Earthbound!

Wall of text inc.


In 1995, RPGs were stuck in a rut that Dragon Quest had dug. Most were still set in medieval times, with knights and mages battling mythical monsters with swords and magic. Few games dared to defy this mold until EarthBound (MOTHER 2 as it is known in Japan). No other game was like it, except maybe its prequel, MOTHER, which had not been released outside of Japan. EarthBound introduced, and even today continues to introduce, RPG fans to an entirely different experience.

The story is set in the 1990s in Eagleland, a kitschy and romanticized parody of America (perfect lawns and quiet suburbs). No dragons, mystical knights, or staff-wielding wizards appear in this game. You are just an average 13 year old kid from the suburbs...until the night a meteor lands in your backyard. The local wildlife start attacking you, a gang of local hoodlums begins causing trouble downtown, you realize that you have psychic powers, and a mysterious messenger from the future tells you that you are destined to save the world.

But, before you face any of this, your mom reminds you to change out of your pajamas.

Armed with a cracked baseball bat, a lucky charm for protection, and whatever food you can find (including whatever gets thrown into the trashcan outside the burger joint), you begin your quest to stop the evil alien Giygas from destroying the world.

A few highlights from the game:

*Obsessive-compulsive police roadblocks
*Bribing crooked politicians
*Saving a girl kidnapped by a cult obsessed with the color blue
*Solving a town's zombie problem
*Freeing a race of aliens enslaved by a talking pile of puke
*Fighting hippies with toothbrushes
*Wandering inside a psychedelic minus-world ruled by an evil statue
*Being taught by a talking monkey how to teleport
*Having your soul transplanted into the body of a robot in order to facilitate time travel

But, before you get too involved in these kinds of things, you should remember to call your mother. If you go too long without hearing her voice, you'll get homesick.

In addition to this, the EarthBound universe draws heavily from pop culture. Some references/hat-tips you might pick up if you're paying attention:

*The Beatles
*Chuck Berry
*Monty Python
*Blues Brothers
*Little Rascals
*The Loch Ness Monster
*Stonehenge

...and more Sci-fi-Horror B-Movies from the 1950's than you can count.

The massive success of MOTHER 2 in Japan prompted Nintendo of America to give EarthBound a pretty heavy-duty marketing campaign - posters in video game stores and rental chains, ads in magazines, coupons for $10 off the purchase of the game, and even TV commercials (still pretty rare for video games back in 1995). The best part is that the campaign's slogan was "This Game Stinks."

In addition to the marketing materials, the fine folks at NOA poured their heart and soul into one of the funniest and most thorough players' guides ever to come with a game. It even came with scratch 'n sniff trading cards at the back, one of which was a 'mystery scent' (that turned out to be pizza) that you could mail in to Nintendo and get a free air freshener (which bore the image of a pizza man from the game). Even EarthBound's box was an advertisement: instead of a regular SNES game box, EarthBound came in a huge, brightly colored box which held both the game and the free player's guide.

Despite the hype and effort, EarthBound did not sell well in America. This was due partially to EarthBound's simple graphics, which weren't designed to push the graphical capabilities of the SNES like other titles of its era (Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI). Even today the simple graphics serve as a stumbling block for many potential gamers, but they belie EarthBound's brilliant plot and dialogue.

If you have not played this game, do so. As soon as possible. Remind yourself of what gaming has lost. A game like this will never come again.




Something I stumbled across and am hoping this person finishes. Looks amazing and very well done. Though it looks like he hasnt worked on it in over a year :/

Bumping for super justice. AT LEAST my top 5 games of all time are SNES RPG's (if not 10). Back in the day fun was key. The gameplay and storyline had to be paramount or i'd get buried in the back of the blockbuster rack and sell for $.10 at funcoland. Now the industry is more concerned with making games that look pretty, even if they suck.

An extra subtlety to the quirky greatness of this game: The guide had boss fights with "sniff card# now" referencing the scratchnsniff playing cards. The looks of the enemies was a phantasmagorical masterpiece (for the time) that already conjured up smells. Did i mention all of the art was based on claymation style models and posing?


Holy ***, I almost started to bawww at work.

I regret selling my cartridge for $80 years ago. I see them used on Amazon now for $280 D:

I have this game on PC/PSP via emulators. It never gets old.

Wish my mom didn't throw away the guide back in the day. Stinky stickers though.

I figured as much. Earthbound, Megaman X2/X3/7, Super Mario RPG and I think even Chrono Trigger are worth a lot NIB.

Best game ever.

Best game ever.

easily one of my favourite SNES RPGs (top 3). I had to import it too seeing as it never came out here.

I love this game!

The dark part of the story which comes in the latter half is really what set this game apart from other humorous games.

Ah, the one RPG that struck me funny all those years ago. Remember my first time ever getting to the final boss I sat there for hours pounding away at him at the final stage, realizing that it wasn't doing anything. Then years later I had the nerve to actually take the advice from the guide and figured out what I was doing wrong. I still don't know what happened to my old cartridge, though my brother may have it lying around. But it definitely is one of those few gems that I'd play over and over again even if I knew the game backwards. Don't recall if I ever got everyone's best weapon however, :P

Is there a way for me to get an SNES emulator on my PSP without custom firmware? Would love to play Earthbound on the go xD

Sorry I think its needed, I had no issues "jail breaking" it though.

Best.Game.Ever.






Still have my game, box, manual, scratch n sniff stickers


I've been offered upwards of $500 for it all, I won't ever sell it :3

Fourth favorite SNES RPG behind, well, the obvious top 3.

This game is trippy as hell, it's great. Funny too, very memorable.

I see that and I raise you my favorite game of all time:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Mana-Super-Nintendo/dp/B000035Y2Q

Like new!

I don't $9000 love it. Maybe if it was the only copy on earth and emulators / android phones blew up. Ok definitely if that happened but right now? Nah.

Which model psp do you have? I can teach you how to put a light custom firmware on there that doesn't perma effect your psp. (You have to manually run the program every time you turn it on so if you don't like it you can just delete it.)

NIB price?


I have a copy of it and the manual, box is somewhere in the attic I think.

:3

I LERV ERTHBERND

What SNES is this? I've only ever seen this one:



Still have it boxed up, prolly going to unpack it and plug it in XD

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I WANT IT! Is that a PSP-1000 model?
I wanna get one but it's significantly more difficult to hack the 3000 models :/

This was our UK one.

PSP-3001 model, on 6.60 Firmware (not custom!) I can PM you details that Cicada hooked me up with :D

I do like earthbound, there needs to be more modern day based rpgs, Ive never beaten earthbound, because i can nvr figure out what to do.....

Someone told me at the end your basically aborting a fetus and that's the last boss......





yeah, giygas sounds freaky

You believe Earthbound has comedy? It does!

I remember when i got this as a birthday present~

the box was so big ( game came w/ strategy guide ) i had no idea it was an Snes game :D

great game too