EarthBound (Mother in Japan) is a role-playing game series created by Shigesato Itoi for Nintendo. The series started in 1989 with Mother for the Famicom/NES, and was then followed up by a sequel, Mother 2 (known as EarthBound in America) for the Super Famicom/Super NES system, and followed up again much later with Mother 3 for the Game Boy Advance in 2006. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Shigesato Itoi. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section can be improved by converting lengthy lists to text. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses of the word Mother, see Mother (disambiguation) Mother ) (Usually referred to as EarthBound Zero or Earth Bound NES) was a game released only in Japan for the Famicom (FC). ... The Nintendo Entertainment System (U.S., Europe, and Australia) NES redirects here. ... NES redirects here. ... A sequel is a work of fiction in literature, film, and other creative works that is produced after a completed work, and is set in the same universe but at a later time. ... Ness, the red-capped boy in this picture, experiences many humorous adventures in EarthBound. ... United States is the current Good Article Collaboration of the week! Please help to improve this article to the highest of standards. ... This article should be merged with Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Famicom design differed from that of the American SNES, though the controllers are almost the same. ... The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australia. ... Mother 3 is a HAL Laboratory video game, developed by Brownie Brown and released on April 20, 2006 for the Game Boy Advance. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Like the Final Fantasy series, the Mother games are not a sequential series, but rather three "stand alone" games that feature some common characters, themes, and settings. Final Fantasy ) is a series of computer and console role-playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ...

Although most RPGs depict knights and wizards in pseudo-medieval settings (such as Final Fantasy), the Mother series takes place in more modern present-day (western) settings told from a Japanese perspective. Mother is set in a suburban America in 1988, while Mother 2 is set in 199X in EagleLand (A reference to the United States) which and Mother 3 is set on Nowhere Island (with some western overtones). Enemies consisted of everything from aliens, to possessed cars, to evil hippies. Instead of swords and shields, weapons consisted of household items, from Yo-yos to frying pans. The series became extremely popular in Japan, and merchandise for the game was produced, including shirts, handbooks, and even a fully-orchestrated and performed soundtrack. Its popularity matched and even surpassed that of Dragon Quest. Also, while Ness is in all the versions of the Super Smash Bros. series, no Mother game, other than Mother 2, has been released outside of Japan and the USA. Warrior (From Middle English, from Old North French, to make war) is a character class (or job) found in many computer role-playing games, most notably in Square Enixs Final Fantasy series. ... The term Wizard, as a character class, could conceivably refer to: Black Mages Red Mages White Mages Blue Mages Time/Space Mages This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Final Fantasy ) is a series of computer and console role-playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ... Housing subdivision near Union, Kentucky, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, currently used by the SETI project in the search for extraterrestrial life Extraterrestrial life is life that may exist and originate outside the planet Earth, the only place in the universe currently known to support life. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The yo-yo is a toy consisting of two equally-sized discs of plastic, wood, or metal, connected with an axle, around which a string is wound. ... cast-iron iron enamel stainless steel The cooking pan is a type of food preparation utensil commonly found in the kitchen which includes many more specific cooking vessels such as saucepans and frying pans (or fry pans). ... Dragon Quest ), known as Dragon Warrior in North America until the 2005 release of Dragon Quest VIII, is a series of role playing games created by Enix (now known as Square Enix). ...

Mother

The characters of Mother visit a town.

Main article: Mother (video game)

Translation of opening text: Image File history File links Mother-1. ... Image File history File links Mother-1. ... For other uses of the word Mother, see Mother (disambiguation) Mother ) (Usually referred to as EarthBound Zero or Earth Bound NES) was a game released only in Japan for the Famicom (FC). ...

In the early 1900s, a dark shadow covered a small county town in rural America. At that time, a young married couple vanished mysteriously from their home. The man's name was George, the woman's name was Maria. Two years later, as suddenly as he left, George returned. He never told anyone where he had been or what he had done. But, he began an odd study all by himself. As for Maria, his wife... she never returned. The year is 1988, in the outskirts of Mother's Day. // Events and trends Technology First flight by the Wright brothers, December 17, 1903. ...

Mother told the story of a young boy who had to journey around the world to save the planet from an evil race of mind-controlling aliens. Along the way he was joined by several friends, and met many unusual characters and visited strange settings before ultimately confronting the leader of the aliens. The game was a smash hit in Japan, and gamers appreciated its unorthodox and refreshing take on the often formulaic RPG genre.

