Heroes of Mana
A real-time strategy entry in the Mana series for Nintendo DS.
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Heroes of Mana is a real-time strategy game for the Nintendo DS, released in 2007. It was co-developed by Brownie Brown and Square Enix, with Square Enix handling publishing. As the ninth installment in the Mana series, it also serves as the fourth title in the World of Mana subseries, arriving just three months after *Dawn of Mana*. The game is set in a high fantasy world and follows Roget, a young soldier who must defend multiple nations from the aggressive invasions of his own homeland.
Unlike the action role-playing games that came before it in the series, *Heroes of Mana* is a pure real-time strategy title, though it does include minor role-playing elements. Gameplay revolves around a series of strategic battles on fixed isometric grid maps. Players gather resources, construct buildings and units, and fight enemy forces to complete objectives. The DS’s second screen shows a battle map, while buildings and units are built inside the player’s airship and then dropped onto the battlefield from this flying base. The single-player campaign features several dozen required and optional battles, and local multiplayer matches are also available.
The game was produced by series creator Koichi Ishii and directed by Takeo Oin; it marks Ishii’s final involvement with the series. Masato Kato wrote the story, and Yoko Shimomura composed the music. Commercially, *Heroes of Mana* underperformed, selling roughly 180,000 copies worldwide by the end of 2007—less than other *Mana* games of the time. Critical reception was mixed: reviewers generally praised the graphics, were dismissive of the plot, had mixed feelings about the gameplay, and were sharply critical of what they saw as poor artificial intelligence and pathfinding that hindered actual play.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Square Enix / Brownie Brown
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Director
- Takeo Oin
- Producer
- Koichi Ishii
- Artist
- Ryoma Ito
- Writer
- Masato Kato
- Composer
- Yoko Shimomura
- Series
- Mana
- Platforms
- Nintendo DS
- Released
- JP · March 8, 2007 · NA · August 14, 2007 · EU · September 14, 2007
- Genre
- Real-time strategy
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Heroes of Mana is set in a high fantasy universe and follows a young soldier, Roget, as he journeys to defend several nations from the ruthless aggression of his own country. The plot opens with a reconnaissance mission by Peddan soldiers into the beastman kingdom of Ferolia, where Roget and his captain Yerchael are shot down. They discover that Pedda is invading Ferolia, and unable to support the invasion, they rebel and join forces with the Ferolians. They learn that the king of Pedda and Roget's childhood friend, Inath, has been driven mad and is launching Operation Psi to take over the world. Roget and Yerchael journey to other nations, including Laurent, Nevarla, Valsena, and Altena, to stop the Peddan army. They discover that Inath is installing Black Mirrors that corrupt those around them, and that the ancient witch Anise is manipulating events to summon dark energy and become a goddess. The allied forces defeat the Goddess of Doom and return home.
Reader's Guide
Heroes of Mana is significant as the first real-time strategy game in the Mana series, a departure from the action role-playing games that preceded it. It was produced by series creator Koichi Ishii, who was directly involved in all stages of development, and it is the final game in the series to involve him. The game was created to expose Japanese gamers to real-time strategy games, a genre relatively obscure in Japan, while also satisfying players abroad with an RTS for an unconventional console. Despite its innovative approach for the series, Heroes of Mana was not a commercial success, selling around 180,000 copies worldwide by the end of 2007. Critics generally praised the graphics but were dismissive of the plot, mixed on the gameplay, and sharply negative on the artificial intelligence and pathfinding. The game features over 20 story missions and dozens of bonus missions, local multiplayer, and a Wi-Fi Heroes Ranking system for downloading additional content. Its legacy lies in being a bold but flawed experiment that expanded the Mana series into a new genre.
Did You Know?
- It was produced by series creator Koichi Ishii, his final involvement in the series.
- The story was written by Masato Kato, who also wrote Children of Mana and Dawn of Mana.
More in Heroes & Allies
Elsewhere in Secret of Mana
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