[legacyzero]

As much as I love Earthbound, I never got to play Mother 3

[Yuripaw]

As much as I love Earthbound, I never got to play Mother 3

Well if this announcement doesn't lead to them releasing it in some form, I highly recommend you play it. It's not a rehash of EarthBound by any means, it's a totally unique game, but if you've played EarthBound before, there's a lot to appreciate about it also.

[2San]

I hope it's remake personally. I tried playing Mother 1 a year ago and interacting with objects and stuff was so obtuse. Stopped after a while, the game has definitely aged.

[Hero_of_the_Day]

I just finished the first on my NES the other day for the first time ever. Pretty awesome, but holy fuck is it hard. Normal monsters can usually kill most party members in 1 or 2 hits, new characters joining the party at level 1 with no equipment, no items to bring characters back to life, no item or PSI descriptions. Really liked it, but I hope the SNES version is a bit easier when I get around to it (when I have a good $175 to waste on a single game).

[2San]

I just finished the first on my NES the other day for the first time ever. Pretty awesome, but holy fuck is it hard. Normal monsters can usually kill most party members in 1 or 2 hits, new characters joining the party at level 1 with no equipment, no items to bring characters back to life, no item or PSI descriptions. Really liked it, but I hope the SNES version is a bit easier when I get around to it (when I have a good $175 to waste on a single game).

The first game was abnormally hard afaik. The fan translators even added an easy mode item.

[Rash]

Yeah, there's an "easy patch" which puts in an item that allows you to get double the experience points (I think?).

Mother is an interesting game but it is really hard and heavily dated. It'll always have a place in my heart, but Earthbound and Mother 3 are way more accessible games.

It's like the difference between any RPG that went from NES->SNES. The original Final Fantasy is ridiculous, but Final Fantasy IV and VI are way more manageable.

Earthbound can be tough at times if you're not particularly good at RPGs, but it never required you to use a "guaranteed escape" PSI ability like Mother did (i.e. 4th-D Slip).

If you can't run from battles then areas like Snowman, the Swamp, and Mt. Itoi are completely unfair.

[2San]

Yeah, there's an "easy patch" which puts in an item that allows you to get double the experience points (I think?). Mother is an interesting game but it is really hard and heavily dated. It'll always have a place in my heart, but Earthbound and Mother 3 are way more accessible games. It's like the difference between any RPG that went from NES->SNES. The original Final Fantasy is ridiculous, but Final Fantasy IV and VI are way more manageable.

Still think that Mother 1 was a special kind of nuts, that you have to go through a menu to interact with an object. Instead of pressing "A" or something.

[Hero_of_the_Day]

Glad to hear that part two is easier. I still really liked the NES one, but I don't know that I'd ever play it again due to difficulty. I wish I had the easy version on a cart really instead of the normal one. I really don't like goofy stuff or modern RPGs, so I was surprised I liked it so much. I was enjoying all the story scenes, but the dance with the girl at the end with the awesome music really topped off the whole game for me.

[meltingparappa]

Still think that Mother 1 was a special kind of nuts, that you have to go through a menu to interact with an object. Instead of pressing "A" or something.

Depending on whether or not you played Dragon "Warrior" during a special time in your young life, that either elicits warm nostalgia or pure unadulterated frustration.

I think we can all agree though, that by far the best part of Mother 1 was the music.

[El Odio]

Intentional or not, I always thought the high difficultly and unclear directions added to the experience when playing the original Mother.

[Rash]

Glad to hear that part two is easier. I still really liked the NES one, but I don't know that I'd ever play it again due to difficulty. I wish I had the easy version on a cart really instead of the normal one. I really don't like goofy stuff or modern RPGs, so I was surprised I liked it so much. I was enjoying all the story scenes, but the dance with the girl at the end with the awesome music really topped off the whole game for me.

If you were able to beat Mother then I have confidence you could beat any RPG. That said, when you get a chance to play Earthbound you will see why it's not nearly on the same level of difficulty. The gameplay tweaks and added battle features really make it a huge step up in terms of playability. Some slight annoyances still linger though, like inventory management.

[DJIzana]

Glad to hear that part two is easier. I still really liked the NES one, but I don't know that I'd ever play it again due to difficulty. I wish I had the easy version on a cart really instead of the normal one. I really don't like goofy stuff or modern RPGs, so I was surprised I liked it so much. I was enjoying all the story scenes, but the dance with the girl at the end with the awesome music really topped off the whole game for me.

I thought the same thing... Ninten / Ana scene was such amazing. Probably the most touching part of that game.

