Secret of Mana in French Magazines

January 11, 2025

France, like Germany, managed to get its own translation of Secret of Mana over a year after the American release. However, Taosenai-sama points out that the original Japanese script had many French references—Erinice (Elinee) is from Zorastre, you have a Republic with Merillat (Meria) and Molière (Morie), a king named Traffault (Truffle), etc. French-themed places are often found in Japanese cities and this occasional national interest in French culture made its way into Secret of Mana.

You can read more about the French script’s late author here. Special thanks go to Tomm and vulkjr for helping out with the sometimes florid and also sometimes vague French language—my seven years of basic French plus smatterings of Duolingo only go so far. We’re also once again grateful to Square Palace for compiling all of this stuff. All magazine excerpts are from November of 1994.

Dossier Nintendo

It was common in European publications to claim that Secret of Mana >>> Zelda, but somehow I think Zelda III (as Link to the Past was sometimes known) has held up just fine against SoM.

It's here! Secret of Mana is on the way at last! It's announcing itself as THE hit of the year for RPGs. This title will make Zelda III tremble on its pedestal.

[The title of this section translates as something like, "There's actually French words in the script."]

It's a safe bet that the translation of Zelda III's script into French contributed to its success (a success that still continues). It was therefore unthinkable to release Secret of Mana in English or Japanese. So Nintendo carried out the thorough translation work [for SoM] with more success in quality compared to the disastrous job done on Mystic Quest [Final Fantasy Adventure] for the Game Boy. Nevertheless, we can note the lack of translator knowledge in the field of heroic fantasy when we come across aberrations such as "kepi" for "helmet", to name just one.

As an American, these French place names sound like swanky restaurants. Who doesn’t want to eat rabite flambé at Palais de la Lune the next time we stay at Château de Tasnica? Neko became “ChaCha” in the French translation. I could make a joke, but this is a respectable website…

ZELDA OR MANA? ZELDA AND MANA!

What's the difference between the masterpiece [known as] A Link to the Past and Square's Secret of Mana? Both a lot and very little! If Zelda borrows "cultural" elements from RPGs (the objects and the atmosphere), it's still very far from the rules and mechanics of this type of game. Mana on the other hand, without being a real RPG (adventure would suit it better), takes up the primary mechanics (the experience, the inns...as Stonehenge [magazine staff] explains in the test). Moreover, will the hundreds of thousands of Zelda III lovers really have fun with Mana? Without a doubt, since they'll experience a real, thrilling adventure, and they will rediscover the incredible [length and complexity of games like this] and beauty that made Zelda so strong. The less experienced players on the SNES will also be captivated by the power of Secret of Mana. But all this won't prevent us from impatiently awaiting a new adventure of Link for the SNES---the hero who reconciled both controller pros and neophytes, RPG lovers, and arcade fans...

Magazine PlayerOne

Once upon a time, there was a sublime RPG. Unfortunately, it was only available to English-speaking players. However, for Christmas, Nintendo decided to offer little French people the translation of a gem...

As you can see, some stories have a happy ending!

Some opinions, in bulk

MEGADETH: It's cool, uh...it can be played by three people. 

-And did you play it over there, Megadeth?

[MEGADETH]: Uh...yes...a little. I [got] the Sword [at the beginning].

-Thanks Megadeth!

TERRY (only a tester apparently, but a Street Fighter 2 player for sure): I finished the game.

-Terry is a very proud guy.

LORAN, [the one who assembles the different elements on the magazine's pages] (reconstructed words): It's a good concept. I finished the game in a few sleepless nights; that's my only regret.

MEGADETH 2, the return: Everyone says it's good. 

-Well thanks, go see Iggy. He has some candy for you.

DIDOU, gay: [Randi] is more attractive than our dear little beloved Link, but Zelda is [a] much longer [game]. 

ROBBY: [spitting sound] I've never played it, but I'm waiting for the holidays to get started. It's really good apparently.

MEGADETH is back: I totally agree with Milouse [staff].

Super Nintendo
SECRET OF MANA

Developer: Squaresoft
Genre: RPG
Player(s): 1-3
[Save slots]: 4
Continues: None
Difficulty: Average
Price: D [on a scale of A through F]

Player Fun: 98%

In summary

The best RPG on the Super Nintendo (Zelda's not one of them). A good cartridge, just the way we like it...what am I saying? Just the way we love it!

Graphics: The graphics are of excellent quality and also varied. 92%
Animation [refers to both background and character animations]: Apart from scrolling, there isn't a lot of it, but what quality! 90%
[Music &] Sound: Music play as a big part in creating the game's atmosphere. 97%
Playability: Impeccable character handling, but tricky menus to manage. 91%

Joypad

My girlfriend has a secret...

...but she'll never reveal it to you, because otherwise there'd be no more game. Secret of Mana is a game from the hit factory that I named Squaresoft Soft. Called Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan, this game is in fact the sequel to Seiken Densetsu, known here as Final Fantasy Adventure on Gameboy. The Mana Tree connection comes from that little Gameboy game. All the same, [there's much you] can learn from reading [the] Joypad [issue on SD]---it was downright incredible! And then if you want to know [even] more, you just have to play the game on Gameboy. It's excellent and also translated (in a very good way) into French. Oh yes, if you missed Joypad #34, you should know that "Secret of Mana", tested here, is [also] entirely translated into French. Fantastic, brilliant, and extraordinary, the translation makes playing it much easier and allows you to grasp the various little details of the scenario, which comes, I remind you, from Squaresoft Soft. Once is not customary, therefore it's almost on time that Nintendo releases a giga-hit coming from the East directly in France, with everything translated into French.

I think what Greg’s trying to say is that he likes it.

You all know exactly how good I think this game is. Right? Well, we're going into superlatives, since I find it pretty, interesting, innovative, sympathetic, enjoyable, beautiful, practical, long, and exciting. Anyway, it's one of those games that make the world beautiful and if, on the same day, you were told that the most beautiful specimens of the opposite sex are crazy about you, that your dog has stopped biting people in the street, and that your house has stopped burning, none of that would matter except that Secret of Mana is translated, actually...well translated. Ah...is that what we're talking about? Well yes, in fact there you go, Secret of Mana, you have to play it, you have to live it. You have to live it, but to the fullest, with your little boomerang and your axe, your sword, your javelin and your glove, and then you end up at the police station after walking around the street with weapons. I know...it almost happened to me when I was coming home one evening with a katana in my hand. So be careful if Secret of Mana tempts you.

Finally an adventure worthy of the name! After Zelda, Secret of Mana takes up the torch. Alone in its genre among the many platform games (Mickey Mania, Donkey Kong Country, The Lion King...), fighting games (MKII, Super Street Fighter II...) or racing games (Street Racer, Stunt Race...), Secret of Mana allows you to vary the pleasures. All the more so since the game has many assets: superb graphics, a few small zooms here and there (in particular with the final boss), varied music and a long, very long adventure, so long that at first I thought I would finish it once I retired. In short, if you're looking for something new and good, Secret of Mana is without a doubt one of the outsiders [i.e. unexpected hits] of the end of the year.