Mana Spark

 Switch
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 52
  3. Negative: 13 out of 52

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  1. JokeAlexJank
    Jun 5, 2019
    0
    Tired to play the game but with no direction I have no Idea what your doing. Lacks any sort of charm in its character design, the levels are small spammy and I cant gain any sense of progression because despite how short the levels are the character progression is nearly non existent. I love these kind of games but this one is by far the worst, a better one I can suggest is Sundered byTired to play the game but with no direction I have no Idea what your doing. Lacks any sort of charm in its character design, the levels are small spammy and I cant gain any sense of progression because despite how short the levels are the character progression is nearly non existent. I love these kind of games but this one is by far the worst, a better one I can suggest is Sundered by Thunderlotus Games.… Expand
  2. Korvspad
    May 31, 2019
    5
    I like the gameplay, setting and progression system. What ruined it for me is the lag in the later levels that ultimately prevented me from taking down what I suppose to be the last boss. A game that looks and plays this simple shouldn't struggle with performance.
  3. Kacek1996
    Jul 1, 2020
    7
    At first, I was truly sceptical about this game. Another roguelike, that is often on a sale and has pixel art? Nonetheless, I've still bought it (at the sale xD) and I'm glad that I did it. Pixel art is really minimalistic, but it works a lot. It's not hard to understand the items just by their art. Also, there is quite the diversity in the enemy pool as well as the upgrade pool.At first, I was truly sceptical about this game. Another roguelike, that is often on a sale and has pixel art? Nonetheless, I've still bought it (at the sale xD) and I'm glad that I did it. Pixel art is really minimalistic, but it works a lot. It's not hard to understand the items just by their art. Also, there is quite the diversity in the enemy pool as well as the upgrade pool. Soundtrack ain't the reason to play this game, but controls and the feeling of progress are. So far I've not reached the end of this game, but I can see myself playing it a lot. I often start my gaming sessions with Mana Spark, it's a good game to warm up and think what full fledged game should I play today (apart from never ending roguelike games). It can be challenging, but it's possible to feel your own growth in the game with each run. At the times I have a gaming dilemma what should I play, I will probably run Mana Spark, to get the session started!… Expand
  4. WynterHazard
    Nov 13, 2019
    0
    Most of the game, items and features will be finding ways to make you kill yourself. Horribly designed traps that kill you if you're not watching the ground during combat, unannounced minibosses that are 5x stronger and faster than any monster, maybe 20 randomized equipment items that make the game feel stale by your second playthrough and often cause you to hurt yourself, not to mentionMost of the game, items and features will be finding ways to make you kill yourself. Horribly designed traps that kill you if you're not watching the ground during combat, unannounced minibosses that are 5x stronger and faster than any monster, maybe 20 randomized equipment items that make the game feel stale by your second playthrough and often cause you to hurt yourself, not to mention completely uninspired playable characters that you won't use because they're so much worse than your starter pc. I was excited for the pixelart and the roguelike factor of this game but it is poorly made, completely unbalanced, repetitive, and infuriating.… Expand
  5. x519MaLoNeYx
    Jan 6, 2020
    7
    Awesome game! It’s a procedurally generated type game where you kill enemies and gain coins etc. You can unlock different characters for your camp like a weapons guy and potions guy etc. Very very fun and well made game!
  6. Latruongbach410
    Jan 6, 2020
    9
    One of the best alternative to the deadcell where the gameplay is simple but very addictive. Character development via random runes are satisfactory. However loading screen is a bit too long
  7. Ray2005
    Jan 3, 2020
    10
    I love this game. I play on nintendo switch and controls are perfect
    I recomendó
  8. wemelchor
    Dec 13, 2019
    0
    Another dumb indie title I regret purchashing on a cyber game sale. It pays to read reviews
  9. steelx
    Sep 23, 2019
    8
    Apart from a bit graphics issue in terms of lighting the game is great. Has good skills system, great replayability.
    "Mana spark" takes a lot from Dead Cells and but has a good storyline and somewhat easy to defeat boss fights. But lacks a weapon system like dead cells.
    It is worth the purchase, and I would have given it a 10 if the graphics were a little bit brighter and character was    Apart from a bit graphics issue in terms of lighting the game is great. Has good skills system, great replayability.
    "Mana spark" takes a lot from Dead Cells and but has a good storyline and somewhat easy to defeat boss fights. But lacks a weapon system like dead cells.

