Whats a Seiken Densetsu?
First, some history for the uninitiated. Sword of Mana is the latest in a long-running series of Squaresoft/Square Enix games known in Japan as Seiken Densetsu. Seiken Densetsu is Square’s action-oriented RPG alternative to its turn-based Final Fantasy games. The first game in the series to appear in the United States was a Gameboy action-RPG released in 1991 under the title Final Fantasy Adventure. Square tacked the Final Fantasy name onto the title in an effort to tap into US fans’ familiarity with the franchise. As is the case in the console world, the word adventure was shorthand for the use of puzzles and real-time combat a la The Legend of Zelda instead of the turn-based combat typical in Final Fantasy games. The next game in the series to get a stateside release was Seiken Densetsu 2 in 1993, otherwise known as Secret of Mana. Secret of Mana became an instant hit in the U.S. because of its colorful graphics, involving story, orchestral score and cooperative multiplayer options.