[Bladenic]

Still think that Mother 1 was a special kind of nuts, that you have to go through a menu to interact with an object. Instead of pressing "A" or something.

EarthBound is the same way.

[Rash]

EarthBound is the same way.

Well, you had to go through the menu often but you could just press R to interact, right?

[Hero_of_the_Day]

I thought the same thing... Ninten / Ana scene was such amazing. Probably the most touching part of that game.

The music helps really sell that scene. I don't know this story behind who or what this version of the song was made for, but I want a longer version of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnSB_3DaUhE

That scene starts off kind of "what the fuck?"-ish with the two little kids in a bedroom, and then the music kicks in and they start dancing and I thought that may be the sweetest scene I've ever seen in a video game ever. Maybe I'm crazy, it just really worked for me.

[2San]

Depending on whether or not you played Dragon "Warrior" during a special time in your young life, that either elicits warm nostalgia or pure unadulterated frustration. I think we can all agree though, that by far the best part of Mother 1 was the music.

Never played the Nes DQ's. Only really got into RPG's in the Nes era.

The music was indeed pretty good.

EarthBound is the same way.

Well, you had to go through the menu often but you could just press R to interact, right?

This is what I recall as well.

[DJIzana]

The music helps really sell that scene. I don't know this story behind who or what this version of the song was made for, but I want a longer version of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnSB_3DaUhE That scene starts off kind of "what the fuck?"-ish with the two little kids in a bedroom, and then the music kicks in and they start dancing and I thought that may be the sweetest scene I've ever seen in a video game ever. Maybe I'm crazy, it just really worked for me.

Yep... I agree completely. That fan made remix is pretty good but I enjoy even the official one (from the original OST).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13ruKm74q8o

[cdyhybrid]

My body is ready. Please don't hurt me, Nintendo.

[Bladenic]

Well, you had to go through the menu often but you could just press R to interact, right?

Haha really? Well dang, never knew that. I always used the menu. Oops.

[Rash]

Haha really? Well dang, never knew that. I always used the menu. Oops.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the R button doubled as both "check" and "talk."

[YoungBlade]

So... any signs of what this might be yet?

[antitrop]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the R button doubled as both "check" and "talk."

Yes, absolutely. I couldn't imagine playing through EarthBound using only the menu.

[terrisus]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the R button doubled as both "check" and "talk."

L.

Which made playing the game one-handed perfectly possible, just using one's left hand to control the D-pad and L button. I really wish more games had a control setup like that.

[antitrop]

L. Which made playing the game one-handed perfectly possible, just using one's left hand to control the D-pad and L button. I really wish more games had a control setup like that.

Oh, ya, you're right.

The R button rings the bell on the bicycle.

[TreIII]

The music helps really sell that scene. I don't know this story behind who or what this version of the song was made for, but I want a longer version of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnSB_3DaUhE That scene starts off kind of "what the fuck?"-ish with the two little kids in a bedroom, and then the music kicks in and they start dancing and I thought that may be the sweetest scene I've ever seen in a video game ever. Maybe I'm crazy, it just really worked for me.

Yeah...and then RIGHT AFTER THAT, the game does yet another bit of mood whiplash by having the giant robot bust in, nearly kill Teddy and then Loid/Lloyd comes out of nowhere to blast the robot with the tank.

It was definitely a touching scene, but I always dreaded it because seeing it meant saying goodbye to Teddy. Which usually meant doing a bit of tinkering if you didn't want to have that happen.

In my ideal Mother 1 remake, they'd at least make it so that you could have up to 4 party members, much like its successors.

[Rash]

Oh, ya, you're right. The R button rings the bell on the bicycle.

Ah, yes. I haven't played the game in a while so I forgot.

[Stencil]

L. Which made playing the game one-handed perfectly possible, just using one's left hand to control the D-pad and L button. I really wish more games had a control setup like that.

Seriously, that was such a great, simple and effective mechanic of the control scheme. But these next gen console controllers, with all their buttons and knobs! I swear, games these days man...

Oh, ya, you're right. The R button rings the bell on the bicycle.

I lol'd

[ozfunghi]

No Mother 4? So basically, Monolith Soft is just remaking 1-3?

BOOOM :)

Imagine.

[JohnTinker]

whatever this is, I need it in my veins.

if it is seriously a remake and it comes to the US, I will buy twenty copies and give away 19 of them

[PKrockin]

Depending on whether or not you played Dragon "Warrior" during a special time in your young life, that either elicits warm nostalgia or pure unadulterated frustration. I think we can all agree though, that by far the best part of Mother 1 was the music.