    It is worth the purchase, and I would have given it a 10 if the graphics were a little bit brighter and character was bit bigger.    … Expand
  10. Samware
    Dec 26, 2018
    5
    I've played for about 4 or 5 hours now and I'm starting to dislike this game after having to redo the same section over and over. Runs barely feel different, bosses feel like a chore, and so far I only have a choice of two ranged characters, one who attacks slower but deals more damage, and another who deals less damage but attacks faster. After defeating 2 out of 3 (I think) bosses II've played for about 4 or 5 hours now and I'm starting to dislike this game after having to redo the same section over and over. Runs barely feel different, bosses feel like a chore, and so far I only have a choice of two ranged characters, one who attacks slower but deals more damage, and another who deals less damage but attacks faster. After defeating 2 out of 3 (I think) bosses I still don't have a melee character, which is annoying as the ranged ones can feel really awkward when you're crammed in a small room with a bunch of enemies who can only be damaged after they've tried to attack you. Immortal Redneck followed a similar roguelike format but was much more enjoyable thanks to a larger array of weapons, playable characters, rooms and enemies. This is an alright game but £8.99 is too steep for its current state, it should be more like 3.99 or 4.99 in my opinion.… Expand
  11. Khalic
    Sep 15, 2019
    8
    Very intuitive game, charming design, level design could be a little better tuned, music is great
  12. Maposil
    May 10, 2019
    8
    I liked the gameplay, art and music, but there a lot of loading and this game is really short.

    I recommend to play a little every day.
    Dont rush the hole game.
  13. SereneMort
    Jun 5, 2019
    9
    This game not only looks nice, it also has responsive controls and interesting characters and tools that make replaying this game entertaining. Progression is steady and the game, for me, hits that perfect balance between difficult and casual fun. This makes it a game that I routinely find myself playing through roughly once a month.
  14. Tyrant719
    Nov 15, 2020
    0
    This game is absolutely horrible. I’d go into detail, but I’ll just leave it at the simple fact that video games shouldn’t be made by everyone. This flood of Indie video game mediocrity onto the eShop is just making it impossible to find decent games. We get it, everyone has technology to make a video game. Don’t.
  15. Rouanet
    Mar 5, 2020
    8
    While it is very repetitive at first glance you can really enjoy the game once you get how the enemy acts to counterplay. What really sets it apart from other roguelikes is the story you create by reading the books left behind in the dungeon with notes from a misterious being who seems to control everything that happens within these dungeons. Simple and intuitive controls with a hugeWhile it is very repetitive at first glance you can really enjoy the game once you get how the enemy acts to counterplay. What really sets it apart from other roguelikes is the story you create by reading the books left behind in the dungeon with notes from a misterious being who seems to control everything that happens within these dungeons. Simple and intuitive controls with a huge replayability also make the game more enjoyable… Expand
  16. LeggomySteggo
    May 6, 2020
    9
    This game is a ton of fun for those who love rogue-lights. It has a fun movement style and combat with different character to switch it up. My fiance and I played for about 25 hours at least and for the price that is amazing. The developers are actively supporting the game and adding new content and new characters. Highly recommend! Only reason I rated it an 9 is that the "plot" is aThis game is a ton of fun for those who love rogue-lights. It has a fun movement style and combat with different character to switch it up. My fiance and I played for about 25 hours at least and for the price that is amazing. The developers are actively supporting the game and adding new content and new characters. Highly recommend! Only reason I rated it an 9 is that the "plot" is a little lacking but for a $4 game I wouldn't expect more.… Expand
  17. dogokon
    Jul 12, 2020
    9
    A nice indie game. Well worth its price. I have to tell this to the other reviewers: It’s a rogue-like game. You die, do some upgrades, delve into dungeons and die again. You seem to forget the genre of the game. If you like rogue-like games you should check this out.
  18. utucuro
    Jan 4, 2021
    2
    The good:
    It was cheap on sale.
    The bad: First area is very easy. Right afterwards, the second area has a LOT more monsters including some which are really unbalanced (Caged minibosses not included) Progression is really, really slow, The ugly: Most monsters are melee type, and will run at you relentlessly once they detect you. Most player characters cannot run and shoot and both    The good:
    It was cheap on sale.

    The bad:
    First area is very easy. Right afterwards, the second area has a LOT more monsters including some which are really unbalanced (Caged minibosses not included)
    Progression is really, really slow,

    The ugly:
    Most monsters are melee type, and will run at you relentlessly once they detect you. Most player characters cannot run and shoot and both reloading AND aiming are slow - so you need to play slowly and pick the dumb monsters off one by one. Definitely more tedious than fun.
    Controls and general slowness / unresponsiveness are the main culprit though...

