Children of Mana Update

Children of Mana is the first title in Square Enix's Seiken Densetsu (Secret of Mana) revival, set to hit Japanese shops later this Winter. While Square Enix has been holding back details on the game, the latest issue of Jump magazine provides a few first bits on the game's characters and weapon system.

Three primary characters are revealed in the magazine: Frick, Tumble and Pop. Frick is a fifteen-year-old boy who lives in Illusia, the land in which the Mana series takes place. He's said to be cheerful, active and brave. Tumble is a sixteen-year-old girl who's come to live in Illusia and has a strong sense of truth and responsibility. Pop is a nine-year-old boy who does things his own way and fears nothing. Besides these three, Children of Mana is expected to feature many more characters.

We mentioned in a previous update that Square Enix will be giving players full control over their characters through just the main face buttons. The game lets you equip a different weapon to two buttons. You'll make use of close range weapons like swords, long distance weapons like bows and even magic-based attacks such as "flare." Each weapon has its own super move that can be performed once you've filled up a "Fever Gauge" by defeating enemies through standard attacks.

When Jump gives an early look at a game, in-depth features usually follow in Japan's big game magazines. Expect to hear lots more on Children of Mana shortly.