Heroes of Mana is the unofficial, though blatantly obvious, prequel to Seiken Densetsu 3. Heroes is considered unofficial because the fact that the game is actually a prequel is being widely ignored. This is probably because SD3 has never been released outside Japan and many non-Japanese gamers may not be familiar with the original game. For the many diehard SD3 fans, Heroes will mark the first time for a real translation of SD3 locations and character names. For all those who are new to SD3, Heroes will provide a fresh and unique chance to explore one of the most beloved Mana realms in the history of the series. With that said, there is absolutely no need to play SD3 in order to appreciate Heroes; the game is a prequel after all. Heroes is set 19 years before the events of SD3, and though none of the starring cast of SD3 will appear, the game features a wide variety of references, cameos, and playable versions of the original's NPCs.

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