Tag: Earthbound
Soapbox The Trauma Of Giygas & Growing Up In EarthBound
EarthBound turns "adults into kids, and kids into adults"
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Nile celebrates the innocence of youth, the pain of growing up, and the magic of a cult classic SNES RPG, which celebrates its 30th...
News EarthBound 30th Anniversary Merch Will Include A Giant Mr Saturn Plushie
Big zoom
Classic SNES RPG EarthBound, known as Mother 2 in Japan, celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year — yes, really, no need to pinch yourself. But Nintendo and Hobonichi will be continuing to celebrate this seminal game later this month with a variety of promotions and merchandise in Japan. Let's start with Hobonichi and a brand...
News Mother 3 Switch Icons Out Now, But They're Only Available In Japan
Like the game, they're not available locally
Last month, Nintendo surprised fans by adding Mother 3 to the Switch Online's GBA library in Japan. Now, to add to the suffering here in the West, it's also made Mother 3 icons available to Switch Online subscribers in Japan. The character icons cost 10 Platinum Points each and the borders and...
Random Japan Is Getting Another Mother-Themed G-Shock Watch
Earthbound celebrates 30th anniversary this year
The cult hit EarthBound (Mother 2) is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, so naturally, that means that Japan is getting another collaboration between Mother and watch manufacturer Casio. Due for launch on 14 March, 2024 via a lottery purchase system, the 'Mother Red's GW-6900' follows a...
Random Miyamoto Made Shigesato Itoi Cry After 'Mother' Pitch
"My tears started welling up"
Despite his wholesome outward appearance, Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto has often been known for his strict nature within the business. Interviews with the auteur have revealed him to be a surprisingly reserved individual; one who rarely gives praise to his peers. In a recent public chat between Miyamoto and
News Plans Are Reportedly In Place To Celebrate Earthbound's 30th Anniversary
We all know what we want, though
This year marks the 30th anniversary of EarthBound (known in Japan as Mother 2) and, according to the official X (formerly Twitter) page, plans are in place to celebrate the hefty milestone (thanks, My Nintendo News). What these plans are, exactly, is up in the air at the moment, but we're not expecting anything...
News EarthBound Documentary Is Out Now For Digital Rental
Update: Available from Fangamer
Update [Tue 28th Nov, 2023 14:45 GMT]: EarthBound, USA is now available for digital rental from Fangamer. For $7, you'll be able to watch the long-awaited documentary, which highlights the online community that's built around cult SNES RPG EarthBound over the years. It's an examination of the power of online...
Video Join Us As We Celebrate 'The MOTHER We Share: Our EarthBound Story'
Now screening at PAX West
It's the second Sunday in May, which means it's Mother's Day in a great many countries around the world (although not in the UK, where Mothering Sunday falls in March). We're celebrating Mother's Day this year in a very special way and looking back fondly on one particular Mother that Nintendo fans around the world are...
News EarthBound Beginnings Notebook Finally Available In North America
Update: Phase Distorter Luggage Tag also on My Nintendo Store
Update [Thu 22nd Dec, 2022 18:15 GMT]: Mother fans in North America, Nintendo has a bit of a treat for you this Holiday season. The Big N has brought back the EarthBound Beginnings Eight Melodies notebook, which was only available in Japan and Europe previously. Along with this lovely...
Random This EarthBound-Themed Rube Goldberg Machine Is Packed With References
Now I take my backpack to the world and fill it with memories
Musical Rube Goldberg machines — you know, where the marble knocks over the teapot and then bounces down a staircase made of xylophones (which sounds insane if you haven't seen the videos) — used to be the realm of engineering and musical geniuses only, like the incredible Wintergatan...
News PAX West 2022 Nintendo Stream Times - Splatoon 3 & Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Invitationals, And More
All the dates and times you need
With Gamescom now over, there's just enough time to catch your breath before the next big event in the gaming calendar, PAX West! The 2022 show is running from Friday 2nd to Monday 5th September and there are a whole load of Nintendo-themed events lined up that you'll want to keep an eye on, even if you're not...
Video Watch Us Find Our Retro Gaming Grail In This Boxiest Of Unboxing Videos
This DOESN'T stink!
Guess who's been at it again! One of our lovely video producers, Zion, has long been collecting games and has been sharing his journey with us over on our YouTube channel. To say we're envious is an understatement, but in this unboxing video, there's something a little bit more special for him. From pick-ups acquired in his...
