Trials of Mana

Trials of Mana, known as Seiken Densetsu 3 in Japan, is one of the most celebrated RPGs in the world. Its impressive graphics and unique gameplay make it one of the best SNES games ever. It was never officially released outside of Japan until the 2019 release of Collection of Mana, in which the game is given the localized name Trials of Mana. This guide is written with Neill Corlett's English translation patch in mind. If you are playing the Japanese version certain characters and items will have slightly different names.

There are a few concepts that should be understood before beginning the walkthrough proper. First, Trials of Mana is a difficult game. If you follow the instructions within, you should be able to finish the game in roughly 30 to 40 hours without ever dying. However, this is not always the case. Be prepared to level up vigorously, and expect the game to require exertion and a good amount of effort. The best games are always the hardest ones!

Second, Trials of Mana has a style of combat very similar to its predecessor, Secret of Mana. Combat is fully real-time. Instead of menus, your physical attacks are directed and initiated platform-style, like an isometric Mortal Kombat. Like Secret of Mana, you have a charge attack, called a "Tech." Techs, or B-button Attacks (BAs) as they are occasionally known by, are attacks performed by pressing the B button after building up your Tech Gauge with normal physical attacks. Magic, however, is menu-based and turn-based. An in-depth guide to using Techs is in the beginning of the walkthrough, and an introduction to Magic is in the walkthrough as well.

Third, Trials of Mana has six heroes, three female and three male, of whom you choose three to form your party. The first member you pick determines the difficulty of your quest and the series of bosses you will fight at the end of the game. The second and third members will eventually join you on your quest.