The making of Secret of Mana 

Hiroki Kikuta composed a masterpiece with this soundtrack. It makes almost 90% of the games atmosphere. Hands down one of the best soundtracks ever made for a videogame.

incredible amount of presentation put into this video. very admirable and fun to watch

Had to pause at 0:26 "The pure magical feel that it evoked, is immediately brought up by it's fans" This is so true, the game has a place in my soul haha spot on dude.

The amount of work you put into your videos is admirable! You deserve a million subs

My eyes aren't worthy of such well crafted piece of work! This video is gorgeous!

This video was simply fantastic. I fancy myself somewhat of a "gaming historian" and had NO CLUE that Chrono Trigger splintered off from Secret of Mana. So many interesting facts from this game's original development, inspired use of the Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger soundtracks, and unmatched production value. You sir, have truly outdone yourself. 10/10.

Heard about this game first on the playground with a friend when I was 8 in the 90s when this came out. Rented it a bunch of times then had my save file erased. Ended up buying it and it seemed to take forever to beat but a hell of a lot of fun all the way until the end, captivating story and emotional drama. Very well done battle system, probably still my favourite action-JRPG to date.

One of my favorite games for SNES as I was lucky enough to own this masterpiece.The music was so awesome as I remember as a kid getting chills hearing the various dark church/temple areas.

The music from Secret of Mana will always get me. It's one of the first games where I realized that a game soundtrack could be art. Every time I hear some of the songs I'm taken back to my childhood and how I loved the mystical feel that this game gave me.

man, i remember when i first played Secret of Mana way back when. Me and my mom went to this tiny audio/video rental place all the time called Melody House. I would be allowed a single game for the weekend to rent. Eventually i came to Secret of Mana. i put the cartridge in at home, and after the ritual blowing and fiddling got it to work. Immediately i was blown away by that whale cry and the amazing intro. That moment was so far beyond anything i had previously seen that it wouldn't be replicated again for years. The soundtrack more than anything else was what captured my young self. Even when i wasn't playing i'd have it on so i could hear the music playing. The mournful tune as he was exiled from Potos was my favorite. I spent so many weekends playing this game, crying when other renters would delete my save file, happy when i FINALLY beat it after months of attempts. When they remade it, i bought it that very day it came out due to the nostalgia alone.

I know I say this every time, but this is seriously your best video yet!

just wow...the documentation and work for the 3d/2d the art for this vid. good job! no one has documented/produced a vid/projected mana this well.

That was incredible... from the script to the production value to the narration... amazing work. And moving too

This is a remarkable production format, awesome script and that narration voice over is like silk caressing my ears. How u do dis!?

Best Video about Secret of Mana on RU-vid!

Makes me appreciate this game even more! Absolutely love the music in this game! Definitely my favourite game on SNES!

Very nice! The CGI and music makes It like I'm in a magical world while learning about it. I should really play Secret of Mana.

Thoroughly enjoyed this game back in the day. Good to see how it was made many years later.

This is very well made, thanks for putting this together. I used to speculate as a kid how Randi and Crono could be related, and now many years later my interest has piqued once again.

I remember when the words "Programmed by Nasir" were a big deal

What you just did was throw me right back into my undying love for this game and my childhood. My father passed away almost ten years ago, and this game, along with FFIII (VI) and Super Metroid were some of the best times we shared together. My dad my brother Andrew and I sitting around the TV playing this.. Amazing tribute, to an amazing game. Thank you.

You are the best documentary/retrospective channel about games on RU-vid and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. S-Tier.

Finally a video I can point to if I ever want to share the making of my favorite game. Thanks for this man, really loved it.

The fact that one game became 2 iconic games is insane. They put their ALL into games back then

I always get a little emotional when I see something about Secret of Mana. But this video was something to the next level. Thank you for putting time into this. I really appreciate it. And I wish I could shake Hiroki Kikuta's hand, the soundtrack I still hear to this very day.

"The active battle system was seen as too much of a departure for final fantasy 4" - oh boy just you wait

3 player action RPG in 1993? Everyone knows how awesome that was! Classic game.

Welcome back! Fantastic production work as always.

I can't believe this video is real... The writing... The narration... The animation... The use of music... I learned a lot of things from this video which I thought I knew everything about this excellent game. Dear Strafefox, you deserve a lot more views, subscribers and a bright future with your channel!

