Today, Square Enix has announced a physical release of their upcoming Secret of Mana remake on PlayStation 4. The Secret of Mana remake for PlayStation 4, PS Vita, and PC via Steam was originally announced as getting a digital-only treatment in North America on the global release date of February 15, 2018. With the announcement, the publisher has also confirmed that the PS4 physical edition is being produced in limited quantities that will be sold exclusively at GameStop stores in the U.S and at EB Games in Canada.
Those interested in securing one of these limited copies are encouraged to pre-order. The retailer typically requires a $5 USD minimum to hold a copy of the game upon release, with the funds being applied to the retail price upon pickup. Both the physical and digital PS4 version of the game come with the same $39.99 USD suggested retail price tag.
Bonuses for reserving a physical copy of the game appear to be the same DLC costumes that are being offered with the digital versions. Players can expect to get the Moogle and Tiger costumes for Randi, Prim, and Popoi with their pre-order reservation.
Although fans in Japan are getting a physical Collector’s Edition, only a Standard physical disc version is shown on the GameStop website . There was no information about the possibility of a similar edition coming to North America in the publisher’s announcement today.
In a recent post on their blog , Square Enix has also provided some additional information about the new features being added to Secret of Mana . The game is getting a visual and audio overhaul, but much like the recent Final Fantasy XII HD remake players will have the option to choose between listening to the original soundtrack or playing with the new one. Completely new to the remake are some additional “Interlude” episodes that include some new scenes featuring Randi as he makes new friends.
For those wanting to limit internet usage by obtaining a physical copy, the offline multiplayer is likely an attractive feature as up to three people can play through the adventure together through the couch co-op mode. By comparison, the PlayStation Vita version also offers multiplayer co-op, but each player needs to have their own Vita system and a copy of the game. The development team is making multiplayer happen using the Vita’s “ad-hoc” system, which requires an internet connection. But, the Vita version has a suggested price that’s about $10 USD cheaper than the PC or PS4 versions.
Get an early look at the opening cinematic for the Secret of Mana remake in the following video.