Random These Fan-Made EarthBound Dioramas Are Available To Buy For Your Nerd Shelf
We know you have a nerd shelf
Being a fan of the Mother series is a little difficult at times, but we can reassure ourselves that we have some of the best merch and fan art, at least. And this latest creation is both! Made by artist Mizutani, each of the eight EarthBound dioramas that you can buy is based on some iconic part of the game, from Giant...
News Undertale Creator Toby Fox Explains How EarthBound's Fans Kept The Game Alive
Praises the "active and aggressive" fan community
Undertale creator Toby Fox has made no secret of the fact that he was heavily inspired by EarthBound when crafting his legendary post-modern take on the humble RPG, and he's one of many people who has spoken to Lost in Cult for the next issue of its boutique video game publication, Lock-On. Lock-On
Random Undertale Creator Wanted To Help Shigesato Itoi Make Mother 4
"I'd gladly give it my all to help out"
It's pretty well known at this point that Toby Fox's Undertale took quite a bit of inspiration from the Mother / Earthbound series. Heck, you only need to play Undertale for 5 minutes to see the similarities! Fox's love for the Mother games goes all the way back to his high school days, during which he created...
"50 minutes of MOTHER / EarthBound fan projects"
Although E3 isn't taking place this year, there are still plenty of things going on in the video game industry this week - with events like the Summer Game Fest. So how about a fan-made one to top it off? The Mother / EarthBound fan website Mother Forever will tomorrow be airing its very own Mother...
Feature Backlog Club: EarthBound Part Two - Bees, Backtracking, And Biscuits
Mother I'd Like to Finish
This article is part of our new experimental series, Backlog Club, where we (Nintendo Life!) pick a game that's likely to be on our list of "games we should get around to playing", and then we (NL + you!) spend the next month playing that game. This is the final part of May's game, EarthBound (or Mother 2, if you prefer),...
Feature Backlog Club: Earthbound Part One - Getting SNEStalgic With Mother
Mother 2 knows best
This article is part of our new experimental series, Backlog Club, where we (Nintendo Life!) pick a game that's likely to be on our list of "games we should get around to playing", and then we (NL + you!) spend the next month playing that game. This is the halfway point, the Part One of two, where we stop for a minute to check in...
Poll If Nintendo Released Mother 3 In The West, What Would It Be Called?
EarthBound 2? Earth3ound? MotherEarth?
Last weekend we celebrated Mother's Day by having a real Mother of a blow-out. We began with our weekly Box Art Brawl poll pitting EarthBound against Mother 2. We then took a look back at memories old and new of both EarthBound and the legendary (and legendari
Poll Does Nintendo Really Need To Release Mother 3 In The West Anymore?
We'd be first in line, but have all the fans played it already?
That Mother 3 never got officially localised and released outside Japan has been a source of sadness and frustration for EarthBound fans in the West since the game launched on Game Boy Advance back in 2006. The sequel to cult classic EarthBound — the SNES entry in the Mother series...
Soapbox Mother 3 Isn't Sad, It's Hopeful
It's SMILES and Tears, remember?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've got on their minds. Today, Alana wants to tell you why you should find hope and not just gloom in Mother 3. You'll still cry, though, don't worry. Now, are you ready? Say… Fuzzy Pickles!...
Memory Pak Making New Memories With Earthbound In 2022
"Getting real big Undertale vibes from this"
I didn't have a SNES growing up. I didn't have a NES, either. I had an N64, though, so I'm not totally hopeless. Lately, I've been able to remedy the gaps in my gaming knowledge, since Nintendo's been adding a ton of games that I either missed (because of being a baby) or missed (as in, bemoaned the...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel #95 - Earthbound / Mother 2
It's going to get Ness-y
Greetings, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we took a look at the SNES classic Super Castlevania IV, and boy, you folks really didn't like the Japanese box art, did you? The North American variant took a resounding victory with 94% of the vote; one of the most decisive Box Art Brawls we've perhaps...
News Mother 3 Producer Shares Thoughts On Localisation, And Why It Hasn't Happened
The game's "unique writing style" might be the issue
One of the most requested GBA localisations is the 2006 cult-hit RPG Mother 3. We heard in February how much the game's producer Shinichi Kameoka would "love to see" this particular entry get a worldwide release, so why hasn't it happened? In the latest episode of the Kit & Krysta P
Feature Backlog Club: Week Zero, May - It's Time To Play Earthbound
Sorry, "Mother 2"
Rule number one of Backlog Club: Work through your pile of unplayed video games one at a time, and discuss them with other people. Rule number two of Backlog Club: Don't talk about Backlog Club. Just kidding! Tell everyone. Please. Hello again, and welcome back to Backlog Club, our new and experimental feature which forces us to...
