If you are already a fan of the other games in the series, there's no question why the excitement is so great for the English translation of Mother 3. Maybe you haven't discussed or even heard of the game, and reading all these fervent declarations of rapture is a little confusing for you: why is this game such a big deal anyway?
I could tell you that I've played them all, and pretend like I am incredibly knowledgeable, but I'm not going to even attempt to fool you: that just isn't true. All I can share is that I've spent a lot of time wandering around the Japanese original wishing I knew what was going on. Therefore, what you are about to read is very much my first real journey through the world of Mother 3; a handbook on the hype, if you will.
To find out what all the fuss is about, hit the jump.
Mother 3
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: 2006
Platform: Game Boy Advance
With all the pretty new RPGs on the market, what exactly is it about this old GBA game that is worth the trouble of downloading, emulating AND patching in English in order for me to play it? Such methods do not appeal to the lazy, and even fans of all things retro may not understand what it is about Mother 3 that makes it so special to so many people. I had an inkling, but felt I couldn't really understand until I had played it in English. Over this past weekend, I settled down to give it a whirl, thanks to the hard work of the fine people at Starmen.Net.
If you've never played a previous Mother title (Mother 2 was released as EarthBound in the US), you don't have to worry: while the games are numbered in order, the stories are stand-alones much like the Final Fantasy series. The thing that ties the three games together are the final bosses, but I leave it to you to find out what exactly those ties are all about.
If you have even a scrap of appreciation for older games, you will quickly notice that this game is absolutely charming. If you are positively fed up with wandering around medieval worlds in your RPGs (I certainly am), Mother 3 presents the perfect solution of a Western setting with a slightly Japanese perspective. It's basically the polar opposite of generic, from fights to interaction with NPCs.
The story begins by introducing you to multiple characters, all of whom you will either play or interact with during the course of the story. Throughout the game's eight chapters, you will play as Flint, the father, Dustin, a limping thief, Salsa, the monkey, and finally as Lucas, Flint's son. Through their adventures, you discover that Nowhere Islands (the land in which the story takes place) has been invaded by the Pig Mask Army and you must fight to save it.
Creator Shigesato Itoi embraces a quirky sense of humor, and it definitely shows in the title. Everything from saving your game by talking to frogs to reports on the inactivity of NPCs that fight with you is absolutely charming, and you'll find a smile plastered across your face while you play more often than not.
That's not to say that the entire game is a bucket of laughs. The slogan for the game's Japanese release was "Strange, Funny and Heartrending", and it most certainly is all of those things. Fans of EarthBound have definitely noted that Mother 3 is a darker game despite the humor, and while it balances well, expect to be shaken up. This is not a game afraid to make you feel something (which makes me love it all the more).
So how does combat work, you ask? Well, you'll recognize the basic, turn-based format if you've played any RPG, but not only are the battles quick and fluid to move through, but the things you fight are hilarious. Sure, I may have to fight forty dung beetles before I can move forward, but if you can keep me amused while I do so, grinding feels a lot less like a chore. I really appreciate that in a title.
In addition, you have an optional method of fighting that is one of more clever twists I have seen in any turn-based title: the Music Combo system. Each enemy you encounter has their own theme, and when you attack, you can score combos by pressing the A button along with the beat of their theme. Sometimes the tempo varies, challenging the player to keep up. Sure, you don't have to use it at all, but considering you can score up to a 16 hit combo by using it, you might want to get your foot to tapping.
After spending some quality time with this game, I feel I can honestly call it the antidote to the common RPG syndrome. I love the Final Fantasy series, but since it favors a serious dramatic route, there's rarely room for laughs. The execution of the humor in Mother 3 (and how elegantly it intertwines with more serious events) is truly what makes the game a masterpiece.
I don't care if you have to borrow, beg or steal to get your hands on it, but any fan of retro RPGs that has not played this game really must do so. Actually, I do care if you steal -- you should buy a copy and then download the rom and apply the English patch. Much like my Super Famicom copy of Chrono Trigger, you may not actually be able to play and understand the original, but there's a talismanic power immediately granted to all gamers by simply owning that original cartridge. Frame it and put it up in the bathroom. I call that art.
Command?
>Attack: Immediately. Stop reading this article and go get it right now. As an RPG fan, you should be ashamed of not having the experience of this game under your belt.
>Parry: If the same recycled medieval settings are your bread and butter. Even if they are, try to be open-minded and get this game anyway.It's simply not to be missed.
Contest:
4:49 PM on 10.21.2008
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Other than that..yeah this game is awesome.
Although I really like the sound of the new battle system, sort of a combination of Mario RPG and rhythm games.
The music battle is great too, my little nitpicks about it are that it's a little hard to pull off on some battles when the music is new/different, especially bosses (which is when it really counts, too). It also makes battles take longer for me as I tend to wait for a down beat before every character attacks to increase my odds of nailing it. It's very satisfying once you get the hang of it, though.
However, are there more from the past that I can't find? Tombs & Treasure is the oldest one I can find.
Even though I had already seen the scene in Japanese, the translation just sent chills down my spine. It was really well done.
Sadly the not-emulator I'm not using is making the rhythm combat a tad hard to pull off.
Even though I had already seen the scene in Japanese, the translation just sent chills down my spine. It was really well done.
Sadly the not-emulator I'm not using is making the rhythm combat a tad hard to pull off.
I had the same feeling on that scene in Chapter 1. The way they pause the text for dramatic effect makes the scene all the more emotional.
And let's not talk about the end of the first act. It hit me like fist to the belly.
Great job!
I'd like to point out that the battle themes aren't unique to each enemy, nor are the timings for the music battle feature. The timings are actually tied to the song itself, not the enemy, and while there are quite a few songs, many of them get used quite often as you go through the game.
Also: I hate the fact that this game got spoiled for me back when it first came out. I wish I had selective memory so I could forget what I know about the plot and see this from a fresh perspective.
Anyone having problems with slowdown should try VisualBoyAdvance 1.8beta. I had some trouble with 1.7 and 1.8 cleared it all up. Also, not using the bios seemed to make it faster too.
Mother3 is a dream come true for JRPG fans, and I highly suggest you to at least try finishing EarthBound, seeing your comment about Spiteful Crows, demonstrats you still haven't checked even the peak of the iceberg on this game.
Try completing it, you wont repent. The first third of the game is the most monotonous but it still got a lot of charm.
Afterwards play Mother3 for full esperience.
Thx dude. I love Mother series too.
Fuzzy Pickles! =D
Seriously, everyone should play this game. And if you love it, play EarthBound too!
Not to gives spoilers, but a certain event in the last chapter, which play this music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSxDjW9bLCQ
Make me cry. Alot. I still shed a tear when I think about it.
May I mention that this is the only video game that made me cry, ever.
The pacing was great throughout I felt. I finished it without having to ever grind. There were a few battles I had to do over 2-3 times, but I still was able to triumph with my current stats which I felt was a great balance.