Final Fantasy Adventure

Final Fantasy Adventure, also known by its Japanese title Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden (or Seiken Densetsu), is the first installment of the Mana series. It was originally released for the Game Boy in 1991 in Japan and North America and then in 1993 in Europe with the title Mystic Quest, which was one of the first Final Fantasy games to release there, the other being Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. In 1998, Final Fantasy Adventure was re-released in North America by Sunsoft.

Final Fantasy Adventure features gameplay roughly similar to that of the original The Legend of Zelda, but with the inclusion of basic role-playing statistical elements. The game was a spinoff of the Final Fantasy franchise and featured some of its recurring elements, such as a Chocobo. Ever since the release of the second Mana title, Secret of Mana, the Mana series disconnected itself from the overall Final Fantasy franchise.

Final Fantasy Adventure's North American box art and logo were both designed after that of s and s. Both the North American and European box covers have a green background.

In 2003, a remake, Sword of Mana, was released for the Game Boy Advance. Its plot is a retelling of Final Fantasy Adventure's, and a lot of its gameplay was changed, including the removal of Final Fantasy-related elements. In 2006, Final Fantasy Adventure was remade for the Softbank 3G and i-Mode services for Japanese mobile phones and then for the EZweb service in February 2007. The Final Fantasy-related features were reinstated in all three versions, which have graphics on par with Sword of Mana. In 2016, a 3D remake of Final Fantasy Adventure, titled Adventures of Mana, was released for iOS, Android, and PlayStation Vita. Like the mobile releases, Adventures of Mana also has the Final Fantasy-related elements intact.

In 2017, a port of Final Fantasy Adventure was released as a part of the Collection of Mana compilation for the Nintendo Switch in Japan. In 2019, the compilation was released in other countries, and is the first time that the original Final Fantasy Adventure was reissued on to another platform outside of Japan.

Story
The story follows the hero and the young heroine as go on a journey to thwart the Dark Lord of Glaive and his sorcerer assistant, Julius, from destroying the Tree of Mana and dooming their world.

The story starts with Sumo, a slave from Empire Glaive, fighting a Jackal to the amusement of the Dark Lord. Our hero, along with his fellow prisoners, were forced to partake in daily combats inside Glaive's arena. This wicked pastime led to many of Sumo's former enslaved friends dying from their wounds. Our hero is then revealed to assist a dying Willy, one of the latest victims of Dark Lord's cruel competitions. Willy then tells Sumo that Mana is in danger and to let the Gemma Knights know about this ominous situation. Will entrusts our hero to visit a fellow Gemma Knight named Bogard that lives near the falls. Distraught and puzzled by his dying friend's words, Sumo tries to inquire more information from him but to no avail. The body of his former brethren lying coldly on the jail floor, our hero decides to follow his departed friend's advice and embark on his journey. In the adjacent room Sumo converse with other prisoners who take the opportunity to escape the fortress together. Amanda, the only female of the group, is eager to see his Lester again. After vanquishing a second furry beast in the battle arena, the young knight climbs down the stronghold's walls and heads to the nearby waterfall where he overhears Dark Lord and his assistant Julius discussing about the Mana Tree's whereabouts. According to the lord's advisor, the holy tree is located in a shrine far above the falls. To reach it, one must use the key belonging to a certain girl. The Dark Lord entrusts Julius to find the young maiden to which Julius acquiesces by teleporting away. Sumo is immediately spotted by the evil overlord who chases after him, eventually cornering the hero near a cliff. The Dark Lord strikes Sumo with his sword, causing him to fall down all the way to an unknown part of the lands. After wandering around, Sumo arrives at the quaint village of Topple where the inhabitants speak about the Dark Lord looking for a girl. Seeking Bogard's assistance, our young hero departs from the settlement, only to find a distressed maiden amidst enemies. A wounded soldier named Hasim by her side instructs Sumo to lead the girl to Wendel and taking her to Bogard before passing away. Our young hero accepts his plea and introduces himself to the lady who is revealed to be Fuji. The duo finally reaches Bogard's Cabin near a waterfall where they find an initially grumpy old man who has a change of heart after seeing the Pendant of Mana around the maiden's neck. Fuji explains that it was her mother's and ask the gentleman if he is a Gemma Knight. The old man nods then explains that he was fighting a man named Vandole from taking over the world by using the power of Mana. The Gemma Knights were about to lose when a lady assured their victory, the same one who was Fuji's mother. Bogard then entrusts Sumo with the Mattock and to go to the cave on the mountain's eastern side. By breaking the rocks blocking the path to Wendel, Sumo could seek the assistance of Cibba an eminent priest of the capital. After acquiring the tool and bidding farewell to the old man, Sumo and Fuji traverse the high cliffs and eastern cave to ultimately find themselves in a marshy area. Here they find Kett's Mansion, a large building in the middle of the bog where they are greeted by a mysterious butler guarding a door. The servant tells the duo that the rooms ahead are occupied by Mr. Lee and invite them to use the western ones. The couple agrees and spend the night at Kett's, during which Fuji teaches Sumo how to use Cure Magic by giving him the Magic Book of Cure. The morning after, our hero finds himself alone in the guest room. The Butler doesn't seem to know her whereabouts either, so Sumo heads outside to investigate. After wandering in the marsh, the young knight discovers a Bronze Key after defeating a bunch of Lizardmen. He uses the key to unlock a neighboring door leading to the Cave of Marsh. Here he stumbles on a Mysterious Man who tells Sumo that man girls have disappeared in Kett's Mansion and must be held captive in caskets in the basement. He adds that a mirror is kept deep within that cave and might help get pass the butler. The mysterious man offers his help to which Sumo accepts. Both men venture inside the damp cavern in search of the mirror. During their scouting, they find a Sickle which proves useful in cutting the overgrown weed scattered inside the cave. The party finally reaches the boss' lair where they encounter the Hydra, a giant water-dwelling two-headed dragon that spits fire balls to its opponent. The formidable foe is eventually defeated by Sumo's brute strength and the mysterious man's magic, leaving only the Magic Book of Fire and the infamous Moon Mirror in its place. The mysterious man advises the young hero to use the artefact in front of the Butler at Kett's, for it will reveal its true form. The long-haired companion leaves Sumo after uttering those words, leaving our valiant knight this valuable clue for his next destination.

