Man. This is the most accurate review of SoM I have seen on TH-cam. Touched on all the things I liked, and the vast majority of things I took issue with, when I played it.
hugely accurate. loved it when i first played in 1996. However, upon playing recently, many of it's flaws shown through. Thank you for this accurate review!
The opening theme here can make you cry... One of the finest console OST ever. Pretty colours, great ambience and music, adventure & combat, beautiful towns...
Awesome review, Derek. You raise some great, and we'll balanced posts. Your approach of not letting nostalgia cloud your judgement is certainly appreciated. Excellent work, sir.
I'm so happy that your channel is growing at such a rapid pace man! With each video, your production standards improve and you seem more comfortable on screen. You're killing it man. Please, keep it up!
one of your best reviews yet derek! subtle humor really serves your videos well I mean I do realise that your reviews are a bit more focused but it's always great to get a chuckle here and there to kinda ease up the tension a bit
From one Derek to another, I think your reviews are fantastic. I recently found your channel and I must say the quality of your reviews is very high. The effort you put into them shows. Keep up the good work!
This soundtrack still gives me chills. Or maybe it's just your super smooth voice. ;) I remember playing this game with two of my friends back in high school. Yeah, I did manage to have two friends back then. :P Hahaha, I loved the little scene in the video where you were talking about another friend playing along. I was wondering who was going to pop up, if anyone. :P Haha. I definitely have to say that the main aspect that I enjoy about this game is the multiplayer. So few RPG's allow a real co-op experience that is awesome to play one that does. My son and I play this off and on. I believe we are in the Upperland area now. It's been a while since we last played it. But I love that I can play a game like this with my kids. Excellent review as always, Derek. :)
Another amazing review Derek. This is one that's on my massive to play list... someday. The wife and I are headed to Virginia then North Carolina next week so I'm bringing my GBA and only FFVI. I hope to complete it this week.
Man I’m only 15, but since i was 5 I’ve played a lot of snes games and I’ve loved them. Recently my friend brought over a computer snes released by nintendo. And we started playing the game and we loved it. It was funny seeing as accidentally ending the world is fitting thing he would do and we had named the character after him. The games story,gameplay and especially music made me love this game. And its one of my favorite of all time. Also i have to admit certain bosses have stun damage lock rotations that were a bit annoying and the later half of the game forced us to look up a walkthrough but anyway 10/10 game and im definitely buying the mana collection that has the first 3 games. Your review was pretty accurate but I disagree that it hasn’t aged well.
Only one criticism (and I totally realize you didn’t ask…) you sound like you’re reading from a script and the points of emotion you make are poorly acted (sounds so much harsher than I mean it). Loved this video!! Literally laughed out loud when the two of you were looking for two more friends. Really enjoyed this and look forward to more!! Subbing now!
I still love this game, and really enjoyed it a lot as a kid. Played through it many times with my friends. After watching you play through most of it again, during your live streams, I also played it again for a few hours and also came to the same conclusions as you. It's a fantastic game but there are games out that that I probably enjoy a lot more these days. Looking back at it, 22 years later, I still appreciate the game isn't quite as enjoyable as I remember it being. Perhaps it's even a bit tedious and not particularly deep. It's interesting because I can still pick up FF IV and VI and they both still feel epic and new to me in spite of playing through each at least a half a dozen times, on multiple platforms. It's best played with friends though, and I think that's where the nostalgia really lies. Not so much in the game itself but rather the experience of playing it with my childhood friends. We all grew up and moved away, but I won't forget all of the great NES and SNES RPGS that we played.
+Zach B Thanks man. I agree though, the multiplayer has the potential to make this game far better. As an adult though it seems to be harder to get together with friends and just play though a solid 25 hour game together. I really hope that future iterations of digital releases will allow for online multiplayer. Knock on wood! :)
Love these reviews. Nostalgia overload! Was wondering if you ever planned to do a Legend of Mana review. Hopes aren't high, but it was probably my favorite of the series!
Derek you are awesome man. Absolutely through and wonderful reviews. You have truly mastered your craft. You shoulddo a review on Albert Odyssey: The Legend of Eldean if you have not, or Skies Of Arcadia. Amazing RPGS. I just wrapped up Terranigma I would love to chat with you about that game no one i know has played it lol.
I played this again 2 years ago and and I loved every minute of it. Sometimes when I go back to my childhood games they feel kind of dated with gameplay but this was still awesome! One of my all time favourite games for sure!
Also thanks so much for this review. I've tried getting into this game so many times in the past year and can never stick with it. Now I know I'm not missing something atleast and I can put it to rest
Hey Derek, maybe you didn't know but you can change the background of the dialogue boxes to make it easier to eyes or just to make it more to your liking, check out the options.
Awesome video and content ! I just ran upon your content randomly when looking for a good breathe of fire review. Gonna check out more vid's and probably will subscribe here after another video or two lol thanks for the honest opinion, I dont think your wrong for pointing out the games flaws. I definitely do over look them all because of the nostalgia factor this game brings to me. Point well made
Excellent review. I think you pretty much nailed it on all counts. Have you played Seiken Densetsu 3? If so, which game did you like more? Just curious because I've played SoM but not SD3.
This game was the first and only time I ever wrote in to Nintendo Power asking for help. I couldn't figure out how to get past Gaia's Navel (didn't know you had to hit the skull switch). Then later NP had a really great feature on the game with some awesome illustrations. Good times
I just started up a new file with a buddy a few weeks ago. The AI is so bad that having a friend or two play with you is a must. I would even say that single-player, I give this game maybe 6/10. But with two or three people I think it gets a 9/10. It's still fun enough to warrant playing today, even with all of its flaws. The grinding gets pretty bad, especially for completionists, but we are breezing through playing casually. The drop-in / drop-out mechanic and three-player support for SNES were especially ground-breaking. I'm also really impressed you knew their real names. Most people I've met just thought they were called "the boy", "the girl", and "the sprite", but hardcore fans know they're Randi, Purim, and Popoi.
