Gam checked out TRIALS of MANA remake:

Trials of Mana - How to develop Remakes (GamReviews)

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Pushsquare reports that the TRIALS of Mana remake sold more than 1 million copies.

The devs of TRIALS of MANA did some interviews with Noisy Pixel and Siliconera recently.

AL: When updating the classic to the current version, would you say it’s difficult to put yourself in the mindset of what RPGs were like 25 years ago while trying to appeal to a new generation of players? Or does it all come naturally?

Shinichi Tatsuke: The original game’s world and story were solid, so it wasn’t that difficult. We planned things by imagining how it would have been as a modern-day game. We thought about things that were depicted in a certain way due to the technology that was available back then, but that could be depicted in this other way using modern technology. We also thought about additional features, which remakes often have.

AL: Trials of Mana almost comes off as a completely new game when you compare it to its Super Famicom version. What steps did you take during development to have it retain that classic RPG appeal, but modernize it enough to stand on its own in this new console generation?

ST: We started by clearly defining what we would and would not change: we would change the graphics as well as the battle and growth systems, but we would not change the original world and characters. For example, looking at the battles, the original action battle was enjoyable, but in bringing the action battle system to the remake in 3D, I wanted to add even more, with actions like evasion, aerial attacks, and combo attacks.

Additionally, we incorporated features designed to expand upon the strengths of the original as much as possible. The biggest draw of the original was its story, which would play out differently depending on the combination of characters you chose. We wanted to dig deeper into that feature, so we added more dialogue between party members during battle and travel.

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How did the response to the Secret of Mana remake influence Trials of Mana?

Oyamada: The reaction we got from fans all around the world saying that they had been looking forward to the Mana series and voicing their anticipation for the original version of Trials of Mana, which was never released in the West, was greater than we had anticipated. Therefore, we decided to vastly modernize the game’s system, starting with its visuals in addition to system-related elements like battle mechanics.

Which party would you personally recommend to someone entirely new to the series and why?

Tatsuke: I would recommend Duran, Angela, and Charlotte. Duran excels in attack and defense, so he’s easy to use even for beginners. Angela can use magic attacks, while Charlotte can use recovery magic, so all together they would make a very well-balanced party.

Additionally, when you put Duran and Angela together, you’ll be able to see dialogue that’s specific to them, which is another point that makes me want to recommend them.

Thanks Farflame!

AOTF has reviewed TRIALS of MANA:

Trials of Mana Review

Remake of the third Mana game.

The SNES was filled with numerous classic RPGs, a large majority of which came from the two brands that merged later to become Square Enix. Secret of Mana has always been one of the more discussed games from that period, though most at the time did not realize it was actually the second game in the Seiken Densetsu series. A few gaming magazines also reported at the time about what was being referred to as Secret of Mana 2, aka Seiken Densetsu 3 in Japan, which was not ever brought to the West until the release of last year’s Collection of Mana as Trials of Mana. Square Enix wasn’t satisfied with just the localized release of the original in the collection though, as they decided to remake the entire game for current generation platforms while keeping the name Trials of Mana.

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The Verdict

While it may be a little too beholden to its SNES era roots in some ways, Trials of Mana is a solid remake that offers players an alternative way to experience what was not too long ago a Japanese exclusive game.

Score: 4/5

MMORPG checked out the Action-J-RPG TRIALS of MANA:

The RPG Files: Trials of Mana Review

A Remake For The Ages

Trials of Mana is an Action RPG developed and published by Square Enix. It is a remake of Seiken Densetsu III that originally launched in Japan back in 1995 and, until last year, has never been available in the West. Now 25 years after its original launch, Square is bringing Mana back in a big way with this remake. But will it be enough to revitalize this once-great series, or is this remake a trivial undertaking? Here’s our review of Trials of Mana.

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CONCLUSION OF MANA

Trials of Mana is a fantastic remake of an Action RPG that tragically never came to the West until recently. It is evident that great care has been taken to create an experience as close to the original as possible, although liberties to improve upon the story should have been taken on. Even the legendary soundtrack was beautifully remade with full orchestration, and Trials allows for either the remake or classic 16bit soundtrack to play via the options. Although the combat may get repetitive and boss battles are rarely challenging, Trials has a ton of charm and fun that is easily accessible for new players and old fans alike. For the amount of gameplay offered – especially in terms of replay-ability if you want to see everything – there are few JRPGs that are as enjoyable to play as Trials of Mana was.

