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SNES Classic Edition review: Worth it for the games alone
The success of last year's NES Classic Edition clearly took Nintendo by surprise. The company was completely incapable of meeting demand, leaving many people unable to buy what became the must-have gift of the holiday season. Now Nintendo has given its SNES the Classic Edition treatment and promises it's going to build way more than it did last year. Having grown up with the SNES (OK, we had a Sega Genesis and my best friend had SNES), it's easy to assume that everyone knows what it is and why people are so excited that it's back. After dominating the 8-bit era with the NES, Nintendo came late to the party with its sequel. The SNES launched in '90 in Japan, '91 in the US and '92 in the UK. The Genesis had a two-year head start in almost every country, but Nintendo's second-generation home console was worth the wait. The SNES arrived with Super Mario World and F-Zero, among other titles. The former is regarded as one of the greatest games of all time while the latter had faux-3D graphics with fluidity and speed unseen on a console before. For the next five years or so, some special games graced the system: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario Kart, Metroid, Final Fantasy III, Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, Star Fox. I could go on, but essentially, short of Sonic and a few other Sega exclusives, Nintendo destroyed the competition in terms of quality, with dozens of games that have stood the test of time. That puts the SNES Classic in different territory than its predecessor, which, nostalgia aside, featured many games that, for obvious reasons, aren't up to modern standards. While I utterly adore Metroid, trying to introduce someone to the original today is tough. But nearly all the games Nintendo has included in its latest console are as enjoyable today as they were when they were first released.
'Secret of Mana' remake gameplay video delivers throwback fun
Less than two weeks since it was announced, Square Enix is offering the first look at gameplay from the Secret of Mana remake. The clip is from the demo unveiled as part of the developer's Pax West showcase, which was captured in a Twitch livestream. It boasts almost ten minutes of in-game footage from the highly anticipated remaster of the classic RPG.
‘Secret of Mana’ returning as a 3D remaster on PlayStation and PC
Next month, a horde of nostalgic Nintendo heads will get the chance to relive the Secret of Mana on the SNES Classic Edition. But, if you're a gamer with modern sensibilities, then its 16-bit world may not suffice. Fortunately for you, developer Square Enix is giving the iconic title the 3D treatment. An upgraded version of the JRPG is heading to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Steam next year.
TUAW's Daily App: Secret of Mana
Here we go. A few of the hack-and-slash RPGs we've covered in this space have been compared to Secret of Mana, but now Square Enix has gone ahead and released the actual thing on iOS. Secret of Mana borrows a little bit from Legend of Zelda in that you always see all of your enemies on screen, and hack away at them in real time rather than in a turn-based battle or a separate mode. Otherwise it's a JRPG all the way around, as you wander through towns and dungeons, level up and earn weapons of various powers, and explore a big story of an unexpected hero saving the world. This is a good one -- it's a little retro, considering it first came out back in 1993, but it's a great title. The only drawback? It's been released at US$8.99 on the iPhone, and while it's probably worth the price to some of you, most of the App Store market (especially this week, after so many big titles and so many sales already) will probably find it a little too rich for their wallet. If that's a little high, just wait -- Square Enix has done more than a few sales in its time, so we might see it a little cheaper sooner or later.
TUAW's Daily App: Heroes Lore
Back when EA premiered its list of upcoming App Store titles, one stood out for me: Heroes Lore III is now out on the App Store for US$1.99. This one's interesting -- it's a Korean RPG that's been translated over to the iPhone. If you've ever played any of the old 16-bit Super Nintendo RPGs like Secret of Mana, you'll know how this one works. You can level up and fight enemies in real time while using various abilities and gearing your way up through a sizable story. There are five classes to play with, and two different factions to fight for, as well as the ability to battle other players along the way. Early reviews say the controls are a little wonky, so you might end up wrestling with the iPhone's touchscreen a bit. Some of the classes are a little unbalanced, too. Not all of them work as well as others, so you'll probably find a few favorites and stick with those. Still, it's very interesting to see EA bring a game like this to the App Store. If you're a fan of those old RPGs on the 16-bit systems, you'll probably enjoy this one. It's available for just a few bucks right now.
English-translated Secret of Mana 2 cart on eBay
Though Square never brought Seiken Densetsu 3, Secret of Mana's sequel (which itself was a follow-up to Final Fantasy Adventure), to the states, a fan translation project provided gamers with a localization ROM patch in 2000, five years after its release in Japan. Even with just an unofficial translation, the cooperative ARPG is widely acclaimed by those who've played it, some even claiming it as the Mana series' apex. As fun as Seiken Densetsu 3 is, the Super Nintendo experience just doesn't seem "authentic" unless you're playing the game with the original rounded controllers on hardware yellowed with age. This auction on eBay plays on that sentiment, offering up a "Secret of Mana 2" set which includes the patched game on an SNES cart, a mocked-up box, and an English-translated instruction booklet.Everything about its production screams "bootleg," and counterfeit releases like these can never be trusted for their quality or reliability, but that hasn't stopped bidders from running its auction price up to $300 with 15 hours still left on the clock![Via GameSniped]
