Legend of Mana
A spin-off with a unique Land Make system and non-linear quests.
Legend of Mana is a 1999 action role-playing game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation. It is a spin-off of the Mana series, set in a high fantasy universe where an unnamed hero restores the land of Fa'Diel by creating the world and completing interrelated quests to restore the Tree of Mana. The game is notable for its non-linear Land Make system, which allows players to shape the world's structure rather than follow a strong main plotline.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Square
- Publisher
- JP · Square · NA · Square Electronic Arts · WW · Square Enix / (remaster)
- Director
- Koichi Ishii
- Producer
- Akitoshi Kawazu
- Designer
- Akihiko Matsui
- Programmer
- Tomoki Anazawa
- Artist
- Shinichi Kameoka · Kouji Tsuda · Nao Ikeda
- Writer
- Nobuyuki Inoue
- Composer
- Yoko Shimomura
- Series
- Mana
- Platforms
- PlayStation · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · Windows · Android · iOS · Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- PlayStationJP · July 15, 1999 · NA · June 6, 2000Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, WindowsWW · June 24, 2021Android, iOSWW · December 7, 2021Xbox Series X/SWW · September 26, 2024
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Legend of Mana was directed by series creator Koichi Ishii, designed by Akihiko Matsui, and produced by Akitoshi Kawazu. The game features real-time battles and an angled top-down perspective, with the player controlling an unnamed hero assisted by up to two companions. Its Land Make system lets players place Artifacts on a grid map to generate regions and quests, creating a non-linear gameplay experience rather than a fixed journey. The game's story is composed of multiple quest arcs, including the Jumi arc, the Larc and Sierra arc, and the Matilda and Irwin arc, with no single overarching plot.
Reader's Guide
Legend of Mana sold 400,000 copies in its first week and 700,000 by the end of 1999, indicating strong commercial performance. Critics praised its hand-drawn graphics and soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura but criticized the lack of a clear main storyline, calling it disjointed. The game was re-released as part of PlayStation and Square best-sellers lines, and later as a PSOne Classic in Japan and North America. A remastered version was published by Square Enix for multiple platforms in 2021 and 2024. An anime adaptation, Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal, aired from October to December 2022. The game's legacy lies in its innovative world-building system and its departure from traditional linear RPG storytelling.
Did You Know?
- The game sold 400,000 copies in its first week of release.
- It features a Land Make system where players place Artifacts on a grid to generate regions and quests.
- The soundtrack was composed by Yoko Shimomura.
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