# EarthBound / Mother 2!



## Amissapanda (Sep 18, 2014)

_Pictures taken instantaneously! I'm a photographic genius, if I do say so myself. Now, get ready for an instant memory! Look at the camera! Ready? Say, "Fuzzy Pickles!"_

Let's Talk about EarthBound/ Mother 2!​
I can hardly believe I searched back tons of pages and couldn't find a topic for this (that wasn't selling/buying a code, anyway).

This game... is my childhood. I first played it back when it was released for the SNES (with that snazzy boxset and game guide). And to this day, it's probably my favorite game of all time. I loved Shigesato Itoi's take on American 90's culture. The game was full of humor, relatable, FULL of pop culture, and had many interesting mechanics of gameplay that games then didn't have (and don't have today). It's the very first game that I bought when I got my WiiU back in May and I was thrilled to see it released on virtual console. I did a really shoddy LP of it (my first one ever), but I plan to redo it soon so I can relive this piece of my childhood and all the nostalgia that came with it.

So, how many _EarthBound_ fans do we have around this forum? : ) Do you have a favorite character? Favorite place/location in the game? How about a favorite psychic move? What part of the game is most memorable for you? The most frustrating aspect?

Let's discuss!


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## Hyoshido (Sep 18, 2014)

Actually can't say much since I've never actually played a Mother game before (Because it's wasn't a thing in Europe till the Wii U release) but Earthbound seems like a game I'd really like to get into!


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## RhinoK (Sep 18, 2014)

I only ever got to Fourside (that's after the Halloween town isn't it?) but that was over three years ago. I played and finished Mother 3 however, and is my favourite JRPG.


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## Cress (Sep 18, 2014)

I've played every MOTHER game except this one.
I live in America, and I've played every MOTHER game except the one that was actually released in America. Yep.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 18, 2014)

Hyogo said:


> Actually can't say much since I've never actually played a Mother game before (Because it's wasn't a thing in Europe till the Wii U release) but Earthbound seems like a game I'd really like to get into!



I hope you enjoy it, should you play it! 



RhinoK said:


> I only ever got to Fourside (that's after the Halloween town isn't it?) but that was over three years ago. I played and finished Mother 3 however, and is my favourite JRPG.



Fourside is after Threed, but not for some time (you have to go through the desert first). There's definitely a lot more to the game after that, though.

Oh man, I loved _Mother 3_, too. It's a contender with _Mother 2_ for my top spot, to be honest. Rhythm battles are SO fun. And the love the chapter setup of the story. I recently finished my LP for it and I can't wait to pick it up again. I hope they're going to release it for the VC. It seem unlikely that they'll 'upgrade' it for 3DS or something (like _Ocarina of Time_), but I hold small hopes that it could happen someday, as the _Mother_ series is kind of a cult classic with a loyal fanbase.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 18, 2014)

PuffleKirby21 said:


> I've played every MOTHER game except this one.
> I live in America, and I've played every MOTHER game except the one that was actually released in America. Yep.



Haha, that's interesting! The only one I have yet to play is the first one.


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## Ponyu (Sep 19, 2014)

Unfortunately, I have yet to play Earthbound, because I'm also from Europe and don't have a Wii U (yet). I did however play Mother 3 and simply love everything about it. I will probably get a Wii U sooner or later (depending on game releases) and will definitely pick up Earthbound then (yay 90s!)!

You say you did a Let's Play, could you give a link to that? I'd like to watch it!


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## Amissapanda (Sep 19, 2014)

Ponyu said:


> Unfortunately, I have yet to play Earthbound, because I'm also from Europe and don't have a Wii U (yet). I did however play Mother 3 and simply love everything about it. I will probably get a Wii U sooner or later (depending on game releases) and will definitely pick up Earthbound then (yay 90s!)!
> 
> You say you did a Let's Play, could you give a link to that? I'd like to watch it!



Understandable! It's a shame that they took so long to make it available to Europe and other countries. Hopefully you get the chance to play it. As biased as I am, I really believe it's one of those games that no one should miss out on playing.

And man, I loved _Mother 3_, too. Amazing game. Heartbreaking, but amazing. The rhythm battles were so fun to combo to. I wish Lucas had come back to Smash, but looks like he's been cut this time.

Oh, sure! I'm not sure which LP you were referring to, but EarthBound is here and Mother 3 is here. _Mother 3_ is finished, but _EarthBound_ is not. My file got corrupted about 3/4 of the way through the game, which is why I'm going to redo it on WiiU's virtual console version instead when I get the chance. I regret using the emulator, but I didn't have a WiiU at the time, and the actual game was taken by my brother (along with the SNES) when he left some 12-13 years ago.


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## RhinoK (Sep 19, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> Fourside is after Threed, but not for some time (you have to go through the desert first). There's definitely a lot more to the game after that, though.
> 
> Oh man, I loved _Mother 3_, too. It's a contender with _Mother 2_ for my top spot, to be honest. Rhythm battles are SO fun. And the love the chapter setup of the story. I recently finished my LP for it and I can't wait to pick it up again. I hope they're going to release it for the VC. It seem unlikely that they'll 'upgrade' it for 3DS or something (like _Ocarina of Time_), but I hold small hopes that it could happen someday, as the _Mother_ series is kind of a cult classic with a loyal fanbase.



I could never pull off the rhythm attacks and my characters were painfully underleveled. I'm sure I only got to mid 50's??? I managed to beat Mother 3 though.

Since you've played both, what is the length comparison? And is it worth playing MOTHER 1?


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## Amissapanda (Sep 20, 2014)

RhinoK said:


> I could never pull off the rhythm attacks and my characters were painfully underleveled. I'm sure I only got to mid 50's??? I managed to beat Mother 3 though.
> 
> Since you've played both, what is the length comparison? And is it worth playing MOTHER 1?



The rhythm stuff did take some getting used to. And some songs were more difficult than others. But Duster gets an item called "Battle Memory" in Chapter 2, which allows you to practice the battle music of any enemy you've encountered. Very handy for learning and picking up the beats to combo! 

Hm, well, as far as _Mother 1_ goes, I don't know. That's the one I haven't played. In length comparisons for _EarthBound/Mother2_ and _Mother 3_... I'd say they're somewhat similar. I believe EarthBound is a little bit longer, but not by a large scale. It depends on your play style, too.


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## Ponyu (Sep 20, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> And man, I loved _Mother 3_, too. Amazing game. Heartbreaking, but amazing. The rhythm battles were so fun to combo to. I wish Lucas had come back to Smash, but looks like he's been cut this time.



Yesss, I love rhythm games as they are and since I didn't know about the rhythm battles in Mother 3 until I played it, it was a nice surprise :>



Amissapanda said:


> Oh, sure! I'm not sure which LP you were referring to, but EarthBound is here and Mother 3 is here.



Thank you! I will check those out this weekend!


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## Kazunari (Sep 20, 2014)

I should probably finish Earthbound, lol.
Started like 2 or 3 years ago on a SNES emulator on my computer and got up to the Stonehenge Base... I don't even remember why I stopped playing ;A; Probably because of school.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 20, 2014)

Ponyu said:


> Yesss, I love rhythm games as they are and since I didn't know about the rhythm battles in Mother 3 until I played it, it was a nice surprise :>
> 
> Thank you! I will check those out this weekend!



Though it wasn't a surprise in my case (I had seen bits and pieces of it elsewhere), it was a really fun battle mechanic that helped me get through some of the more tedious battles. Definitely added an extra element of fun and I like how each character had a different "instrument" sound for their attack combos and even variations for each. It did suck at first trying to get the combo system working on emulator properly, but once I figured it out, the game became about 100x more fun. XD

Haha, well, I'm no special LPer and I use it to help with my poor speaking skills, but I hope you enjoy, nonetheless! Thanks for checking them out. : )



Kazunari said:


> I should probably finish Earthbound, lol.
> Started like 2 or 3 years ago on a SNES emulator on my computer and got up to the Stonehenge Base... I don't even remember why I stopped playing ;A; Probably because of school.



It's definitely worth a finish! (At least, in my biased opinion as a huge fan of the game. Haha.) But yeah, completely understandable that life just gets in the way of gaming. Stonehenge Base is at least pretty far into it (I'd say roughly about 3/4 through the game, maybe a tad less). So you've played a good chunk of it, at least!


