multiple flammies.

always thought you were killing him at the end T_T despite the mistranslation trying to confuse everything (which you get used to in Square RPGs)

I recorded a game soundtrack first time in my life for this game (to a tape nonetheless) This game represents the golden age of Square for me, perfect blend of artistry and entertainment.

[brofist]

I remember one Halloween, I played the awesome creepy music "Ceremony[Thantos Ruins]" for a haunted house

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

Remember this came coming out like it was yesterday.

I had no idea the characters had actually names though.....

this to both.

I'm getting old.

I still have a level 99 (ok, 97-98) save with all armor and so forth. I don't want to know how much time I spend on this game.

 

[red13th]

One of my favourite games ever. I feel old. It's such an important part of my childhood, being my first Squaresoft game and all.
I remember repeatedly watching the intro just to listen to Fear of the Heavens. It's so good.

 

[Psxphile]

So, why was the mana beast the final boss? I mean square usually pulls a random final final boss thing, but the mana beast deemed especially random.

Mana Beast wasn't "random", it's been hinted at in-game several times that the Mana Beast would appear if the Mana Fortress was raised and begun sucking up the last of the world's Mana.

As for why you had to fight it, it was because if you didn't the Mana Beast would "smash" into the Fortress, which would be disastrous for the entire world.

I've replayed the Jp version (Seiken Densetsu 2) recently and, to me, it's natural to think Flammie is the final boss.
The "Isn't it a Flammie?" line is a mistranslation. It should say "Isn't it Flammie?" (or "It looks like Flammie!" to be closer to the original).
Flammie is its name and white dragon (白&#31452 its race, there's no multiple flammies.

Ah, so the "Flammies" you see flying around randomly in places like the forest are just others of its race. Didn't the game imply they were incredibly rare? Or just elusive?

 

[Natetan]

As for why you had to fight it, it was because if you didn't the Mana Beast would "smash" into the Fortress, which would be disastrous for the entire world.

Why would that be disastrous?

 

[JB2448]

I feel bad for not having posted in this thread, but I really don't have any idea what to say beyond the fact that Secret of Mana was one of the first RPGs that left an indelible impact on me, and, along with EarthBound, made me into a lifelong fan of RPGs. Secret of Mana's music in particular really struck a chord (ha ha) with me. I really wish Hiroki Kikuta did more RPG soundtracks, but what can you do, you know?

Funny thing, actually: I posted a thread about the Genesis arrange album on the official Square Enix forums (holy crap, what even happened to them?), and no one responded to it in any meaningful fashion, and Square Enix didn't really advertise the album when it was released on the international iTunes storefronts. Quite a shame, as Kikuta did a pretty awesome job on the album.

 

[jaxword]

Why would that be disastrous?

You've forgotten many details, including the opening of the game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx6EUUtq2iI

It describes how the world was nearly destroyed by the mana beasts versus the fortress.

Throughout the game, various characters say how it will be a catastrophe if the Mana Beast DOES fight the fortress. Don't you remember the orbs ("vee deos") in Mandala? They describe the advanced civilization (about our time) that was destroyed in a previous war:

Note that this translation is somewhat incorrect, but it gets the point across.

 

[Psxphile]

Why would that be disastrous?

The Mana Fortress sucks up Mana and stores it, the Mana Beast is composed of various (if not all) magical creatures. The two largest repositories of Mana in the world, clashing with each other. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

Also, what Jaxword said.


That reminds me: how awesome was it to explore the Lost Continent and find

Spoiler

the section that resembles the subway station, complete with working subway rail transport?

That was a real

Spoiler

"it was Earth all along"

moment right there (if the "vee deos" weren't already a big hint).

 

[Lothar]

I never said "may-nah" but I used to say "man-ah" and now I say "mah-nah"

I still say Man-ah and have been saying that for 20 years. Have I been saying it wrong? Oh well, man-ah sounds better. I'm not changing the way I say it.

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

I still say Man-ah and have been saying that for 20 years. Have I been saying it wrong? Oh well, man-ah sounds better. I'm not changing the way I say it.

I'm sure you're safe. I feel like I read a Penny Arcade comic that pointed out they pronounce it like that too, but when I searched on google all I could find is this XKCD comic:

 

[Rvaisse]

I remember asking my mom to take me to the closest city where i could buy this game.
It was 150km from home, and i paid something like 540 francs ( ~90€) to buy the US cartridge.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

So basically the Mana Fortress is the Ocean Palace/Black Omen and the Sword of Mana is the Red Knife/Masamune.

 

[Natetan]

So basically the Mana Fortress is the Ocean Palace/Black Omen and the Sword of Mana is the Red Knife/Masamune.

And the mana beast is Lavos and Thanatos is queen zeal. Wait no.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Love this game. I remember back in the day playing this with some junior high friends. Serious question though, what ever happened to this series this generation? After Dawn of Mana killing the series, it seems like its pretty dead at this point.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

And the mana beast is Lavos and Thanatos is queen zeal. Wait no.

