Trials Of Mana Remake Producers Talk Length, Lack Of Co-Op, And Future Plans

Trials of Mana, an extensive 3D remake of the third game in the Mana series, is nearly upon us. In a new interview with Gematsu, producers Shinichi Tatsuke and Masaru Oyamada have given us some further insight into what to expect from the game, including its length and why co-op was cut.

The game, which will use the same characters and story as the original SNES release (which only recently made it to the west as part of the Collection of Mana on Switch), doesn't feature co-op like the original did. According to Tatsuke, this is because the new third-person camera is used "to enhance the feeling of being immersed in the world," and couch co-op would ruin that.

"We also considered online multiplayer mode, but in order to do that, we would have had to incorporate additional elements specifically to make it enjoyable for online as well," he said, explaining that the game is better for focusing on being a single-player experience.

Tatsuke also says that a run-through of the game will take "about 25 to 30 hours," but because you get to pick your party at the beginning, and there are decisions you can make that impact the storyline, there will be incentive to play through more than once. There are also no plans for DLC, he announced.

Asked about the series' future, Oyamada said that he'd like to see more Mana games releasing. "Of course, we are considering how we can make that happen," he said. "But first, I would love to hear what everyone thinks after playing Trials of Mana and what they are looking forward to from the Mana series."

The full interview is worth a look if you're anticipating the game, especially if you enjoyed the demo. Trials of Mana will release on Switch, PS4, and PC on April 24.