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[sfedai0]

120 is just six 20 dollar bills. Its not that much.

 

[Shiggy]

120 is just six 20 dollar bills. Its not that much.

That's 6 new Wii/DS games. That means much more to Nintendo.

 

[Ushojax]

I don't think Nintendo wants anybody to play EarthBound. The game has been sealed away in their vault and will never be let out thanks to Nintendo's lawsuit-phobia.

 

[AwakenedCloud]

"Buy" it and play it on emulator

This. If you feel guilty then send an envelop to NOA stating "The $8 enclosed is for the digital copy of Earthbound I would've bought on the Virtual Console if you guys had any sense."

 

[N4Us]

That's 6 new Wii/DS games. That means much more to Nintendo.

How about just buying what you want to play and not worrying about what Nintendo wants?

 

[Spokker]

GAF's emulation policy is "Own it, or don't emulate it" afaik, so there's only one correct answer: Buy it.

Better not to emulate then. Purchasing the game only helps the ebay seller who is ripping you off by exploiting a distorted market (demand far outstripping supply) and your lack of self-control. It does not enrich those who actually created the game. It is in Nintendo's best interest to correct the market by producing a re-release and investing the profits into perhaps a new Earthbound game.

 

[zeelman]

Better not to emulate then. Purchasing the game only helps the ebay seller who is ripping you off by exploiting a distorted market (demand far outstripping supply) and your lack of self-control. It does not enrich those who actually created the game. It is in Nintendo's best interest to correct the market by producing a re-release and investing the profits into perhaps a new Earthbound game.

This would make sense, but Nintendo doesn't have much of that.

 

[Shiggy]

How about just buying what you want to play and not worrying about what Nintendo wants?

Then you can simply download it if you don't care about them anyway.

 

[toythatkills]

How much was Earthbound when it first came out? $60? $80?

$100 probably isn't an amazing increase in price, if you want to play it that much.

I suppose you could wait like, 70 years or something for the copyright to expire, or whatever it is.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

This thread seems very google unfriendly.

 

[zeelman]

Then you can simply download it if you don't care about them anyway.

Its not like Nintendo gets any money from second-hand sales. There's no way to care about them in this case when they no longer make the game.

 

[RomanticHeroX]

Another plus for buying a copy: it doesn't really lose any value. If you buy it for an average price once you're done you can sell it for exactly what you paid for it. If you spent $120 on two new games you couldn't get a quarter of that after a few months.

 

[Ionic]

There aren't many games I could download without feeling an iota of guilt. This happens to be one of them. Get it, enjoy it, and if it were to ever be released again, purchase it. But do not get hung up on spending 100 dollars for a scratched up old copy.

 

[Spokker]

Another plus for buying a copy: it doesn't really lose any value. If you buy it for an average price once you're done you can sell it for exactly what you paid for it.

Until it's in your hands and Nintendo announces the Virtual Console release. Those who have horded Ico and Final Fantasy Tactics know this pain well.

 

[zeelman]

Until it's in your hands and Nintendo announces the Virtual Console release. Those who have horded Ico and Final Fantasy Tactics know this pain well.

That's their punishment for owning a game just for the sake of making money.

 

[Sinatar]

The 120 isn't going to the people who made the game, there is no reason to pay that.

 

[daffy]

It is in Nintendo's best interest to correct the market by producing a re-release and investing the profits into perhaps a new Earthbound game.

Not if the creator isn't involved.

 

[JudgeN]

I see some conflicting opinions here.

So what is GAF's stance on similar situations like the one facing the OP?

Get ripped off like a fucking idiot and buy the game for $120+ (or $2000 for a "new factory sealed box"?

Or just download it, since it's an ancient piece of software that's been out of print for a long time, and doesn't seem to be getting a re-release in the future (but is still a possibility)?

Anyone have a clear answer to this?

To add on to this question what about games that are out of print and released in a different region but get a fan translation patch (ie Mother 3). Can you download it then patch it? Are you suppose to buy a copy first? Ive always wonder what the policy is on something like this as well.

 

[Spokker]

That's their punishment for owning a game just for the sake of making money.

I loved drinking their tears. No game should go for $100 in second hand markets.