Score: 8.5

TheGamer checked out TRIALS of MANA:

Trials Of Mana Review: The 2nd Best JRPG Remake Of April

With a lot of care, passion, and effort, Trials Of Mana is an excellent new game that still carries that 90s JRPG spirit.

Remaking older games can be a pretty tricky task, but Square Enix has proven that they know what it takes to remake the magic of their classic titles. With a lot of care, passion, and effort, they've managed to craft an excellent new game that still carries that 90s JRPG spirit.

Although, surprisingly, I'm not talking about Final Fantasy VII Remake this time. In a weird bit of scheduling, Square Enix has released two JRPG remakes in the same month, and it's safe to say that one of them has far overshadowed the other. It's possible that they simply forgot that this project even existed since they were in the middle of putting out one of the most highly anticipated games of all time. However, despite its lack of attention, Trial Of Mana is a solid remake of the 1995 title, that perhaps leans a little too heavily on the cliches and tropes of classic RPGs, but provides a fun, monster-slaying experience.

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RPG Site has reviewed the J-RPG remake TRIALS of MANA:

Trials of Mana Review

If you’re in a conversation about the most influential classic RPGs of all time, there’s no doubt that the Mana series will come up. Despite the third game being so hard to come by, the original Trials of Mana (known in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 3) is still regarded as one of the best RPGs of all time. People liked it so much that it didn’t really even matter that a fan translation was the easiest way to play it for a good while. With its official inclusion in the Collection of Mana last year and with a new remake, Square is finally letting everyone experience Trials of Mana. 

Is it still as genre-defining as it once was? No, but it’s an excellent game nonetheless. Whether you’re a complete newcomer like me, or a seasoned Mana player, Trials of Mana is absolutely worthy of your time. 

One of the things that always set Trials of Mana apart from other games was its storytelling. There are six main characters to choose from, and rather than focusing on one singular main plotline, there are instead three different ones that entwine with each other and form one larger narrative. Select pairings of the playable characters will also cause a bigger focus on certain storylines and cause more interaction between the heroes. Who you pick as your main hero will also have an effect on the final boss and palace as well as making them the central avatar of the story.

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Despite some presentation issues and some lack of difficulty, Trials of Mana is fantastic fun. It knows what it is and delivers on its promises as a remake with confidence. The world of Trials of Mana is one I won’t soon forget.

Score: 8/10

The Trials of Mana J-RPG remake is now available:

Trials of Mana

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When the world was shrouded in darkness, the Goddess of Mana drew forth the Sword of Mana to smite the eight Benevodons, monsters of destruction.

She sealed the horrors inside the eight Mana Stones, bringing the realm back from the brink.

Weakened from rebuilding the world, the Goddess changed herself into a tree and fell into a deep sleep for many years.

However, the forces of evil soon sought to free the Benevodons to gain control of the world.

They started a terrible war to further their plot and destabilize the kingdoms.

Peace was at an end. Mana itself began to disappear from the world and the Mana Tree started to wither...

Noisy Pixel checked out the action RPG TRIALS of MANA:

Trials of Mana Review - Noisy Pixel

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Click4Gameplay checked out the upcoming remake Trials of Mana:

Trials of Mana - Preview

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Trials of Mana is an upcoming action RPG, developed by Square Enix.

A new gameplay preview video of Trials of Mana. A demo of the game will be on the eShop March 18th.

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Release Date April 24, 2020

Publisher Square Enix

Genre Action RPG

"Trials of Mana" is the 3D remake of the hit Japanese classic RPG released in 1995 as Seiken Densetsu 3. Experience the beloved adventure fully modernized with quality graphics, an upgraded battle system, character voices, a remastered sound track, extra conversation interludes, and more! The overlapping story of interwoven destinies changes depending on who you choose as your main character and companions! This daring tale of overcoming the tests of fate has been given new life! Will these young adventurers be able to use the power of mana to save the world from the brink of destruction?

The Seiken Densetsu 3 remake Trials of Mana will be released early 2020:

TRIALS of MANA

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When the world was shrouded in darkness, the Goddess of Mana drew forth the Sword of Mana to smite the eight Benevodons, monsters of destruction.

She sealed the horrors inside the eight Mana Stones, bringing the realm back from the brink.

Weakened from rebuilding the world, the Goddess changed herself into a tree and fell into a deep sleep for many years.

However, the forces of evil soon sought to free the Benevodons to gain control of the world.

They started a terrible war to further their plot and destabilize the kingdoms.

Peace was at an end. Mana itself began to disappear from the world and the Mana Tree started to wither...

Thanks henriquejr!