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EarthBound (universe): Difference between revisions
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== Franchise description == | == Franchise description == | ||
An influential Japanese television personality and copywriter named Shigesato Itoi took a foray into the Nintendo-dominated video game market of the late 1980s, and designed and directed the Japan-exclusive RPG ''Mother'', which was partially developed by the Nintendo subsidiary Ape (which would later be renamed Creatures). Released for the Famicom in July 1989, it was a very unusual take on the primarily sword-and-sorcery-themed RPG genre in that it was set in a humorous rendition of modern-day America, had the player assuming the role of a neighborhood boy with psychic powers, featured modern objects such as baseball bats and yo-yos as stand-ins for weapons that could be equipped, and featured a variety of bizarre and comical enemies such as possessed automobiles. It also featured a very odd blend of simplistic character designs and a dark and brooding theme and tone. The game sold very well in Japan, and an English localization immediately began, with an intended Fall 1991 release date and '' | An influential Japanese television personality and copywriter named Shigesato Itoi took a foray into the Nintendo-dominated video game market of the late 1980s, and designed and directed the Japan-exclusive RPG ''Mother'', which was partially developed by the Nintendo subsidiary Ape (which would later be renamed Creatures). Released for the Famicom in July 1989, it was a very unusual take on the primarily sword-and-sorcery-themed RPG genre in that it was set in a humorous rendition of modern-day America, had the player assuming the role of a neighborhood boy with psychic powers, featured modern objects such as baseball bats and yo-yos as stand-ins for weapons that could be equipped, and featured a variety of bizarre and comical enemies such as possessed automobiles. It also featured a very odd blend of simplistic character designs and a dark and brooding theme and tone. The game sold very well in Japan, and an English localization immediately began, with an intended Fall 1991 release date and ''EarthBound'' as the intended Western title. However, marketing executives anticipating the mid-1991 release of the Super NES decided that the prototype NES game would be too expensive to produce and market, and the localized product was never formally released in the West. | ||
Itoi designed a sequel for the Super Famicom, ''Mother 2'', though the title's development was troubled and stretched across five years because it was a joint effort by Ape and [[HAL Laboratory]] (HALKEN at the time), separate studios based at separate locations (employs would regularly have to travel between studios to work). It was released in August 1994 in Japan, and unlike its predecessor saw a Western release the following June, under the first public occurrence of the name ''EarthBound''. However, while the game's Japanese sales figures were relatively close to the original's, it sold poorly in the West because American audiences were largely indifferent to JRPGs at the time (this would only end with the 1997 release of ''Final Fantasy VII'', which brought the genre to the mainstream). Critical retrospectives, however, portray it as not only one of the best RPGs in the 1990s, but one of the most original, both in its approach to established JRPG mechanics and in its uniquely quirky humor, storyline (which is comparatively more light-hearted than its forerunner), character, and bizarre, psychedelic aesthetic, as well as its many parodies of American culture and JRPG - and science fiction - storytelling conventions. Some publications have named it the ultimate example of a cult classic, with substantial fanbases in both Japan and North America. | Itoi designed a sequel for the Super Famicom, ''Mother 2'', though the title's development was troubled and stretched across five years because it was a joint effort by Ape and [[HAL Laboratory]] (HALKEN at the time), separate studios based at separate locations (employs would regularly have to travel between studios to work). It was released in August 1994 in Japan, and unlike its predecessor saw a Western release the following June, under the first public occurrence of the name ''EarthBound''. However, while the game's Japanese sales figures were relatively close to the original's, it sold poorly in the West because American audiences were largely indifferent to JRPGs at the time (this would only end with the 1997 release of ''Final Fantasy VII'', which brought the genre to the mainstream). Critical retrospectives, however, portray it as not only one of the best RPGs in the 1990s, but one of the most original, both in its approach to established JRPG mechanics and in its uniquely quirky humor, storyline (which is comparatively more light-hearted than its forerunner), character, and bizarre, psychedelic aesthetic, as well as its many parodies of American culture and JRPG - and science fiction - storytelling conventions. Some publications have named it the ultimate example of a cult classic, with substantial fanbases in both Japan and North America. | ||