This was my first proper RPG when I got a SNES way back when I was 12 years old... it was also the first game I ever got completely stuck on and waited about 3 months for a strategy guide to arrive in the mail for it. The first elemental temple stumped me something fierce back, mostly because the enemies whupped my ASS effortlessly while up to that point I had been able to progress fairly naturally. Still one of my favorite games, wish I could experience all over again new.
Hey Derek It's been awhile since I played, but I'm almost certain you can change the text box background in the options. You can also get back into the first village by spamming the character switch button and pressing up.
You absolutely can, but none of the backgrounds are just a solid color. They're all dithered patterns of colored and transparent pixels. It's a nitpick but a valid one I think. :)
I bought a Super Famicom copy for about a tenth of what an English copy goes for. I'm hoping that I can manage to piece together the story by reading along in the old Official Game Secrets guide while I play.
Haha Amy just showing up out of nowhere was gold. I've been playing this with my daughter on the Switch and yeah...the hit detection and AI are both terrible. However, that music man.... I heard that one of the issues with Secret of Mana is that they originally were making it for the CD system made by Sony but then when that fell through the design team was told to modify it for cartridge and that was a major difficulty.
Very nice! Looking at the good and bad is always a good thing. Some people don't like having to wait on the co-op, but i personally never minded. I could wait to play as my favorite, the Sprite! Oh, I could be wrong, but I think I know why the AI ignores you and it was shown in the video. You tried telling them to do magic when they get hit. When they get hit, you are better off waiting for them to stand still, or at least get back up. That's what I noticed anyway!
+KlonoaDream Yeah, that was just the first time I saw it happen in the ~30 hours of gameplay I was sifting through xD. I know why it happens, but it would have been nice if it could have queued the command. Sometimes I've noticed they'll ignore commands if you're issueing commands to the other AI, and then using an item on yourself in rapid-succession. The game gets easily overwhelmed, I think. :)
Thanks +Alkaiser Red. :) Seems some people over on reddit are less appreciative of my attempt at being balanced, but I guess that'll happen from time to time.
Damn you were pretty much spot on dude. To be honest though, I would put Illusion of Gaia and a Link to the past over Mana. Terranigma and Seiken densetsu 3 are obviously the best action rpg's though
You're delivery and emotion in your voice is actually much better in this video you just need to turn your vocals up to match the volume of the voice over parts and you're good to go! There are also ways to edit your vocals to make it so it cuts down the volume of parts that are too loud and normalizes all of the audio to have it sound crisp and even. If you need it I can show you a quick and easy way to do it just let me know!
Cool video Derek. One thing to note is that you quote the game's English translator as Ted "Woosley" @2:57. His name is actually Ted Woolsey. Minor difference, but he translated some of the most influential RPGs ever like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6, Super Mario RPG and more so he deserves proper recognition. I'm sorry and don't mean to come across as a twat.
hah, yeah that's how I used to pronounce his name. For some reason back around this time a lot of people mispronounced it and I ended up catching that mispronunciation from them. And no worries dude, you're good. :)
You deserve more views and such. You really think out your points and don't rely on silly animation and editing tricks. Plus you say snes as a word. That is correct sir!
Another game on the bucket list. I have the Wii VC version. Physical copy on SNES would be best but the Wii's classic controller closely resembles a SNES one so it should be pretty intuitive. I've played dozens of JRPGs starting in the 32 bit era so I'm lacking in my 16 bit resume. You inspired me to finally play and finish the first Breath of Fire. For the next 16 bit adventure I'm considering BoF2, Final Fantasy V, or Secret of Mana.
+Andrew Phillips If you're just finishing up BoF 1, I'd put BoF2 on hold for a little while because they're really, very similar. I'd hate for you to get fatigued. I personally find it's nice to try to alternate between action RPGs and turn-based games though to help change things up. When you DO play BoF II though, keep an eye out for the fan re-translation, I've been hearing good things about it. I maaaay decide to give it a play through/review at some point. :)
SuperDerek RPGs Yeah, I found some of the translation of the first game downright humerous in regards to the item names. I'd often yell at the TV saying "what in the hell is a V-PTN"
Nice video of an awesome game! (love that battle BGM by the way). +Jimmy Hapa (ImportGamingFTW!) mentioned you in one of our conversations so I thought I'd check you out... Pretty good sound too! +1 sub :)
Coming back and watching this after the Mana Collection got dropped on the switch today. I hope you do the 3rd game now that its finally available in english officially
I have only ever seen that "Goblin Stew" segment one time in this game, even though I have played through it maybe a dozen times. Whenever you walk past the spot in the game where it usually triggers, you will notice the character kind of like resets frame animation, but the sequence doesn't ever play out. Not sure what causes this. I thought it may have been the order with which I play, but I honestly have no clue.
Easy peasy. The trigger is talking to the soldiers in front of the Water Palace until they leave and exit to the left. The beginning segment of the game where you recruit the other two characters can be done a few ways. This is whats left of the branching paths that would have been in Secret of Mana if the SNES CD add on had come out. Seiken Densetsu 3 implements that better though.
Ah. I am going to replay just to try this. I know about the order difference...either you meet Primm either while she is getting beat up by were-wolves or the stew segment. I didn't know you had to wait for Dyluck and his dudes to enter the witches portal. TYVM!
Great review! I'm in agreement with you on the gameplay flaws, the teammate AI is indeed woeful...such a pretty and nice sounding game though, still want to try it in co-op someday.
+James Reid Yeah, co-op really has the potential to make this game more enjoyable in lieu of a good story. These days though it's tough to get time together with a friend to just blast through a 25 hour game. Hopefully newer versions of digital releases will allow for online multiplayer and voice-chat to help restore life to some of these multiplayer classics.
Oh man! I'm so glad I saw this review. I actually just played this game for the first time recently, after having played and loved many Square turn-based games. I had to resort to a guide to get through most of the game after you unlock the overworld (which is almost impossible to navigate), and flat out got so bored that I haven't finished it yet. I'm glad it's flaws have been acknowledged by someone else that I respect! Also you forgot to mention the worst part of the whole game: th-cam.com/video/tpHLsTiFq98/w-d-xo.html I actually muted my TV every time I had to go back in that cave to upgrade my weapons in the beginning. Keep up the great work Derek, I'm a huge fan of your videos and hope your channel continues to grow!