News Nintendo Reminds Fans EarthBound And EarthBound Beginnings Are Available On Switch Online
You can even download a free strategy guide
Earlier this year, Nintendo finally made EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings available on the Switch Online service. In case you missed it, Nintendo has now issued a reminder by sharing a fact sheet on social media - highlighting a few of the fun details about each game. It's also shared a link to the
News You Can Now Read The Official Mother Novels In English
Thanks to a fan translation
If you're a Mother/EarthBound fan and are hungry for more stories set within this weird and wonderful universe, you might be interested in checking out this fan translation of the Mother and Mother 2 novel by Nyaasu. Both of these novels have never received an official English translation. They tell the stories of the...
News Stunning Mother 3 Tribute Video Gets Side-By-Side Comparison With The Game Boy Advance Original
You've got to see this
Earlier this week, you might have seen a gorgeous 3-minute fan-made trailer showcasing Mother 3 as a 3D game. It was so beautiful, even our American-based video presenter Zion got a little emotional. Curiomatic - the same YouTube channel behind the original video - has now released a side-by-side comparison clip to illustrate...
News Mother 3 Producer Would "Love To See" GBA Entry Receive A Worldwide Release
"I will continue to wait"
EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings arrived on the Nintendo Switch Online service earlier this week, but one entry in the cult-hit RPG series we're still hoping to see localised one day is the Game Boy Advance title, Mother 3. With the return of the NES and SNES games, there's talk on
News Nintendo Shares The Original EarthBound Player's Guide Online
Ah, the '90s
After lots of waiting Nintendo finally delivered what a number of Nintendo Switch Online subscribers have demanded - EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings were released on the NES and SNES apps. Nintendo didn't go above and beyond and deliver us a localised iteration of Mother 3, sadly, but titles that were previously individual...
News EarthBound And EarthBound Beginnings Out Now On Nintendo Switch Online
Update: Creator Shigesato Itoi dropped a hint earlier on
Update: EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings are available now on the Nintendo Switch Online service. Shigesato Itoi, you wily old fox, you! Here's some PR: Join Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo in their quest to fulfill an age-old prophecy to stop the wicked Giygas (and maybe catch a Runaway Five...
Video We Have An EarthBound Conspiracy Theory
Fuzzy pickles, fuzzy pickles, fuzzy pickles
It's an old chestnut now. Way back in 2006 it was disappointing — if not surprising — that Mother 3 wasn't brought to the West, but after Lucas came to Super Smash Bros. in 2015 it seemed like a foregone conclusion that we'd see the third part of the EarthBound trilogy officially localised at some...
Random Who Needs The Mother Games When You Can Have This Watch Instead
But seriously, can we have the games now?
Mother and EarthBound fans located in Japan might not be able to enjoy the older entries in the series on the current generation Nintendo hardware, but at least they'll be able to tell the time with this themed digital watch made by Casio. Hobonichi has announced a collaboration with the Japanese...
News Mother 4 "Unofficial Fan Project" Revealed, Here's Your First Look
A brand new entry based on the acclaimed RPG series
If you've been wanting Nintendo to release a new entry in the Mother series, here's potentially the next best thing...if it ever sees the light of day. It's a fan-made sequel to the acclaimed RPG series, titled 'Mother 4'. There's a four-minute reveal trailer - introducing fans to a new character...
News A New Mother Tribute Comic Has Been Revealed, Pre-Orders Open In Japan Later This Month
Part of the 'Hobonichi Mother Project'
Last May, you might remember how the company Hobonichi Shinbun (owned by Mother series' creator Shigesato Itoi) launched the 'Hobonichi Mother Project'. It included a Pollyanna tribute comic - featuring comics and illustrations handled by 35 manga artists and writers - including Toby Fox (
News 25 Seconds Of New EarthBound 64 Footage Emerges Online
Travel back to 1997
At the beginning of this month, someone put a corporate Nintendo CD-ROM from 1998 on sale. The winner of the online auction was a Twitter user known as Zen, who paid the equivalent of $357 USD for the item, after discovering the disc contained footage of the cancelled N64 project, EarthBound 64 - also known back then as Mother 3...
News EarthBound YouTube Videos Keep Getting Flagged For Copyright By Sony
"I find it horribly disheartening"
If you're a YouTube content creator hoping to share let's plays or other videos on EarthBound, SNES' cult classic RPG, you might want to think twice. Over the past couple of weeks, reports have come flooding in from YouTube users who say that their EarthBound-based videos are being flagged for copyright by Sony...
