Where all of the beauty began…
….only it’s on the original Gameboy.
This makes playing Final Fantasy Adventure (a.k.a. Seiken Densestsu 1), as a fan of the later Mana games, akin to a lover of Fantasia watching Steamboat Willy. It’s quite easy to appreciate, and even fun! Those parts aren’t an issue. Once you’ve been spoiled by Fantasia, however, experiencing even the most charming mouse (or, in this case, rabite)’s roots is always going to sadly feel primitive, basic, and bare bones.
Had I not been under a year old upon Seiken Densestsu 1’s release, though…Oh yeah. I’d have adored its eschewing of turn-based battles and its fusion of Squaresoft magic and Zelda elements. Playing it in 2023 may be doing this important game (Koichi Ishii’s first try at a Mana game!) a disservice, but hey, here we are.
Worth sampling to see familiar aspects in an embryonic state. Just don’t expect the same magic of later entries. They were just getting started here, and that’s okay.
….only it’s on the original Gameboy.
This makes playing Final Fantasy Adventure (a.k.a. Seiken Densestsu 1), as a fan of the later Mana games, akin to a lover of Fantasia watching Steamboat Willy. It’s quite easy to appreciate, and even fun! Those parts aren’t an issue. Once you’ve been spoiled by Fantasia, however, experiencing even the most charming mouse (or, in this case, rabite)’s roots is always going to sadly feel primitive, basic, and bare bones.
Had I not been under a year old upon Seiken Densestsu 1’s release, though…Oh yeah. I’d have adored its eschewing of turn-based battles and its fusion of Squaresoft magic and Zelda elements. Playing it in 2023 may be doing this important game (Koichi Ishii’s first try at a Mana game!) a disservice, but hey, here we are.
Worth sampling to see familiar aspects in an embryonic state. Just don’t expect the same magic of later entries. They were just getting started here, and that’s okay.