Great to see a balanced review of this game. I like the game and it's definitely a good game, but it's not as uber-fantastic without any flaws, that some people claim.
+Leftover Culture Review Yeah, it can be a lot of fun. Bringing up a menu does halt gameplay though which can frustrate the other player though. If you get the option though, I'd definitely bring someone along for the ride. Maybe a little Bruiser Jr. when he's old enough? :)
This game is magnificent. I have it on the SNES. I too think Secret of Mana surpasses Terranigma; even though Terranigma is a masterpiece. I enjoyed your review. I liked and subscribed to your channel. 😉
Good review, man! The gameplay and music are definitely the strong points on this game. For me, my biggest gripe are the townsfolk. They have got to be the most useless part of the game! I feel like 99% of them say stuff that isn't useful, clever, or even interesting. Liking your content! Keep up the good work!!!!!
The music in SoM vesus Terranigma? That's a really, really hard question to approach, honestly. The compositions in SoM are amazing, no doubt, but having just finished Terranigma for the first time earlier this week, I feel like its music *works* on me more. Terranigma, to me, was so much more of an emotional tour de force (that ending!) that its score affects me that much more because of it. SoM's songs are great, but they're not associated with any particularly dramatic or intense moments because SoM just didn't have those for the most part.
A very honest review of a slightly overrated game. I had this growing up and found the story quite hollow and the music a bit repetitive and even annoying at times. Sold it CIB about a decade ago and don't really regret it.
It too was a stable of my childhood. I could never get past the Fire Gigas. One day I returned, and with my greater experience, actually understood what the AI options meant. It was an easy fight.
Despite being an enormous fan of the Super Nintendo and its action RPGs, I'm afraid I've never felt the love for Secret of Mana aside from the soundtrack. In fact, I very much prefer Secret of Evermore. It fixes the issues described in this review. The only bad news (for me) is that Evermore is not 2-player.
+texastech56789 If you haven't already, check out my review of Terranigma. I think it's superior, except the music might not be quite as awesome as it is In SoM. :)
id agree that som didnt age as well as some other snes classics, but for its time it was an amazing game worthy of the hype. I still enjoy playing it, but there are some annoying issues it has like AI. The issues though are products of that time. It still did a lot of unique things for back then
I finally have this game, got it cheap. How so you ask? Simple, it's the Japanese version sadly. Eventually I must have the third one too, will do the Japanese version of it as well. Only the first Mana I have in English form, Final Fantasy Adventure on the Gameboy.
SuperDerek RPGs niiiiice ;) ive ordered a retron 5 via amazon and 2 DAYS after i got it ALL SLOTS except the snes slot didnt work anymore -.- 150 bucks out of the window ..... now i dont know what to do with it .... i should send it back to hyperkin but shipping is pretty expensive because im from austria
Oh man, bummer! D: Unfortunately, that's not the first time I've heard of something like this. I would definitely contact Hyperkin either way and see what they'll do for you. Who knows, maybe they'll cover shipping for you? Good luck!
For the game's fans out there : are the missing hits a nightmare for you as well or is it just me ? Like charging a full power attack for ages and missing the target completely for no valid reason ? I tried this game recently and just completely hated it because of that, i really forced myself to get to the end.
Yep, I recall that as well. Sometimes it's because the game is busy registering other sources of damage from your allies, sometimes they're in the middle of invincible animation frames or the Z-axis is off just enough. It's one of the reasons I had to rely on magic so hard to get through the game. I'm hoping they address this in the remake. And hopefully a new translation too. :)
Oh that explains it. Thanks for answering :) I feel kinda left out for dislking a game so widely beloved, but sometimes, the smallest problems like this can ruin the whole experience.
Trust me, I know exactly how you feel man. I mentioned a few things that weren't so great about Breath of Fire IV in that review in an otherwise glowing review of the game, and I'll never hear the end of it! I think people need to realize that games are a subjective experience, and we play them in the context of our own life experiences. Things that strike chords on the heartstrings of some might look like cliché drivel to another, and that's a wonderful thing. :)
yea i had fun with it to a point you really got to get use to the invintory system but wanted to love this game grinding tho all you have to do is tap the button and use charge attacts more during boss battles
I love Secret of Mana to death, but I think the series missed it's chance to evolve alongside its peers, Tales and Star Ocean. Have high hopes for the Trials of Mana remake though.
So thankfully your recent request to go back and watch your videos aligns with my being a new fan. But I'm AMAZED you revierwd this but not Secret of Evermore! IMHO Evermore was the better game, I found Mana's story and characters very thin, where as Evermore is corny and charming. For shame my well learned friend
loved this game getting a game sesh going is so hard but i got a group of 4 for tales of symphonia we played for 78 hours....i feel as though games should be like that but there not anymore
another great review as always man :) i was waiting for you to say NATSUME when you were saying RPG companies :P Cant wait to see a Lufia review :) damn its my favorite RPG on the SNES. And if you ever get a chance defs play Rogue Galaxy on the PS2 If you have a spare 100 hrs that is hahah Thats my fav RPG on the PS2. And while we are at it play Skies of Arcadia Legends on the GameCube :) again... Fav :)
Thanks +R2 MY D2! Surprisingly, I haven't touched on any Natsumi games yet, but you're totally right that they played a huge part in making the 16 bit generation awesome! I do have a copy of Lufia 2 now, so it won't be long before I'm able to add that dev to my list. :)
SuperDerek RPGs Thats the only one we got here.. And it was just called Lufia :) If you live stream that ill watch every second :) ill be you live walkthrough. I know the hell out of that game :)
Tbh, I'm really glad I only got into the series in 2019/20 with Final Fantasy Adventure and Trials of Mana/Seiken Densetsu 3. Because when I tried playing SoM, the various shortcomings in terms of AI and hit detection made it an easy drop for me. Stun locks are not fun on either side which prevents me from really liking this game. I'll probably eventually return to it with a fresh mind, but as of right now, I don't like it.