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## crestedbooka (Sep 21, 2014)

Gosh I have yet to play the first game. I've been a mother fan for like 5 years now? it's rare to see anyone who finishes one of the games and doesn't stay a loyal fan for a long while though haha v:

I'm planning on playing the three games in it's entirety this summer (my summer is in december lol). I played both EB and M3 every summer but this time around I decided to skip one year so I can forget enough about them, and feel like I'm playing them for the first time, sort of (does that make sense? xD)

I wish I had a wii u!! EB would be the first thing I'd get in it... ok and mk8 too maybe haha


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## Amissapanda (Sep 21, 2014)

crestedbooka said:


> Gosh I have yet to play the first game. I've been a mother fan for like 5 years now? it's rare to see anyone who finishes one of the games and doesn't stay a loyal fan for a long while though haha v:
> 
> I'm planning on playing the three games in it's entirety this summer (my summer is in december lol). I played both EB and M3 every summer but this time around I decided to skip one year so I can forget enough about them, and feel like I'm playing them for the first time, sort of (does that make sense? xD)
> 
> I wish I had a wii u!! EB would be the first thing I'd get in it... ok and mk8 too maybe haha



First of all---your username! XD Perfect. Do you have a big grin on your face? (Just kidding.)

I've been a fan for a reeeeally long time (in the neighborhood of 15+ years), but I didn't get too involved in the fandom until more recently. (I tried back in 2004-ish on Starmen.net, but it felt like trying to fit into a group that was already closely-knit, if that makes any sense.) I find myself replaying EarthBound/Mother 2 a lot. I even bought a crappy knock-off of an NES+SNES contraption that plays both types of games (after my older bro left and took the SNES three of us siblings shared with him), but the slightest of movements of the console and the games would freeze, so it was very frustrating. And that left me no choice but to resort to emulator, which is by no means fool-proof, either. I haven't played Mother 1 yet, myself, but I loved EarthBound and Mother 3. The nostalgia factor is always there when I'm playing and it really can make you feel like a kid again.

I do recommend the WiiU, though! I caved and got one with the MK8 bundle (another fantastic game that I've gotten tons and tons of fun hours out of playing online with friends and random people). And I was so happy about EarthBound being on the virtual console. I was almost afraid that Nintendo of America wasn't going to release it, but thankfully this time, they proved me wrong. It looks really nice on both the screen and on the gamepad. If you ever find yourself with the money, the WiiU's prime has arrived. There's lots of great stuff coming out for it, too.

Anyway, it's always nice to meet another fan! : ) Your username definitely made me chuckle.


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## crestedbooka (Sep 21, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> First of all---your username! XD Perfect. Do you have a big grin on your face? (Just kidding.)
> 
> I've been a fan for a reeeeally long time (in the neighborhood of 15+ years), but I didn't get too involved in the fandom until more recently. (I tried back in 2004-ish on Starmen.net, but it felt like trying to fit into a group that was already closely-knit, if that makes any sense.) I find myself replaying EarthBound/Mother 2 a lot. I even bought a crappy knock-off of an NES+SNES contraption that plays both types of games (after my older bro left and took the SNES three of us siblings shared with him), but the slightest of movements of the console and the games would freeze, so it was very frustrating. And that left me no choice but to resort to emulator, which is by no means fool-proof, either. I haven't played Mother 1 yet, myself, but I loved  EarthBound and Mother 3. The nostalgia factor is always there when I'm playing and it really can make you feel like a kid again.
> 
> ...



I love crested bookas and I'm a crested booka at heart (?). I just love how silly they look haha v:

and I know what you mean about Starmen.net?? I tried to join before but I was easily discouraged by the community; not saying it's a bad place, on the contrary, mother fans are usually polite and kind in general xD... posting on there without not knowing other people before hand feels like intruding idk.

And yes! /gets piggy bank ready


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## spCrossing (Sep 21, 2014)

Mother 3 Gameplay wise is much better than Mother 2.
But I do enjoy the witty story and characters in all of the Mother games.


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## RhinoK (Sep 22, 2014)

Mother 3 is the strongest entry IMO, granted I've only gotten halfway through half of Earthbound but I'll finish it by the end of the year.

One of th best things about MOTHER is the music. Even this.... song.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 22, 2014)

sp19047 said:


> Mother 3 Gameplay wise is much better than Mother 2.
> But I do enjoy the witty story and characters in all of the Mother games.



Though I like both, but I agree that _Mother 3_ has a definite edge with gameplay. It's a much later-created game, so they were able to incorporate more (like that awesome combo battle feature). And the story is incredible - it WILL knock you for a loop and then some if you're not spoiled for what to expect. It's the most emotional Let's Play I've ever done. I cried through half of the last battle.



RhinoK said:


> Mother 3 is the strongest entry IMO, granted I've only gotten halfway through half of Earthbound but I'll finish it by the end of the year.
> 
> One of th best things about MOTHER is the music. Even this.... song.



I agree, it's definitely awesome. I just have a strong nostalgic tie to _Earthbound/Mother 2_, since I grew up with the game. It has a lot of sentimental value to me. And it's a little more... light-hearted than _Mother 3_.

Ahh, Pollyanna. True fact: I have that exact rendition of it on my iPod for work. I can sing it by heart by now. Man, I'm not sure where I'd even START with the music. I love the title screen "name your characters" music, _Winters_ theme, _Twoson's_ theme, _Eight melodies_, and many others from _EarthBound_, and _Unfounded Revenged_/_Smashing Song of Praise_, _Monkey's Love Song_, _Monkey's Delivery Service_, _Mind of a Thief_, _Strong One_, and many more from _Mother 3_. All of the series music is just incredible.


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## PaperLuigi3 (Sep 22, 2014)

It's good to see someone else has uncovered this gem. Have you played Mother 1 and 3?
Also, I haven't read any previous posts before this. If this has an obvious answer, have mercy on me and accept me in the fan club of Mother.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 22, 2014)

PaperLuigi3 said:


> It's good to see someone else has uncovered this gem. Have you played Mother 1 and 3?
> Also, I haven't read any previous posts before this. If this has an obvious answer, have mercy on me and accept me in the fan club of Mother.



Yessss. I was worried that the games might be too old/too niche for the community here, but I'm glad there's a few fans around!

I haven't played Mother 1, but I've played and Let's Played _Mother 3_! Fantastic game. I can't even begin to express how much I enjoyed it (even if it broke my heart).

But man, if there was a Mother series club, I'd be all over that.


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## Geoni (Sep 22, 2014)

They're all good games and can all be played on an emulator. I highly recommend starting with mother2/earthbound though, because 3 is, well I won't spoil anything.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 22, 2014)

Dad said:


> They're all good games and can all be played on an emulator. I highly recommend starting with mother2/earthbound though, because 3 is, well I won't spoil anything.



Yeah, that's a good point to make. If you haven't played _Mother 2/Earthbound_ and you have played _Mother 3_... well, there's a couple a links in there that won't make much sense to you. That said, though, I wouldn't say it's required to play _EarthBound_ first. It just fits the timeline a bit better and makes _Mother 3_'s plot a bit more meaningful.


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## PaperLuigi3 (Sep 22, 2014)

We gotta get a group going. Anyone on starmen.net?


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## Geoni (Sep 22, 2014)

Actually playing mother 3 works as first if you want to get the sad one out of the way.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 23, 2014)

PaperLuigi3 said:


> We gotta get a group going. Anyone on starmen.net?



I'm on there, but I haven't used it in a long while. And I had to make a second account some months ago because I completely forgot the login for my old one from back in 2004.



Dad said:


> Actually playing mother 3 works as first if you want to get the sad one out of the way.



Well, it's less about the sadness and more that _Mother 3_ kind of spoils a few things for _EarthBound_/_Mother 2_. I can't really explain without getting into spoilers themselves, but I imagine you understand what I mean.


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## Ponyu (Sep 23, 2014)

You guys, now I'm listening to the Mother 3 soundtrack again. It's amazing, the depth and love in these sounds... aww :')

And you make me all giddy for playing Earthbound whenever I finally get a Wii U!


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## Amissapanda (Sep 23, 2014)

Ponyu said:


> You guys, now I'm listening to the Mother 3 soundtrack again. It's amazing, the depth and love in these sounds... aww :')
> 
> And you make me all giddy for playing Earthbound whenever I finally get a Wii U!



It really is some amazing stuff. I love listening to piano and orchestrated versions that people have done of the songs, as well. There's some gorgeous renditions out there! 

Hehe, glad to hear it! If you enjoyed _Mother 3_, you're almost bound to enjoy _Mother 2/EarthBound_, in my opinion.


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## RhinoK (Sep 27, 2014)

Alright! Started Earthbound again and I'm in Twoson. 

Maybe I'm pulling strings here but this piece of music from Mother 3 *(putting in Spoilers bc it contains spoilers for the MOTHER 3 ending)*


Spoiler










is pretty powerful and eerie, especially some of the sounds used in the video (if you've played MOTHER 3 you'll recognise some and piece it all together)

But the sound that villagers make when they're 'thinking' in New Leaf sounds similar to the beginning of the song. Maybe it's just me desperately trying to make a link but I can hear it.