Going back inside the Manor, our hero whips out the mirror to the Butler's dismay, who transform into its werewolf form and attacks Sumo. The foe is easily defeated which leaves the east wing free to explore. Sumo ventures deeper into the manor crawling with undeads and ghostly monsters. A while later, our hero discovers a treasure chest containing its third weapon, the Chain, which can latch over wooden poles and help Sumo cross gaps. After searching far and wide Kett's Manor, the young knight finally reaches a room filled with caskets and find Fuji inside one of them. The couple decide to leave the premises and escape through the manor's main door, only to be interrupted by Mr. Lee himself. The lord immediately transforms into its Vampire form and attack the Sumo and Fuji but is eventually outmatched. The beast leaves the Magic Book of Sleep behind for our hero to learn Sleep. After checking if Fuji is unscathed, the duo crosses the marshy region one again en route to the sacred town of Wendel.

Sumo and Fuji eventually reaches the city's gate and briefly cross path with the mysterious man again wandering through town. The couple head to the town's main building to seek an audience with Cibba. The priest welcomes the two of them and is pleased to see the pendant of mana that Fuji is wearing. The holy man then prompts the maiden to step onto the magic circle in the center of the room to which Fuji immediately executes. The party is suddenly greeted by a vision of Fuji's mother, the same who helped the Gemma Knights defeat Vandole decades ago. The motherly figure tells her daughter that she and her are members of the Mana family and that they are the seeds of the Mana tree, protecting its legacy. During the war that waged Vandole for ultimate power, Fuji's mother sealed a nearby waterfall, the only entrance to the Mana Sanctuary with the very pendant Fuji is wearing, to prevent evil form abusing Mana power again. Alas, Glaive Empire is coveting Mana, and the motherly apparition begs Fuji to guard the Mana tree with the help of the Gemma Knights. She then vanishes into thin air, with Fuji lamenting her loss. Her grief is rudely disrupted by an earthquake. The mysterious man barge into the temple informing the party that the Glaive empire is raiding the city. The long-haired lad takes the maiden to a safe place, but Cibba is suspicious of his intentions and ask Sumo to look for him. Our hero finds the town infested with monsters with defenseless guards lying on the ground. Hurrying through the main gate, Sumo finds the mysterious man right outside with Fuji. The man is quickly revealed to be Julius in disguise all along which puzzle the young knight since he helped him back in the marsh cave. Julius replies that he wasn't sure the girl was the right one until he saw what happened inside Wendel temple. He was waiting for this chance to capture her and now Glaive can use her to gain access to the Mana tree. Sumo lunges toward the evildoer but the latter scoffs that his pitiful attempt by knocking our hero against the wall with magic. Unable to stop the Dark Lord's adviser, the younf knight is then taken back to Wendel temple by Cibba who heals his wounds with the magic circle. Regaining consciousness, the priest informs Sumo that Fuji is taken hostage in Julius' Airship to the west. The gives the hero the Magic Book of Heal before departure.