Well obviously significant differences were added and created during development, but the two games were still the same game at first.

Love this game. I remember back in the day playing this with some junior high friends. Serious question though, what ever happened to this series this generation? After Dawn of Mana killing the series, it seems like its pretty dead at this point.

They've released "Circle of Mana", a mobile social game for GREE ;__;

http://www.jp.square-enix.com/seiken_circleofmana/

 

[jaxword]

They've released "Circle of Mana", a mobile social game for GREE ;__;

http://www.jp.square-enix.com/seiken_circleofmana/

It is 100% undeniable now that ALL smart Japanese companies are rapidly moving towards social games on phones and such.

There is no point in complaining. This is the way the industry is going. This is what is profitable now; it's not going to go back.

 

[sixteen-bit]

gotta make that social gaming money

 

[Raist]

Why did he suddenly go nuts after being nice and flying you around everywhere?

I'm pretty sure mana beast and flammie are different.

Well because the Mana fortress is up and running. That's always how I understood it anyway. Flammie is nice and all when nothing's wrong, but he's the planet's instrument when people start messing around with the fortress again (think FFVII's Weapon, in a way).

I've replayed the Jp version (Seiken Densetsu 2) recently and, to me, it's natural to think Flammie is the final boss.
The "Isn't it a Flammie?" line is a mistranslation. It should say "Isn't it Flammie?" (or "It looks like Flammie!" to be closer to the original).
Flammie is its name and white dragon (白&#31452 its race, there's no multiple flammies.

Well there we go

It actually quite surprises me how many people didn't take it that way. I thought it was quite obvious, even if it wasn't explicitely mentioned.

 

[Rhapsody]

Love this game. I remember back in the day playing this with some junior high friends. Serious question though, what ever happened to this series this generation? After Dawn of Mana killing the series, it seems like its pretty dead at this point.

Besides Dawn of Mana, I do remember there being 1 or 2 Mana DS games. I have no idea why they felt they needed to change things up each time. I had no problems with the two SNES Mana games.

There's been some new Mana trademarks registered http://www.siliconera.com/2013/08/13/rise-of-mana-trademark-registered-in-japan/
But obviously we all know by now to be cautious and skeptical since most of these end up being social/mobile games.

 

[iidesuyo]

Is the PAL version, which appeared over a year after the NTSC version, less buggy? Because I never encountered the glitches described here, and I have played the game a lot.

 

[D-e-f-]

Is the PAL version, which appeared over a year after the NTSC version, less buggy? Because I never encountered the glitches described here, and I have played the game a lot.

I'm not really familiar with bugs in either version. I own an NTSC copy (accidental flea market buy as a kid who didn't know what regions were and wondered why that SNES cart looked so blocky lol) and also played through the whole PAL version co-op with a buddy. The PAL game is actually the one that we managed to cause the whole SNES to freeze and crash once. But other than that, nothing in either of them.

 

[iidesuyo]

I'm not really familiar with bugs in either version. I own an NTSC copy (accidental flea market buy as a kid who didn't know what regions were and wondered why that SNES cart looked so blocky lol) and also played through the whole PAL version co-op with a buddy. The PAL game is actually the one that we managed to cause the whole SNES to freeze and crash once. But other than that, nothing in either of them.

I browsed around, there seems to be a 1.1 version which had some of the glitches removed. It seems to be the one released in Europe. Same happened to other games like Link's Awakening.

 

[teiresias]

I still own my original cart (and the box somewhere in my dad's house), and only played through the game once, so the story is completely absence from my memory. The only thing I do remember distinctly is being depressed that I had to kill Flammie as the final boss, so that's how it came across to me at the time.

The SOM OST I sort of group with Soul Blazer in a weird way. They both have this style of instrumentation that I can only describe as somewhat melancholy and almost depressing in a way. They both sound much different from SNES-era Uematsu instrumentation, for instance, or even Koshiro. It's just something about the somewhat lack of low end to many of the arrangements and the very synthy sound to it that always made me feel melancholy - even listening to the soundtrack to this day.

 

[I am Christina Aguilera]

Is the PAL version, which appeared over a year after the NTSC version, less buggy? Because I never encountered the glitches described here, and I have played the game a lot.

I asked the same thing! I've heard rumors that the PAL version fixed some glitches. I've played through the NTSC version, and the bulk of the glitchiness that I've experienced has just been the teammates getting stuck on things, and maybe a weapon orb or two not appearing, and maybe one or two things that I'm forgetting. I haven't personally really experienced too much of the serious glitches in the NTSC like a teammate getting turned into a snowman and getting glitched out of the save.

I'm not big on either unoptimized slower gameplay, or when PAL optimizations speed up one action and slow down another and completely mess with my reflexes (I'm a mess in PAL Super Mario Bros. 3), but a glitch-free version of the game does sound nice.

For that matter, does the iOS port improve on things in the glitch department as well?