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## Amissapanda (Sep 28, 2014)

RhinoK said:


> Alright! Started Earthbound again and I'm in Twoson.
> 
> Maybe I'm pulling strings here but this piece of music from Mother 3 *(putting in Spoilers bc it contains spoilers for the MOTHER 3 ending)*
> 
> ...



Nice! I'll be replaying it myself, pretty soon. Probably starting in October at some point. 

Hmm, while I can't hear exactly what you mean with the music and the villagers thinking sound, I think it's pretty normal for our minds to connect things that way. I found a lot of things "similar" between my favorite anime and _Mother 3_'s plot, for example. I'm sure a lot of them are a huge stretch, but it's fun to make those kinds of connections and sometimes your brain just automatically intertwines them.

That said, this isn't related, but after my father mentioned once that K.K Slider sounds like he's singing about "meatballs" in ACNL, I can't unhear it. _Ever_. Every song is meatball, meatballs.


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## Amissapanda (Oct 7, 2014)

Whether you're an _EarthBound/Mother 2_ fan or not, this is an *INCREDIBLE ANIMATION*. They just finished it after 4 years of work on it. 

Basically, this is _EarthBound_ in five minutes. There are _game spoilers_ in it.

Oh my god, I've watched it like ten times and I can't _stop_. It takes me on SUCH a nostalgia trip and revives my love for the game and the experience even more through their charming animation.


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## Nerd House (Oct 7, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you so much for posting this! I was following the production of this for a looong time, but it just dropped off my radar at some point earlier this year. It turned out to be AMAZING. 

There are a few inconsistencies with the video, like the Sky Runner crashing into the Threed tent and not the Graveyard, but that's easily ignored due to the amazing quality of the video overall.

Brb replaying Earthbound for the 23rd time in my life. This game was a giant chunk of my childhood, alongside Chrono Trigger and Mega Man X/X2/X3. I wish it got the recognition it deserved back then and it blew up way more than it has.


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## Amissapanda (Oct 7, 2014)

Adol the Red said:


> Thank you so much for posting this! I was following the production of this for a looong time, but it just dropped off my radar at some point earlier this year. It turned out to be AMAZING.
> 
> There are a few inconsistencies with the video, like the Sky Runner crashing into the Threed tent and not the Graveyard, but that's easily ignored due to the amazing quality of the video overall.
> 
> Brb replaying Earthbound for the 23rd time in my life. This game was a giant chunk of my childhood, alongside Chrono Trigger and Mega Man X/X2/X3. I wish it got the recognition it deserved back then and it blew up way more than it has.



No problem! I was over the moon to see that it was actually finished. I've been following along with the production for awhile, too. I sadly at some point just assumed that it would become another one of those 'unfinished project' type of things, but never have I been more happily proven wrong.

There's definitely inconsistencies in the actual plot (like you mentioned with the Sky Runner, the fact that it wasn't snowing when Tessie shows up in Winters nor was Tony there to wave goodbye, Kraken was fought out in the ocean, not along the beach, and Wetnosaur/Chomposaur were not associated with Lumine Hall's location---basically things that only people who have played the game multiple times would be able to point out anyway. lol), but I'm sure that was more than likely just for dramatic effect and trying to fit sooooo much into such a short time. They did a really impressive feat and it flows really nicely with the music.

Haha, I'll definitely be doing a replay of it myself sometime soon. It's one of those games that I can pick up a hundred times and it'll never lose it's charm or the ties to my childhood and full-on nostalgia feelings. It is a shame that it never took off from the time it was released, but I guess it more than makes up for it now with the huge amount of fans that have been singing its praises over the years. Quite something for a game that released in the early to mid 90's.


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## Isabella (Oct 8, 2014)

Hyogo said:


> Actually can't say much since I've never actually played a Mother game before (Because it's wasn't a thing in Europe till the Wii U release) but Earthbound seems like a game I'd really like to get into!



you have ness icon/sig but haven't played?! D: go play now!!
earthbound and mother 3 are my favorite games. i played mother 3 before 2 and it kind of made my expectations too high..like 3 was really improved once you compare. my secret is that i haven't fully finished earthbound zero, i got kind of bored halfway through..

also im crying omg that video posted above


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## Nerd House (Oct 8, 2014)

Earthbound is such a timeless classic. I really cant think of a game nowadays that I love more than Earthbound.


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## Hyoshido (Oct 8, 2014)

Isabella said:


> you have ness icon/sig but haven't played?! D: go play now!!
> earthbound and mother 3 are my favorite games. i played mother 3 before 2 and it kind of made my expectations too high..like 3 was really improved once you compare. my secret is that i haven't fully finished earthbound zero, i got kind of bored halfway through..


The only experience I've had with Ness is because of Smash Brothers, I love everything about his moveset even though most of it isn't actually canon to the games, but I'd ought to give the game a try sometime, I still have no idea why I haven't.

Also the Ness in my sig is drawn by Amissa herself, aint she a great artist?


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## RhinoK (Oct 8, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> Whether you're an _EarthBound/Mother 2_ fan or not, this is an *INCREDIBLE ANIMATION*. They just finished it after 4 years of work on it.
> 
> Basically, this is _EarthBound_ in five minutes. There are _game spoilers_ in it.
> 
> Oh my god, I've watched it like ten times and I can't _stop_. It takes me on SUCH a nostalgia trip and revives my love for the game and the experience even more through their charming animation.


Holy crap!

I've only seen gotten up to 1:30 (I'm still in Threed woops~) but this video makes me want to finish Earthbound so I can watch it all. This is simply amazing and shows how great the fanbase is.


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## lazuli (Oct 8, 2014)

ive been wanting to play it for a long while (i saw a tumblr masterpost but forgot to like it and i lost it......)
i just downloaded a bunch of roms and stuff jesus christ save me


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## Amissapanda (Oct 9, 2014)

Isabella said:


> you have ness icon/sig but haven't played?! D: go play now!!
> earthbound and mother 3 are my favorite games. i played mother 3 before 2 and it kind of made my expectations too high..like 3 was really improved once you compare. my secret is that i haven't fully finished earthbound zero, i got kind of bored halfway through..
> 
> also im crying omg that video posted above



They're my favorites, too! I agree that _Mother 3_ had an overall better plot and story, but since I played _EarthBound/Mother 2_ first, back when I was kid, it really holds a special place in my heart. All of the 90's references were a big thing for me, since that was my era of growing up. And as far as Mother 1/Mother Zero goes... I haven't played it yet, either. lol. I'm a bad fan. From what I heard, though, it's not nearly as memorable as 2 or 3. 

(It made me cry, too. So many memories of those adventures. ;-; )



Adol the Red said:


> Earthbound is such a timeless classic. I really cant think of a game nowadays that I love more than Earthbound.



Same for me. It's funny how a lot of people assume that gamers latch onto anything new and shiny and forget the rest of what they played before or grew up with, but it's the ones I grew up with that really stick with me the most. I could play it now and feel just as engaged in it as I did when I was a kid.



RhinoK said:


> Holy crap!
> 
> I've only seen gotten up to 1:30 (I'm still in Threed woops~) but this video makes me want to finish Earthbound so I can watch it all. This is simply amazing and shows how great the fanbase is.



Definitely finish, when you get the chance! And the whole video experience really rounds off well when you can watch the whole thing. The fanbase for the Mother series in general is pretty awesome. I remember first discovering Starmen.net back in the early 2000's and it had already existed for some time and is still running strong today. It's pretty amazing how far the fans have come and how dedicated they truly are. It really goes to show just how powerful of an effect the series and individual games had on many people.



cosmonaut said:


> ive been wanting to play it for a long while (i saw a tumblr masterpost but forgot to like it and i lost it......)
> i just downloaded a bunch of roms and stuff jesus christ save me



If you ever do get the chance, I believe it's definitely worth a play! Though it's a bit bizarre at turns, an acquired taste for some, and has tons of 90's pop culture references and the like, it's a very charming game overall and appreciates humor. One of my favorite things about it is that Ness isn't some born hero training all his life to save the world, but just a normal kid with a family who this whole wacky adventure just kind of falls onto.