Great game, one of the best on the SNES. That said, yes many things about it have been updating/evolved over the years. The battle system is janky, and the AI gets stuck a bit and like any RPG it can be easy. Still, for being a trend setter the game is still awesome with excellent color/graphics and music.
@@jus4000kicks An 'action' RPG that you still have to grind levels and wait for your action gauge to fill 100% to deal any damage. SoM was a turn-based RPG in disguise.
Not exactly. There are a number of action Rpgs that you may have to grind in. Final Fantasy IV is a turn based RPG which had an element of real time in it with the ATB system. Secret of Mana is the opposite. An action RPG with an element of a turn based RPG in it. Its still an action rpg but consider the fact that Square hadn't really made much action rpgs up til that point so it was an experimental time. They obviously hadn't perfected the action RPG. Besides that does an action RPG have to be 100% one way or the other? Can't some be more action oriented and some less so. I hate when people use genres of all things (which by their nature are broad in meaning) to say that something isn't one thing or the other (except when Legend of Zelda fans call Legend of Zelda games action RPGs). Whats more is there are many examples of games that are hybrids of genres. In other words don't get too stuck in your idea of what something should be. Video Games are a creative medium and are much better when the developers aren't simply trying to fit a game into a type of mold (although there are exceptions). In secret of mana you control the characters movements. There is no screen transition. You fight enemies on the same map you explore. You attack by pressing the attack button. It is possible to move your character to avoid attacks. The charging special attacks was obviously inspired by A link to the Past's charging spin attack. Secret of Mana is an Action RPG. I personally like that you have to earn new charge attacks and new weapon upgrades can come with special effects. Armor is basically essential but that makes armor feel useful at least. Although you do have to train or grind your magic this games way of doing it feels very intuitive. The animations even change to show you how strong your magic has become. You don't need to grind your magic to its top level though. How much you decide to grind your magic essentially creates the difficulty curve in the game (Bosses are very easy with top level magic). You can beat the game without using your magic much.
@@jus4000kicks TL;DR. At least, format your text to make it more pleasant to the eyes of a possible reader. It was a turn-based RPG in disguise, as everything sums up to grinding, spamming magic, and waiting for the bar to fill up (and here, I'm referring to the 0-100% bar, which regards your basic attack, not the charged attack). Movement was useless (hell, even dodges, blocks and misses were purely based on character stats) - it actually just made fights drag out longer. 60% waiting, 40% actual gameplay.
If you don't read it its your problem not mine. I don't comment on youtube to look for grammar advice. Only to make my points clear. In action RPGs there is also grinding (for instance in Oblivion you fight to level up your skill in using weapons and blocking, etc). Secret of Mana was an early RPG from a game developer who had mostly made turn based RPGs so what do you expect. Read my comment fully cuz I address everything you said.
You're wrong. The hype does live up to it's expectation. It was the only JRPG i played WITH my brother when i was young. It was an amazing experience that you could share with another person. That is why it was so amazing at the time.
yes. the plot in the last part of the game sucked. hard to figure out what to do. and the weapon charging and having to wait for your sword to reach 100% was a waste of time. I spent too much time waiting to attack and that is a pointless waste of time that extends the time it takes to complete the game unnecessarily . I would have preferred to have it be like zelda. the soundtrack is great, but the game is merely ok. and I grew up in this time and bought it brand new when I was 13.
SuperDerek RPGs: This is a game that needs no introduction
*gives introduction*
Man. This is the most accurate review of SoM I have seen on TH-cam. Touched on all the things I liked, and the vast majority of things I took issue with, when I played it.
Thanks +SeafoamSmiles! :)
+SuperDerek RPGs ~ What emulator are you using, and how are you getting that nice "CRT TV" overlay?
I like how calm and collected you are presenting this, no unnecessary yelling or screaming and the video is very informative. Great job!
You deserve way more subs and views. Your production values are amazing. Great job!
hugely accurate. loved it when i first played in 1996. However, upon playing recently, many of it's flaws shown through. Thank you for this accurate review!
boo lies it's still amazing
The hit detection is very poor, and the stun lock mechanics detract from the game as well. Otherwise it's still fun, especially multiplayer.
The opening theme here can make you cry...
One of the finest console OST ever.
Pretty colours, great ambience and music, adventure & combat, beautiful towns...
Awesome review, Derek. You raise some great, and we'll balanced posts. Your approach of not letting nostalgia cloud your judgement is certainly appreciated. Excellent work, sir.
Thanks +16bitbrit! I definitely try! :)
SuperDerek RPGs do you reveiw newer games or just old ones
Just reviewed Persona 5 a week ago or so, so I'm working on breaking into the newer titles too. :)
This makes me so nostalgic. Your reviews always take me right back to when I was a kid.
You know you can change the text background, right? Sorry, just had to ;)
I'm so happy that your channel is growing at such a rapid pace man! With each video, your production standards improve and you seem more comfortable on screen. You're killing it man. Please, keep it up!
Comfortably the best soundtrack in a video game.
one of your best reviews yet derek! subtle humor really serves your videos well I mean I do realise that your reviews are a bit more focused but it's always great to get a chuckle here and there to kinda ease up the tension a bit
Wow thanks +super chip! :D
From one Derek to another, I think your reviews are fantastic. I recently found your channel and I must say the quality of your reviews is very high. The effort you put into them shows. Keep up the good work!
Nice review. This was one of my favourites back the hizzay. Yes, it's far from being perfect, but it gets major nostalgia points with me.
Your reviews are absolutely incredible. Can't wait to binge watch all these tonight. Peace and love!!