To reach the westerly side of the continent, our hero must traverse Gaia Pass. Unfortunately, the sentient opening named Gaia spits him out telling him he shouldn't walk into its mouth. A while later, Sumo reaches the Dwarf Cave where he learns that Gaia likes tasting Silver and that Watts went in the Old Mine to look for some. Using the Oil purchased by a local vendor on a rusty trolley inside the old mine, Sumo jumps on the minecart's tracks, eventually falling down a large pit while going at full speed. He is found lying on the ground by a dwarf named Watts who happily joins him in his search of silver. After wandering deep inside the mine, they find a giant caterpillar monster named Megapede who guards a deposit of silver. The duo defeats the beast and Watts takes the opportunity to forge the silver ore into equipment back to Dwarf Cave. Sumo can now purchase the coveted armor set and enters Gaia Pass. After reaching its west exit, the young hero is stopped by Bogard who explains that Cibba told him about the dire situation. He adds that together they can save Fuji by sneaking into Glaive's airship who is currently refueling at a lake up north. The hero, now aided by the Gemma Knight venture into the docked airship, eventually reaching Fuji's cell. While Sumo tries to unlock the jail cell to no avail, Bogard informs him that the airship is moving and probably gaining altitude. Sumo decides to reach the adjacent window and break it while the old Gemma Knight stay behind and guard the premises. After backtracking all the way to the airship's docks and accessing Fuji's window cell, the maiden promptly gives our hero her precious pendant all the while Julius steps forward Sumo, demanding to give him the artefact. The evil wizard sends a powerful fire spell at the young knight causing him to lose its balance and falling from an incredible height, only to crash into a house in a village below.

Turns out the house belongs to Amanda, one of the inmates back in Glaive Castle. She is glad to see Sumo safe and sound but unexpectedly leaves shortly after. The young hero awakes in Menos village, unable to find the pendant Fuji gave him and learns that Amanda left earlier this morning. A young boy also claims to Sumo that he saw a Chocobo egg in a forest up north. Intrigued, Sumo ventures outside the settlement into the woods, eventually finding a lone egg lying on the ground. The shell immediately breaks revealing a young chocobo inside. The chick can be used as a ride for faster transportation. Our hero then reaches the Town of Jadd after traversing Jadd Desert. In there, he discovers that the tow is ruled by Davias and that the Northern Valley is plagued with poison gas since Lester stopped playing his harp. Upon meeting Davias and his pet bird, Sumo is informed that Amanda went to the Cave of Medusa but that nobody ever returned alive from there. After exiting Davias Mansion and giving a local a Fang in exchange for information about the Cave of Medusa's location. Our young hero draws the shape of an eight with his feet around the two palm trees in the desert to discover the entrance to the cave. Amanda is found near the cave's mouth and Sumo learns that she took the pendant from him while unconscious in exchange for Davias to bring his brother back. This was a ruse as the evil ruler transformed Lester into a parrot which can only be cured by the tears of Medusa. The duo joint forces to find Medusa and venture into the cave. Further into the labyrinth, Sumo discovers a lone chest housing the Magic Book of Ice which can turn enemies into snowmen and further used as weights for floor switches. After finally reaching Medua's lair, the party is forced to attack the monster, ultimately defeating her. Upon dying, Medusa taunts the heroes for trying to obtain her tears and vanishes. While unable to find any on site, Sumo decides to return to Jadd for a change of plan all the while Amanda finds out that she was bitten by the serpentine fiend during their fight, dooming her to become Medusa. The young woman plead her comrade to slay her and use her tears to uncurse her brother and telling him that she loved him. Sumo begrudgingly accepts and kills her friend, acquiring a single tear from Amanda's face. Heading back to the town of Jadd, Sumo rushes to Davias Mansion to sprinkle the tear on the lone parrot which automatically turns back into Lester's human form. Sumo then brings the bad news to the grieving bard, in turn asking for the young knight to avenge him by defeating Davias. Sumo agrees and Lester plays a mystic tune opening a staircase leading downwards. After traversing multiple rooms, the duo finally reaches the mansion's roof were Davias mocks them before turning into the Mind Flayer. Upon being slain, Davias tells the party that the pendant is no longer in his possession since he gave it to Garuda who is currently flying over Mt. Rocks in direction to Glaive. Hearing the disconcerting news, Lester and Sumo head back to town where the bard says to the knight that he will clear the poison gas with his harp. Our hero thanks him and head to Mt. Rocks after receiving the Magic Book of Mute from Lester all the while the latter plays a requiem for his late sister.

