The original Japanese version of EarthBound Beginnings, released only in Japan for the Famicom, had some gameplay, story and level layout differences from the later Western port. This original version was never released outside of Japan.
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While I will say that this is a classic worth playing, I must also admit that this game is a bit dated and that some parts, especially the difficulty spikes, can be off putting to some.
Mother, or Earthbound Beginnings to some, is a RPG that started the Mother/Earthbound series, which is known for it's parody elements and weirdness.
After his great grandparents strange disappearance 80 years ago, Ninten (who just awakened his psychic powers) must now travel around the world in order to put a stop to the strange occurrences happening around him. Along the way, he'll meet Lloyd, a gifted student who's bullied for his lack of physical strength, Ana, a girl who also possesses psychic powers (although hers are offense-orientated compared to Ninten's defense-orientated powers), and Teddy, a gang leader who wishes to avenge his parents death.
It plays a lot like most RPGs, but most RPGs probably don't have you fight hippies or trees that explode upon defeat, so it definitely gets some points for being unique.
In terms of difficulty, as mentioned before, this game has a few difficulty spikes (especially during Mt. Itoi) where you're just forced to grind for a bit and hope the enemies don't kill you. Speaking of enemies, this game uses random encounters, meaning sometimes you can't even go 3 steps without encountering an enemy that could probably kill you.
Also, I'm not sure if the way you learn PSI skills are random or not. I hope they're random because why the hell would they intentionally make it to where Ninten learns Life Up Alpha at the beginning of the game but doesn't learn Life Up Beta until right before the goddamn final boss.
But even with the problems this game has, I still had some fun with it. I'm also glad that the best armors and weapons are just stuff you can find/buy instead of the 1/128 bullshit this game's sequel uses.
The soundtrack is also pretty good (especially the train/credits theme), even for a NES/Famicom game. I also like the eight melodies and how they are WAY more important here than in Earthbound.
I think this game is proof that older games are definitely worth playing, so if you enjoy some of the more older RPGs (early Dragon Quest/Final Fantasy, Digital Devil Story, etc.), you should give this game a play, just promise me you won't cry until the end.
Mother, or Earthbound Beginnings to some, is a RPG that started the Mother/Earthbound series, which is known for it's parody elements and weirdness.
After his great grandparents strange disappearance 80 years ago, Ninten (who just awakened his psychic powers) must now travel around the world in order to put a stop to the strange occurrences happening around him. Along the way, he'll meet Lloyd, a gifted student who's bullied for his lack of physical strength, Ana, a girl who also possesses psychic powers (although hers are offense-orientated compared to Ninten's defense-orientated powers), and Teddy, a gang leader who wishes to avenge his parents death.
It plays a lot like most RPGs, but most RPGs probably don't have you fight hippies or trees that explode upon defeat, so it definitely gets some points for being unique.
In terms of difficulty, as mentioned before, this game has a few difficulty spikes (especially during Mt. Itoi) where you're just forced to grind for a bit and hope the enemies don't kill you. Speaking of enemies, this game uses random encounters, meaning sometimes you can't even go 3 steps without encountering an enemy that could probably kill you.
Also, I'm not sure if the way you learn PSI skills are random or not. I hope they're random because why the hell would they intentionally make it to where Ninten learns Life Up Alpha at the beginning of the game but doesn't learn Life Up Beta until right before the goddamn final boss.
But even with the problems this game has, I still had some fun with it. I'm also glad that the best armors and weapons are just stuff you can find/buy instead of the 1/128 bullshit this game's sequel uses.
The soundtrack is also pretty good (especially the train/credits theme), even for a NES/Famicom game. I also like the eight melodies and how they are WAY more important here than in Earthbound.
I think this game is proof that older games are definitely worth playing, so if you enjoy some of the more older RPGs (early Dragon Quest/Final Fantasy, Digital Devil Story, etc.), you should give this game a play, just promise me you won't cry until the end.
insane the amount of times i messed up teleporting bc i didnt give myself enough room to run
Very frustrating.
I never "got" Earthbound. I respect it, but I just couldn't really vibe with it how I wanted to. So when I tried its predecessor on a whim, I was expecting to bounce off it pretty quickly... But to my complete and utter surprise, I adored Mother. I don't think I've played a single NES game that resonated with me more.