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## lazuli (Oct 10, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> Though it's a bit bizarre at turns, an acquired taste for some, and has tons of 90's pop culture references and the like, it's a very charming game overall and appreciates humor.



dude i read homestuck
earthbound will be very comprehensive compared to that


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## Amissapanda (Oct 11, 2014)

cosmonaut said:


> dude i read homestuck
> earthbound will be very comprehensive compared to that



Mayhaps, but I still put the warning out there anyway. lol When there's robots that can shoot beams at you that cause 'night-time stuffiness' and you fight gigantic piles of barf/puke, some people certainly consider it strange. XD


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## RhinoK (Oct 12, 2014)

I'm up to Grapefruit Falls. I had to grind a bit. I only got my characters up to around Level 50 in MOTHER 3.


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## Nerd House (Oct 12, 2014)

Potential spoiler, but funny nonetheless:



Spoiler


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## tamagotchi (Oct 12, 2014)

I'm just going to say that I had a really huge crush on Ness and it was kind of sad tbh. That would be weird, though, two Ness's - imagine that.


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## Amissapanda (Oct 12, 2014)

RhinoK said:


> I'm up to Grapefruit Falls. I had to grind a bit. I only got my characters up to around Level 50 in MOTHER 3.



Yeah, the game does require at least a little bit of grinding in some of the tougher areas. _Mother 3_ was a lot easier in comparison, but I like a little bit of a challenge (and I'm one of those weirdos that kind of enjoys grinding) so I didn't really mind. Despite how many times I've played the game, when I first LPed it, I died on Mondo Mole like, twice. XD



Adol the Red said:


> Potential spoiler, but funny nonetheless:
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler



Hahahaha. XD I saw that on tumblr a few times. Still a good laugh!



RetroT said:


> I'm just going to say that I had a really huge crush on Ness and it was kind of sad tbh. That would be weird, though, two Ness's - imagine that.



Hey, I think we've all had our embarrassing little crushes on video game characters at some point in our young (or even old, for some) lives, so no worries! I had a crush on a character called Willy Beamish and I'm pretty sure that no one even has any idea who that is or what he's from. Let's just say that I question my child self to this day as to what she possibly saw in said character.


----------



## Amissapanda (Oct 28, 2014)

OH MY GOD! This has to be noted in this thread:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fangamer/you-are-now-earthbound

I'm SO excited. They have nearly reached their $100,000 goal after just launching this yesterday. Holy crap!

If you needed ANY proof of how dedicated the _EarthBound/Mother_ fandom is... _*this is it right there*_.

...I'm still amazed. And REALLY excited for their project. _Wow_.


----------



## RhinoK (Oct 30, 2014)

Earthbound is being recognised for its 20th Anniversary!!!


Amissapanda said:


> OH MY GOD! This has to be noted in this thread:
> 
> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fangamer/you-are-now-earthbound
> 
> ...



$123,323 donated out of the $100,000 as of the time I'm writing this... still another 22 days to go too!


----------



## TaskBarR (Oct 30, 2014)

I've wanted to play Earthbound but I've heard stories about how dark it gets and how creepy Giygas is. Do you think I should play it? D:


----------



## Groovycat64 (Oct 30, 2014)

TaskBarR said:


> I've wanted to play Earthbound but I've heard stories about how dark it gets and how creepy Giygas is. Do you think I should play it? D:



It's easily one of the best RPG games you will ever play.
The graphics were great and still are great, characters are pretty interesting and humorous, the music is iconic, and the gameplay is fun.

Seriously, I can't recommend this game enough.
You can buy it on the WII U eshop for $9.99.
If you don't have a Wii U, you can always use an emulator, but I wouldn't recommend it, if you can help it.

Also, the handbook looks amazing! I'm going to try and get my hands on a copy of the Mother 3 one.


----------



## RhinoK (Oct 30, 2014)

TaskBarR said:


> I've wanted to play Earthbound but I've heard stories about how dark it gets and how creepy Giygas is. Do you think I should play it? D:



It's not really scary but it's rich in story and lore. Easily the best RPG franchise I have ever played. 

The fans only prove how fantastic this game is. In just two days over $100,000 has been raised for an Earthbound project and a fangame is already in the works.

I recommend you buy it for Wii U. I'd start with Earthbound first. Of course you can use an emulator...


----------



## Groovycat64 (Oct 31, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> OH MY GOD! This has to be noted in this thread:
> 
> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fangamer/you-are-now-earthbound
> 
> ...



I forgot to say, thank you so much for posting that link!
I actually, just donated a little bit of money to support them a bit.

They also just recently updated the Kickstarter.

If they raise $150,000 they will make trading cards for Earthbound, $175,00 they will reprint the Mother 3 handbook (softcover and hardcover), $200,000 will allow them to do a Mother convention, and lastly $225,000 will let them produce an extended Bad Dudes album.

I would love to see them raise over $200,000. I think that would be astounding! Here's hoping for the reprinting of the Mother 3 handbook! 

Also they are currently at around $133,000 so far.


----------



## Emily (Nov 2, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> OH MY GOD! This has to be noted in this thread:
> 
> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fangamer/you-are-now-earthbound
> 
> ...



i cannot tell you how long i have waited for fangamer to reprint the mother 3 handbook!!!!! of course i am also excited about this project too so hyped <3<3<3 #fangirl


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## Amissapanda (Nov 3, 2014)

Emily said:


> i cannot tell you how long i have waited for fangamer to reprint the mother 3 handbook!!!!! of course i am also excited about this project too so hyped <3<3<3 #fangirl



I'm really hoping that they do! I'd buy a copy in a heartbeat if they're available again. And I'd love to get the one for EarthBound, too. The whole project sounds amazing!

And they're nearly $150,000 now. I'm so proud of this fandom. ;-; That's intense dedication and support.


----------



## tamagotchi (Nov 3, 2014)

Man, 3 people have already pledged $8,192? That's pretty damn rad!


----------



## Groovycat64 (Nov 3, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> I'm really hoping that they do! I'd buy a copy in a heartbeat if they're available again. And I'd love to get the one for EarthBound, too. The whole project sounds amazing!
> 
> And they're nearly $150,000 now. I'm so proud of this fandom. ;-; That's intense dedication and support.



I agree. I'll probably buy an absurd amount of trading card packs when they are released lol.

 I think the Mother 3 handbook reprint and convention are very obtainable at this point of the Kickstarter. 

I wonder if they will ever do a Mother/Earthbound Zero handbook? I seriously need to play that game.


----------



## Amissapanda (Nov 3, 2014)

Pantsu said:


> Man, 3 people have already pledged $8,192? That's pretty damn rad!



It really is! Man, they get to look forward to going to Japan and meeting Shigesato Itoi himself. That's insane. I suppose they would count that every bit worth the eight thousand bucks. Hahaha.



Groovycat64 said:


> I agree. I'll probably buy an absurd amount of trading card packs when they are released lol.
> 
> I think the Mother 3 handbook reprint and convention are very obtainable at this point of the Kickstarter.
> 
> I wonder if they will ever do a Mother/Earthbound Zero handbook? I seriously need to play that game.



Oh man, me too. The idea of having Mother/EarthBound trading cards is amazing. There's always been a lack of merchandise for it and I can just imagine how cool it would be to have trading cards of some of those bizarre and memorable enemies like New Age Retro Hippie, Mad Taxi, etc. I'm really excited about it and it seems like $150,000 is almost definitely going to happen. But if they make it all the way to having a convention, _I will find some way to get there_. I don't even care what it takes. I wouldn't miss out on that for the _world_.

It's hard to say whether they would make one for Mother/Mother Zero or not, but I'd say it's possible if they've already created ones for the other two. Sadly, I haven't played the first game yet, either.


----------



## Groovycat64 (Nov 3, 2014)

Actually, I was just thinking.

If they do actually do a trading card set or series, they should include the main characters (i.e. Ness, Paula, Poo, and Jeff), bosses (mini bosses or main), maybe significant items, possibly locations, and NPC's. Not just enemies.

Just a thought, plus a lot of trading card series like Pokemon seem to have had something similar to what I've just outlined.


----------



## Amissapanda (Nov 3, 2014)

Oh, I wasn't implying that it would be all enemies or anything like that. Haha. Those were just a few of the crazy characters in the game that I thought would make fun cards. I'd say the main four and other NPCs/notable characters are probably a shoo-in.


----------



## Groovycat64 (Nov 10, 2014)

Great news! 

Looks like we are getting both trading cards, and now the Mother 3 handbook reprint! I am so excited for the reprint! 
Currently, they seem to be just under $20,000 from funding an Earthbound convention with just under 10 days to go.


----------



## Goth (Nov 10, 2014)

I have tried all three games could never get past the first town (so sad I know) to be honest the first one was weird it was a lot like the second one the order I rank them would be

1. Mother 2
2. Mother 3
3. Mother


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## Amissapanda (Nov 11, 2014)

Groovycat64 said:


> Great news!
> 
> Looks like we are getting both trading cards, and now the Mother 3 handbook reprint! I am so excited for the reprint!
> Currently, they seem to be just under $20,000 from funding an Earthbound convention with just under 10 days to go.