Sumo takes a cave deep within Mt. Rocks and battles a Metal Crab guarding the area. This opens a path to the second part of the area where our hero heads inside another cavern. He then must defeat a giant Cyclops whom upon defeat gives out a Morning Star, a powerful weapon capable of breaking through tough walls and rocks. Heading back into the cave, he finally meets his final great opponent, a Golem whose hard shell can only be harmed by the morning star. The robotic entity leaves to Sumo his Magic Book of Lightning after being felled. Back outside, the young knight crosses a long bridge that immediately collapses after being crosses, rendering the previous area inaccessible. Sumo is then back were his adventure started but wastes no time storming the castle to rescue Fuji. During his peregrinations inside the fortress, he encounters a giant mythological monster, the Chimera guarding the maiden's room. The young woman joins once again in the attempt of retrieving the pendant and stopping Dark Lord. The evil dictator is waiting atop the fortress and confront Sumo in a duel. After a grueling fight, the Dark Lord is eventually slain but the pendant he was keeping appears to be fake. Furthermore, Fuji is nowhere to be seen. Fearing that Julius captured her again, Sumo rushes through Glaive's exit too see that the young maiden is mindlessly reaching for the falls. Julius reveals himself and orders Fuji to cast the spell that would open the portal to the Mana Tree. He then explains that he is the last one left of the Empire Vandole and that he shall receive the power of Mana once more. A brainwashed Fuji chants a mystical spell to reverse the flow of the waterfall while both Julius and her ascend the enchanted waterway. Unable to stop them, Sumo is hit by the evil sorcerer's magic which sends him flying down the river. The young knight is found lying unconscious by is trusted chocobo steed and carried back to a bed next to Bogard. The old Gemma knight explains that he was thrown off the airship a short while after Sumo fell but was rescued by a woman named Sarah from the town of Ish. In a moment of despair, our hero cannot bear the responsibilities of being a Gemma Knight and ask Bogard to do his deeds instead. The old man tries to reason the lad in vain as the youngster storms off the room. Outside, Sumo meets Sarah who informs him that Borgard's back in injured and is bedridden for the time being. He was distressed to hear that so many towns were attacked by Glaive but held hope that a boy would save the world. She didn't believe him at first, but when she heard that the boy rescued in the wild was named Sumo, she gained hope again. Sarah adds that even a chocobo knew the fate of the boy and that now all the town is rooting for him. The chocobo is now being treated at Doctor Bowow's house. After talking to Sarah, Sumo explores the town and runs into Bowow's house, hearing a rucking from inside, the young hero decides to enter and is surprised to see that his chocobo now sports mechanical legs. The doctor explains that the bird can now run on water and that he renamed him Chocobot. He then asks Sumo to visit Bogard before leaving town. The young knight listens and go back to see his old friend who tells him that from now on things will be perilous, as Julius now harness the power of Mana. The only thing that can thwart him is a knight wielding the Legendary Sword as this is how the Gemma Knights defeated the evil power of Vandole back then. Bogard then tells Sumo to ask Cibba about Excalibur's whereabouts and that Dr. Bowow can help you reach Wendel faster. After bidding farewell to the old Gemma Knight, our hero visits the doctor once again to inquiry about a way to reach the holy city. Bowow tells Sumo to head east on the sea from the pier at north and then to keep north until they reach the desired destination.

