Rise of Mana

Lore & Background

Rise of Mana began development in 2012 when Square Enix producer Masaru Oyamada told series producer Koichi Ishii he could create a legitimate Mana entry for mobile platforms. The game was built using the Unity engine, with multiplayer inspired by Secret of Mana and developed using Photon Server middleware. Art direction was by Hiroyuki Suzuki, a series newcomer, while character designs were by Taiki, monster designs by Ryota Murayama, and other designs by Haccan. Music was led by Tsuyoshi Sekito, with a theme song by Kokia.

The story follows two protagonists—an angel and a demon—who are swept from a battle at the Mana Tree into the mortal world, where they share a body to survive. Players can customize the characters' genders and names, and switch between angelic and demonic forms during gameplay to see different NPC thoughts. The game uses a free-to-play model with optional in-app purchases. Quests include main story quests, time-limited quests, challenge quests, and raid battles for up to eight players. Combat is real-time with swords, spears, and bows, each granting different skills and elemental attributes.

The game was first announced in February 2014 and released on iOS the following month, with Android and Vita versions later. By April 2015, the mobile version had over two million active players, and the Vita version achieved 150,000 downloads by August 2015. Critics generally praised its graphics, story, and gameplay, though some felt it was not a worthy part of the Mana series. The game was discontinued in March 2016.

Reader's Guide

Rise of Mana holds significance as the first major Mana series title since Heroes of Mana in 2007, bridging a gap of several years. Its free-to-play model on mobile platforms represented a strategic shift for the franchise, aiming to reach a wide audience of casual gamers. The game's development was driven by Masaru Oyamada, who sought to create an action role-playing game true to the series rather than a social or card-based mobile game. The shared-body mechanic, suggested by director Masato Yagi, was a unique narrative and gameplay feature. The game's legacy is mixed: while it attracted millions of players and received generally positive critical reception, some critics questioned its place in the Mana series. Its discontinuation in March 2016, less than two years after release, limited its long-term impact. Nonetheless, Rise of Mana demonstrated Square Enix's willingness to experiment with the Mana franchise on mobile platforms and introduced the series to a new generation of players.

Did You Know?

• The game's key art was created by Dairaku Masahiko after regular Mana key art illustrator Hiroo Isono died in 2013.
• The protagonists and some NPCs were designed by Japanese artist Taiki.
• The game's multiplayer was developed using the Photon Server middleware.
• The theme song was written and performed by singer-songwriter Kokia.