This soundtrack still gives me chills. Or maybe it's just your super smooth voice. ;) I remember playing this game with two of my friends back in high school. Yeah, I did manage to have two friends back then. :P Hahaha, I loved the little scene in the video where you were talking about another friend playing along. I was wondering who was going to pop up, if anyone. :P Haha. I definitely have to say that the main aspect that I enjoy about this game is the multiplayer. So few RPG's allow a real co-op experience that is awesome to play one that does. My son and I play this off and on. I believe we are in the Upperland area now. It's been a while since we last played it. But I love that I can play a game like this with my kids. Excellent review as always, Derek. :)
Another amazing review Derek. This is one that's on my massive to play list... someday. The wife and I are headed to Virginia then North Carolina next week so I'm bringing my GBA and only FFVI. I hope to complete it this week.
+Classic Contagious Gaming Nice! Good luck! :)
ahhhh the dulcet tones of SuperDerek lull me.
Man I’m only 15, but since i was 5 I’ve played a lot of snes games and I’ve loved them. Recently my friend brought over a computer snes released by nintendo. And we started playing the game and we loved it. It was funny seeing as accidentally ending the world is fitting thing he would do and we had named the character after him. The games story,gameplay and especially music made me love this game. And its one of my favorite of all time. Also i have to admit certain bosses have stun damage lock rotations that were a bit annoying and the later half of the game forced us to look up a walkthrough but anyway 10/10 game and im definitely buying the mana collection that has the first 3 games. Your review was pretty accurate but I disagree that it hasn’t aged well.
Only one criticism (and I totally realize you didn’t ask…) you sound like you’re reading from a script and the points of emotion you make are poorly acted (sounds so much harsher than I mean it).
Loved this video!! Literally laughed out loud when the two of you were looking for two more friends. Really enjoyed this and look forward to more!! Subbing now!
I still love this game, and really enjoyed it a lot as a kid. Played through it many times with my friends. After watching you play through most of it again, during your live streams, I also played it again for a few hours and also came to the same conclusions as you.
It's a fantastic game but there are games out that that I probably enjoy a lot more these days. Looking back at it, 22 years later, I still appreciate the game isn't quite as enjoyable as I remember it being. Perhaps it's even a bit tedious and not particularly deep. It's interesting because I can still pick up FF IV and VI and they both still feel epic and new to me in spite of playing through each at least a half a dozen times, on multiple platforms.
It's best played with friends though, and I think that's where the nostalgia really lies. Not so much in the game itself but rather the experience of playing it with my childhood friends. We all grew up and moved away, but I won't forget all of the great NES and SNES RPGS that we played.
+Zach B Thanks man. I agree though, the multiplayer has the potential to make this game far better. As an adult though it seems to be harder to get together with friends and just play though a solid 25 hour game together. I really hope that future iterations of digital releases will allow for online multiplayer. Knock on wood! :)
Love these reviews. Nostalgia overload! Was wondering if you ever planned to do a Legend of Mana review. Hopes aren't high, but it was probably my favorite of the series!
how bout Legend of Mana for psx?
you should try star ocean,on,the snes
Derek you are awesome man. Absolutely through and wonderful reviews. You have truly mastered your craft. You shoulddo a review on Albert Odyssey: The Legend of Eldean if you have not, or Skies Of Arcadia. Amazing RPGS. I just wrapped up Terranigma I would love to chat with you about that game no one i know has played it lol.
I played this again 2 years ago and and I loved every minute of it. Sometimes when I go back to my childhood games they feel kind of dated with gameplay but this was still awesome! One of my all time favourite games for sure!
Also thanks so much for this review. I've tried getting into this game so many times in the past year and can never stick with it. Now I know I'm not missing something atleast and I can put it to rest
Hey Derek, maybe you didn't know but you can change the background of the dialogue boxes to make it easier to eyes or just to make it more to your liking, check out the options.
Thanks man, I definitely looked through the options, but the problem is there wasn't a solid color background available.
I only picked this up on the Virtual console 2 years ago, I thought it was pretty good. Completed it and felt it still holds it own today.
Also forgot to add. The cow lick is looking super epic on this video Derek.
+Andrew Phillips Haha! Hair's getting a little long, couldn't find time to get a haircut but the show must go on! :)
I like Secret well enough but Legend of Mana will always be my preferred game. Good vid sir!
Awesome video and content ! I just ran upon your content randomly when looking for a good breathe of fire review. Gonna check out more vid's and probably will subscribe here after another video or two lol thanks for the honest opinion, I dont think your wrong for pointing out the games flaws. I definitely do over look them all because of the nostalgia factor this game brings to me. Point well made
Excellent review. I think you pretty much nailed it on all counts.
Have you played Seiken Densetsu 3? If so, which game did you like more? Just curious because I've played SoM but not SD3.
This game was the first and only time I ever wrote in to Nintendo Power asking for help. I couldn't figure out how to get past Gaia's Navel (didn't know you had to hit the skull switch). Then later NP had a really great feature on the game with some awesome illustrations. Good times
can you please make a new and whole video on secret of mana turbo? seriously so impressed with it. it’s the definitive way of playing
I just started up a new file with a buddy a few weeks ago. The AI is so bad that having a friend or two play with you is a must. I would even say that single-player, I give this game maybe 6/10. But with two or three people I think it gets a 9/10. It's still fun enough to warrant playing today, even with all of its flaws. The grinding gets pretty bad, especially for completionists, but we are breezing through playing casually. The drop-in / drop-out mechanic and three-player support for SNES were especially ground-breaking. I'm also really impressed you knew their real names. Most people I've met just thought they were called "the boy", "the girl", and "the sprite", but hardcore fans know they're Randi, Purim, and Popoi.
This was my first proper RPG when I got a SNES way back when I was 12 years old... it was also the first game I ever got completely stuck on and waited about 3 months for a strategy guide to arrive in the mail for it. The first elemental temple stumped me something fierce back, mostly because the enemies whupped my ASS effortlessly while up to that point I had been able to progress fairly naturally. Still one of my favorite games, wish I could experience all over again new.
Your channel is criminally underrated sir.
In my humble opinion, only Zelda A Link to the Past surpasses this masterpiece.
Secret of Mana is simply awesome!
Great review!!! 😊
Hey Derek
It's been awhile since I played, but I'm almost certain you can change the text box background in the options. You can also get back into the first village by spamming the character switch button and pressing up.