I HAVE TO PRESS A TWICE TO TALK TO SOMEONE?! FUCK THIS GAME, I'M GOING BACK TO FINAL FANTASY XIII

Yeah, the almost-Dragon Warrior amount of grinding is the greater of the two frustration culprits here.

One way Mother was ahead of its time was walking diagonally. I don't remember that in any other NES RPGs.

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

I don't think Mother is all that grindy. You have to fight enemies for a few minutes outside of your house before you can go to Podunk, and you need to take a trip through Magicant each time you get a new party member, but outside of that, you never have to grind.

[boutdown]

The Moonside and Threed music, nothing like them.

[Tiktaalik]

L. Which made playing the game one-handed perfectly possible, just using one's left hand to control the D-pad and L button. I really wish more games had a control setup like that.

The L button for check must not have been enough for this guy because he made a patch that modernized the game and made it so that the A button is a do all check button.

http://earthboundcentral.com/2013/01...-new-controls/

[Ondore]

I won't get excited, I won't get excited... Crap, I'm excited.

[Fandangox]

I won't get excited, I won't get excited... Crap, I'm excited.

All aboard.


In all seriousness, I am pretty much sure I will be glad with whatever it is they are gonna do (as long as it is strictly related to the games) This was really unexpected for me, so only good things can come out of it.

[Bladenic]

The final dungeon of Mother 3 sure does drag on forever.

[ffdgh]

The final dungeon of Mother 3 sure does drag on forever.

I hated being stuck there like when ness went into the past. Gimmie a new game+ or someway to leave......even if the overworld in mother 3 is so empty and has depressing music after a certain point.

[backlot]

I hated being stuck there like when ness went into the past. Gimmie a new game+ or someway to leave......even if the overworld in mother 3 is so empty and has depressing music after a certain point.

I think there's actually some kind of new game+ glitch that lets you start the game over without losing your levels and PK abilities. I was never interested enough to figure out how it works though.

[Boss Doggie]

What if this is related to the Rich@IGN twitter?

[Yuripaw]

What if this is related to the Rich@IGN twitter?

That had crossed my mind, but...I don't think so. I just don't see whatever it is that this "revival" is would be something that western "journalist" would have knowledge of prior to an announcement. Whatever this is, it's being held close to the chest, and will probably be announced through some japanese media, and MAYBE if we're lucky...we'll hear about a US localization...6-12 months later, maybe.

Edit: and that's being ridiculously optimistic, because as an earthbound fan for years, I'm still hesitant to even think we'll ever get anything earthbound related officially localized anymore.

[backlot]

So Mother 2 was announced for Wii U Virtual Console in Japan during today's Nintendo Direct. I assume this is what Itoi was talking about?

[Empty]

this is probably somewhat positive. the legal problems holding up earthbound would be the same in japan as in the us surely which is why it was never on the japanese virtual console (according to wiki at least). now there's a better chance of it coming over as they must have sorted those problematic areas.

[PKrockin]

this is probably somewhat positive. the legal problems holding up earthbound would be the same in japan as in the us surely which is why it was never on the japanese virtual console (according to wiki at least). now there's a better chance of it coming over as they must have sorted those problematic areas.

I don't think so. It seems like it's Nintendo of America's laywers that have a problem with the potential copyright infringement. Mother 1+2 was released in 2003 and rereleased in 2006 so Nintendo of Japan doesn't seem to care. Besides, all of the stolen music samples and such that I can think of were taken from American and English artists, not Japanese.

It's the demos from Brawl all over again.

[Empty]

ah that makes sense. bummer :(

[Earthpainting]

I really hope this isn't it. I want it on my Virtual Console too.

[MaverickHunterX]

Can someone write Itoi on his twitter about an international release?

[MarkusRJR]

So depressing. I really want to play this game but my SNES broke and I can't afford a new SNES + Earthbound. I don't want to turn to emulation but what else is there? I'd honestly pay $150 to legally play Earthbound and Mother 3 NoA, really!

Can someone write Itoi on his twitter about an international release?

This.

[Deband]

Surely not JP only :(

[Rash]

Can someone write Itoi on his twitter about an international release?

For some reason I don't really want this. It comes off as begging. The worst thing about being part of the Mother fanbase is that we are seen as pests. :(

[Glix]

For some reason I don't really want this. It comes off as begging. The worst thing about being part of the Mother fanbase is that we are seen as pests. :(

"Please release your games in our region because we love your art and want to financially support you!"

Yeah, what a bunch of fucking whiny assholes....