Review: Sword of Mana

It’s been a little while since I last reviewed a game in the Mana series. Up to this point, I’ve covered the original trilogy and the first title in the spin-off series (Legend of Mana). Today, I want to discuss a Mana game that’s largely been forgotten about, Sword of Mana.

Sword of Mana is a remake/reimagining of the original Final Fantasy Adventure. Released in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance, the goal of this game was to take the story of Final Fantasy Adventure and bring it more in line with the other games in the series. This means that some of the references to Final Fantasy (for example, Chocobos) were removed, while the graphics and UI were updated to be more like Secret of Mana/Trials of Mana. In this regard, I think it’s easy to say that the developers were successful. Sword of Mana definitely fits in the well the rest of the Mana series. However, that doesn’t mean this game doesn’t have any shortcomings. (I’ll elaborate on this later).

In terms of storyline, Sword of Mana follows the plot of the original Final Fantasy Adventure almost exactly. This time around, there’s actually a little more depth and flavor to the plot, which is a good thing. If you’re not familiar with the original game, and you’ve never read my review for it, I’ll summarize the story as follows: You play a young hero who is forced to fight as a gladiator for the amusement of the “Dark Lord”. Early in the game, the hero manages to escape but is pursued by the Dark Lord’s agents. During the chase, the hero makes a daring escape into a raging waterfall. He survives and ends up encountering a mysterious maiden. Together, the two of them set out on an adventure to overthrow the Dark Lord’s reign of terror. – BUT WAIT!  This time around, you elect to play as the maiden instead of the hero! Doing so allows the player to see the original story from a slightly different perspective and also adds a nice layer of replayability to the game.

The graphics for this game are naturally leaps and bounds better than what was seen in the original Final Fantasy Adventure. Fans of the original game will finally get to experience that story with a lush and vibrant color palette. Most of the original music is also present in this remake. This time, the soundtrack takes advantage of the GBA sound chip. Which means these classic melodies sound better than the ever have before.

With all of this in mind, Sword of Mana seems to be shaping up to be quite a worthy remake! But as I said earlier, there are a few issues that I want to discuss. For starters, playcontrol. Like the original game, Sword of Mana is an action adventure RPG. But it’s one that feels a little sluggish to me. There’s just something about the combat pacing and hit-accuracy that doesn’t seem to work well. It’s nothing at all like Final Fantasy Adventure. Knowing this, I decided to reframe my thinking and approach this like it was Secret of Mana. But even then, the controls just feel awkward. The oddly-timed button combos and pixel-perfect accuracy requirements just feel poorly implemented. For me, it really detracted from my experience.

For a large majority of the game, your character is accompanied by a CPU-controlled NPC. As the player, you do have the ability to dictate the behavior of your companion. In theory, this should help overcome the funky combat system. But in all honestly, the AI behind the NPC is horrendous and more often then not, they get in the way more than they actually help.

Combine all of this with the ring-menu system from the other Mana games (a design I notoriously hate), and you’re left with a playcontrol scheme that feels like a total flop. Thankfully, these drawbacks are easily overcome by simply grinding levels to the point where you can essentially minimize any challenge the game actually offers.

If I’m being blunt, I find it hard to recommend Sword of Mana to most mainstream gamers. However, if you’re a fan of the series or someone who enjoys action RPGs, this is a game that may still be worthy of your attention. After all, this game looks amazing! For a 16-bit style RPG, it’s actually one of the more visually appealing. I also like the additions made to the original storyline. It’s a shame that the UI and combat is such a mess. There’s so much wasted potential here. Multiple weapons that skill up separately, a unique magic system, an NPC companion – yet it all seems only half baked.

One praiseworthy aspect to the game lies in the ability to connect your GBA to a friends’. While this doesn’t let you play the game in a multiplayer co-op style like some of the other Mana titles. It does give you the ability to trade “Amigos”. An Amigo is sort of like a virtual currency. As you collect more and more Amigos, you unlock summons that can be used once a day to unleash a powerful attack in game. Of course, in order to do this, you would need to have a friend with a working copy of the game. These days, such a scenario is unlikely. But at the time of release, this was a pretty cool concept.

At the end of the day, Sword of Mana is a game that sadly falls short of the mark. Even so, I’m glad I took the time to experience this title. This is one of those games that’s rarely discussed. Instead, most people turn their attention to Adventures of Mana – the 2016 3D remake of  Final Fantasy Adventure. I have to admit, at the time of this writing, I’ve not played Adventures of Mana. But, what I’ve seen of it doesn’t impress me. The graphics for that title look like something you’d see on a mobile phone. And for a series that’s known for its beautiful graphics, I feel like it deserves better. Visually speaking, I feel like Sword of Mana does capture the spirit of the original Mana trilogy. So, if you can get past the playcontrol issues, this game is the definitive telling of the FFA story.

Version Reviewed: GBA

Difficulty: Medium – If you were to assume that everything worked and played as intended, this game would offer a fairly medium challenge. However, due to the playcontrol issues I mentioned, things tend to be a little tougher than I feel they should be. It is important to note that with a little persistence, you can grind enough levels to negate almost any challenge the game throws at you. By doing this, you’ll actually have a pretty smooth ride.

Multiplayer:  Local co-op trading

Story: When compared to other RPGs of the era, the story is a little light. But considering this game takes the the plot of an older handheld title and expands on it, I feel like it’s actually very well done. Having a variant plot, in the form of the heroine’s tale, is also a really nice touch.

Originality: This games takes both the plot and the overall gameplay from an older title and revamps it considerably. With this in mind, it’s not exactly all that original. But it does a decent job at putting a fresh spin on something we’ve seen before.

Soundtrack: Excellent! This game is a fantastic example of what the GBA sound chip was capable of. Classic tunes with a more complex arrangement. Good stuff here.

Fun: For me, I got more enjoyment from this game by experiencing the story than I did through the actual gameplay. The perceivable lag in the combat system and the annoying UI was a major bummer.

Graphics: Like the soundtrack, this is one of the better things about this title. It’s become a trend in the Mana series for the graphics to be almost magical in nature. This game is no exception. It’s a real showcase for the GBA.

Playcontrol: This is where the game falls apart for me. Poor UI implementation, mindless AI, a clunky/laggy combat system… It’s a complete mess. It really kills any forward momentum this game has to offer.

Downloadable Content: None

Mature Content: None

Value: Used copies typically sell for between $20-$30 dollars, while unopened copies routinely fetch $100 or more. If you’re a big fan of the series, the $20 price tag is acceptable. But I’d personally have a hard time paying more than $35 for a game like this today.

Overall score (1-100): 65 – I’ll be honest. It’s hard for me to give a score this low for a game as gorgeous and nostalgia-invoking as Sword of Mana. But, at the end of the day, the poor gameplay just drags this title down. Still, fans of the series owe it to themselves to see what this game has to offer. But it’s difficult for me to recommend this title to a general audience.

Original System: GBA

Available today on:  Currently Unavailable   – (Updated as of Spring 2025)

Best Experience: GBA   – (Updated as of Spring 2025)

Other Games in this Series: 

Final Fantasy Adventure    –    Secret of Mana    –    Trials of Mana    –    Dawn of Mana

Legend of Mana    –    Children of Mana    –    Heroes of Mana

Sword of Mana (FFA Remake)    –    Secret of Mana (Remake)    –    Trials of Mana (Remake)