That's fantastic! : ) I'm happy to hear it. I hope they'll make it to the convention stretch goal, but as it is, I'm really excited for everything they've already got coming!


----------



## RhinoK (Nov 13, 2014)

It's not Earthbound/Mother 2, but it is Mother 4. Link contains good news yet some bad news.

- - - Post Merge - - -



Amissapanda said:


> That's fantastic! : ) I'm happy to hear it. I hope they'll make it to the convention stretch goal, but as it is, I'm really excited for everything they've already got coming!



8 days to go and a whopping *$199,723 donations*. We're getting a convention kids.


----------



## JJarmon (Nov 13, 2014)

I'm actually playing this game with my fiancee right now  (one of her childhood games). It's my first time playing Earthbound and I'm loving it so far. I can't wait to play Mother 3. We're currently at Fourside.


----------



## Amissapanda (Nov 15, 2014)

RhinoK said:


> It's not Earthbound/Mother 2, but it is Mother 4. Link contains good news yet some bad news.
> 
> - - - Post Merge - - -
> 
> ...



Oh my god, they've hit the $200,000 mark! *EARTHBOUND CONVENTION*. I WILL FIND ANY WAY I CAN TO GET THERE. Ahhhhhhhhhh this is SO exciting and I'm SO happy for their fundraiser being so successful! This is an amazing feat the by the fandom. Absolutely incredible.



JJarmon said:


> I'm actually playing this game with my fiancee right now  (one of her childhood games). It's my first time playing Earthbound and I'm loving it so far. I can't wait to play Mother 3. We're currently at Fourside.



Glad to hear that you're enjoying it! : ) It was definitely one of my childhood games, as well, with incredible nostalgic draw. I won't spoil anything for you, though. And _Mother 3_ is amazing and definitely worth a play! Enjoy!


----------



## RhinoK (Nov 15, 2014)

Amissapanda said:


> Oh my god, they've hit the $200,000 mark! *EARTHBOUND CONVENTION*. I WILL FIND ANY WAY I CAN TO GET THERE. Ahhhhhhhhhh this is SO exciting and I'm SO happy for their fundraiser being so successful! This is an amazing feat the by the fandom. Absolutely incredible.



It's all the way in America and I'm too young and ill to travel alone...  The fact people have pledged over $8,000 shows dedicated the fandom is. Nintendo needs to stop ignoring us when we've donated collectively $200,000 for a project and people are creating a fan-made Mother Regardless, I'm looking forward to this so much


----------



## Cam1 (Nov 15, 2014)

Is EarthBound any similar to Fire Emblem, you guys make it sound like it is. I will have to try it sometime


----------



## JJarmon (Nov 15, 2014)

PokeCam420 said:


> Is EarthBound any similar to Fire Emblem, you guys make it sound like it is. I will have to try it sometime



It's not quite like Fire Emblem... Well, it is an RPG with a similar type of combat system, so in a way, yes but also no. It's extremely quirky and adorable... it's made me laugh so many times with it's childlike style and humor. You're playing as a little kid, so all the weapons are base ball bats and yo-yo's, then you learn magic as you level up. I definitely recommend it, but it's a much different experience than any other game I've ever played before. Ah, I'm doing a crappy job at explaining it (sorry)... Just know that almost everyone who played the game ended up loving it and it's definitely a cult classic, so please give it a shot one day!


----------



## Groovycat64 (Nov 15, 2014)

PokeCam420 said:


> Is EarthBound any similar to Fire Emblem, you guys make it sound like it is. I will have to try it sometime



I think it's more similar to SNES Final Fantasy games, if you ever played them. Myself, and everyone on this thread can't possibly tell you how great this game is. Play it for start to end, and you'll love it. 

Also congrats to Fangamer for reaching the 200k mark! Hopefully I can attend the convention! (Not likely though.)


----------



## Cam1 (Nov 16, 2014)

Ohhh, okay. Thank you! I really want to try it now then. I really enjoy the way fire emblems combat style works, and since you said this game is similar to that, I will definitely give it a try!


----------



## RhinoK (Nov 16, 2014)

PokeCam420 said:


> Ohhh, okay. Thank you! I really want to try it now then. I really enjoy the way fire emblems combat style works, and since you said this game is similar to that, I will definitely give it a try!



It's not entirely similar, but both have basic RPG elements. Upgrading equipment, health-replenishing items, magic, etc.


----------



## Groovycat64 (Nov 20, 2014)

Only 19 hours left for the "You are now Earthbound" kickstarter!

They have raised an outstanding, $271, 305.  *As of this message*
If they hit 300k, they will released air fresheners and an overclocked Remix album.

However, if they hit 350k, they will commit to print a Mother 1 handbook! 

GO Fangamer, GO!


----------



## RhinoK (Nov 21, 2014)

Groovycat64 said:


> Only 19 hours left for the "You are now Earthbound" kickstarter!
> 
> They have raised an outstanding, $271, 305.  *As of this message*
> If they hit 300k, they will released air fresheners and an overclocked Remix album.
> ...



Holy! They haven't stopped raising money. It's the last push.

So I wrote an article all about MOTHER and the fanbase. That article won me a copy of Super Smash Bros for Wii U, although I only came third in the article writing competition, I won the raffle. The article is here!


----------



## PaperLuigi3 (Nov 22, 2014)

I've played all of them thoroughly. Really the only thing I can say about it is...
Y NO COMEWENI-T ON TEABEETEA?


----------



## Groovycat64 (Nov 25, 2014)

RhinoK said:


> Holy! They haven't stopped raising money. It's the last push.
> 
> So I wrote an article all about MOTHER and the fanbase. That article won me a copy of Super Smash Bros for Wii U, although I only came third in the article writing competition, I won the raffle. The article is here!



Just read your article. I thought it was very well written, researched, and done.

Edit: The kickstarter has been done for a few days now, and I figured I would inform all those who care, that Fangamer has raised a total of $306,127!


----------



## Amissapanda (Nov 26, 2014)

I'm seriously SO PROUD of what they have done. That's an insane hurdle and they managed to fund three times as much as what their original goal was. That's downright incredible and almost brings a tear to my eye. I can't wait for all the merchandise and the convention and everything else that they're doing with the donations. It's going to be amazing! ;-;

Also---I read your _EarthBound_ article too, and I really enjoyed it! You must have put a lot of research into it and it really shows. Congrats on winning and great job!


----------



## Amissapanda (Jan 26, 2015)

Bumping this, since apparently people didn't know there was already an _EarthBound_ thread.

Also, I plan to start gearing up to redo my _EarthBound_ let's play in the next month or two! I'm excited. : )


----------



## ApolloJusticeAC (Jan 26, 2015)

Oh shoot.

- - - Post Merge - - -

This Thread Stinks!


----------



## Hyoshido (Jan 26, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> Bumping this, since apparently people didn't know there was already an _EarthBound_ thread.
> 
> Also, I plan to start gearing up to redo my _EarthBound_ let's play in the next month or two! I'm excited. : )


I haven't even got super far in the game but omg, I'd probably love seeing you playing it and all!!


----------



## Amissapanda (Jan 26, 2015)

ApolloJusticeAC said:


> This Thread Stinks!



I see what you did there. XD



Hyogo said:


> I haven't even got super far in the game but omg, I'd probably love seeing you playing it and all!!



I did play through it in a Let's Play already (3/4 or so of it), but my save data got corrupted (I was playing on emulator). Now that I have it on WiiU through the e-shop, I don't have to worry about stupid emulator issues anymore, so I figured I might as well just redo it in its entirety, since I never got to finish the first LP.


----------



## Ponyu (Jan 26, 2015)

Since my first post in this thread, I've gotten a Wii U and bought and finished Earthbound. So much love for this game! I can't wait for Mother 4!!! :>

PS: Amissapanda, your signature! <3


----------



## spCrossing (Jan 26, 2015)

This game is something...

- - - Post Merge - - -



ApolloJusticeAC said:


> This Thread Stinks!



It's like living in your gym shoes!


----------



## Lady Timpani (Jan 26, 2015)

I finished Earthbound Saturday night and really enjoyed it! At first I didn't think much about beating it, but I guess a little bit of time needed to pass for me to form an opinion on it. I'm really interested in playing Mother 3 now, but I'm kind of hesitant to get it.


----------



## soshii (Jan 26, 2015)

Finished the game about a month ago and I have to say that was a significant part of my life. If I played it as a kid it probably would have been one of those games that deeply effects you like Zelda or Mario games did.


