Game: EarthBound
Genre: Classic RPG
Developer: Creatures Inc (Formerly Ape) and HAL Laboratories
Publisher: Nintendo
Original NA Release:  June 5th, 1995
Original Box Set Price: $69.95
Current NA Platforms: SNES, Nintendo Virtual Console

Tongue-in-cheek and tuned to be difficult, EarthBound deserves every bit of adoration it’s garnered since its US release in 1995. One of my super powers is a near immunity to nostalgia. Now that I’m jaded and old does EarthBound (Mother 2 in Japan) hold up?

The answer is yes and in this Winsomnia Retro Review I’ll tell you why.

I have a sophomoric mini-game I play when revisiting classic RPGs. Every character receives a different swearword or pun for their name. Initially I resisted this honored tradition. EarthBound deserves a serious playthrough, I thought. Then the game asked me my favorite food and activity. “HUMANS” and “F***ING” were my answers and boy howdy, did those jokes pay off.

This isn’t hyperbole. I laughed myself into tears with childish glee when my mother told me to eat a plate of HUMANS and head to bed. That’s when I realized that I was playing EarthBound correctly.

One of the things that makes EarthBound so good and gives it depth 18 years later is the whimsy it revels in. Even the most juvenile jokes cause a happy snort while playing. Other elements like monster names and enemy skills have gotten better with age. The dark comedy caused me to belly laugh throughout the entire game. The greatest part of the humor, however, is how it juxtaposes the sad scenes, heartfelt moments, and calculated spookiness. Of course, if you have no soul, you won’t feel any of those emotions so what about the rest of the game?

EarthBound delivers its plot in style. You play a kid named F*** Ness. One night a meteorite strikes outside your house. While investigating the crash, you meet an eloquent bee named Buzz Buzz. He tells you that he’s from the future where a bad thing named Giygas is doing all the evil. Your new sentient insect friend says you’re a bad enough dude to save the planet but need some homies to help. Shortly after delivering the hook, the dreaded Starman Junior wrecks Buzz Buzz and adventure ensues. Your parents are incredibly supportive of your quest. They frequently transfer money to your bank account, let you call to save your game, and offer advice. It’s quite endearing (suspicious even) that they seem so prepared for you to go out and become a goddamn hero.

Combat is a familiar for the era turn-based system that displays enemies in first-person perspective. Actions are selected from a Dragon Quest-like menu. Interaction is done through text windows. Descriptions in and out of combat are flavorful and witty. 

Enemies are diverse. Urban zombies, stray dogs, robots, and sentient piles of puke are all on the villain roster. Combat is formidable and robust. It’s common to heal up with a pile of consumables even after non-boss fights. Luckily there are no delivery fees for heroes in EarthBound.

Encounters aren’t random. EarthBound was one of the first RPGs to show enemies on the map as avoidable, though mobile, sprites.

Special techniques are called PSI attacks. Having psychic powers in place of magic is a subtle difference from even modern RPGs that helps set the tone in EarthBound. This is a cerebral world and psychic children are what the world needs.

EarthBound’s ultimate achievement is its perfect atmosphere. The game performs a ballet of droll and strange with tons of heart at its core. Humor is a natural part of the setting and isn’t shoehorned in but rather exists in service to the true narrative. I won’t spoil how.

No nostalgia necessary, EarthBound is one of the greatest games of all time. It’s a turn-based RPG that provides a welcomed challenge, great atmosphere, and dynamic protagonist/antagonist interplay. Whether you’re an old fan that let it fade from memory or missed it because of its limited US release, I highly recommend playing it. If you don’t feel like dusting off your SNES, don’t worry it’s currently available through Nintendo’s VC for $9.99.

1 Comment

  1. Pingback: First Ever Retro-Review: Earthbound « Winsomnia

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