More development and release-date woes awaited the ''Mother'' / ''EarthBound'' franchise following ''Mother 2''. Itoi immediately began development of ''Mother 3'' for the Super Famicom in 1994, which was then moved to the Nintendo 64DD add-on for the Nintendo 64. When the ill-fated add-on was met with failure, the game was cancelled and restarted on the Nintendo 64 itself, where it was initially expected to be a launch title for the console's Western release. But Itoi's development team was inexperienced with developing three-dimensional titles and the Nintendo 64 hardware itself, and the project remained unreleased even as ''Mother 2'' / ''EarthBound'' was included by [[Masahiro Sakurai]] as a surprise contending franchise in the ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' crossover fighting game. Itoi eventually announced the official cancellation of ''EarthBound 64'' in August 2000, citing that he did not want to make anything other than "something truly special". [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] subsequently became interested in finding ways to salvage some of the work, though this had to be put on hold because the ''Mother 3'' development team was put on Nintendo GameCube projects. Meanwhile, the translated prototype of the Western version of the NES game was discovered and purchased by a fan translation group, which was modified, retitled "''EarthBound Zero''", and distributed through the Internet as a ROM image. | More development and release-date woes awaited the ''Mother'' / ''EarthBound'' franchise following ''Mother 2''. Itoi immediately began development of ''Mother 3'' for the Super Famicom in 1994, which was then moved to the Nintendo 64DD add-on for the Nintendo 64. When the ill-fated add-on was met with failure, the game was cancelled and restarted on the Nintendo 64 itself, where it was initially expected to be a launch title for the console's Western release. But Itoi's development team was inexperienced with developing three-dimensional titles and the Nintendo 64 hardware itself, and the project remained unreleased even as ''Mother 2'' / ''EarthBound'' was included by [[Masahiro Sakurai]] as a surprise contending franchise in the ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' crossover fighting game. After many delays, Itoi eventually announced the official cancellation of ''EarthBound 64'' in August 2000, citing that he did not want to make anything other than "something truly special". [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] subsequently became interested in finding ways to salvage some of the work, though this had to be put on hold because the ''Mother 3'' development team was put on Nintendo GameCube projects. Meanwhile, the translated prototype of the Western version of the NES game was discovered and purchased by a fan translation group, which was modified, retitled "''EarthBound Zero''", and distributed through the Internet as a ROM image. | ||
Itoi eventually decided to rerelease both ''Mother'' games in Japan as ports compiled on one Game Boy Advance cartridge, ''Mother 1 + 2'', which was released in June 2003 in Japan; to the dismay of fans, this was never released in the West either. However, Itoi realized he would once again be pressured into reviving ''Mother 3'', an idea he was initially opposed to, but encouragement from fans led to his decision to re-develop the game for Game Boy Advance, which he approached as though he were developing his magnum opus. ''Mother 3'', essentially now a Game Boy Advance edition of ''EarthBound 64'', was finally released in Japan in April 2006, twelve years after development began and over a year after the launch of the Nintendo DS successor portable. It was released to critical acclaim that praised its new rhythm-based but otherwise simple approach to JRPG combat, and more significantly, tragic storytelling and characterization that achieved a rarely-seen degree of depth in titles in the genre. | Itoi eventually decided to rerelease both ''Mother'' games in Japan as ports compiled on one Game Boy Advance cartridge, ''Mother 1 + 2'', which was released in June 2003 in Japan; to the dismay of fans, this was never released in the West either. However, Itoi realized he would once again be pressured into reviving ''Mother 3'', an idea he was initially opposed to, but encouragement from fans led to his decision to re-develop the game for Game Boy Advance, which he approached as though he were developing his magnum opus. ''Mother 3'', essentially now a Game Boy Advance edition of ''EarthBound 64'', was finally released in Japan in April 2006, twelve years after development began and over a year after the launch of the Nintendo DS successor portable. It was released to critical acclaim that praised its new rhythm-based but otherwise simple approach to JRPG combat, and more significantly, tragic storytelling and characterization that achieved a rarely-seen degree of depth in titles in the genre. | ||