    Verdict: Should have avoided this on sale, one cannot get a refund for time spent playing. Do skip if you like roguelikes or roguelites.    … Expand
  19. Aluk
    Feb 10, 2022
    8
    Excellent Rogue like game, similar to the Binding of Isaac.
    Excelente juego Rogue-like, similar a The Binding of Isaac.
  20. JabbaReviews
    Aug 15, 2019
    5
    In Mana Spark for Nintendo Switch, explore a dreadful dungeon and fight smart enemies that will plan and collaborate between themselves to defeat you. This is yet another in a long line of rouge-like games for the Switch. Though it won’t blow you away, I think fans of rouge-like games will have fun with it.

    You’ll be spending most of your time playing through generated rooms, picking up    In Mana Spark for Nintendo Switch, explore a dreadful dungeon and fight smart enemies that will plan and collaborate between themselves to defeat you. This is yet another in a long line of rouge-like games for the Switch. Though it won’t blow you away, I think fans of rouge-like games will have fun with it.

    You’ll be spending most of your time playing through generated rooms, picking up coins and mana runes. Thee allow you to upgrade your character and delve further and further into the game. Then when you die, you respawn back to the base and start again. The developers have gone for the pixel art style and I think for this kind of games it works.

    I will say performance wise I was disappointed. The loading screens took a lot longer than other similar games. Even with numerous updates, this is still an issue. There is also major lag whilst playing which has caused me to die multiple times.

    The fact that the camera is attached to the aiming square instead of your character is a huge design flaw. There is instant motion sickness for anyone susceptible. I jerk the square around when my index finger on the same hand clicks R button to shoot. I wish they’d simply add the option to click down the right stick to shoot when you have your aim in place

    Also, there is a lot less content than other popular rogue-likes. There are probably around 12 active items, and maybe around 25 passive items, and only three characters. I’ve put in about 8 hours, and I’ve upgraded most items and unlocked all 3 characters, but I haven’t gotten to the third and final boss. I can only reliably make it about two-thirds of the way through. I imagine I’ve got at least a few more hours of fun left with it, even more, if I aim to beat it with all three characters, and I probably will try because they all feel very different and are fun to play as.

