BGMania B-Sides #43 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bedroth explores Embers of Mana, a newly released ROM hack of Final Fantasy Adventure created by friend of the show and longtime listener OK Impala. Built on the bones of the classic Game Boy action RPG that helped launch the Mana series, Embers of Mana reimagines the experience with fresh ideas, clever design twists, and a renewed appreciation for the world that started it all.

This B-Side also features an interview with OK Impala about his experience with Final Fantasy Adventures and creating Embers of Mana. Go show him and this ROM hack some love at the following locations:

Embers of Mana Release Trailer - https://youtu.be/X5_FO9Yny1c?si=NZkOPt6RT52UEbth
OK Impala's Website - https://okimpala.net/
BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/okimpala.bsky.social
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@okimpala

Email the show at bgmaniapodcast@gmail.com with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

EPISODE PLAYLIST AND CREDITS

Beautiful Day (based on Peaceful Village from Dual Orb 2) from Embers of Mana [Nobuyuki Hara & Yu Yoshida/OK Impala, 1994/2026]
Into the Waterfall (based on Into the Thick of It from Secret of Mana) from Embers of Mana [Hiroki Kikuta/OK Impala, 1993/2026]
Watch Out! (based on Valestein Castle from Ys III: Wanderers from Ys) from Embers of Mana [Mieko Ishikawa, 1989/2026]
Frozen Statues from Embers of Mana [endlessrepeat, 2026]
Land of the Lost (based on Love So Alike from the movie Tristan & Isolde) from Embers of Mana [Anne Dudley/OK Impala, 2006/2026]
What the Forest Hides from Embers of Mana [endlessrepeat, 2026]
Embers of Mana (based on Fear of the Heavens from Secret of Mana) from Embers of Mana [Hiroki Kikuta/OK Impala, 1993/2026]
City of the Past (based on Alistia - Lapatia Village from Rogue Galaxy) from Embers of Mana [Tomohito Nishiura/OK Impala, 2007/2026]
Eternal Forest (based on Lascarde Skywalk from Arc Rise Fantasia) from Embers of Mana [Yasunori Mitsuda/OK Impala, 2010/2026]
Saving the World (based on Save the World from Final Fantasy Legend II) from Embers of Mana [Nobuo Uematsu/OK Impala, 1991/2026]

LINKS

PODCAST NETWORK

BGMania B-Sides: Embers of Mana