You absolutely can, but none of the backgrounds are just a solid color. They're all dithered patterns of colored and transparent pixels. It's a nitpick but a valid one I think. :)
@@SuperDerek Valid indeed.
I bought a Super Famicom copy for about a tenth of what an English copy goes for. I'm hoping that I can manage to piece together the story by reading along in the old Official Game Secrets guide while I play.
Haha Amy just showing up out of nowhere was gold.
I've been playing this with my daughter on the Switch and yeah...the hit detection and AI are both terrible. However, that music man....
I heard that one of the issues with Secret of Mana is that they originally were making it for the CD system made by Sony but then when that fell through the design team was told to modify it for cartridge and that was a major difficulty.
Very nice! Looking at the good and bad is always a good thing. Some people don't like having to wait on the co-op, but i personally never minded. I could wait to play as my favorite, the Sprite!
Oh, I could be wrong, but I think I know why the AI ignores you and it was shown in the video. You tried telling them to do magic when they get hit. When they get hit, you are better off waiting for them to stand still, or at least get back up. That's what I noticed anyway!
+KlonoaDream Yeah, that was just the first time I saw it happen in the ~30 hours of gameplay I was sifting through xD. I know why it happens, but it would have been nice if it could have queued the command. Sometimes I've noticed they'll ignore commands if you're issueing commands to the other AI, and then using an item on yourself in rapid-succession. The game gets easily overwhelmed, I think. :)
Very balanced reviews with pros and cons. I'm glad you mentioned the cons without fear because all Mana games fail in something.
Thanks +Alkaiser Red. :) Seems some people over on reddit are less appreciative of my attempt at being balanced, but I guess that'll happen from time to time.
Damn you were pretty much spot on dude. To be honest though, I would put Illusion of Gaia and a Link to the past over Mana. Terranigma and Seiken densetsu 3 are obviously the best action rpg's though
You're delivery and emotion in your voice is actually much better in this video you just need to turn your vocals up to match the volume of the voice over parts and you're good to go! There are also ways to edit your vocals to make it so it cuts down the volume of parts that are too loud and normalizes all of the audio to have it sound crisp and even. If you need it I can show you a quick and easy way to do it just let me know!
Cool video Derek. One thing to note is that you quote the game's English translator as Ted "Woosley" @2:57. His name is actually Ted Woolsey. Minor difference, but he translated some of the most influential RPGs ever like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6, Super Mario RPG and more so he deserves proper recognition. I'm sorry and don't mean to come across as a twat.
hah, yeah that's how I used to pronounce his name. For some reason back around this time a lot of people mispronounced it and I ended up catching that mispronunciation from them. And no worries dude, you're good. :)
You deserve more views and such. You really think out your points and don't rely on silly animation and editing tricks. Plus you say snes as a word. That is correct sir!
Haha, I like how you started with the classic intense boss music! XD
Another game on the bucket list. I have the Wii VC version. Physical copy on SNES would be best but the Wii's classic controller closely resembles a SNES one so it should be pretty intuitive. I've played dozens of JRPGs starting in the 32 bit era so I'm lacking in my 16 bit resume. You inspired me to finally play and finish the first Breath of Fire. For the next 16 bit adventure I'm considering BoF2, Final Fantasy V, or Secret of Mana.
+Andrew Phillips If you're just finishing up BoF 1, I'd put BoF2 on hold for a little while because they're really, very similar. I'd hate for you to get fatigued. I personally find it's nice to try to alternate between action RPGs and turn-based games though to help change things up. When you DO play BoF II though, keep an eye out for the fan re-translation, I've been hearing good things about it. I maaaay decide to give it a play through/review at some point. :)
SuperDerek RPGs Yeah, I found some of the translation of the first game downright humerous in regards to the item names. I'd often yell at the TV saying "what in the hell is a V-PTN"
Nice video of an awesome game! (love that battle BGM by the way). +Jimmy Hapa (ImportGamingFTW!) mentioned you in one of our conversations so I thought I'd check you out... Pretty good sound too! +1 sub :)
Coming back and watching this after the Mana Collection got dropped on the switch today. I hope you do the 3rd game now that its finally available in english officially
there are so many things to review Derek, all the old rpg game, to name one the 7th saga I have a mix feeling about this game, hope you review it.
I have only ever seen that "Goblin Stew" segment one time in this game, even though I have played through it maybe a dozen times. Whenever you walk past the spot in the game where it usually triggers, you will notice the character kind of like resets frame animation, but the sequence doesn't ever play out. Not sure what causes this. I thought it may have been the order with which I play, but I honestly have no clue.
Easy peasy. The trigger is talking to the soldiers in front of the Water Palace until they leave and exit to the left. The beginning segment of the game where you recruit the other two characters can be done a few ways. This is whats left of the branching paths that would have been in Secret of Mana if the SNES CD add on had come out. Seiken Densetsu 3 implements that better though.
Ah. I am going to replay just to try this. I know about the order difference...either you meet Primm either while she is getting beat up by were-wolves or the stew segment. I didn't know you had to wait for Dyluck and his dudes to enter the witches portal. TYVM!
¿Se sabe el motivo por el cuál sacan Secret of Mana en formato físico para PS4 y el Final Fantasy VII y IX remaster solo en la Store?
Great review! I'm in agreement with you on the gameplay flaws, the teammate AI is indeed woeful...such a pretty and nice sounding game though, still want to try it in co-op someday.
+James Reid Yeah, co-op really has the potential to make this game more enjoyable in lieu of a good story. These days though it's tough to get time together with a friend to just blast through a 25 hour game. Hopefully newer versions of digital releases will allow for online multiplayer and voice-chat to help restore life to some of these multiplayer classics.
I used to play this while listening to The Prodigy Experience. Now whenever I hear that album, I can only think of SoM
Oh man! I'm so glad I saw this review. I actually just played this game for the first time recently, after having played and loved many Square turn-based games. I had to resort to a guide to get through most of the game after you unlock the overworld (which is almost impossible to navigate), and flat out got so bored that I haven't finished it yet. I'm glad it's flaws have been acknowledged by someone else that I respect!
