EarthBound (game)

EarthBound
File:EarthboundSymbol.png
Developer(s)	Ape, Inc. HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Shigesato Itoi
Released	August 27, 1994 March 20, 2013 (VC) June 5, 1995 July 18, 2013 (VC) July 18, 2013 (VC)
Genre(s)	Console role-playing game
Ratings	ESRB: K-A (SNES), T (Virtual Console)
Platform(s)	Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Media	24 megabit cartridge
Article on WikiBound	EarthBound

EarthBound (MOTHER 2 ギーグの逆襲, Mother 2: Gyiyg Strikes Back) is a role-playing game (RPG) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the second game in the Mother series, following the Famicom game Mother which was not released outside Japan, therefore having its status as the second game in the series left unreferenced in its US title. The game is only loosely connected to Mother, in that it shares neither the primary protagonists nor the primary setting; one of the few notable connections is Giygas, the primary antagonist of both games, here seemingly executing the revenge he swore to uphold against the planet Earth at the end of Mother.

EarthBound was released on the SNES in Japan and North America, and a port of the game, coupled with its prequel, was also released for the Game Boy Advance in Japan. EarthBound was never released for SNES in Europe and Australia, and it only finally saw release in these regions following a worldwide re-release of the game for the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2013.

The game appears as a masterpiece in Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. In Brawl, it can be played for 300 seconds, but is only avaible in the japanese version. In Smash Wii U", it can be played for 300 seconds and starts at the opening cutscene. However, it must be unlocked by getting 1968 ft. or more in Home-Run Contest.

In the Super Smash Bros. series

Characters

Ness debuted in this game. He is the main character. The story begins when Ness is awakened by a meteor that has plummeted to the earth near his home, whereupon he proceeds to investigate the crash site. When Ness gets to the crash site he discovers a police road block and Pokey Minch, his friend and neighbor, who tells him to go home. Later, Ness is woken up again by Pokey knocking at his door, demanding help to find his brother Picky. They find him near the meteor sleeping behind a tree and wake him up. Then the three encounter an insect from the meteor named Buzz Buzz who informs Ness that he is from the future where the "universal cosmic destroyer", Giygas, dominates the planet. Buzz Buzz senses great potential in Ness and instructs him to embark on a journey to seek out and record the melodies of eight "sanctuaries," unite his own powers with the Earth's and gain the strength required to confront Giygas.

Moves

PK Flash, Ness' Neutral special move, comes from this game. The move involves using the character's psychic power to cause a strong flash, which can have a variety ofdifferent effects. Ness is the one to learn it in this game.

Stages

Onett and Fourside come from this game. Onett is Ness's hometown in Eagleland. Fourside is a major city that Ness has to venture through in order to find the fifth Your Sanctuary location.

Items

Mr. Saturn comes from this game. Mr. Saturns are strange creatures that reside in Saturn Valley where they provide health care and hotel stays free of charge, while other towns charge more and more as the game progresses.

Music

"Earthbound", "Smiles and Tears" and "Onett Theme/Winters Theme" come from this game. "Earthbound" is mainly from the track "Because I Love You", which plays in the city of Fourside. This track also consists of the first half of the "Eight Melodies" from EarthBound (called "Smiles and Tears"), and a small remixed excerpt from the theme played in Fire Spring, which consists mostly of drum beats. There are also the sound effects of caves and strange locations from EarthBound in the track. "Smiles and Tears" plays while the staff credits roll upon beating the game. "Onett Theme/Winters Theme" is a remix of two themes from this game: the music that plays as Ness explores Onett, and the music that plays when Jeff escapes his dormitory in Winters (which itself is a remix of Mother's Snowman theme).

Trivia

• EarthBound is the only Masterpiece in Brawl that was not available for sale on the Wii Virtual Console anywhere in the world, likely due to being a commercial failure in the US.