Games

Best of 2008 | 07 | 06 | 05
Advanced Search

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Children of Mana

EMAIL PRINTds

6.4 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 34 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 12 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >

Game Info

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Next Entertainment

Genre(s): Action, Role-Playing Game

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: October 30, 2006

Summary

In ages past, an island called Illusia floated at the center of the world. At the heart of the island towered an ancient, enormous tree that stretched up to the very heavens. For ages past, chaos and sorrow had engulfed the world until at last its salvation appeared in the form of a boy, a girl, and a holy sword. Time flowed on and peace returned. The sword and the tree remained, and they soon came to be known as the Sword of Mana and the Mana Tree. Followers of the Mana Tree returned to Illusia as the world started slowly but surely down the path to recovery. The eight elemental spirits are a staple of the Mana series. These powerful allies aid you with healing and special status effects. They can also unleash fearsome magic upon your foes. The greatest innovation of this installment of the Mana series is allowing four players to advance the story and solve quests together while maintaining the feel of an action RPG. Players' actions affect each other in a gameplay experience completely unlike previous action RPGS. [Square Enix]

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameSpot Hints & Cheats

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Gamer 2.0

Since the game is actually a dungeon crawler, Children of Mana may disappoint those looking for their traditional RPG fix. But if it really counts toward opinion, the game just might be the best and most beautiful dungeon crawler ever created.

Read Full Review >

Da Gameboyz

With great graphics, great sound and pretty good gameplay, including the addition of multiplayer, Square Enix has once again shown why they are on top when it comes to developing and publishing RPG titles.

Read Full Review >

NintendoWorldReport

Is this the game Mana fans have been waiting for? Probably not. However, Children of Mana is an excellent game in its own right, bringing dungeon crawling to a new level on Nintendo DS.

Read Full Review >

GamePro

Wonderfully rendered, but when compared to Secret of Mana's engaging narrative, Children of Mana's sparse and slow story falls short.

Read Full Review >

GameBrink

Despite some iffy controls, as a dungeon-crawler CoM provides a fairly enjoyable way to kill numerous hours on the go. The nice graphics and really nice music help to smooth out a game that otherwise is a little bit stale. [JPN Import]

Read Full Review >

Thunderbolt

For those of you looking for that one great RPG for your DS collection, this game might be your answer. While the game slows down at certain points and has a fair amount of difficulty, it’s still a force to be reckoned with.

Read Full Review >

IGN

As far as hack-n-slash RPGs go, Children of Mana is one of the best we’ve seen on a handheld, and for dungeon crawler addicts Square Enix has definitely hit the spot.

Read Full Review >

PGNx Media

A good dungeon crawler. The game does have some annoyances and you can argue that the gameplay isn’t deep but fans of the genre will be satisfied. The stylish presentation and multiplayer mode really help round out the package.

Read Full Review >

Pocket Gamer UK

Children of Mana brings intelligence and charm into the realm of dungeon-based button bashing.

Read Full Review >

AceGamez

The gameplay is a bit watered down by comparison to titles past, but for a dungeon crawler this is actually really engaging and enjoyable.

Read Full Review >

Official Nintendo Magazine UK

Sadly, Children of Mana's extremely repetitive gameplay means that if you're playing for an extended period of time the game's appeal wanes. It all depends on what kind of player you are. [Feb 2007, p.76]

Game Informer

Children of Mana is not the longest game in the world, but it sure is a fun ride while it lasts, especially if you have friends that are into it as well. [Nov. 2006, p.140]

RPG Fan

Another nail in the coffin of the Seiken Densetsu series.

Read Full Review >

Armchair Empire

For as simplistic as the gameplay seems, there's a simple old school pleasure in dungeon hacking that makes Children of Mana so appealing, even if there are some occasional annoyances.

Read Full Review >

eToychest

As a role-playing game, Children of Mana comes up aces, with an intriguing story and characters that you'll recall long after the game is shelved. Sadly however, this game counts itself among the popular action segment of the role-playing genre, and it is in that addendum that it falls short.

Read Full Review >

Nintendo Power

Ever since the "Mana" series made its North American debut on the SNES in 1993, players have been waiting for a sequel that recaptures the same magic. Children of mana doesn't fit that bill, but if you're looking for an action-oriented RPG--and you've got buddies looking for the same--it's worth checking out. [Dec. 2006, p.114]

NGamer UK

An action RPG with the plot stripped out and replaced by pure, constant fighting and levelling-up. Sound good to you? Perhaps, but perhaps not if you're a Mana stalwart. [Mar 2007, p.78]

Pelit (Finland)

Children of Mana does not live up to the previous Seiken Densetsu releases. Character development is limited, the action is repetitive and the plot is boring, but graphics and playability are great. Too bad there is not more substance. [Feb 2007]

Games Master UK

Polished, sometimes excellent, often dreary. Not bad, but will disappoint Mana fans. [Mar 2007, p.78]

My Gamer

Compared to the SNES version, this DS game just doesn’t cut the mustard.

