Started on my Super NES Mini, then later transferred the save data to my laptop, and finally onto my modded Wii, where I finished it using SNES9x a total of five years after I started. I managed to beat the game without using save states, but I did fast-forward through some parts.

I finally see why so many people love EarthBound. It's a bold RPG for its time with lots of fresh ideas, and there's an irresistible charm to just about everything in it, especially the solidly localized dialogue. Truth be told, I may have gotten a little frustrated at several points, but this is a game is one that I'm glad I saw through to the end.

Positives: I had only tried EarthBound Beginnings/Mother for a little while before deciding it was not for me, but I had played it long enough to see that its sequel is a massive step up. Random encounters in the overworld are now replaced with visible enemies that initiate battle when the player comes in contact with them; they can be approached from behind for an advantage, and will run away from the party if the player if leveled up high enough. You can even defeat foes before a battle starts if they're weak enough, and I think that's pretty neat. The party is evenly balanced; not every member can perform the same moves, yet each of them have distinct advantages that help them contribute to battling. Best of all, the game does a really good job of explaining things, utilizing friendly moles that offer you tips, and this hint salesman who shows up in the towns and tells you what to do next, for a fee. As for the story? Yeah, I suppose it's good, but the finale is spectacular: I won't spoil for those who don't know yet, but it does such a good job of building up tension and blows your expectations out of the water, there's truly nothing quite like it.

Negatives: I'm sad to say it, but there were some things that prevented me from enjoying EarthBound to the fullest. The most glaring issue is the inventory system, with each party member being limited to a measly fourteen slots. That might sound like plenty, but in this game, equipable gear and key items necessary for story progression take up those same slots. You can transfer out unneeded items via the Escargo Express delivery service, but they will only deliver or pick up three items at a time, so inventory management becomes a needless hassle. EarthBound also has these annoying gimmicks that don't meaningfully contribute anything to the game. For example, when battling, you gain experience immediately upon victory, but in order to claim the money you've earned, you need to find an ATM, into which the unseen father deposits your winnings; the same father calls you on your receiver phone repeatedly to suggest taking a break from the game. In addition, the main character has a really irritating tendency to develop homesickness, and you can only combat this by calling your mom at every available opportunity, so she can repeat the same 3-4 lines of dialogue. Neglect to do so, and your performance in battle will start to falter noticeably when you're in the middle of a dungeon, and no, you can't make outgoing calls. There's several other issues, like the rolling HP meter not being useful until the late game, and enemies ganging up on you in the overworld because the run button is gone, but I firmly believe a majority of these problems could be fixed in a proper remake.

My final verdict? EarthBound is very good, but it hasn't aged well enough for the average gamer to appreciate its innovations. I hope Nintendo sees this game for what it's worth and gives it the remake it deserves, because as far as I can tell, this is an RPG that could make a non-RPG fan reconsider their outlook on the genre.