After crossing the sea and going back to Wendel, Sumo in unable to find Cibba. He then asks through town and learns that the faraway kingdom of Lorim fell prey to monsters and that Cibba went there to investigate. The kingdom lies south of the Snowfields over the southern sea. Sumo now sails on his Chocobot all the way to the frigid plains only to discover that the Lorim inhabitants are all frozen in place, unable to speak. Fortunately, the King of Lorimar is sentient and tells the young knight that Julius has summoned monster all throughout the land. One of them is called Kary and has cursed this land by freezing every townsfolk in place. Cibba was hexed also and is found in an adjacent room to the throne. Heading now for Cara Mountain Range, Sumo must momentarily part ways with his Chocobot because of the blistering cold. After traversing an ice cavern, our hero finds himself face to face with the serpentine monster known as Kary. Defeating the fiend undo the curse on Lorim. Hurring back to see how Cibba is doing, the old priest greets Sumo by entrusting him with the Bone Key and tells him to use it when visiting the wide river by the Ammonite Coast then crossing it to reach the Field of Floatrocks. The guardian monster that lies deep within the Undersea Volcano has the legendary sword. Cibba ends by telling Sumo that he will give out the rest of its instructions when he comes back with Excalibur.

On his trusted Chocobot, Sumo crosses yet again the vast sea ultimately reaching Ammonite Coast. By using the bone key to unseal the Cave in Floatrocks our hero stumbles on a giant squid-like monster named Kraken that he must battle atop a bridge. Felling the monster reveals a door that leads to the Undersea Volcano. When the young knight arrives at the lowest level, he must vanquish the mighty Iflyte who upon being defeated reveals a chest that contains a Rusty Sword, puzzled by its aspect, Sumo decides to return to Lorim. His trip is sidetracked by the discovery of the Sealed Cave within the confines of the Palmy Desert. Here he battles an undead monster known as Lich. The fight rewards Sumo with the Magic Book of Nuke. Upon returning to Cibba in Lorim, the old priest tells the young knight that the only remaining step is to reveal the Dime Tower in the Desert of Crystal. To do such feat, Cibba adds that Sumo must visit the Cave of Ruins and use the rusty sword here. Should Excalibur accept him as a worthy wielder, the sword's power should reveal to him, as he is a real Gemma Knight. Before the young hero leaves, Cibba gives directions to the Cave of Ruins, located in a desert near the town of Ish. Dr. Bowow knows the place well and should aid the hero if needed.

Arriving in the Desert of Crystal, Sumo blows the hidden entrance to the Cave of Ruins with his newly acquired Nuke spell and starts exploring the desolated place. Filled with traps, spikes and damaging floor, our hero ultimately reaches the end of the maze by encountering Mantis Ant a giant insectoid guardian. After defeating it, Sumo enters a small shrine where the rusty sword is imbued with the power to raise the Tower of Dime somewhere in the desert. After searching for it for a while, the ominous structure emerges from the ground, allowing exploration. Upon entering, the young knight is greed by Marcie, relic-searching robot made by Dr. Bowow. The robot explains that it waited for 50 years inside Dime Tower and that it has been forgotten by the doctor. The robot then joins Sumo in its trek towards the summit. Inside the tower lie numerous stone tablets describing the lore of the Mana Tree and how its power can be shaped according to people's heart. According to legend, the true Gemma Knight would be given the legendary sword and Vandole should meet its demise soon. Upon reaching the top, the party is met with the fearsome Garuda who immediately attack them. After defeating the giant bird, Marcie warns Sumo that the tower has lost its balance and that they must hurry to safe grounds. Unfortunately, a large gap prevents Sumo from exiting the tower. The Robot decides to throw the hero on the nearby land but is unable to make the jump for itself. In its last words to our hero, Marcie tells him that he must save the world and that it must remain inside the tower since he was built to stay here. Sumo is unable to answer in time as the building sinks down beneath the earth again. In the distance, he can hear a faint voice telling him that they may meet again.

