SoM wasn't the first RPG I played, but the first one I owned. Its soundtrack was my first CD, too! I owned the player's guide, but I also loved Nintendo Power's multi-issue coverage, featuring Katsuya Terada's illustrations.
You can kinda tell this game was cut down a lot from what it was supposed to be. No real side quests, nothing to find in NPCs houses, etc. And the grinding is kind of obnoxious but such were the times. Overall, though, I really enjoyed my play through of this on the Super NT. Nothing beats those graphics on a big TV.
This was the first proper RPG I ever played and it really struck a chord with me once I understood how levelling and everything worked (it was all new to me). It’s the reason I like JRPGs to this day. The music has always stuck with me, it was the first time I heard music in a video game and thought this sounds like ‘real’ music I would listen to outside of playing the game. And I now do! It’s a shame they cropped the original box art from the Japanese version. It still looks good, but when you see the SFC cover in its vertical orientation you actually get to see the mana tree in all its glory!
The world of Secret of Mana is amazing indeed. Maybe the reason I want to play a remake which marvelously gives you an opportunity to play and relive the game in 3d
Very big hello to you, Bob! You would not probably choose to live in a 'Link to the past' with 205 game overs ^) . Are you sure you didn't play Dark souls?