 

[Spokker]

Not if the creator isn't involved.

Did they fall off the face of the planet or something? Nintendo can negotiate and get the ball rolling.

 

[blizzardjesus]

I once got one at a pawn shop for $5, 2 hrs later sold on ebay for $90. It can be found in the wild... just requires some digging.

 

[RomanticHeroX]

Until it's in your hands and Nintendo announces the Virtual Console release. Those who have horded Ico and Final Fantasy Tactics know this pain well.

Yeah, but by that point you'll be too busy getting hyped for the new HD Mother 4 on the WiiU to care. Seriously, it's been apparent for years that Earthbound is never getting a VC release, and probably won't see release anywhere else either. If Earthbound ever sees the light on Virtual Console I'll buy a $120 hat and eat it.

 

[arglebargle]

It's not like you are supporting the developer if you buy it used. It'll just go into some slimeball's pocket instead.

I wouldn't bother buying it, unless you want to hold your breath for eternity waiting for a VC release.

I see some conflicting opinions here.

So what is GAF's stance on similar situations like the one facing the OP?

Get ripped off like a fucking idiot and buy the game for $120+ (or $2000 for a "new factory sealed box"?

Or just download it, since it's an ancient piece of software that's been out of print for a long time, and doesn't seem to be getting a re-release in the future (but is still a possibility)?

Anyone have a clear answer to this?

why so harsh to resellers? i know someone who bought a copy in the buy-sell-trade thread. was the gaffer selling his old collection an idiot and/or a slimeball? should he have sold it for less than its worth? what are you guys, communists?

edit:

Until it's in your hands and Nintendo announces the Virtual Console release. Those who have horded Ico and Final Fantasy Tactics know this pain well.

i dont defend hording for the sake of making money. but some games must get to collectors status or something where even a rerelease doesnt hurt the value. radiant silvergun still commands ~$200 on ebay.

 

[Reuenthal]

Buy something else from Nintendo and download it to play it on an emulator. I don't see any other way you could give Nintendo direct money for the product and also get it.

 

[Eteric Rice]

Wow.

It just has the box, though. No inserts.

If it did I would have shit more bricks than I had ever thought possible. lol

 

[ArjanN]

why so harsh to resellers? i know someone who bought a copy in the buy-sell-trade thread. was the gaffer selling his old collection an idiot and/or a slimeball? should he have sold it for less than its worth? what are you guys, communists?

Dunno, the price seems kind of high when you consider it's an oooooold SNES game, and games that are a year old on Steam are like 5 bucks.

Buy something else from Nintendo and download it to play it on an emulator. I don't see any other way you could give Nintendo direct money for the product and also get it.

I don't know if Nintendo deserves much credit with the way they've handled this series.

 

[DarkKyo]

This thread seems very google unfriendly.

Lol I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Lopson]

The game cannot be purchased anywhere else other than the used market, so in my opinion, you should emulate the game. That's what emulation is for, to preserve gems such as this for the rest of time. Just make sure you use BSNES, it's by miles the best emulator.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

How much was Earthbound when it first came out? $60? $80?

$100 probably isn't an amazing increase in price, if you want to play it that much.

I suppose you could wait like, 70 years or something for the copyright to expire, or whatever it is.

I got it in 1996 for $20 new. Game bombed back then.

 

[Seraphinianus]

i don't get how paying some random guy who found it at a garage sale $120 helps nintendo or promotes earthbound awareness or whatever.

 

[Speevy]

This thread is all over the place. Some of you are telling him to buy the game for $120, others are saying that's against the forum rules, while others are just saying to outright download it.

I played the SNES one when I was a kid, on an actual SNES. It's good, but it's not worth the cost of a new console.

 

[angelfly]

i don't get how paying some random guy who found it at a garage sale $120 helps nintendo or promotes earthbound awareness or whatever.

It doesn't help anyone but the seller. Nintendo doesn't care about expanding the fanbase here and the high resell prices prevent anyone who hasn't played it before from experiencing it (unless they want to drop 100+ on a game they've never played and might not like). The $8 price had it been released on VC would have allowed people to support Nintendo, show them we care about the game, and allow more people to become fans. As it stands emulation is the only sane option for someone looking to experience Earthbound.

