Trials of Mana

Trials of Mana is an adventure game for Android devices featuring a rich storyline where players can earn substantial rewards by completing both main and side quests. Players can choose their preferred difficulty level and engage in dynamic combat. The game offers a class-change system, allowing characters to evolve and access new abilities, while each character possesses a unique backstory. Characters can be strengthened through stat enhancements, and players can switch between different musical arrangements—including the original SNES soundtrack. With a diverse cast of characters to choose from, the game also supports cloud saves. Each character features their own unique combos, skills, and aerial attacks.

Plot

The story begins in a different place for each playable character. With the exception of Charlotte, the main character is soon told (or otherwise decides) to seek the advice of the Priest of Light in the Holy City Wendel. They arrive at the city of Jadd soon after the Beastmen have invaded. Due to the Beastmen's werewolf powers, they are able to make an escape by night. The main character—now including Charlotte—on the way to Wendel stays overnight in Astoria where they are woken by a bright light. Following it, it reveals itself to be a Faerie from the Sanctuary of Mana, exhausted by her journey. Out of desperation, the Faerie chooses the main character to be her host and tells them to get to Wendel. There, while they explain their grievances to the Priest of Light, the Faerie interrupts and explains that the Mana Tree is dying, and that the Sanctuary is in danger. The Priest explains that if the Tree dies, the Benevodons will reawaken and destroy the world. He goes on to explain further that, because the Faerie has chosen the main character as its host, they must travel to the Sanctuary to draw the Sword of Mana from the foot of the Mana Tree. They can then restore peace to the world, and have their wishes granted by the Mana Goddess if the sword is drawn before the Tree dies. A great deal of power is needed to open the gate to the Sanctuary. The Faerie does not have the strength to do it, and the ancient spell which would do so by unlocking the power in the Mana Stones also takes the caster's life. The Stones' guarding elemental spirits, however, will to be able to open the gate if their powers are combined.

Features

Dynamic Combat: Engage in real-time battles using aerial and combo attacks, supported by auto-target and auto-battle options.

Character Progression: Choose from six main characters with overlapping stories that change based on your party composition.

Class System: Power up characters by switching to light or dark classes, including a newly added Class 4, and train with over 300 unique abilities.

Customizable Experience: Select from four difficulty settings, ranging from Beginner to Hard, to suit your playstyle.

Audio Options: Choose between the new soundtrack arrangements or the original SNES version, with full English and Japanese voiceovers.

Mobile Optimizations: Features touch-operated menus, directional pad overlays, gamepad support, cloud saves, and adjustable graphic quality settings.

New Game Plus: Unlock additional storylines, higher difficulty levels like Expert and No Future, and various quality-of-life additions after completing the main game.

Role

Angela is the princess of the ice-covered Magic Kingdom of Altena, though she herself has little to no potential in magic unlike everyone else in the kingdom. Her mother, Queen Valda uses her magic to keep the citadel in Altena in a perpetual Spring, but the spell weakens as Mana starts to fade. To power the spell, she and her assistant the Crimson Wizard decide to invade other nations to claim their Mana Stones, though the spell to use the Stone is fatal to the caster. When the Queen tries to force Angela to use it after deeming her useless for her lack of magic, she flees from Altena and strives to become a powerful mage so that her mother would accept her again.

Kevin is the half-human prince of Ferolia. His father, Gauser the Beast King, is sick of the treatment of his people by "normal" humans. His desired revenge is made possible by the appearance of Goremand, who shows the king his abilities by forcing Kevin to awaken his werewolf abilities by killing Kevin's best friend. When Kevin confronts the Beast King on this act and the King's plans to invade the human Holy City Wendel, Kevin is thrown out of the kingdom and swears revenge. He also seeks to find a way to bring Karl back to life and learn the fate of his human mother.

Charlotte is the half-elf granddaughter of the Priest of Light in Wendel. An orphan, she is looked after by a fellow cleric, Heath. Feeling an evil influence in nearby Jadd, the Priest of Light sends Heath to investigate, but Charlotte follows to witness Goremand abduct Heath, so she decides to go out on a journey to save him.

Hawkeye is a member of a guild of noble thieves based in the desert Sand Fortress of Nevarl. The guild's leader, Lord Flamekhan, suddenly and uncharacteristically declares Nevarl to be a kingdom. Hawkeye decides to confront Flamekhan about it, only to discover he is being controlled by the witch Isabella. Isabella kills Eagle, Flamekhan's son and Hawkeye's friend, framing Hawkeye for his death and forcing him to flee.

Riesz is the princess of the mountainous Wind Kingdom of Laurent and captain of its Amazon army. Two mysterious ninjas from Nevarl trick her younger brother Elliott into turning off Laurent's protective winds and kidnap him. With the winds gone, Nevarl attacks Laurent with a cloud of sleep powder and kills its king. Devastated, Riesz makes her escape and seeks out to find her lost brother.

User comments

Controller support has finally been added! Now there's literally zero reasons not to play the best action JRPG on the store. The game is pure fun, wonderful art and score, and a blast to replay thanks to the different characters with unique stories, bosses, weapons. NewGame+ is also excellent as you can carry lots of OP items from previous playthrough, making subsequent playthroughs a breeze! I've played hundreds of premium games over 10 years, and this one is definitely top-3 material.

Better than on Nintendo switch. I like the controls on mobile better and I can play it anywhere. I like the mana series because it's simple. No complicated system of fighting or upgrading to deal with. Buy new gear in each town and get new abilities. Very simple. Also easy to play. Has a star to guide you always, so you are never lost. Please do more Mana games!

The element of game is there, like any other Mana series I've played. I just want to suggest to add controller support for Backbone controllers or any type of controller on this like Secret of Mana and Legend of Mana, as buttons are somehow narrow for a big hand like mine. The rest everything looks fine. I will change my rating to 5 once fixed.

Summarize

Trials of Mana is an action-oriented RPG that brings the console experience to mobile devices. Players embark on a journey through a world once shrouded in darkness, where they must select a party of three characters from a roster of six to determine the path of the interwoven narrative. The game features full 3D graphics, a dynamic battle system, and extensive character customization options, allowing players to switch between light and dark classes and utilize hundreds of different abilities.