Random Did You Know EarthBound Creator Shigesato Itoi Had A Starring Role In My Neighbor Totoro?
Here's your fact of the day
Shigesato Itoi is a name that Nintendo fans will forever be familiar with, and you may well have enjoyed some of his finest work, but we dare say there'll be a few people out there who had no idea about this particular role of his. You'll likely know Itoi as the creator of the Mother series (known as EarthBound here in...
Never-before-seen content, cut ideas and much more...
New secrets about the SNES game EarthBound have been uncovered thanks to efforts of the Video Game History Foundation. In 2018, former Nintendo of America employee Marcus Lindblom (and the guy responsible for the English-language script in EarthBound) discovered an old floppy disk which were...
Random Terry Crews Wants Nintendo To Localise Mother 3
C'mon, make it happen!
Over the past month, there have been quite a few stories about Mother 3. You see, the Game Boy Advance title recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, and it's still not been released outside of Japan. Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé even teased fans about an English copy of the game, and now, to add to...
News Mother 3's Fan Translation Patch Has Been Updated
That's one way to celebrate 15 years
Yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the cult classic Game Boy Advance title Mother 3. While there's still no sign of an official localisation, fans many years ago took matters into their own hands by releasing their own translation. While nothing official is happening, it seems the fan translation is...
Anniversary Mother 3 For Game Boy Advance Is Now 15 Years Old
Please localise it, Nintendo
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has acknowledged the 2006 Japan-only Game Boy Advance exclusive Mother 3 a few times over the past week, and today just so happens to be the third entry's 15th anniversary. Yes, it's now been 15 long years since this cult classic RPG arrived in Japan. Although...
Random Did You Know Wii's 'Why Not Take A Break' Screen Was Inspired By EarthBound?
It's all thanks to the 'Two-hour Dad'
Thanks to the launch of Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO, a new book that pulls together various Iwata Asks interviews and touching words from Iwata's colleagues at Nintendo, fans are discovering (and rediscovering) all sorts of fascinating facts about the company. Over the...
Random Reggie Says He's Got An English Version Of Mother 3, But Still Hasn't Played It
A playful joke, or something more?
Westerners have been crying out for Nintendo to localise the 2006 Game Boy Advance title Mother 3 for many years. While there's still no sign of an official translation happening, former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé recently spoke about a "Mother 3 English version" on Twitter and how he might...
Random Artist Reimagines EarthBound As A Modern 3D Game Series
And it's absolutely stunning
One cult hit JRPG series that many Nintendo fans refuse to forget about is Mother, otherwise known as the EarthBound series. Although Nintendo has done nothing new with Ness and the gang in many years now, diehard fans continue to show their support for this weird and wonderful IP in many different ways. With this in...
News Mother Is Getting Its Own Pop-Up Shops In Japan
As part of Hobonichi's project
While we've been waiting for the return of the Mother video game series, the Hobonichi Mother Project has been filling the void with all sorts of goodies. To top it off, it's now announced it will temporarily open two shop displays in Japan to sell Mother merchandise. The first shop, in Osaka, will open up later this...
Random Thanks Fire Emblem, Mother 3 Is Now Trending On Social Media (Again)
"Lucas can’t take much more"
Yesterday, Nintendo surprised everyone when it announced it would be localising the original entry in the Fire Emblem series for the first time ever. Yes, that's right, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light will be released on the Switch eShop this year on 4th December. As happy as everyone is about...
News Hobonichi Techo Reveals Mother Themed Line For 2021, Pre-Orders Open Next Month
Even more EarthBound merch!
Japanese planner company Hobonichi Techo has revealed a brand new line of merchandise based on the EarthBound (Mother) series launching in 2021. It'll be available for pre-order next month via Amazon Japan and the Hobonichi online store. What's on offer? There are all sorts of items including notebooks, calendars,...
News Shigesato Itoi's Company Reveals New Mother Themed Merch
Fancy a Franklin Badge?
Following on from an official tribute comic in May, the Hobonichi Mother Project (from the same company owned by Mother series' creator Shigesato Itoi) has now revealed new themed merchandise (including jewellery and accessories). They'll be released on the company's online store on 24th August. Ther
Anniversary EarthBound Turns 25 In The USA, And A Whole Generation Feels Old
Mother!
As time continues to march on relentlessly, it's time for another significant video game anniversary - and today's is a particularly nostalgic one. It's 25 years to the day since Shigesato Itoi's lovely EarthBound first arrived on US shores and gamers in the West got to take on Giygas with Ness and his band of young heroes on the SNES. They...