 

[Ezalc]

You can buy a copy for $100 or so, but it's worth much much more than that. I don't see that as an unreasonable price. Skip out on two new games and you've bought it, and I guarantee it's a better game than most anything coming out now.

What the fuck? No it's not. I wouldn't pay $100 for any old game unless it was in perfect condition, came with it's box, and some bonus merchandise. Like I was thinking about buying Fire Emblem Thracia 776 for like $170 a while back, but it was the limited edition that came with the game in perfect condition, with it's box, manuals, a map, plushies, a VHS and some other stuff.

Anyways, OP don't listen to the hype. The game is alright at best, it's grossly overrated.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

Wow, it went up that much in price? I wonder if I still have mine.

 

[Sinatar]

I played the SNES one when I was a kid, on an actual SNES. It's good, but it's not worth the cost of a new console.

Agree with this completely. Earthbound is a decent enough game, but it isn't worth $120 whether through Nintendo or some dude on Ebay. People over rate the crap out of it.

 

[NervousXtian]

I change my mind, do a "naked short-sell".. borrow from someone on GAF, who doesn't actually send it to you, but it's "yours" so you can download it, play it, then give the "rights" back to guy you borrowed it from.

Good enough for Jim Cramer, then good enough for me. ha.

btw, mother 3 fan translation is a better game.

 

[Seraphinianus]

I change my mind, do a "naked short-sell".. borrow from someone on GAF, who doesn't actually send it to you, but it's "yours" so you can download it, play it, then give the "rights" back to guy you borrowed it from.

Good enough for Jim Cramer, then good enough for me. ha.

it almost sounds like some people in the thread would expect from the OP. JUST TO KEEP IT ALL LEGAL...after all, the FBI has really been cracking down on nerds who want to play Earthbound lately.

 

[Fantasy Final]

Don't buy it used, you're stealing Nintendo if you do so.

 

[kai3345]

Don't buy it used, you're stealing Nintendo if you do so.

i c wut u did ther

 

[udivision]

Why do you care what we think?
Yea I know what I just did.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Earthbound is pretty much abandonware at this point.

 

[DarkKyo]

You should not just emulate the damn game.

/reversepsychology

 

[Lopson]

Earthbound is pretty much abandonware at this point.

'Tis a sad tale.

 

[forest]

THRIFT STORE

Honestly, buy the actually game cartridge. Games are always better on their original console.

 

[Dash Kappei]

Buy Mother 3 GBA instead, then play it on a GBA (Micro) with the translation patch.
If that game captivates you with its charme (it was my fave game from last gen together with Resi 4, TWW and Ico) you'll have enough reasons to play/buy (or not) Earthbound.
I played Mother 3 before Mother 2 (EB) myself, buying a copy of Mother 3 on sale from Play Asia.

 

[lobdale]

Buy Mother 3 GBA instead, then play it on a GBA (Micro) with the translation patch.
If that game captivates you with its charme (it was my fave game from last gen together with Resi 4, TWW and Ico) you'll have enough reasons to play/buy (or not) Earthbound.
I played Mother 3 before Mother 2 (EB) myself, buying a copy of Mother 3 on sale from Play Asia.

Still, you will not fully appreciate some easter-eggs in Mother 3 without knowledge of EarthBound. The two games are pretty remarkably different, with EB being way more gameplay-oriented and Mother 3 being significantly more plot/setting oriented. 2 then 3 is the only real way to do it.

 

[hydragonwarrior]

Earthbound is being kept out of NA because of lawsuits? Must be some poorly synthesized song that some copyright trolls will jump on...

 

[Stumpokapow]

That one's for use and sale in Japan only, so sadly that would not be allowed either.

our policy isn't to follow stupid small print, it's to disallow piracy

 

[Like the hat?]

I was lucky enough to find a cartridge for $50 a couple of years ago, and played it for the first time. Amazing game and well worth the $50 I payed for it.

 

[Azure Dream]

Earthbound is being kept out of NA because of lawsuits? Must be some poorly synthesized song that some copyright trolls will jump on...

List of them

Even some of the things that snuck by in the 1995 localization technically shouldn't have.