North American Box Art

Earthbound, which is also known as Mother 2 in Japan, is an RPG for the SNES, created by Nintendo. While the series is quite popular in Japan, it has not sold well in th U.S., instead achieving cult status within the gaming community, as well as inspiring a healthy fan community.


Ness, as seen in Super Smash Bros.

Earthbound begins with a meteor falling from the sky, awakening the game's protagnist. In the game, the player controls Ness, a young boy with special powers. Ness has pyschic abilites, called PSI in battle. He also uses a Baseball Bat and other assorted everyday items as weapons. Ness is from the small town of Onnet, part of Eagleland. Ness soon discovers, from an insect sent from the future, that he must defeat the Intergalactic Destroyer, Gigyas. Soon, Ness is off on a journey to defeat said villain, and he will meet many other strange children along the way.



As you can possibly tell from my above description, EarthBound isn't your average RPG. When it was initially released, it was considered a breath of fresh air, as the game takes place in the Modern World. Also, the use of pyschic abilities, as well as everyday household items, such as bats and frying pans, were considered fresh and different at the time. As for the actual gameplay, it follows many traditional RPG concepts and rules, such as leveling up and buying items with loot from battles. Also, the player's character is not shown onscreen during battle, giving the game a very old school feel.



Like I said before, you encounter other children who will join your fight throughout the game. The 4 main characters are Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo.


The Main Characters in Coaster form

Poo is a cult favorite, as much for his name as for his martial arts abilities. He also stands out in that he cannot eat hamburgers and other western foods and gain back alot of HP or PP, as the rest of the cast can. He follows a strict diet, so only water and Eastern foods can heal him. He appears as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee.



EarthBound is known in Japan as Mother 2, and is in fact a Sequel to an NES game that was never released in North America. Additionally, a sequel to EarthBound, called Mother 3 was released in Japan for the GameBoy Advance. This has prompted the fan community to lobby for an American release, by way of petitions and the like. Also, the emulation community is home to many big fans, many who are helping to translate Mother 3 for Americans.



Another interesting and unique aspect of EarthBound was the game's Nintendo Player's Guide, included with the game. I suppose this was to either boost sales, or to help Americans who had trouble with the game, as RPG's were not as popular at the time as they are today. Anyway, I distinctally remember the Scratch and Sniff Stickers, as they had some very odd smells, such as an enemy that smelt like pickels. Sadly, I never owned this game, having only rented it at the time.



As for the music, this one is not as notable as some other Nintendo classics. The music and sound effects are very strange, but still very likable. The music isn't something I would recommend buying, but it certainly adds to the actual game, as it's very charming and different. This was available only in Japan, so you might have a hard time tracking down the actual disc, as it's fairly obscure. The songs are readily available on the internet to anyone who looks, so you can always go that route.



As usual with these blogs, I'm sure I missed a ton of info, such as Ness' evil next door neighbor Pokey, who aligns himself with Gigyas. Also, the game is home to an entire cast of delightful and eccentric characters, as well many charming modern and dream world locales. I'm sure many here at Dtoid have played it, but if you havent, the game is easily available in ROM form, and you can always go the Ebay Route, but be warned, the game goes for quite a bit, as it's something of a Collector's Item.



Either way you play it, it's a wonderful experience from beginning to end, which is something many RPG's can't also say. There are really no weak spots where the story begins to drag or anything of that sort. No, each time you visit a new town or world, the imagery and characters will fill you with a sense of wonder, compelling you to explore every nook and cranny and to meet each new character.



If you're not one of the lucky few who has experienced this game over the years, you owe it to yourself to seek this one out and play it. It's a truly unique experience that all RPG fans should play.