5:00 Goosebumps when the music kicked in

That was the best gaming documentary (if that’s the right word) I’ve ever seen in my entire life! Thank you for putting together such a wonderful summary to an epic game. Glad to have played this when growing up.

Woah. I don't think that anybody can name a retro gaming channel that has better production than this. My favourite channel by far. This video actually brought a tear to my eye. Please contact Nintendo. You would easily make the best videos for it. Also, I wonder what the video creator thinks of Xenogears.

I'm so disappointed when one of these videos ends, because the content is enthralling to me. Thanks again!

I don't think there is a single content creator on here that does your kind of work that is anymore near as thought provoking and moving as how you present the material. You always manage to share the details of each game's development as crowning achievements in humans' history and makes me as a fellow content creator moved by the love and care that goes into each video. Your work is amazing, never stop.

Just found your channel and am working through all your videos now. Blown away by the quality and content. Well researched with professional quality production. Keep up the amazing work. You deserves way more subscribers.

This is the great quality that I subscribed for! Thank you for the upload!

I was really impressed that if you had one of those four-controller things you could actually play secret of mana with three people.

The work you do on these videos is amazing Strafefox. I love Secret of Mana and really appreciate this video!

Some of the best production I've seen on RU-vid. Great work!

First time ive seen your work, going back through all of your videos now. This was incredible.

Superb! The best video for one of my most lovely games since childhood. You guys are amazing.

This video was excellently crafted. It was entertaining as well as informative, and I really like the quote that you added at the end of the video. Good work!

I just watched this again. thank you so much for the effort you put into these, you're truly my favorite.

Secret of Mana is what got me into Game Development. Ever since I was a kid, I made up RPG systems with my pet toys. (I wasn't allowed to play the SNES on weekdays). There is just something about the game that was and still are magical to this day. Secret of Mana was flawed in a couple of ways but you can't help admiring the team for making such a great product. Also... ONLY 14k SUBS? What?!

I admire your work so much. So much effort put in every video!!!!

Absolutely excellent presentation. You deserve a ton more views and likes. You got me wanting to collect all these games and I barely play video games. I just love the history of games.

Had to subscribe, some of the best production I have ever seen in a RU-vid series.

Incredible, as always. You really deserve more views!

Holy hell the editing on this video is absolutely sublime. Thank you for such an insightful video into the making of my all-time favourite game :D

This is my first time catching your channel. I have to say that I don't think I've seen any video ever on here that was this well edited. Not to mention there was so much information that I (a longtime SE fan) I had no idea about until just now.

I'm very glad I found this channel... IDK how I could have missed it. Amazing videos 10/10.

Tremendous work on this! I loved every minute of it!

Subscribed without hesitation. Beautiful work. I echo all the comments about more subs! Secret of Mana remains one of my main artistic inspirations. What a great balance they struck with this game between the visuals, music, story and gameplay.

Absolutely Phenomenal video! The hard work, time, and effort spent into crafting this video is truly inspiring!

Excellent video! Very informative, visually appealing, no extraneous fluff. I loved this.

The way you produced this video is astonishing. I expected a narration while some random footage of SoM is shown, but this blew my mind. You have a new subscriber.

This video is really well made. Fascinating as well. I learned a lot about these games that I never knew. Good stuff!

I am really impressed by the quality of your video ! It's a masterpiece !

HOLY CRAP the production value in this video is astounding! Well done!

85.000 people here only? This is unfair, your work is outsanding, congrats.

God damn, I'm really glad you're back. Keep up the excellent work, you deserve way more views and subs.

The video was so complete, so amazing, taught me a lot... the visual are amazing to say the least, and that outro... I still have shivers out of it. Great job. You gained a sub from me.

Awesome video ! Very informative and interesting throughout. Great job !

The quality of this video blows me away. Absolutely amazing. And I loved your narrative. Keep up the good work!

Slick production and very informative. Look forward to more!

This is easily the greatest video ever covering Secret of Mana. You dropped gems on here, thank you. I don't think the world quite understands yet but they will

The music and narration as well as the graphics utilized throughout were spot on. I immediately subscribed and look forward to now browsing your previous video library.

