When comparing Secret of Mana vs Tomb Raider I, the Slant community recommends Secret of Mana for most people. In the question“What are the best Android tablet games?” Secret of Mana is ranked 12th while Tomb Raider I is ranked 71st. The most important reason people chose Secret of Mana is:
Twenty some odd years later and Secret of Mana is still considered one of the best action role playing game experiences there is.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Has stood the test of time
Twenty some odd years later and Secret of Mana is still considered one of the best action role playing game experiences there is.
Pro Unique ring command system allows for easy menu selection
The ring command system used for selecting equipment and other options is still as innovative today as it was back in 1993.
A first at it's time, the ring command system allowed for users to select their weapons and equipment easily without having to leave the main game screen, making for selecting quite easy.
Pro Shift in gameplay for Squaresoft/SquareEnix made RPGs
Secret of Mana features a top down real time battle system akin to other action role playing games such as Legend of Zelda that at the time was a large shift from the turn based fare that Square created. Even today Square Enix does not foray too often into the action role playing genre, making for a unique experience when it comes to Square created titles.
Pro Considered one of the best stories in RPG's young and old
While the outline of the story is the normal RPG fare, where a young boy is tasked with saving the world, the characters and their journey still holds up as one of the best ever written.
Pro Colorful 16bit era graphics
Secret of Mana was created at the height of the 16bit SNES era and utilized some of the most colorful and stylized fantasy role playing game graphics. While it would have been nice to see Square polish them up a bit for HD devices, they still hold up, especially in a market that has many games designed with bit graphics as a current trend.
Pro Immersive mode
Tomb Raider I supports immersive mode, allowing for devices with software navigation bars to have them hidden for full screen gaming.
Pro Controller support
Tomb Raider I has support for MOGA and Logitech controllers, which will greatly help with the more difficult moments of the game.
Pro Very cheap price with zero in app purchases
At $0.99 it is hard to not pass up purchasing this title. Considering there are zero in app purchases is also quite a refreshing thing to see, especially considering SE's current trend of IAP filled releases.
Cons
Con Graphically, almost a direct port
Square Enix has done nothing to polish the graphics in this port which for the price point is a little disheartening. The black borders on both sides of the screen are also disappointing. To see Square do so little to accommodate HD devices and their swath of screen sizes, it makes one wonder how they get away charging the prices they do.
Con Controls are awkward
Judging this games controls against any current 3D titles and they will appear to be pretty archaic. While they remain the same from the original title, controls are very difficult and are made even more so with the implementation of touch screen.