----------



## Amissapanda (Jan 26, 2015)

Ponyu said:


> Since my first post in this thread, I've gotten a Wii U and bought and finished Earthbound. So much love for this game! I can't wait for Mother 4!!! :>
> 
> PS: Amissapanda, your signature! <3



I'm glad to hear it! : ) I have endless love for the game I'm super excited about the Ness amiibo coming out in spring! Mother 4 is on the horizon, too, and it's just a freakin' great time to be an EarthBound/Mother fan!

(Hehe, thanks! I hope to have lots more artist's works to display in it eventually!)



spCrossing said:


> This game is something...



And even worse, then Jeff abandons the cookie... I still feel guilty every time I don't take a cookie from battle due to full inventory. WHY DO THEY USE THE WORD ABANDON. COOKIES DON'T HAVE FEELINGS.



Lady Timpani said:


> I finished Earthbound Saturday night and really enjoyed it! At first I didn't think much about beating it, but I guess a little bit of time needed to pass for me to form an opinion on it. I'm really interested in playing Mother 3 now, but I'm kind of hesitant to get it.



Awesome! Glad to hear you liked it! : ) And Mother 3 is fantastic. An emotional rollercoaster, but fantastic! You'll honestly be missing out if you don't play it, in my opinion.



soshii said:


> Finished the game about a month ago and I have to say that was a significant part of my life. If I played it as a kid it probably would have been one of those games that deeply effects you like Zelda or Mario games did.



I had the joy of playing it when I was kid and it has really stuck with me all these years. It's such an experience! Even now, I replay and I feel like a kid back in the 90's again. It never gets old and I always enjoy playing it---it really makes me happy. It's amazing. Shigesato Itoi is a gift.


----------



## pokedude729 (Jan 26, 2015)

I haven't played Earhbound, but I am playing through Mother 3 ATM.


----------



## Amissapanda (Jan 27, 2015)

pokedude729 said:


> I haven't played Earhbound, but I am playing through Mother 3 ATM.



_Mother 3_ is also excellent. Just prepare yourself for many emotions.


----------



## ShinyYoshi (Jan 27, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> _Mother 3_ is also excellent. Just prepare yourself for many emotions.



What have you guys been using to play Mother 3? I saw there was an unofficial English translation that came out for the GBA, but I'm guessing some people have roms?

When I finish Earthbound, I'd love to check out Mother 3.


----------



## Amissapanda (Jan 27, 2015)

ShinyYoshi said:


> What have you guys been using to play Mother 3? I saw there was an unofficial English translation that came out for the GBA, but I'm guessing some people have roms?
> 
> When I finish Earthbound, I'd love to check out Mother 3.



I played it with a GBA emulator on ROM, yes. (VisualBoyAdvance, which I recommend. It's really good.) The translation, ROM, and even emulator suggestions can all be found on their fan translation site here: http://mother3.fobby.net/

It's definitely worth checking out and the combo system is hella fun!


----------



## ShinyYoshi (Jan 27, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> I played it with a GBA emulator on ROM, yes. (VisualBoyAdvance, which I recommend. It's really good.) The translation, ROM, and even emulator suggestions can all be found on their fan translation site here: http://mother3.fobby.net/
> 
> It's definitely worth checking out and the combo system is hella fun!



I definitely will give it a try. Thank you!


----------



## LaBelleFleur (Jan 28, 2015)

My first time playing EarthBound was when it came out for Wii U Virtual Console.



Spoiler: Sort-of spoilers...



I was in love from the moment Buzz Buzz died from, of all things, being swatted by Pokey's mom.  The whole thing was so ridiculous. I love the humour, the battle system, and basically everything, haha. Especially touches like the coffee break - I've never seen anything quite like it in a game. The only thing I can compare it to is the Minecraft "ending". You don't feel like you're one of the characters, but you don't feel like _just_ a player... it's kind of like you're helping to shape their destiny while still letting Ness and co. create their own adventure.



TL;DR: I love Earthbound. My town tune is supposed to be the first part of Eight Melodies.


----------



## Chibi.Hoshi (Jan 28, 2015)

Still need to play Mother 3 before Mother 4 comes out.....


----------



## Amissapanda (Jan 28, 2015)

ShinyYoshi said:


> I definitely will give it a try. Thank you!



You're welcome! Enjoy the ride! : )



LaBelleFleur said:


> My first time playing EarthBound was when it came out for Wii U Virtual Console.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I know just how you feel! Though I guess for me, growing up, I could actually relate to those kids a lot. I imagine it does have a bit of a different bearing to play it for the first time in later years. Nonetheless, it was a big piece of my childhood that I continue to carry with me well into adulthood. 

My town tune plays part of "Pollyanna" from _EarthBound/Mother 2_. : )



Chibi.Hoshi said:


> Still need to play Mother 3 before Mother 4 comes out.....



Yesssss. Dooooo iiiiiiit.

I'm really excited for _Mother 4_, too. I know they're down on the secretive side right now with saying they'll be releasing this year, but I shamelessly stalk Shane Mesa's tweets and the Mother 4 hashtag looking for updates. Haha.


----------



## ShinyYoshi (Jan 30, 2015)

Totally in my feels after finishing Earthbound... What a beautiful ending. I didn't want it to end!


----------



## Amissapanda (Feb 1, 2015)

ShinyYoshi said:


> Totally in my feels after finishing Earthbound... What a beautiful ending. I didn't want it to end!



I couldn't agree more! Glad to hear that you enjoyed it! : )


----------



## Lady Timpani (Feb 1, 2015)

Are we allowed to talk about Mother 3 in here? If so:



Spoiler: spoilers for Mother 3, probably



Idk I like Mother 3 pretty well so far, but it plays pretty differently from Earthbound? I guess I don't like that the perspective keeps shifting every chapter, so most of the playable characters so far aren't really close or anything.

There's probably gonna be a big rumble where they all unite later on, but right now it just feels kind of weird, and I can't really put my finger on it. The chapter system itself feels kind of weird too tbh. I don't mind it in other games, but coming from Earthbound, where the game felt like the plot just kind of flowed in its own, to Mother 3, where the story feels very strictly divided, is kind of strange too. 

Part of it might be that I'm comparing the two too much, though, so I'll try to stop that haha. I really like the upgrades that have been since Earthbound, and the music is really nice as well!


----------



## TofuIdol (Feb 11, 2015)

I still need to beat Mother 3. 
Though I really want to play Earthbound as well.


----------



## ShinyYoshi (Feb 12, 2015)

Doooo it. Earthbound is great. 

I want to restart and play it all over again.


----------



## Chibi.Hoshi (Feb 12, 2015)

*cries*

And there is more here: http://earthboundcentral.com/2015/02/winters-philharmonic-orchestra/

Just posting this here to whoever wants to listen to it.


----------



## Holla (Feb 12, 2015)

Just one post play away from 250 coins on Club Nintendo which I'm going to use on Earthbound! I've heard so much about this game. I love giving highly credited classic games a shot. ^.^


----------



## Amissapanda (Feb 12, 2015)

Lady Timpani said:


> Are we allowed to talk about Mother 3 in here? If so:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Spoiler



I think Mother 3 was intended to be a lot "heavier" than EarthBound was. It's still fun and quirky, but the catchphrase for Mother 3 was literally "Strange, funny, heart-rending". Personally, I really loved the chapter system and getting the different pieces of the story separately before they call come together. It gives me a little something more than "person A coincidentally runs into person B and they decide to team up and save the world", and instead adds an element of helping each other in times of need, saving from danger, etc. And it's shown numerous times through the series. Duster is summoned to help Flint scale the mountainside in Chapter 1. Duster has a fateful run-in with Fassad and Salsa, the focal characters from Chapter 3, in Chapter 2. He meets Kumatora when he and his father help her out of a bear trap. They all get separated after that and I don't know what point you've gotten to, so I don't want to spoil what happens in Chapter 3, but Chapter 4 is then when it really all starts to come together. I felt like I was really progressing through a story and I really enjoyed it. There was actual plot and weaving of the characters coming together against what was essentially the introduction of money, selfishness, and a tyrannic government ruining the peaceful lives they had. There's so many underlying messages in Mother 3 and all I can say without spoiling too much is that there's much more to come and there's later reveals that are going to _blow your socks_ off if you don't already know what's coming. Like, what I found out was a huge concept for the game and its plot was mind-blowing to me. And yet it says even a lot about the world we live in today.

In short, yeah, it's different from EarthBound. It's a lot less carefree. But it still retains the same charm, I believe, while adding something more with the musical combo battles and the chapter progression. I find both games amazing, but I found Mother 3 hit me more emotionally and made me think a lot more than EarthBound did.