Truly excellent and informative video with outstanding production value. A rare sight on YT these days.

This is one of my most cherished games. Your video more than does it justice. What a fantastic tribute to the makers of this game. You should be proud.

Discovering your channel was the best things that happened to me this week, information presented in such quality! Can't wait to watch more of your content

wow! easily one of the best produced and visually impressive youtube videos I've seen. Would not be out of place on television at all. Not to mention the great information. seriously awesome work. instant sub.

This video is surprisingly well done. Good job!

Oh my! Just discovered this channel. The production value of these videos are extremely high. Keep up the great work.

Always great to see your work. Long time viewer and you never fail to put out quality. : )

RU-vid first brought me by luck to your video about Donkey Kong Country, I really liked it so I decided to subscribe. Then I was recommended this video of yours about my favorite game ever, and I have no word: the amount of information (so much I didn't know about!!), the editing, the narration... Bravo! I wish many people can see your work, this is simply wonderful!

Thank you for creating this video. Secret of Mana is my all time favorite game. It holds a special place in my heart.

Just started going through your channel and I'm going to echo many of the other comments on them that you deserve a lot more subs. Love the use of development pieces and old advert art in your videos, it feels like I'm flipping through an old issue of gamefan or nintendo power. Also the blending of little known behind the scenes stuff is great, I've watched a few vids on SoM and CT and they never mentioned their shared history . Even when I was a kid they felt like they had more in common than just a spikey haired protagonist when compared to Square's other games at the time and now I know why. Looking forward to seeing more from this channel.

The animation quality, information, and presentation of this video is incredible. I have no idea how your channel only has 13k subs.

This channel is amazing. Deserves millions of subs, please keep it up!

What a great video, I don't often comment but this was amazing from beginning to end with so much effort put in was a delight to watch, got a subscribe from me for this!

the production quality of this video is unlike anything i've seen on youtube, this is amazing! well done!

I am constantly impressed and wowed by your visuals simply stunning!!

I been subscribed to you since your Genesis music video, you never disappoint. Keep doing great things, it shows that your videos are a labor of love for video games

Awesome job man! The amount of work including the 3D backgrounds are so beautiful!

The quality and presentation of these documentaries has earned my subscription and admiration. Spectacular job to you all

I liked the forest background, tree stump, and all the cool lighting effects and fireflies. Very beautiful scene to setup the telling of the game. Thanks for making these awesome videos!

Great video! I loved your explanations of the different techniques and tricks they used to add more depth to the graphics, especially! I've never heard of any of that before!

Seiken Densetsu II and Chrono Trigger are so interestingly linked. The hero of SD2 even looks almost just like Crono, and the heroine like Marle. Side note, I REALLY wish we had gotten SD3 in America. :( "However, it seemed too far removed for a Final Fantasy game, but it was perfect for Mana." Ahh, back in the days when Square gave a single shit about franchise gameplay consistency. Good times!

Such a beautiful representation for a classic game. your doing great work on your end! good luck!

An amazing piece of gaming history. Your insight and knowledge of the 16-but era is encyclopedic. Thanks for making these videos, especially this one. Secret of Mana is one of my all-time favorite titles ever. This was a great trip down memory lane.

Love your work. A super rare combo of nerdiness, high quality production, sound research and philosophical reflection. Keep up the great work. PS Secret of Mana is my first SNES RPG ... the feels

An amazing video! I absolutely loved learning more about one of my absolute favorite childhood games.

This is amazing production value. Deserves more likes.

This was awesome! Mana is pretty much my fav. SNES game, so thanks for giving me some behind the scenes :)

The presentation in this vid is flippin nuts man. Absolutely gorgeous set pieces, great job of immersing us in the SD2 world.

The production value on this is amazing. Well done!

This video was astonishingly well crafted! The 3D-Effects and Scenes, especially when the game was taking place in a TV in the Secret of Mana Environment were beautifully animated. Have not seen such a good work in a long time. I like your attention to detail and I am looking forward to see more of your gorgeous editing (+50 Admiration, +200 Nostaligia Tears, +1 Sub)

i grew up with the mana series and i have to say what a grand job you have done here this is just incredible love this video so much fantastic.

Holy cow this production is insane! Great video!

Incredible documentary, thanks for your hard work doing this!