this game is EVERYTHING to me.
mr. shigesato itoi, you have my eternal gratitude
i’m currently overwhelmed with emotion, i haven’t cried like this in a while… i have so much love and passion for this game that i’m sure there isn’t enough time in the day to express my love.
itoi, just like dante and kozue amano, is one of those people who have truly captured the essence of my spirit: not just as a human being, not just as a youth, not just as a player or a gamer- but he’s captured ME… penguin or jacob or however you know me.
the core design philosophy of the world of mother 3 begs interactivity and draws out the inherent curiosity dormant in all of us. but instead of rewarding that curiosity with new upgrades or items, mother takes its joy in the memories and experiences you’ve made.
this is a point i got from supereyepatchwolf’s video… but it rings true. the save frogs (some of my favorite characters ever btw) even tell you how important memories are at the start of this game ! and it’s continually evident how important these memories and experiences are. especially at the end of the game !!
the main conflict of this game is this fascist pig mask army led by porky who deindividualize, manipulate, and imperialize the small and unassuming tazmily village.
one huge theme of mother 3 is the conflict between nature and artificial advancement. it can even be seen in the logo of the game, it has traces of wood but is mostly overtaken by metal. this conflict and consumerist corruption is actually depicted in a more nuanced than how it might seem initially. despite being a game for kids, mother 3 isn’t afraid to tackle more mature subjects. this of course includes the fascist takeover, but also grief, loss, identity, and maturity.
mother 3 has many different stories and ideas but at its center is the story of a tragic family and the maturation of lucas. somehow itoi manages to weave all these narratives together seamlessly and manage to make an accessible and
easy to follow game.
and speaking of striking a balance. the tone is literally perfect. mother 3 allows its dramatic moments to play out, uninterrupted, but it can also deploy an unexpected joke to great effect many times.
m3’s characters fall under this same treatment. they can have surprising depth and memorability for town npc’s but they can also just be extremely funny… like the guy and the girl who stare at each other at the beach for the entire game.
all this is well and good… but why does any of this matter to ME specifically?
it’s simple i guess, the wonder, joy, and humor which shigesato itoi builds into the world of this game is comparable to my own. like in aria and in the divine comedy, mother 3 not only understands the beauty of the intricacies of the natural world, people, and experiences, but the philosophy of a world which inspires your wonder is baked into the code and scenario design and characters and script and EVERYTHING
shigesato itoi is a man who has an obvious passion for life, and that passion doesn’t just “bleed” into this game. it IS this game. every strange interaction with a mole cricket or relaxing hot tub healing is a sign of the energetic and wonderful world of mother 3. and moreso than that. it’s a game about family, loss, and dealing with grief. all themes that i’ve personally connected strongly with throughout me life, but have began tightening their grip even more recently.
and finally- to wrap it all up. the ending might be the greatest ending ever. only possible through games. only possible from the minds of everyone behind the game. and most importantly, only possible because of me, the player. never has an ending felt more personal or caring towards me (?) it’s the weirdest feeling, and obviously mother 3 doesn’t know me like i would know my friends, but i can sense a real earnestness and honesty in the affectionate words from the Tazmily people to ME.
mr. shigesato itoi, you have my eternal gratitude
i’m currently overwhelmed with emotion, i haven’t cried like this in a while… i have so much love and passion for this game that i’m sure there isn’t enough time in the day to express my love.
itoi, just like dante and kozue amano, is one of those people who have truly captured the essence of my spirit: not just as a human being, not just as a youth, not just as a player or a gamer- but he’s captured ME… penguin or jacob or however you know me.
the core design philosophy of the world of mother 3 begs interactivity and draws out the inherent curiosity dormant in all of us. but instead of rewarding that curiosity with new upgrades or items, mother takes its joy in the memories and experiences you’ve made.
this is a point i got from supereyepatchwolf’s video… but it rings true. the save frogs (some of my favorite characters ever btw) even tell you how important memories are at the start of this game ! and it’s continually evident how important these memories and experiences are. especially at the end of the game !!
the main conflict of this game is this fascist pig mask army led by porky who deindividualize, manipulate, and imperialize the small and unassuming tazmily village.
one huge theme of mother 3 is the conflict between nature and artificial advancement. it can even be seen in the logo of the game, it has traces of wood but is mostly overtaken by metal. this conflict and consumerist corruption is actually depicted in a more nuanced than how it might seem initially. despite being a game for kids, mother 3 isn’t afraid to tackle more mature subjects. this of course includes the fascist takeover, but also grief, loss, identity, and maturity.
mother 3 has many different stories and ideas but at its center is the story of a tragic family and the maturation of lucas. somehow itoi manages to weave all these narratives together seamlessly and manage to make an accessible and
easy to follow game.
and speaking of striking a balance. the tone is literally perfect. mother 3 allows its dramatic moments to play out, uninterrupted, but it can also deploy an unexpected joke to great effect many times.
m3’s characters fall under this same treatment. they can have surprising depth and memorability for town npc’s but they can also just be extremely funny… like the guy and the girl who stare at each other at the beach for the entire game.
all this is well and good… but why does any of this matter to ME specifically?
it’s simple i guess, the wonder, joy, and humor which shigesato itoi builds into the world of this game is comparable to my own. like in aria and in the divine comedy, mother 3 not only understands the beauty of the intricacies of the natural world, people, and experiences, but the philosophy of a world which inspires your wonder is baked into the code and scenario design and characters and script and EVERYTHING
shigesato itoi is a man who has an obvious passion for life, and that passion doesn’t just “bleed” into this game. it IS this game. every strange interaction with a mole cricket or relaxing hot tub healing is a sign of the energetic and wonderful world of mother 3. and moreso than that. it’s a game about family, loss, and dealing with grief. all themes that i’ve personally connected strongly with throughout me life, but have began tightening their grip even more recently.
and finally- to wrap it all up. the ending might be the greatest ending ever. only possible through games. only possible from the minds of everyone behind the game. and most importantly, only possible because of me, the player. never has an ending felt more personal or caring towards me (?) it’s the weirdest feeling, and obviously mother 3 doesn’t know me like i would know my friends, but i can sense a real earnestness and honesty in the affectionate words from the Tazmily people to ME.