Also you forgot to mention the worst part of the whole game: th-cam.com/video/tpHLsTiFq98/w-d-xo.html
I actually muted my TV every time I had to go back in that cave to upgrade my weapons in the beginning.
Keep up the great work Derek, I'm a huge fan of your videos and hope your channel continues to grow!
Great to see a balanced review of this game. I like the game and it's definitely a good game, but it's not as uber-fantastic without any flaws, that some people claim.
i came here for the secret of mana review, but i subscribed because of that epic cow lick hairdo! :-)
racerxgundam that is one whoppa of a cow lick...
Absolutely love this game.
That two player mode looks awesome! More RPG's need a way for a second person to drop in :P Great review man
+Leftover Culture Review Yeah, it can be a lot of fun. Bringing up a menu does halt gameplay though which can frustrate the other player though. If you get the option though, I'd definitely bring someone along for the ride. Maybe a little Bruiser Jr. when he's old enough? :)
I guess with the two kids and the wife, we'd have a full time... Just no-one with much of an attention span (including myself :P)
This game is magnificent. I have it on the SNES. I too think Secret of Mana surpasses Terranigma; even though Terranigma is a masterpiece.
I enjoyed your review. I liked and subscribed to your channel. 😉
I bought the 3D remake on Steam and it was worth every penny.
Good review, man! The gameplay and music are definitely the strong points on this game. For me, my biggest gripe are the townsfolk. They have got to be the most useless part of the game! I feel like 99% of them say stuff that isn't useful, clever, or even interesting.
Liking your content! Keep up the good work!!!!!
The music in SoM vesus Terranigma? That's a really, really hard question to approach, honestly. The compositions in SoM are amazing, no doubt, but having just finished Terranigma for the first time earlier this week, I feel like its music *works* on me more. Terranigma, to me, was so much more of an emotional tour de force (that ending!) that its score affects me that much more because of it. SoM's songs are great, but they're not associated with any particularly dramatic or intense moments because SoM just didn't have those for the most part.
Played this game in 2nd grade. Best multi player RPG
A very honest review of a slightly overrated game. I had this growing up and found the story quite hollow and the music a bit repetitive and even annoying at times. Sold it CIB about a decade ago and don't really regret it.
My alltime fave action rpg and the only one I was ever any good at until KH. That beginning theme ALWAYS lowers my blood pressure .
It too was a stable of my childhood. I could never get past the Fire Gigas. One day I returned, and with my greater experience, actually understood what the AI options meant. It was an easy fight.
As a kid I absolutely loved the magic system in this game.
Complicated question but: what is the 3rd game from the front on 1:50? That scene looks amazing
Breath of Fire 3
Despite being an enormous fan of the Super Nintendo and its action RPGs, I'm afraid I've never felt the love for Secret of Mana aside from the soundtrack. In fact, I very much prefer Secret of Evermore. It fixes the issues described in this review. The only bad news (for me) is that Evermore is not 2-player.
3:35 slight mistake, his NAME is Jema(aka Gemma because WOOOOOOOOOOOOOSLEY!!!!)
if not Secret of Mana, what is the best Snes ajrpg worldwide, Tales of Phantansia SNES ?
+texastech56789 If you haven't already, check out my review of Terranigma. I think it's superior, except the music might not be quite as awesome as it is In SoM. :)
id agree that som didnt age as well as some other snes classics, but for its time it was an amazing game worthy of the hype. I still enjoy playing it, but there are some annoying issues it has like AI. The issues though are products of that time. It still did a lot of unique things for back then
Can you review seiken densestu 3?
I finally have this game, got it cheap. How so you ask? Simple, it's the Japanese version sadly. Eventually I must have the third one too, will do the Japanese version of it as well. Only the first Mana I have in English form, Final Fantasy Adventure on the Gameboy.
yo derek whats up 😉 are you doing a seiken densetsu 3 review in the future ?
Planning on it! Just gotta get a working Retron5 or RetroFreak so I can translate my copy. :)
SuperDerek RPGs niiiiice ;) ive ordered a retron 5 via amazon and 2 DAYS after i got it ALL SLOTS except the snes slot didnt work anymore -.- 150 bucks out of the window ..... now i dont know what to do with it .... i should send it back to hyperkin but shipping is pretty expensive because im from austria
Oh man, bummer! D:
Unfortunately, that's not the first time I've heard of something like this. I would definitely contact Hyperkin either way and see what they'll do for you. Who knows, maybe they'll cover shipping for you? Good luck!
SuperDerek RPGs no they dont ive already talked to them -.- ok thanks for answering anyways ;) have a good day dude
Got a Retron 5 coming this week. Are you saying it will translate Japanese games to English? Yes!
Damn you, because of the intro sound I jumped to my phone. Yes, Secret of Mana OP song is my ringtone!
Hey Jared! Will you review Super Mario RPG?
For the game's fans out there : are the missing hits a nightmare for you as well or is it just me ? Like charging a full power attack for ages and missing the target completely for no valid reason ?
I tried this game recently and just completely hated it because of that, i really forced myself to get to the end.
Yep, I recall that as well. Sometimes it's because the game is busy registering other sources of damage from your allies, sometimes they're in the middle of invincible animation frames or the Z-axis is off just enough. It's one of the reasons I had to rely on magic so hard to get through the game. I'm hoping they address this in the remake. And hopefully a new translation too. :)
Oh that explains it. Thanks for answering :) I feel kinda left out for dislking a game so widely beloved, but sometimes, the smallest problems like this can ruin the whole experience.
Trust me, I know exactly how you feel man. I mentioned a few things that weren't so great about Breath of Fire IV in that review in an otherwise glowing review of the game, and I'll never hear the end of it! I think people need to realize that games are a subjective experience, and we play them in the context of our own life experiences. Things that strike chords on the heartstrings of some might look like cliché drivel to another, and that's a wonderful thing. :)
yea i had fun with it to a point you really got to get use to the invintory system but wanted to love this game grinding tho all you have to do is tap the button and use charge attacts more during boss battles
It's funny how this game implemented Final Fantasy 2's leveling system in regards to only weapons and magic.
