Topic: The Mother / Earthbound Thread

I'm just opening this thread as a way of sharing various things we discover about the Earthbound series online. I just it'd be nice to have a discussion going about Earthbound, especially for those of us like myself who've never even been able to play the games but keep hearing others talk about how good they are.

EarthBound 3: The Fan Dub
[youtube:WjMllYgUOeU]

EarthBound Cartoon
[youtube:mRaPaTMiwjc]

I've been wanting to play the games for ages. I keep looking on eBay for a reasonably priced copy of Earthbound but haven't found one so far

I also want to play the fan translation of Mother 3, but I don't want to play it on the computer. Hopefully I can find my PSP one day and play it on that Either that or learn Japanese and play an official copy

I've been wanting to buy the fan-made handbook, but it's been out of stock for a while, they should have some more in time for Christmas though

It's so cruel that so many of us, me included, are dying to play through the whole trilogy, but Nintendo will never let us experience these games. My life isn't complete until I've played the Mother games! But since I don't wanna use emulators, I'm afraid I will die as an incomplete man ...

Earthbound was the first RPG I got. I remember being in my sisters room watching TV with her and my brother, my mom and brother in law at the time coming in with this big box. Earthbound. I was so excited

The box came with the game and the guide book with Scratch and Sniff cards that actually smelled good (Master Belch ironically smelled better). I remember walking all around Onett, not sure what to do but I kept playing it. It reminded me of The Peanuts (character wise), especially that kid in the game who looks dirty- there's a dirty kid like that in The Peanuts.

Wasn't until 2nd Grade that I actually started progressing; asking my brother to help me get the guide book that was sitting on top of a shelf in the closet.

I went through the game about 5 or 6 times- I just love Earthbound and feel like playing it over again.

I'm hoping that within 5 years, Shigesto Itoi says "Okay, I want to make another Mother game."

He said he did not have any future plans for a new Mother game, but said it doesn't mean never.

I'd hope Nintendo would remake the first, then second and then third- kinda how SE did for the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games on DS.

Perhaps we should start a Earthbound 3DS petition on Facebook?

Because petitions are so effective? Starmen has tried everything there is to try. Nintendo of America does not care.

Or rather they do care but don't want to release them anyway

I don't get it, winky man.

Still have no idea why they give us Mother-related stuff in Smash Bros....yet they won't give us the games themselves. :/

Smash Bros. is made in Japan. Mother is popular in Japan. They aren't going to remove entire characters and stages from the Western release just because the games haven't made it here.

@Adam: Then why hasn't Japan gotten Mother 1 or 2 on Virtual Console?

Your comment has nothing to do with what I just said. Mother 3 and Mother 1+2 were both released after Smash Bros. came out. There is no reason for those characters, items, and levels to be taken out of the game just because the series is no longer being made.

First of all, I don't disagree. I wouldn't expect Mother characters to be removed because the series is finished. I just don't think the games' popularity in Japan has anything to do with why no region gets the Mother games but every region gets the characters in Smash Bros.

I couldn't agree more!

I don't see the connection between your VC comment and my explanation for why Smash Bros. had Mother 3 stuff added. Brawl was the first Smash after M3 came out. Of course he would be in it.

Basically:
Reason for Mother stuff in Smash: Mother is popular in Japan.
Reason for no Mother stuff on VC: Completely different discussion. (I wish I knew.)

I would love to play these three games, I wish Nintendo would release remakes of these for 3DS in the west.

Sadly there's no way to play this game in English legally, but it is indeed a very quirky, very witty game with tons of character on top of its solid gameplay mechanics.

On a side note, if you're looking for a legal and portable alternative to Mother 3, track down a copy of Contact for DS at your local GameStop.

Reggie once mentioned the fan translation and seemed positive about it. If Nintendo wanted it outlawed, they had several years to issue a Cease and Desist to the translating teams or just get their sites shut down. That's all the approval I need.

You can also buy the Japanese version and either consider that your payment or actually play that but with a translation guide.

Also, Earthbound is still legal. Prices are ridiculous right now, but that might just be with holidays approaching. If you find it for under $100, it's worth it.

Contact is fun but its story doesn't have the heart that the Mother games do. Mother 3 particularly has the uncanny ability to turn on a dime from levity to gravity, suckering you into a sense of silliness and safety with the constant jokes, then casually dropping this heartrending plot event right in front of you.

Alternatively, if any of you cannot beat the inability to play Mother 3 in English legally but do not want to test the system, watch a Let's Play! I mean, it's a JRPG, you miss out on the ability to wander around and advance the story as you like, and you miss out on the battles. Both really do enhance the story a ton and make you feel a part of it, but the story is still there without it, as are the jokes, music, etc.