Read Full Review >

Modojo

Children of Mana tops out Lunar: Dragon Song, Deep Labyrinth, and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, but it doesn't take too much effort to be the champion of "Just OK."

Read Full Review >

Games Radar (in-house)

It's a shame that combat in Children of Mana is so mindless. The ingredients are there to make this a really excellent action RPG.

Read Full Review >

Deeko

I play games to avoid being bored, but Children of Mana is one of the few games that crosses the line between being a game and being another boring chore.

Read Full Review >

1UP

The graphics are almost painfully cute, and the pseudo-physics system that causes enemies, objects, and heroes to ping-pong around the screen with abandon can make combat entertainingly chaotic. It's good, clean, dumb fun. There's just not much to it, or of it.

Read Full Review >

Eurogamer

The combat system is nicely balanced, it's just that you'll probably be tired of it by the time you're a few hours in. Multiplayer definitely adds value, while the presentation, as noted, is absolutely beautiful.

Read Full Review >

VideoGamer

Ultimately, die-hard fans of the series or devotees of traditional RPGs will find a lot to love in Children of Mana, while the rest of us will yearn for something that doesn't rely quite so heavily on hackneyed game mechanics and endless button-bashing.

Read Full Review >

GameSpot

The shallow, repetitive gameplay of Children of Mana negates any nostalgic charm that the game might have attempted to capture.

Read Full Review >

Play Magazine

This game is more fun with a bunch of friends, but so is going to the DMV or getting a root canal. [May 2006, p.78]

GameSpy

With its weak story, dull combat, and host of annoyances, Children of Mana just isn't very much fun to play. Multiplayer can be enjoyable, but most of the time players will be going solo, and will be quite bored doing so. The game as a whole just feels pointless.

Read Full Review >

GameDaily

A boring action RPG that desperately wishes it was released in 1995.

Read Full Review >

Gamestyle

The final nail in the proverbial Mana Tree wood coffin is the Gem Frame. Meant to provide a higher level of customisation to your character beyond rudimentary equipment, this little fit-stones-into-shape puzzle only manages to overpower you - Making every enemy, including the bosses, easy to beat and the entire ordeal rather similar and ultimately boring in the process.

Read Full Review >

Sydney Morning Herald

Children of Mana is beautifully presented but it's too childlike to satisfy serious gamers.

Read Full Review >

NTSC-uk

Children of Mana is ideal as a pick-up-and-play game, if you fancy a quick whizz through a monster-inhabited tower or two, maybe on the bus or train. But playing it at length feels like the most tedious, level grinding and repetitive waste of time, particularly when you consider that the DS has so much more to offer in terms of RPG actioners.

Read Full Review >

Game Revolution

Children of Mana is repetitive, tedious, dull, monotonous, and boring. The only good thing about this game is that it will actually make you want to do something productive, just to stop playing it.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 6.4 (out of 10) based on 12 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jan gave it a2:
One of the worsed Games i ever bought full price. Even imported it to play it together with 2 other friends. Well we never finished it. This Game simply has no point. The Itemsystem is too boring to get the "Diablo effect", the Monsters and even the Bosses are far too easy so u wont get any challenge at all in this game. No funny unlockables or any other point to play this game long, twice, or even more than like 4 to 5 hours. So 2 out of 10 from me.

[Anonymous] gave it an8:
This game is actually pretty damn fun to play, even if it does get a bit repetitious after a while. I like the gem frame and think it helps the overall game with more depth.

ART THAO gave it a7:
This game did offer something new like the gem fusion combination which I think is pretty cool but not very much else beside that. I'm older and am a fan of old school style RPGs. So this is not a game for everyone. Short story, no real world to roam around, repetitive gameplay, and too easy I think. The graphics are beautiful just like in Legend of Mana but the character are sprites! If you're a fan of the Mana series, then check it out!

Nate B. gave it a6:
Not the best game, but still fun. I would've liked to see more variety with the quests. As is, they are all the same. You pick up a quest, go to the corresponding location, fight through a bunch of enemies and then you're done. It would've been nice to throw in some exploration, more bosses, puzzles, things like that. Instead of physically walking to a castle and finding the item, you just fight through stages (only a few different types of stages exist) and at the end your guy just says he's got the item and you're back at the village. Despite this, though, its still fun to sit down and fight it out and level up, especially with someone else. Just keep in mind this game is highly repetitive and seems very rushed.

Games

Sony

Microsoft

Nintendo

Other Platforms

Upcoming &Recent Releases

Children of Mana

Game Info

Summary

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases