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How exactly am I supposed to play Earthbound?

JDSN said:
Do like everybody here does and pretend that you own it.
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I'll do you one better; at one point I owned over thirty boxed copies of the game that I got from a local bargain retailer for around $100 total. I then sold them off piece meal for $100-$300 bucks each and ended up paying for two semesters of my education.
 
Man God said:
I'll do you one better; at one point I owned over thirty boxed copies of the game that I got from a local bargain retailer for around $100 total. I then sold them off piece meal for $100-$300 bucks each and ended up paying for two semesters of my education.
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SEE HOW GOOD THIS GAME IS?
 
lobdale said:
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.
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I just proved that it isn't.
Did you play Mother before EarthBound?
 
I've been wondering about the "proper" way to play Earthbound in another sense. Is the Japanese version considered superior for any reason? Was anything cut or toned down? Or were there significant improvements in the GBA port that make it more worth playing?
 
There is some censorship in the English version, but it's pretty minimal, and all versions of the game have the same amount of content. The translation very good, especially for a game released here in 1995, but there are some errors here and there (nothing too major, though).

The GBA version is the same as the SNES version except for the poor sound quality. Unless you know Japanese, it'd be fine to play the English version.
 
Shiggy said:
I just don't see any reason to buy this game. Nintendo doesn't want you to buy it, otherwise they would've released it. Thus you don't hurt anybody. And when people say that it's illegal to download it, then it's also kind of illegal to import it from Japan, as Nintendo notes on the boxart "FOR SALE AND USE IN JAPAN ONLY".
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My copy of FF Tactics has a completely-legally-toothless notice saying that it can never be sold onto the used market, but you know what? Just because a company wants to allow only certain people to buy their products doesn't mean that they can actually get away with that. Is it "kind of illegal" for a black person to enter a restaurant if there's a sign out front that says "OPEN TO WHITES ONLY"?

Sarcasm off: there is nothing illegal about buying this game from Japan, or buying it used from an individual in Japan, or buying it used from an individual who brought it to your country from Japan. If you like Mother 1+2 for the GBA, buy it. You have every right to do this.
 
Smision said:
it's honestly not even that fun these days...

can we clear up that issue too or
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I got my boxed copy last year and played it for the first time. Cannot say it is a particularly good RPG in terms of gameplay mechanics. It does have a sort of charm to it though, I can see how some remember it fondly.
 
Roto13 said:
Yup. Most Earthbound fans don't actually own a copy of Earthbound. If they did, we would have gotten Mother 3.
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Ahaha, this is great.

Most Earthbound fans weren't around or interested when it first released, so they had no bearing on the West not getting Mother 3.
 
What is the point of paying $120 for this game? Yes, I do think pirating a game is wrong when the developers could still be making money off their work, but if the OP buys a game as old as earthbound, the only person making money will be some fuckface ebay seller. So why not download?
 
Buy the japanese version for $20 on ebay; then download the english version and emulate it. Technically not quite morally correct, as you wouldn't be entitled to the translation... but who cares, it's not like the money is going anywhere near the creators or distributors anyway, or that some more ebay traffic would convince NOA to release Mother 3
 
Just because you bought a legitimate copy, it does not give you any additional rights to downloading the copyrighted material off the Internet. The only "legitimate" way of emulating the game is ripping it yourself.

Just food for thought, for those who are so concerned about going the legitimate route.

IMO, buying a used copy gives nothing to the developer, so who cares? Just do your best to buy it new if ever the re-release it.
 
TheExodu5 said:
Just because you bought a legitimate copy, it does not give you any additional rights to downloading the copyrighted material off the Internet. The only "legitimate" way of emulating the game is ripping it yourself.

Just food for thought, for those who are so concerned about going the legitimate route.

IMO, buying a used copy gives nothing to the developer, so who cares? Just do your best to buy it new if ever the re-release it.
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they're gonna buy the SNES game ripper too and keep the copy for archival purposes only.

then "lose" the cartridge in an unfortunate accident so the archival version becomes legit! Brilliantly devious.
 
Phatcorns said:
I am really sick of hearing how great this game is and not being able to buy it because it's 120 used. Is emulation my only choice if I don't want to be gouged by the used price? And are there any emulators that actually play it smoothly?

Come on NOA, why won't you release this on Virtual Console? Anyone else in the same boat?
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1) Even if you buy a used copy, Nintendo isn't getting any money from it. There is no way to give NoA your money in exchange for Earthbound.

2) They seem OK with the fact that millions of people have played the english Mother 3 ROM.
Why would they feel any differently towards Earthbound? They are never going to re-release the game in the states for legal reasons that have been well explored.

So go ahead and download the ROM and play it on a good emulator. Don't just play it with your keyboard or anything, though. This is a game that really deserves to be experienced with an authentic SNES control pad, which you can buy in USB form for fairly cheap at http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=9fd350c6d7d4bc7a556a7f96b9d20e7f
 
Don't worry OP. I'm in the same boat as you. I bought the jPan GBA release of Mother I and II though, so I feel legit when I do get around to play it via Emu on my TV
 
arab said:
buy it you pirate
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nintendo doesn't get any money from a used sale anyway
buying used is exactly the same as piracy in this case, as far as nintendo is concerned

not advocating piracy, just saying...
 
OP, you're not really missing anything. It was an extremely poor playing game even in the mid-90s, the appeal was entirely on quirk and writing. That quirk and writing are not nearly as good to an adult in 2011 as they were to a child in 1995. It has it's charms and some good bits of creativity but I disagree that they're enough to warrant stumbling through it nowadays.

Just drop some bones on a couple of good adventure games instead if that's the kind of experience you want. You are going to regret it immensely if you let these chowder heads talk you into buying an overpriced SNES cart for the sheer sake of fellating memories you don't have.
 
Alex said:
OP, you're not really missing anything. It was an extremely poor playing game even in the mid-90s, the appeal was entirely on quirk and writing. That quirk and writing are not nearly as good to an adult in 2011 as they were to a child in 1995. It has it's charms and some good bits of creativity but I disagree that they're enough to warrant stumbling through it nowadays.

Just drop some bones on a couple of good adventure games instead if that's the kind of experience you want. You are going to regret it immensely if you let these chowder heads talk you into buying an overpriced SNES cart for the sheer sake of fellating memories you don't have.
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I can't really disagree with that.
 
Sinatar said:
The 120 isn't going to the people who made the game, there is no reason to pay that.
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This. Putting money in some eBay asshole's hands isn't doing anything magical for the games industry.

If Nintendo had released this on the VC there might be a choice, but there needs to be a statute of limitations on the holier-than-thou buy it badgering around here. If it's out of print and no longer sold by the company who produced it or any rights holder, play it however you want. Anything else is stupid.
 
Alex said:
That quirk and writing are not nearly as good to an adult in 2011 as they were to a child in 1995.
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Earthbound's writing is much better viewed through the lens of adulthood than it is playing it as a kid.
 
charlequin said:
Earthbound's writing is much better viewed through the lens of adulthood than it is playing it as a kid.
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this is so true, mother 2 & 3 are on a short list of games i intend to replay as i age & see what i take from them. this is typically an activity i save for books.
 
The thing that kills me is that less than five years ago, before I moved, I'm pretty sure I gave my SNES and games (including Earthbound) to charity.

Goddammit. Oh well..hopefully the world got one or two more lil Mother fans out of it.
 
Shiggy said:
I just don't see any reason to buy this game. Nintendo doesn't want you to buy it, otherwise they would've released it. Thus you don't hurt anybody. And when people say that it's illegal to download it, then it's also kind of illegal to import it from Japan, as Nintendo notes on the boxart "FOR SALE AND USE IN JAPAN ONLY".
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No, it's not. You can't enforce this since it's in violation of international trading agreements. Also, almost all Japanese games have this text on the box.

While I agree that Nintendo would prefer you to buy some new games for the $120 the used market would prefer you bought the used game.

The used market is hurting new game sales more than pirating yes, but used games are legal and pirating is not. The law protects the rights of everyone who wants to sell goods on the market not just the original distributor.

But with collector's items like these of course there will be only a few select nuts who will want to have a original copy. There are more people who would play it at the right price though. Nintendo won't/can't offer that.

So importing/pirating are the only choices to play it at a non-outrageous price.

I got mine when it still was $60 used. Shipped from the US to Germany, with original box but without the manual.

I was also lucky to find Yuyu Hakusho (4-player Treasure version) for Mega Drive at around 30~40€ used, thanks to the manual not being in mint condition (usually it fetches double to triple of that). Years after I first played it and decades after I first tried to buy it new but couldn't because it was already sold out (limited run, damn Sega niche console).
 
Kulock said:
List of them

Even some of the things that snuck by in the 1995 localization technically shouldn't have.
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Wow, thats kind of sad.

Alot of love for America in that game and it's about two steps away from getting raped by lawsuits the moment it lands over here.
 
Goldmund said:
Real Mother lovers administer every input (both buttons and directional pad) with their tongues.
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4TYFJ.jpg
 
Alex said:
OP, you're not really missing anything. It was an extremely poor playing game even in the mid-90s, the appeal was entirely on quirk and writing. That quirk and writing are not nearly as good to an adult in 2011 as they were to a child in 1995. It has it's charms and some good bits of creativity but I disagree that they're enough to warrant stumbling through it nowadays.

Just drop some bones on a couple of good adventure games instead if that's the kind of experience you want. You are going to regret it immensely if you let these chowder heads talk you into buying an overpriced SNES cart for the sheer sake of fellating memories you don't have.
Click to expand...

Disagree. I thought the gameplay was subpar, but it was worth going through to experience the game. I don't know, few games evoke emotions like Earthbound does. I don't really want to go into why this game is so endearing to me here, since this probably isn't the best thread for that, but I think it still holds up as charming,funny, and well written. It really nailed its themes, I don't think any game since then has made me feel like "there's no place like home", or "embarking" like this game did, though tons of them try. Maybe it just clicked better with me, but I still think everyone should at least see if they can stomatch the rpg to get to the story.
 
Codeblue said:
Disagree. I thought the gameplay was subpar, but it was worth going through to experience the game. I don't know, few games evoke emotions like Earthbound does. I don't really want to go into why this game is so endearing to me here, since this probably isn't the best thread for that, but I think it still holds up as charming,funny, and well written. It really nailed its themes, I don't think any game since then has made me feel like "there's no place like home", or "embarking" like this game did, though tons of them try. Maybe it just clicked better with me, but I still think everyone should at least see if they can stomatch the rpg to get to the story.
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I wouldn't even say the story is that great - it's the atmosphere.

I like the game plenty, but as you said, the gameplay is very sub-par. It becomes terribly broken early on when you can buy bottle rockets.
 
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