TofuIdol said:


> I still need to beat Mother 3.
> Though I really want to play Earthbound as well.



Please do. Both games are incredible. <3



ShinyYoshi said:


> Doooo it. Earthbound is great.
> 
> I want to restart and play it all over again.



I know that feeling. And I'm going to be doing the same myself in the near-future. I have no idea how many times I've played the game, but it has endless replay value to me.



Chibi.Hoshi said:


> *cries*
> 
> And there is more here: http://earthboundcentral.com/2015/02/winters-philharmonic-orchestra/
> 
> Just posting this here to whoever wants to listen to it.



Soooo pretty. Man, classical arrangements of Mother pieces definitely get me. I have an extreme soft spot for piano arrangements of some of my favorite EarthBound and Mother 3 themes. (Snowman, Smiles and Tears, Because I Love You, etc.)



Holla said:


> Just one post play away from 250 coins on Club Nintendo which I'm going to use on Earthbound! I've heard so much about this game. I love giving highly credited classic games a shot. ^.^



Awesome! I really hope that you enjoy the game! I feel that it really is a timeless classic and well-deserving of its praise and hype. You're free to come to your own conclusions, but I have rarely heard a person say they didn't enjoy it. : )


----------



## Lady Timpani (Feb 12, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Spoiler



That actually makes me really happy to hear! Much as I liked Earthbound, I was kind of disappointed that it wasn't very plot heavy and that the relationships between the kids didn't seem... Idk, organic? Paula and Ness seemed the closest to me, and they didn't really talk to each other a whole lot (well, nobody did lol). Granted, I think a lot of that has to do with it being a SNES game, along with the limitations that come with that. I really like that, in Mother 3, there's much more dialogue between the main characters, and there's also more mandatory dialogue to go through. 

I haven't gotten past chapter three yet because I've been pretty busy, but I'll definitely pick it back up once I'm done! I've heard from a lot of people that it's a very emotional game, and I also saw some fan art of Claus that made me feel kind of sad and also made me really curious about the rest of the game, so I'm looking forward to finding out exactly why that came to be (I think I've figured out the how).

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to hate on Mother 3 haha, and I'm sorry if it came off that way. It was just somewhat of a jarring change between the two, but I think once the characters all get together it'll work in its favor?


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## Amissapanda (Feb 12, 2015)

Lady Timpani said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Spoiler



I definitely didn't think you were hating on it. XD I just wanted to assure you that things would feel a lot less disconnected in the future when everything really starts to weave together. And likewise, I felt that same kind of thing from finishing _EarthBound_. It was fun, but there was a real lack of character development and character interaction. The kids basically said a few lines (or even just one line) before they entered your party to help you save the world. It was definitely fun and cute, but in terms of emotional draw, it definitely lacked. And I really do feel that _Mother 3_ makes up for a lot of that disconnect by addressing that characters and their issues/agendas/goals and really bringing it all together. I certainly won't spoil it for you, though! Chapter 3 was generally a bit strange and the most disconnected, but I promise that it has importance to the plot for a number of reasons.

It is definitely an emotional game. I wasn't even prepared for how much it made me feel. I'm sure I can guess what you've seen of Claus, but still, I won't say anything just to make sure I don't accidentally spoil any details. There's a lot of surprises, though. And still a lot of fun, quirky things that are bound to pop up along the way.

But yeah, it didn't come off that way! I just hoped you didn't plan to drop the game before it really had a chance to develop. A lot of the huge surprises and spoilerific stuff is pretty late in the game, but then a LOT of things start to make sense and it's just mind-boggingly awesome. (Though this is my strongly-biased opinion, too. lol)


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## A-Link (Feb 13, 2015)

Ha! Too many awesome memories with these games. I can't wait for Mother 4.


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## Amissapanda (Feb 13, 2015)

A-Link said:


> Ha! Too many awesome memories with these games. I can't wait for Mother 4.



Same! The nostalgia only grows every time I play them and it just makes me all the more excited for what _Mother 4_ has in store!


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## ShinyYoshi (Feb 13, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> Same! The nostalgia only grows every time I play them and it just makes me all the more excited for what _Mother 4_ has in store!



Is there going to be an actual Mother 4? I know there's going to be a fan made one, or it might already be made... 
But as for an official Mother 4, is it forreal?


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## Amissapanda (Feb 13, 2015)

ShinyYoshi said:


> Is there going to be an actual Mother 4? I know there's going to be a fan made one, or it might already be made...
> But as for an official Mother 4, is it forreal?



Oh, no. I'm talking about the fanmade one. I've been excited about it and following its development for the last two years. I'm extremely excited to play it.

Sorry for the confusion! Shigesato Itoi himself said that he won't be making any more Mother games.


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## Lady Timpani (Feb 14, 2015)

This is cute, and I thought you guys should see it.  Happy Valentine's Day!


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## Amissapanda (Feb 14, 2015)

Lady Timpani said:


> This is cute, and I thought you guys should see it.  Happy Valentine's Day!



That really is adorable! Thanks for sharing. : )


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## crestedbooka (Feb 14, 2015)

last year my friend and I were making EB enemies Valentines hahaha

I made this one:



sorry the joke's so bad.....


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## Amissapanda (Feb 15, 2015)

crestedbooka said:


> last year my friend and I were making EB enemies Valentines hahaha
> 
> I made this one:
> View attachment 84199
> ...



Hahaha, Spinning Robo. XD Nice one. I like little silly pun cards on Valentine's day. It's practically a tradition!


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## A-Link (Feb 15, 2015)

lol nice one XD.

I remember when I played this game, I freakin' feared the trees. I thought their status lowering attacks works on lowering them permanently.


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## Amissapanda (Feb 15, 2015)

A-Link said:


> lol nice one XD.
> 
> I remember when I played this game, I freakin' feared the trees. I thought their status lowering attacks works on lowering them permanently.



Oh my god, you mean the exploding trees? The Territorial Oaks, etc? I HATED THOSE THINGS. Hahaha. When I let's played this game, it became a mantra for me to start chanting "I hate the trees I hate the trees I hate the trees" while I was trying to avoid getting into battles with them.

For me, it wasn't the status lowering, though. I hated how they potentially "killed" my party at the end of the battle. I'd be clicking so fast to get out there, but they still did SO much damage in that final burst of flames.


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## JJarmon (Feb 15, 2015)

I'm finally nearing the end of Earthbound. I'm excited, but also sad that my little adventure is going to end... but on the bright side, I downloaded the translation for Mother 3, so that'll be fun.


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## Amissapanda (Feb 15, 2015)

JJarmon said:


> I'm finally nearing the end of Earthbound. I'm excited, but also sad that my little adventure is going to end... but on the bright side, I downloaded the translation for Mother 3, so that'll be fun.



I know that feeling well! Even having played the game so many times, I still feel that way when I get toward the end.

Definitely enjoy _Mother 3_ when you get to play it, though! And be prepared to have your heart stepped on and crushed.


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## A-Link (Feb 16, 2015)

Ha! Nice! Try to pace your play time in a way you would beat the game by June. By then, the Mother 4 team should be releasing a fan made Mother 4 title (which, even though its just a fan game, mimics the Mother games' graphics, sounds and everything perfectly!). I am really excited for that!


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## Amissapanda (Feb 16, 2015)

By the way, I'm going to re-post this:






SPOILERS for _EarthBound_!

I know the first time I posted it on this thread, a lot of people were currently playing the game and couldn't watch it yet. But I assume that some of you have finished it by now and YOU TOTALLY NEED TO WATCH THIS.

It brings a tear to my eye every time. This fandom and its members are so amazing.


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## Chibi.Hoshi (Feb 17, 2015)

----


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## ObeseMudkipz (Feb 17, 2015)

Nvm


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## Amissapanda (Feb 17, 2015)

Chibi.Hoshi said:


> ----





ObeseMudkipz said:


> Nvm



o_o;; What happened here?


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## Chibi.Hoshi (Feb 17, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> o_o;; What happened here?


I was posting about Earthbound Uncut as I found one on ebay. I didn't know what it was... IDK what ObeseMudkipz was asking.


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## Holla (Feb 17, 2015)

I finally got Earthbound from Club Nintendo. I really like the game so far, though I'm not very good. I know the basics, but does anyone have some tips for a fairly new player?


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## Amissapanda (Feb 17, 2015)

Chibi.Hoshi said:


> I was posting about Earthbound Uncut as I found one on ebay. I didn't know what it was... IDK what ObeseMudkipz was asking.



Ohhh. To be honest, I have no idea what that is, either. XD;



Holla said:


> I finally got Earthbound from Club Nintendo. I really like the game so far, though I'm not very good. I know the basics, but does anyone have some tips for a fairly new player?