    Right now the game is 50% off and will cost £4.49, this is an acceptable price for the game. At £8.99 I feel you could do better. Finally, check out our other gaming reviews.    … Expand
  21. bencrvr31
    Jul 30, 2020
    3
    Basic gameplay is fun. Smart enemies, good dungeon design. The rune progression completely ruins it. No peculiar room before or after the first boss?! That is madness. Do you want me to replay? Uh, then letting me keep runes for my effort to use on upgrades is kinda the whole thing. Losing them on death is fine, I like the peculiar room idea, but they should be after every double level. ItBasic gameplay is fun. Smart enemies, good dungeon design. The rune progression completely ruins it. No peculiar room before or after the first boss?! That is madness. Do you want me to replay? Uh, then letting me keep runes for my effort to use on upgrades is kinda the whole thing. Losing them on death is fine, I like the peculiar room idea, but they should be after every double level. It is ridiculous to not put one before a boss and complete insanity to not put one afterwards. I lost 10 runes. That's not a fun challenge, that's demoralizing, and kinda malicious. It's a bummer, they did a nice job with the gameplay, enemies, and randomized level design. They need to fire whoever made the decisions on the rune progression. Please shove their face in some dog doo while you're at it. Thanks… Expand
  22. StrangeMeeps
    Sep 28, 2020
    4
    The game feels unfinished. It has a ranged focus, but keeps you trapped in tight dead-end and trap filled corridors, zooming the camera in really close, nullifying the game's generous kiting mechanichs. It makes for an awkward experience, where spamming arrows offscreen is the best strategy, but sometimes the procedural generation of the dungeons will just spawn you next to a melee thug.The game feels unfinished. It has a ranged focus, but keeps you trapped in tight dead-end and trap filled corridors, zooming the camera in really close, nullifying the game's generous kiting mechanichs. It makes for an awkward experience, where spamming arrows offscreen is the best strategy, but sometimes the procedural generation of the dungeons will just spawn you next to a melee thug. I wouldnt mind so much, but this often means redoing dungeons just long enough to become tedious. There is a nugget of a good game in here, especially with its calming colourful visuals and gentle ambience. It's probably about three months away from emerging, but right now it just comes accross as short-sighted.… Expand
  23. Corrin903
    Oct 12, 2020
    8
    Very fun game and it’s very much worth the price tag and the dlc makes the game much more funner. I have my sister play with me a lot becuase of the dlc.
  24. beren14
    Feb 7, 2021
    8
    After playing and reading the reviews I can understand what some people are pointing out as negative, however, I think for a reasonably priced game, you can easily have hours of entertainment and challenges. Without instructions, it can be confusing how certain parts of the game work. I was able to figure out nearly everything myself, BUT I did have to research one part online related toAfter playing and reading the reviews I can understand what some people are pointing out as negative, however, I think for a reasonably priced game, you can easily have hours of entertainment and challenges. Without instructions, it can be confusing how certain parts of the game work. I was able to figure out nearly everything myself, BUT I did have to research one part online related to the binding of a buff to the character...maybe other similar games have this same type of mechanic.
    I did also buy the DLC forgotten crypts and although I haven't started yet I am looking forward to it.    … Expand
  25. jaderasb
    Mar 15, 2021
    0
    this game bangs dude. played back in 2017 on pc and its come a long way. i love this so much
  26. tiagojsag
    Apr 25, 2021
    6
    The game seems ok if you are into the genre, but the controls just make it impossible to enjoy. It’s incredibly hard and frustrating to hit even some standing targets, let alone pull off precision shots. I’m adding this to my steam wishlist and I’ll play it again when I can buy it with a nice discount on pc.
  27. ireviewgamesig
    Jul 28, 2021
    7
    I personally really enjoyed this game. the items can lend themselves to very interesting combat. the game is about 9 hours long to beat, but you can play this for about 13 hours before tedium sets in. the art style is a bit oversimplified, but it does have a very strong personality
  28. FlyingFoxx
    Jul 29, 2021
    8
    It’s a nice game to pass the time. At the beginning of the game it seems a bit repetive and boring, however if you stick with it the hand gets much more fun I also got around 10 hours of time before buying the dlc and 10 hours of time after buying it.
  29. Slmft
    Mar 30, 2023
    5
    Mäßig designtes Kampfsystem inklusive Gegnertypen. Wenig Abwechslung. Langweilige Biome - alles sieht gleich aus. Idee ansonsten gut. Am Ende ist Mana Spark eines der schlechteren Indie Rogue Lites.
  30. chosen0ne
    Nov 8, 2021
    8
    I really liked this game's cute aesthetic and rogue-lite design. It doesn't take itself too seriously, it's got fun action (highly recommend using the warrior class). The DLC is great because it adds a ton of new items, levels, and a fun 4th boss. This game isn't going to win any awards for plot or level design, but it is more than worth you're time if you're looking for somethingI really liked this game's cute aesthetic and rogue-lite design. It doesn't take itself too seriously, it's got fun action (highly recommend using the warrior class). The DLC is great because it adds a ton of new items, levels, and a fun 4th boss. This game isn't going to win any awards for plot or level design, but it is more than worth you're time if you're looking for something genuinely fun.… Expand
  31. JoeyPL5
    Nov 16, 2021
    6
    It's fun if you like twin-stick top-down roguelikes, but it's a bit sluggish and fairly unpolished.
  32. Cheeto_Consumer
    Jul 3, 2022
    7
    I got this game, like most other people, on sale for a dollar. While it's certainly not horrible, many elements about it definitely don't do it any good. The difficulty spikes, the unfair deaths... It's pretty well made, but it's the small things that make it a pain to play.

    If you want a quick time killer, this could do the job.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Switch Player
    Feb 28, 2020
    60
    If you don’t mind plenty of death and repetition, with some unfair-seeming failures, Mana Spark can offer an engrossing adventure in which, with patience, you can craft your character and battle your way to victory.
    Read full review
  2. FNintendo
    Apr 2, 2019
    70
    Mana Spark deserves to be treated as more than "just" an indie game. Its combats and tactical RPG elements, as well as its very alluring pixel art style and tough difficulty level put it on a threshold that will make veteran players feel the right amount of challenge, while perhaps alienating some of those who are less experienced. A game that will be appreciated by all those who enjoy a good challenge.
    Read full review
  3. The Indie Game Website
    Jan 13, 2019
    80
    For the most part the combat is decent, allowing you to dash around and fire with the reticle. Although, sometimes the aim can be a bit loose and an immediate, unnecessary difficulty jump does little to quell the issue. If you want a fun roguelite, though, look no further (once you get through that long list, that is.)
    Read full review
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