I love Secret of Mana to death, but I think the series missed it's chance to evolve alongside its peers, Tales and Star Ocean. Have high hopes for the Trials of Mana remake though.
I beat SOM without using magic, made it much more challenging
So thankfully your recent request to go back and watch your videos aligns with my being a new fan. But I'm AMAZED you revierwd this but not Secret of Evermore! IMHO Evermore was the better game, I found Mana's story and characters very thin, where as Evermore is corny and charming. For shame my well learned friend
Evermore was always better, it just got hated on by close-minded fans who couldn't believe that America improved on the JRPG formula.
great video
loved this game getting a game sesh going is so hard but i got a group of 4 for tales of symphonia we played for 78 hours....i feel as though games should be like that but there not anymore
another great review as always man :) i was waiting for you to say NATSUME when you were saying RPG companies :P Cant wait to see a Lufia review :) damn its my favorite RPG on the SNES.
And if you ever get a chance defs play Rogue Galaxy on the PS2 If you have a spare 100 hrs that is hahah Thats my fav RPG on the PS2.
And while we are at it play Skies of Arcadia Legends on the GameCube :) again... Fav :)
Thanks +R2 MY D2! Surprisingly, I haven't touched on any Natsumi games yet, but you're totally right that they played a huge part in making the 16 bit generation awesome! I do have a copy of Lufia 2 now, so it won't be long before I'm able to add that dev to my list. :)
SuperDerek RPGs Thats the only one we got here.. And it was just called Lufia :) If you live stream that ill watch every second :) ill be you live walkthrough. I know the hell out of that game :)
Tbh, I'm really glad I only got into the series in 2019/20 with Final Fantasy Adventure and Trials of Mana/Seiken Densetsu 3. Because when I tried playing SoM, the various shortcomings in terms of AI and hit detection made it an easy drop for me. Stun locks are not fun on either side which prevents me from really liking this game. I'll probably eventually return to it with a fresh mind, but as of right now, I don't like it.
I really enjoyed this game back in high school, although I thought the leveling up was more tedious than Final Fantasy and the ending sucked.
you should review arc the lad series!
Great game, one of the best on the SNES. That said, yes many things about it have been updating/evolved over the years. The battle system is janky, and the AI gets stuck a bit and like any RPG it can be easy. Still, for being a trend setter the game is still awesome with excellent color/graphics and music.
The music in this game is so similar to Chrono Cross!
I know this vid's a couple of years old by now, but the game's older so this is still relevant: Secret of Evermore is better.
Agreed, and no one was willing to speak up in its defense when it came out. I'm glad people are coming around now.
Meh... I still think Chrono Trigger was a much better SNES RPG than SoM...
Probably, but you are comparing a turn based rpg to an action rpg.
@@jus4000kicks
An 'action' RPG that you still have to grind levels and wait for your action gauge to fill 100% to deal any damage.
SoM was a turn-based RPG in disguise.
Not exactly. There are a number of action Rpgs that you may have to grind in. Final Fantasy IV is a turn based RPG which had an element of real time in it with the ATB system. Secret of Mana is the opposite. An action RPG with an element of a turn based RPG in it. Its still an action rpg but consider the fact that Square hadn't really made much action rpgs up til that point so it was an experimental time. They obviously hadn't perfected the action RPG. Besides that does an action RPG have to be 100% one way or the other? Can't some be more action oriented and some less so. I hate when people use genres of all things (which by their nature are broad in meaning) to say that something isn't one thing or the other (except when Legend of Zelda fans call Legend of Zelda games action RPGs). Whats more is there are many examples of games that are hybrids of genres. In other words don't get too stuck in your idea of what something should be. Video Games are a creative medium and are much better when the developers aren't simply trying to fit a game into a type of mold (although there are exceptions). In secret of mana you control the characters movements. There is no screen transition. You fight enemies on the same map you explore. You attack by pressing the attack button. It is possible to move your character to avoid attacks. The charging special attacks was obviously inspired by A link to the Past's charging spin attack. Secret of Mana is an Action RPG. I personally like that you have to earn new charge attacks and new weapon upgrades can come with special effects. Armor is basically essential but that makes armor feel useful at least. Although you do have to train or grind your magic this games way of doing it feels very intuitive. The animations even change to show you how strong your magic has become. You don't need to grind your magic to its top level though. How much you decide to grind your magic essentially creates the difficulty curve in the game (Bosses are very easy with top level magic). You can beat the game without using your magic much.
@@jus4000kicks
TL;DR. At least, format your text to make it more pleasant to the eyes of a possible reader.
It was a turn-based RPG in disguise, as everything sums up to grinding, spamming magic, and waiting for the bar to fill up (and here, I'm referring to the 0-100% bar, which regards your basic attack, not the charged attack).
Movement was useless (hell, even dodges, blocks and misses were purely based on character stats) - it actually just made fights drag out longer. 60% waiting, 40% actual gameplay.
If you don't read it its your problem not mine. I don't comment on youtube to look for grammar advice. Only to make my points clear. In action RPGs there is also grinding (for instance in Oblivion you fight to level up your skill in using weapons and blocking, etc). Secret of Mana was an early RPG from a game developer who had mostly made turn based RPGs so what do you expect. Read my comment fully cuz I address everything you said.
You're wrong. The hype does live up to it's expectation. It was the only JRPG i played WITH my brother when i was young. It was an amazing experience that you could share with another person. That is why it was so amazing at the time.
the graphics aged perfect. It's a particular art style.
yes. the plot in the last part of the game sucked. hard to figure out what to do. and the weapon charging and having to wait for your sword to reach 100% was a waste of time. I spent too much time waiting to attack and that is a pointless waste of time that extends the time it takes to complete the game unnecessarily . I would have preferred to have it be like zelda. the soundtrack is great, but the game is merely ok. and I grew up in this time and bought it brand new when I was 13.
and then square soft merged with enix