I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it! 

Have you checked out the guide? There's a full-guide to the game online that you can look at any time you want. It's very informative and helps new players out by pointing you in the right direction, giving you the details on enemies, where to find items, etc.

EarthBound does require some level-grinding sometimes. (You won't want to challenge Frank until you're around level 7, in my experience.) Also, the way the battle mechanics work are important. The scrolling HP bar makes it so that even a mortal blow may not kill you if you can heal yourself with an item/Psychic power in time. Your Guts might also save you and leave you hanging on by 1 point. Other than that, if you get really, really lost, talk to the HINT guy! It can be a little expensive and I never used him, personally, but he'll point you in the right direction if you're stuck. Another thing to keep in mind is to always carry some healing items around with you (hamburgers work really well early on in the game) and upgrade your equipment whenever you're able. Also, if you see a magic butterfly (floating little pink butterfly with sparkles), it will refill 15 points of PP automatically. Sometimes they even respawn in the very same spots/areas, so you can walk off screen, come back, and refill yourself fast by healing with Life-up and then getting the butterfly as many times as you need to get the used PP back.

If there's anything specific you'd like to know about, let me know! I pretty much know the game inside and out by now.


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## ShinyYoshi (Feb 17, 2015)

Holla said:


> I finally got Earthbound from Club Nintendo. I really like the game so far, though I'm not very good. I know the basics, but does anyone have some tips for a fairly new player?



Escargo Express is your friend, use it! There's so little inventory room when you begin and even towards the end of the game when you have a lot of items. Using Escargo Express to take away some of your unneeded items reaaallly helps clear your item space for more items that you actually need. And that way you aren't getting rid of items you don't need at the moment but might need later.


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## Chibi.Hoshi (Feb 17, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> Ohhh. To be honest, I have no idea what that is, either. XD;


This: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Earthbound-...712?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf2c9f1f8

After posting I noticed the official Nintendo seal was fake. So I am thinking its a homebrew.


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## Amissapanda (Feb 17, 2015)

ShinyYoshi said:


> Escargo Express is your friend, use it! There's so little inventory room when you begin and even towards the end of the game when you have a lot of items. Using Escargo Express to take away some of your unneeded items reaaallly helps clear your item space for more items that you actually need. And that way you aren't getting rid of items you don't need at the moment but might need later.



Also sound advice! This is ESPECIALLY handy when you get Jeff on your team. If he fixes a broken thing and turns it into a weapon for himself, after you upgrade FROM that weapon, you're stuck with his old weapon because you literally can't sell it if he made it/fixed it himself. Escargo is a _godsend_ in these cases. It's also handy for putting away items you only need at certain times (Pencil Eraser, for instance).

And while I'm thinking of it, another great thing to do for level-grinding/experience building is to beat a boss of an area and THEN grind afterward. The enemies will be running away from you if you beat the boss (like Sanctuary boss locations, for instance) and it makes for some really easy experience when you get surprise attacks on those enemies. Going one by one can sometimes get you insta-wins, too! Another thing that's handy to have with you if you're going into a somewhat lengthy dungeon, is an Exit Mouse. If you need to get out in a hurry to sleep/recover, they'll take you right to the exit. It can be a big help when you get to the Gold Digging site later in the game. (That place is murder.)

Also, if you see an enemy/group of enemies you don't like, sometimes just walking off-screen a bit can make them go away/spawn into something else. This doesn't ALWAYS work, but sometimes it does.

With Jeff, it's also really handle to stock him up with bottle rockets/big bottle rockets. They can do MASSIVE damage to one enemy and sometimes one or two-hit bosses at times, too. And they're generally not too expensive!

And I don't know if you're to Twoson yet, but don't waste your money on Orange Kid. He's useless. : (

There was one more tip I had for you, but I completely forgot what it was... I'll post again later if I remember it.



Chibi.Hoshi said:


> This: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Earthbound-...712?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf2c9f1f8
> 
> After posting I noticed the official Nintendo seal was fake. So I am thinking its a homebrew.



Ohhhh, okay. Yeah, that sounds like a scam, to be honest.


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## Holla (Feb 17, 2015)

Thanks so much for everyone's tips. I'll put them to action next time I play some more Earthbound. ^.^ I appreciate it.


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## ShinyYoshi (Feb 17, 2015)

Amissapanda said:


> Also, if you see an enemy/group of enemies you don't like, sometimes just walking off-screen a bit can make them go away/spawn into something else. This doesn't ALWAYS work, but sometimes it does.



This right here. 
This is how I usually survived in areas where I couldn't heal for long periods of time lol but sometimes it bites you in the butt


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## Amissapanda (Feb 19, 2015)

Holla said:


> Thanks so much for everyone's tips. I'll put them to action next time I play some more Earthbound. ^.^ I appreciate it.



You're very welcome! : ) I hope that all the tips you were given will be able to help you have an easier time adapting to the game and the play-style. But always feel free to ask anything you want if you get stuck or just need an answer/suggestion for something. I (and I'm sure others, too) would be more than happy to help.



ShinyYoshi said:


> This right here.
> This is how I usually survived in areas where I couldn't heal for long periods of time lol but sometimes it bites you in the butt



I'd get so annoyed by the crows in the beginning, because this trick always seemed to backfire on me when I tried to get rid of them. They'd always steal my items in-battle, so I never wanted to fight them. Hahaha. (Also, the exploding trees in Peaceful Rest Valley, though thankfully those could be outrun/maneuvered around).


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## Bon Bonne (Feb 20, 2015)

YOOOOOOOOOOOO the Mother series is one of my faves. I now say that EarthBound is tied with Paper Mario for my fave game ever, I love it that much. but I really love all three games. since the thread title specifically mentions EarthBound, I shall not go into my love for the other 2 games. XD

I'm feeling a small urge to play EarthBound again, but it'll probably be quite a while before I get around to it. Paula is my favorite, because she's so awesome. I like that she is also a strong physical attacker, since neither Ana nor Kumatora really are. nice that at least one of the games has a female character that can be used as a physical attacker, since I don't ever really feel like PSI is something that needs to be used _that_ much. EarthBound is just an amazing, magical experience. I've played it at least 10 times and it's not gotten old.
if I had to say something I don't like about it, it's that the beginning is always pretty slow going to me and I lose to the Sharks way too often. it's like "man, I just wanna get done here faster..."


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## Amissapanda (Aug 11, 2015)

Bon Bonne said:


> YOOOOOOOOOOOO the Mother series is one of my faves. I now say that EarthBound is tied with Paper Mario for my fave game ever, I love it that much. but I really love all three games. since the thread title specifically mentions EarthBound, I shall not go into my love for the other 2 games. XD
> 
> I'm feeling a small urge to play EarthBound again, but it'll probably be quite a while before I get around to it. Paula is my favorite, because she's so awesome. I like that she is also a strong physical attacker, since neither Ana nor Kumatora really are. nice that at least one of the games has a female character that can be used as a physical attacker, since I don't ever really feel like PSI is something that needs to be used _that_ much. EarthBound is just an amazing, magical experience. I've played it at least 10 times and it's not gotten old.
> if I had to say something I don't like about it, it's that the beginning is always pretty slow going to me and I lose to the Sharks way too often. it's like "man, I just wanna get done here faster..."



Hear, hear! I absolutely adore the Mother series. And I hope with Mother 1/EarthBound Beginnings being released on Virtual Console this year that Mother 3 may follow in its footsteps (next year IS the 10th anniversary, so one could hope!). 

Paula is awesomesauce. Nowadays, everyone credits Rapunzel for using the frying pan as a weapon, but I'm always thinking in my head that "Paula did it first, and Paula did it better", hahaha. And her psychic abilities make her even more of a force to be reckoned with. She's my favorite of the chosen four. : )

But I agree. Every time I play EarthBound, even knowing everything that's coming and going to happen, it's always an experience. And I love it. I could replay that game twenty years from now and still enjoy the heck out of it. I've lost count of how many times I've played it already. 



OH, and speaking of EarthBound---I wish I hadn't been on leave from here at the time, but I completely forgot to mention Camp Fangamer here! Did anyone get to go? I'm already taking a big trip this year, so I couldn't possibly afford to go, but I saw the livestream on Twitch and it was just... incredible. What they put together was amazing and I'm kicking myself for not finding a way to attend. They did it completely themed on EarthBound and even had a "plot" running throughout the convention and an epic final battle against Pokey/Porky. I don't have the link on-hand, but I'm pretty sure you can find it easily enough on twitch! Tomato (head of Mother 3 fan translation team) also has a recap of the entire experience with his wife on his channel, too.


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