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The lesser-known story, however, is that Secret of Mana was originally intended to be a launch title for the SNES-CD…perhaps even the pack-in game. By now, everyone probably knows the Nintendo/Sony story about how their proposed partnership would have spawned the SNES-CD, but instead eventually led to Sony breaking off and creating the first PlayStation console. It was always more fun to have a friend or two jump in and help, but it certainly didn’t detract from the overall experience when going it alone. As discoverable allies join your party, a buddy can actually take control of the other two additional characters! Otherwise, a single player could adapt the other characters’ logic so that they could act independently and would react accordingly in various situations. But, perhaps what makes SoM most unique is that it’s actually a multi-player co-op game. Another fantastic element is the menu system which utilizes scrolling wheels and sub-menus for quick and intuitive selections. Instead of cutting away to randomized turn-based battle sequences like Final Fantasy, SoM uses real-time battles whereby you can see advancing enemies and choose how to engage or flee. Visually, it takes cues from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past as it’s presented in 3/4 perspective.

I’m a lifetime RPG fan, but SoM is special in a lot of ways. I received SoM for Christmas in 1993 and it blew me away from moment one.

While Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI are predominantly considered to the two best Square titles for the SNES, my personal favorite has always been Secret of Mana. Square had a proven history of producing high-quality titles which tapped into the full potential of the technology available at the time no matter the console. By 1994, Square had become the undisputed dominant force of the genre along with Enix in a close second…a company with whom Square would merge in 2003 to form Square Enix. There was a time when SquareSoft could do no wrong, especially when it came to RFGs… the most obvious example being the Final Fantasy franchise.