On a purely presentation level, I love everything Mother is going for. The story manages to do so much with so little, using the NES's limited capabilities to tell a subtle but deceptively deep narrative that feels like a punch in the gut once you realize what it's all meant. The simple Peanuts-inspired artstyle is so cozy and charming, but can also feel haunting in how empty the game can feel at times. I love how Magicant starts off as this overwhelmingly surreal location, but as you return there more and more, it starts to become familiar and homely. I love the robust rock-influenced soundtrack, the existential dread of Youngtown, the abundance of weird and memorable setpieces like the desert tank and the early-game poltergeist, and the harrowingly desperate and personal final boss fight that had me more on edge than anything I've played in a while.
As for the gameplay, yeah, it's flawed. Its battle mechanics can feel archaic, its balancing can feel all over the place, and some of its puzzles can feel quite cryptic, but as someone who's played their fair share of NES RPGs, Mother is incredibly generous. The run button makes exploring Mother's massive open world an absolute treat, you get so many great grinding opportunities and immensely powerful PSI spells and are never really at a lack of options, and for all the complaints I've heard about the grinding in this game, I was stunned at how tightly-paced it is regardless. Even with the times I took stopped to grind up my party, Mother took me less time to beat than any of the Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy games on the NES yet still managed to cover far more ground. Like yeah, Mother is probably the grindiest Nintendo RPG, but that's not really saying much.
I honestly didn't expect Earthbound Beginnings, of all games, to be the one to help me understand the appeal of the Mother series, but it's funny how things work out sometimes. I think they're the kinds of games that may rub you the wrong way at first, but if you just give them a bit of your time, they'll make it worth your while. I gave Mother a chance and was immensely rewarded with one of the most sincere and affecting adventures the NES has to offer, and now I can say I'm excited to do the same with its sequels someday.
And if Mother's combat is still too much for you, play a mod. Literally any mod, there's so many out there. There is a version of Mother for everyone, and everyone should experience this one-of-a-kind game.
On a purely presentation level, I love everything Mother is going for. The story manages to do so much with so little, using the NES's limited capabilities to tell a subtle but deceptively deep narrative that feels like a punch in the gut once you realize what it's all meant. The simple Peanuts-inspired artstyle is so cozy and charming, but can also feel haunting in how empty the game can feel at times. I love how Magicant starts off as this overwhelmingly surreal location, but as you return there more and more, it starts to become familiar and homely. I love the robust rock-influenced soundtrack, the existential dread of Youngtown, the abundance of weird and memorable setpieces like the desert tank and the early-game poltergeist, and the harrowingly desperate and personal final boss fight that had me more on edge than anything I've played in a while.
As for the gameplay, yeah, it's flawed. Its battle mechanics can feel archaic, its balancing can feel all over the place, and some of its puzzles can feel quite cryptic, but as someone who's played their fair share of NES RPGs, Mother is incredibly generous. The run button makes exploring Mother's massive open world an absolute treat, you get so many great grinding opportunities and immensely powerful PSI spells and are never really at a lack of options, and for all the complaints I've heard about the grinding in this game, I was stunned at how tightly-paced it is regardless. Even with the times I took stopped to grind up my party, Mother took me less time to beat than any of the Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy games on the NES yet still managed to cover far more ground. Like yeah, Mother is probably the grindiest Nintendo RPG, but that's not really saying much.
I honestly didn't expect Earthbound Beginnings, of all games, to be the one to help me understand the appeal of the Mother series, but it's funny how things work out sometimes. I think they're the kinds of games that may rub you the wrong way at first, but if you just give them a bit of your time, they'll make it worth your while. I gave Mother a chance and was immensely rewarded with one of the most sincere and affecting adventures the NES has to offer, and now I can say I'm excited to do the same with its sequels someday.
And if Mother's combat is still too much for you, play a mod. Literally any mod, there's so many out there. There is a version of Mother for everyone, and everyone should experience this one-of-a-kind game.
Não zerei. Mano, eu passei MUITO tempo no Mt. Itoi, MUITO TEMPO no Mt. Itoi. Desde o ano passado eu estava tentando passar desse inferno, as vezes ficava semanas sem jogar, todas as vezes saia frustrado, QUASE CONSEGUI. Até que... Meu celular foi roubado.
Eu estava jogando em um emulador de Famicom no celular. Isso teve algumas implicações: O software tinha uma versão premium ( que eu não comprei ), eu não conseguia diminuir o volume no jogo, não conseguia "acelerar" e também não conseguia usar Save State. Eu ressalto essas coisas pois EU PASSEI MUITA RAIVA nesse jogo, DUNCAN FACTORY é um lugar amaldiçoado. Esse jogo é DURO, ele vai te maltratar, ele vai cuspir na sua cara, ele vai rir de você. Mas PORRA, poucas vezes eu tive uma experiência tão marcante com alguma obra artistica, esse jogo é LINDO caralho.
