In a recent interview at PAX East 2024, Masaru Oyamada, the producer of the upcoming game Visions of Mana, shared insights into the game’s development. He mentioned that the game will include many hidden references and Easter eggs aimed at pleasing long-time fans of the Mana series.
To bring a new perspective to the Mana game series, Oyamada-san highlighted that the development team drew inspiration from the most well-known and beloved entries in the series. They incorporated key elements and gameplay mechanics from various points in the series to create a contemporary Mana gaming experience. The inclusion of Niccolo’s Emporium, a recurring shop in the Mana universe, and Surups, familiar collectibles found worldwide, serve as direct references supporting this design approach.
Oyamada-san suggested that there are more hidden surprises in store for fans, but did not reveal any details. He promised that spotting all these nostalgic callbacks will bring a smile to veteran players’ faces. While Visions of Mana promises to be its own distinct adventure, it will also include elements from prior entries.
“Aside from Niccolo’s Emporium, returning items like the Surup are scattered across the expansive field for players to collect. However, we are still keeping a few surprises for players to discover. We have so many different little details here scattered about that if you know about the series, then you’ll probably be able to notice them, and hopefully, they put a smile on your face. And so we do hope that people will look forward to that.”
Masaru Oyamada
The specific inspirations for Visions of Mana are shown throughout the game. These include the weapon-switching system of Secret of Mana, the character customization and excitement of class changes seen in Trials of Mana, and the fascinating world full of curious creatures from Legend of Mana.
Masaru Oyamada says his team has carefully considered the best aspects of the previous games while adding new features to Visions of Mana. This balance of old and new is meant to appeal to long-time fans and the Mana series newcomers. The franchise is pretty popular, so it’s clear this kind of stuff will be well-liked.
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