The best Import Action-RPG on the Super Famicom!
If you're not yet in the know, Seiken Densetsu 3 is the long lost sequel to the popular Action RPG Secret of Mana (known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan), and one of my favorite games of all time.
As a sequel, Seiken Densetsu 3 shines with upgraded graphics, another fantastic soundtrack by Secret of Mana's composer, Hiroki Kikuta, and a story that might possibly give players one of the highest replay values ever found in an RPG. Unlike in Secret of Mana, here you can choose three of six heroes to use during your journey, each with vastly different skills, dialogue, and a backstory revealing the character's motivations. It all allows for players to experience the game in a plethora of new ways that I wouldn't even bother trying to count.
But the real question is, will you want to experience the game that many times? My answer is a resounding yes. The gameplay has changed slightly from Secret of Mana, but it's still just as fun. You're able to use a normal attack, special attack, item, or a magic spell to thwart your opponents in real time. And just like Secret of Mana, the multiplayer makes a triumphant return and delivers one of the SuFami's most fun multiplayer experiences.
With all that praise said, there are some problems with the game. It can be a little glitchy at times, but it never really hurts the gameplay, at least not in the experiences I've had with it. But the biggest problem for importers is that it is an import RPG, and that will require either a walkthrough from GameFAQs and/or some Japanese knowledge. If that isn't a problem for you, and you have a SuFami or a modded SNES to play it on, then do yourself a huge favor and buy this game.
If you haven't played Secret of Mana, however, I'd suggest buying that game before you try this one, because it too is not only an excellent Action RPG, and arguably the best for the system, but it is in English and you can download it for your iPad or the Wii Virtual Console for a fraction of the price you'd pay for a physical copy.Read full review