Desde o primeiro momento que eu tive que deitar um Hippie no pau na primeira rota, até o eu pegar um tanque e depois me aventurar numa caverna de macacos mentirosos. Apesar do penar da gameplay, pqp, parece que os devs e o tal do Itoi estavam numa inspiração divina pra elaborar essa aventura bizarra e esses diálogos escalafobéticos. Nunca senti tanto ódio quanto, em Snowman, um local muito do filho da puta espirrou na minha cara e me deixou gripado todo fudido, ou então quando eu falei com um velho e ele LOTOU MEU INVENTÁRIO COM UMA QUANTIA CÔMICA E ENORME DE TOOTHBRUSH. Eu entrei numa boate, aceitei bebida de uma mulher e APARECEU UM POLÍCIAL DO NADA E ME LEVOU PRO XILINDRÓ PQ O NINTEN É MENOR DE IDADE E NÃO DEVERIA BEBER.
Que trilha sonora da porra também, talvez a maior protagonista na imersão em Mother. Recomendo fortemente o álbum [ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/keiichi-suzuki-hirokazu-tanaka/mother/ ]. Se esse jogo não fosse o bagulho mais penoso de jogar, tendo 3000 inimigos seguidos a cada 5 passos e um balanceamento patético, seria o melhor jogo já feito na história da humanidade (Arte 2). O que me deixa muito curioso de como será Earthbound e Mother 3.
Um dia vou jogar novamente, vencer o Mt. Itoi e zerar esse jogo, um dia.
Eu estava jogando em um emulador de Famicom no celular. Isso teve algumas implicações: O software tinha uma versão premium ( que eu não comprei ), eu não conseguia diminuir o volume no jogo, não conseguia "acelerar" e também não conseguia usar Save State. Eu ressalto essas coisas pois EU PASSEI MUITA RAIVA nesse jogo, DUNCAN FACTORY é um lugar amaldiçoado. Esse jogo é DURO, ele vai te maltratar, ele vai cuspir na sua cara, ele vai rir de você. Mas PORRA, poucas vezes eu tive uma experiência tão marcante com alguma obra artistica, esse jogo é LINDO caralho.
Desde o primeiro momento que eu tive que deitar um Hippie no pau na primeira rota, até o eu pegar um tanque e depois me aventurar numa caverna de macacos mentirosos. Apesar do penar da gameplay, pqp, parece que os devs e o tal do Itoi estavam numa inspiração divina pra elaborar essa aventura bizarra e esses diálogos escalafobéticos. Nunca senti tanto ódio quanto, em Snowman, um local muito do filho da puta espirrou na minha cara e me deixou gripado todo fudido, ou então quando eu falei com um velho e ele LOTOU MEU INVENTÁRIO COM UMA QUANTIA CÔMICA E ENORME DE TOOTHBRUSH. Eu entrei numa boate, aceitei bebida de uma mulher e APARECEU UM POLÍCIAL DO NADA E ME LEVOU PRO XILINDRÓ PQ O NINTEN É MENOR DE IDADE E NÃO DEVERIA BEBER.
Que trilha sonora da porra também, talvez a maior protagonista na imersão em Mother. Recomendo fortemente o álbum [ https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/keiichi-suzuki-hirokazu-tanaka/mother/ ]. Se esse jogo não fosse o bagulho mais penoso de jogar, tendo 3000 inimigos seguidos a cada 5 passos e um balanceamento patético, seria o melhor jogo já feito na história da humanidade (Arte 2). O que me deixa muito curioso de como será Earthbound e Mother 3.
Um dia vou jogar novamente, vencer o Mt. Itoi e zerar esse jogo, um dia.
My team consists of Faggot, Dyke, Furas and Queer. My fave food is piss which sometimes makes great Disco Elysium references during gameplay
(edit: unfortunately giving up on it for now and probably will just watch a walkthrough on yt. The gameplay from what I experienced so far just getting lost on a gigantic and mostly empty map and re-living the Zubat cave from Pokemon except you can't escape)
(edit: unfortunately giving up on it for now and probably will just watch a walkthrough on yt. The gameplay from what I experienced so far just getting lost on a gigantic and mostly empty map and re-living the Zubat cave from Pokemon except you can't escape)