Nintendo of America planned to translate and release the first Mother game in the United States under the title EarthBound. Although the game's localization and translation was finished a year earlier, the game was ultimately deemed unprofitable for a US release, and the planned release was cancelled after the game had already been translated and all packaging and advertising was ready. It was confirmed by former Nintendo employee Phil Sandhop, that Nintendo refused to release EarthBound (Zero) in America because the Super Nintendo had already been released in America and they thought that no one would notice a new NES game because a large number of gamers had already shelved their Nintendo Entertainment Systems for their new Super Nintendo [1]. Simply put, it was due to marketing.

In recent years, one of the auctioned beta cartridges of the game was made into a ROM and circulated for download on the Internet. To avoid confusion, the game was dubbed EarthBound 0 by fan translation group Neo Demiforce, as Nintendo had since released the SNES sequel to Mother in America under the title EarthBound. Software development stages Development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ... In a variety of electronic equipments, a cartridge (in video game terms, cart, game pack, or Game Pak) can be one method of programming different functionality, providing variable content, or a method by which consumables may be replenished. ... Read-only memory (ROM) is a class of storage media used in computers and other electronic devices. ... A fan translation is an unofficial translation of a computer game or video game, sometimes into a language that it was never marketed in. ... EarthBound (Japanese: MOTHER 2 ギーグの逆襲 Māzā Tsū Gīgu no Gyakushū Mother 2: Gyiyg Strikes Back) is a role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. ...

Mother 2 / EarthBound

The main characters of EarthBound walking around Onett.

Main article: EarthBound

Mother 2 is a distant sequel to the original Mother, with many characters, themes, and tunes borrowed from its predecessor. Many of the characters and settings are very similar, but the only explicitly returning character is Giygas, who swears revenge at the end of the first game (evidenced by Mother 2's Japanese subtitle: Gyiyg Strikes Back!). Image File history File links Ebound. ... Image File history File links Ebound. ... EarthBound (Japanese: MOTHER 2 ギーグの逆襲 Māzā Tsū Gīgu no Gyakushū Mother 2: Gyiyg Strikes Back) is a role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. ... Giygas ) is the villain in the Famicom RPG game Mother, and the Super Nintendo RPG EarthBound (Mother 2 in Japan). ...

Though Mother never saw the American marketplace, its sequel for the Super Famicom/SNES, Mother 2, did. It went by the name of EarthBound in the US and starred a young psychic boy by the name of Ness. It too was extremely phenomenal in Japan, but it did not sell as well in the US, as RPGs were generally unpopular with the American market at the time, and this game was released just as strong RPG titles such as Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger appeared, whose graphics and sound made EarthBound's look dated. However, the game has since developed one of the strongest cult followings in North America, a community which is still thriving even today. A psychic is a person who claims or who is believed to possess extra-sensory abilities, including: Clairvoyance, Psychometry and Precognition. ... Ness ) is the 13 year old [citation needed] hero of EarthBound. ... Final Fantasy VI ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Chrono Trigger ) is a console role-playing game created by Square Co. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...

Mother 3

Main article: EarthBound 64

Main article: Mother 3

Lucas and Boney walking around town.

Mother 3 is the long-awaited (and according to Shigesato Itoi, final) game in the Mother series. Beforehand the game was in development for Nintendo 64, but the project was cancelled due to the release date being near the end of the systems life span (and possibly with issues with the 3D engine and other production problems) The project picked up again for the Game Boy Advance (which was announced on a commercial for Mother 1+2). The game was finally released on April 20, 2006, and retained the traditional EarthBound artstyle and the general story and characters that were introduced in the cancelled N64 version. Unlike the first two games the story focuses on a boy named Lucas and his family on Nowhere Island. Their home is invaded and the peace is disrupted by the mysterious "Pig Army" who dramatically changes Nowhere Island by introducing technology and infrastructure and performing bizarre experiments on the flora and fauna in their takeover. The game chronicles the trials and tribulations of Lucas and his family and friends as they fight against the Pig Army threat. Earthbound 64 (Japanese: Mother 3) was a cancelled game that was going to be released for the Nintendo 64 and then on the Nintendo 64DD. Several years later is was revealed that the project had started up again for the Game Boy Advance. ... Mother 3 is a HAL Laboratory video game, developed by Brownie Brown and released on April 20, 2006 for the Game Boy Advance. ... Image File history File links Mother3_01. ... Image File history File links Mother3_01. ... The Nintendo 64 (Japanese: ニンテンドウロクジュウヨン Nintendō Rokujūyon), commonly called the N64, is Nintendos third home video game console for the international market. ... A 3D rendering with raytracing and ambient occlusion using Blender and Yafray 3D computer graphics are works of graphic art that were created with the aid of digital computers and specialized 3D software. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mother 1 + 2 is a port of Mother and Mother 2 (EarthBound US) to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... Lucas ) is the main character in Mother 3 for GBA (formerly planned for 64DD). ... Simplified schematic of an islands flora - all its plant species, highlighted in boxes. ... Fauna is a collective term for animal life of any particular region or time. ...

