Visions of Mana will feature large zones and a world map to explore, and so it’s a natural fit that mounts will help you to your destination, especially some familiar characters from the series’ past.

Pikul, large pangolin-dogs, were developed by the staff alongside Koichi Ishii, creator of the Mana series. Inspired by Egyptian mythological figure Anubis, they’ll bear you and your party of five playable characters across the landscape. Vuscav will swim you across the oceans, and Flammie across the skies.

However, helpful critters aren’t the only way to move around the environment — the Elementals also have a role to play. Eight powerful spirits filled with mana power, your party can use them to unleash powerful elemental Moves in battle, and even change their class based on different spirits. They’ll also assist by creating wind gusts to boost your jumps, floating bubbles to carry you upward, and rockets of fire to shoot across the sky.

Here’s a look at how you’ll travel by land, sea, and sky courtesy of the Square Enix blog:

Visions of Mana releases on August 29, 2024 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Windows and Steam. Pre-orders are now available and include gifts for the digital edition (Brave Blade) and a physical edition (Guardian Garment).

Pikul

“If you want to get around in style, there’s no better way than with a trusty companion.

If you’re on land, you can use an item called the Beckon Bell to summon a Pikul!

These loveable critters quickly traverse the map and even trample any enemies you run across during your ride!”

Series creator Koichi Ishii participated in developing the monster designs you see in the game, and the pikul is one of his creations.

Envisioned as a pangolin crossed with a Yorkshire terrier with inspiration from Anubis in Egyptian myth, the team iterated the design with careful consideration given its use as a land mount.

[via Xbox Direct 2024]

Vuscav

“But a Pikul can’t run on water. If you want to traverse the seas, there’s no better friend than Vuscav, a mysterious turtle-like creature who will let you surf across the seas.”

First appearing in Trials of Mana (1995), Vuscav functioned in a similar role to ferry players across the ocean. It also appeared in Heroes of Mana (2007) and Echoes of Mana.

Flammie

“But what if you want to soar through the skies themselves? Meet Flammie – this sacred beast of legend can fly you quickly across the world map!”

First appearing in Secret of Mana (1993), Flammie could be used as a flying mount using the SNES’s Mode 7 function to simulate a 3D space. They also appear in and are referenced in many Mana series titles.