Stranded near Glaive castle again, the young knight has no other choice but to ascent the magical waterfall and gain access to the Mana Shrine. Inside this massive labyrinth, he battles in succession with a Dragon, a Red Dragon, then finally a Dragon Zombie. After defeating those fearsome foes, he is teleported to the innermost area of the Mana Shrine, the Mana Temple. Here he meets with Fuji's mother again, as she praises his bravery and considers him a true Gemma Knight. She then proceeds to give Sumo the Excalibur and command the young knight to defeat Julius before vanishing. Further down the road, Sumo finally meets with the evil sorcerer and a distressed Fuji in front of the Mana Tree. Julius taunts the hero for being late as he already possesses the greatest power of Mana. He then adds that the time has come for the Neo-Vandole empire to be born and that he doesn't need Sumo anymore. Both engage in a perilous battle where Julius uses its magic to duplicate himself which confuses the young Gemma Knight at first. He is first defeated easily but declares that he will use the true power of Mana. The sorcerer reappears as a giant reptilian humanoid that sends lightning bolts at Sumo. This form proves to be difficult, but the young knight eventually slays him for good. Sumo is respawned near the Mana Tree along with Fuji to whom the young hero tries to cheer her up by telling her Julius is defeated. A sinister howl echoes from behind them as the sorcerers' spirit reappears claiming that they will never leave here alive. The final battle is arduous but eventually, with the help of Fuji's curative spell, Julius finally meets his ultimate doom. Sadly, this is no time to rejoice, as the couple realize that the Mana Tree has disappeared. Unable to know what to do, Fuji hears a familiar voice behind her. Her mother's spirit lies were the enormous tree once stood. She explains that now that the holy tree is gone, that we need a new Gemma of the Mana Tree. Seeing her daughter's perplexed look, she adds that they are the seeds of the Mana Tree, and they will become a bud called gemma and become a new tree while the Gemma Knights as tasked to guard the tree. The motherly figure became the Mana Tree during the Vandole war and now, since Fuji is the last member of the Mana Family, she should take her place and become a new holy sapling. Of course, the spirits adds that nobody can force her to become the Mana Tree but her. With brief hesitation, Fuji acquiesces to take the place of her mother as the new Tree of Mana but asks the spirit what will happen if she is destroyed since she is the last individual of the Mana Family. The motherly figure sadly acknowledges that it would be the end of the peace. After reaffirming her decision to become the next gemma, Fuji turns herself to Sumo and bids him farewell, telling him that she will always remain here as long as he is here to protect her. Before departing, the motherly figure tells Sumo to please guard the new Mana Tree as he is the sole Gemma Knight now and to give her thanks to the previous ones. The young maiden then rejoins her mother for the last time and transforms into her new form.

The newly acknowledged Gemma Knight visits his friends around the world by stopping by Ish first. He is greeted by Bogard, Sarah and Dr. Bowow and exchanges news. Sumo then ventures back in Wendel where he confides in Cibba. Later, he passes by Jadd and chat with Lester who continues to entertain people with his songs. Finally, he is seen stopping by a clearing where he is greeted by his Chocobo friend who is implied to be in a relationship with another Chocobo.

Development
In 1987, Square trademarked Seiken Densetsu for an ambitious RPG that they were making for the, titled The Emergence of Excalibur. The game would have consisted of five Famicom Disk System floppies, which would have made it one of largest games developed for the Famicom at the time. The same year, Square even made advertisements for customers to pre-order The Emergence of Excalibur even though, according to, the game never made it past the early planning stages. In October 1987, Square sent a letter to people who pre-ordered The Emergence of Excalibur and told them that the game was canceled, but as a consolation, they allowed them to pre-order the first Final Fantasy game for 5,900 yen.

In 1990, after the release of Final Fantasy III, Koichi Ishii accepted Square's offer to direct a spinoff of the Final Fantasy franchise. The game started development as Gemma Knights, but Square decided to revive the Seiken Densetsu trademark, titling the game Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden in Japan.