Currently, the game is only available in Japan, although many EarthBound fans are hoping for a U.S. release. There are rumors from the United Kingdom's Official Nintendo Magazine of a possible European release, although nothing is confirmed yet. April 2006 issue (Issue 2). ... World map showing Europe Political map (neighboring countries in Asia and Africa also shown) Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ...

• The game once contained the subtitle "The Fall of the Pig King." However, this was omitted later on.

Other games

A compilation for the Game Boy Advance, called Mother 1 + 2, was released in Japan Q3, 2003. The game was meant to promote the upcoming Mother 3 (also for Game Boy Advance) as the rebirth of the franchise. Mother 3 had been in development for the Nintendo 64, but it was cancelled due to production problems. The game's story had already been developed, along with the main characters, but at one point, the game's creator reported in a series of interviews that he had written a new script. However, it seems that the original N64 storyline in Mother 3 is remained intact. Q3 can refer to: The third quarter of a fiscal year The third quartile in descriptive statistics Quake 3 Arena This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Mother 1+2 and perhaps Mother 3 are not expected to be released in North America, and Mother 3 was recently released in Japan on April 20, 2006. However, the UK Official Nintendo Magazine magazine suggests that Mother 3 may hit Europe on late 2006.

There are also rumors, according to Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine, of a compilation of the three Mother games for the Nintendo DS, but nothing has been confirmed. [2] The Nintendo DS ) (sometimes abbreviated NDS or DS, also as iQue DS in China) is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo and was released in 2004. ...

Notable characters

The first two games feature four main characters who are largely the counterparts of the other:

• Ninten / Ness - The main protagonist in both games is a boy in a red cap who never speaks. He is gifted with telepathy which gives him psychic powers.
• Lloyd / Jeff - The main character is later joined by a smart boy with glasses who is very skilled at building inventions, but lacks psychic abilities.
• Ana / Paula - Both games likewise feature a female character in a pink dress who is also a skilled psychic.
• Teddy / Poo - The last party member in both games is a skilled fighter. In Mother he is a street gang leader with no psychic powers, while in Mother 2 he is an oriental martial arts master and psychic.

Ninten is the first controlable character in the Nintendo Famicom video game Mother. ... Ness ) is the 13 year old [citation needed] hero of EarthBound. ... Red is any of a number of similar colors at the lowest frequencies of light discernible by the human eye. ... A silent protagonist is a central character who does not verbally interact with other characters within a storys narrative. ... Telepathy (from the Greek τηλε, tele, distant; and πάθεια, patheia, feeling) is the communication of information from one mind to another by means other than the known perceptual senses. ... Lloyd from Mother Loid (Alternatively Lloyd. ... Jeff, as he appears in EarthBound. ... Ana from Mother. ... Clay model of Paula (as she appears in Mother 2). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Teddy from Mother Teddy (Japanese: テディ) is one of the major characters of the NES game Mother (later known as Earthbound Zero). ... Clay model of Poo (as he appears in Mother 2). ... A gang is a group of individuals who share a common identity and, in current usage, engage in illegal activities. ... The term the Orient - literally meaning sunrise, east - is traditionally used to refer to Near, Middle, and Far Eastern countries. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ...

See also

• PSI List (mother series)

This article or section is a candidate to be moved to a gaming wiki. ...

External links

US Major site

• Starmen.Net

Japanese major site

• Mother Party

Fan sites etc...

• Mother2.Net
• EarthBound IPM
• Extensive Analysis of the Prototype Mother Cartridge
• RPGClassics' Earthbound Zero Shrine

Japanese official links

• Official Mother website
• Official Mother 2 website
• Official Mother 1 + 2 website
• Official Mother 3 page
• Itoi's Mother 3 website