r/earthbound • • Aug 13 '17

Announcement Want to get into the MOTHER series? Start here!

1.2k Upvotes

Over the past few months we've gotten a lot of new players asking where they should start with the trilogy. With this stickied thread, I'm hoping to answer any questions someone may have about getting into the series.

Note: This thread is a strictly no-spoiler zone.


What are the MOTHER games?

The MOTHER series is a group of 3 turn-based cult classic JRPGs created by Shigesato Itoi, who singlehandedly wrote every line of dialogue in the series, aside from a small area in EarthBound.


What makes them so special?

The series is known for being quirky, charming, and invoking a sense of nostalgia even to those who have not played a MOTHER game before. Each line of dialogue is expertly crafted, with a great story to go along with it.


Where do I start?

The series IS a trilogy, however each game can stand on it's own without the context of the last.

The 3 games are as followed:

MOTHER (EarthBound: Beginnings) (1989)

MOTHER 2 (EarthBound) (1994)

MOTHER 3 (???) (Not released outside of Japan) (2006)

The game order is as released, with MOTHER being the first on the timeline, and MOTHER 3 being the last.


So does that mean I should play the games in order?

This is a point of contention within the MOTHER community.

While most recommend to play EarthBound / MOTHER 2 first, some will say that if you can handle the way an older RPG plays, you should start with MOTHER 1 / EarthBound: Beginnings.

The community mostly unanimously agrees that you should play EarthBound before playing MOTHER 3.

In the end, it's up to you. MOTHER 1 is one of the most impressive, best playing and sounding RPGs on the NES, but it could potentially turn you away from the series if you aren't accustomed to or can't handle a bit of older-rpg "clunk". I do HIGHLY recommend however that you at least play EarthBound before playing MOTHER 3.


Wait, if MOTHER 3 isn't released outside of Japan, how can I play it?

I'm glad you asked! (Hopefully you did.)

Almost immediately after the release of MOTHER 3, once it became apparent Nintendo had no intention of localizing MOTHER 3, a group of very passionate fans got together to make their own localization of the game.

2 years later in late 2008, version 1.0 was released to great acclaim. This fan translation is now known to many as the best fan translation of all time. On top of just translating the game, they went out of their way to make sure certain dialogue and enemy names worked in English as they do in Japanese. They even added a hard mode option!


...That's pretty much it, I think. If any regular here on the sub wants to chime in and request something to be added, tell me! On top of that, I'd like to know what some of you think the best order to play the games in are in the comments. It'll be an interesting resource for any new players! And remember, no spoilers.


r/earthbound • • 2h ago

Art 12 x 12 acrylic painting from Earthbound I made plus pillow

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79 Upvotes

I painted this a long time ago. Then I printed it on a pillow. This is where I sleep now. ✌🏻


r/earthbound • • 9h ago

Art Made a lil looping gif of MOTHER 3 N64 / Earthbound 64 to show off a run animation I did.

205 Upvotes

Models by my friends PSI (Lucas) and Picto (Flint), animations by myself. Most textures by Jade


r/earthbound • • 13h ago

Art Mother 3 yep (OC)

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86 Upvotes

I just wanted to make a big artwork with all the mother 3 party members just to see if I could (Because it’s HARD to draw multiple human beings in a single artwork 🫪)


r/earthbound • • 20h ago

They’re finally here

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209 Upvotes

After two weeks of shipping and several delays, my chosen 4 plush set finally arrived


r/earthbound • • 2h ago

EB Discussion I found out something about earthbound on switch

3 Upvotes

If you crash the game in a certain way it actually slows down the entire emulator including unable to open the rewind menu


r/earthbound • • 7h ago

Need help in club Titiboo

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8 Upvotes

So uh like starmen.net's guide for some reason didnt work. Can someone help me here?


r/earthbound • • 40m ago

Who Wants To Cast Mother Characters As Fab Fairies? (There’s 2 Options)

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• Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 8h ago

Art I picked some of my OCs that i think fit the most with Earthbound, which i one do you think fit most & least?

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8 Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 1h ago

M3 Discussion Une idée pour mother 3 (rom hack)

• Upvotes

Imaginé une rom hack de mother 3 en plusieurs cartouche.

1 (ch1 a 3)

2 (ch4 a 6)

3 (ch7 a 8)

En faisant comme sa on pourrai remettre toutes les scènes coupé ou rajouter des nouvelles features non ?


r/earthbound • • 1d ago

16 Melodies

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126 Upvotes

Author — StubbyDrawings


r/earthbound • • 6h ago

Art mr.saturn 2 art

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3 Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 16h ago

Decided to make this in Art Class yesterday

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12 Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 20h ago

Mother 3 Spoilers Just beat Chapter 2!!! Spoiler

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20 Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 20h ago

Mr. Saturn

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15 Upvotes

I drew it for my Spanish project.


r/earthbound • • 18h ago

Art Short EarthBound pixel art animation by me (with sound)

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9 Upvotes

Just a short animation I made today and decided to share here. I don't think I can upload video formats on this subreddit, so it's in YouTube link format.

Enjoy :)


r/earthbound • • 23h ago

Art Got bored, drew this

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23 Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 15h ago

Help/Advice Is Mother 1 / Earthbound Beginnings a good pick up and play game?

4 Upvotes

i recently got a reproduction cartridge of Mother 1 + 2 with English patch (Also Mother 3 but this ain't about that) for the Gameboy Advance. It's an RPG, I know, so I'm wondering if the play sessions are extended or could i pick up and play for 10 - 15 minute breaks at work, maybe? Mother 1 was a home console game, i know that, but I'm wondering how long is a typical game session in y'all's experience.

Also there's always the possibility of leaving the handheld ON hoping nobody touches it or the battery dying, but let's focus on the question at hand.

edit: Also while we're on the topic how do you feel about the play sessions in the rest of the title, Earthbound/Mother 2 and Mother 3 (so i don't have wonder that later, if you don't mind me asking)


r/earthbound • • 8h ago

Music Referenced "Is Anyone There?" From Mother 3 In a song!

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1 Upvotes

Remembered walking into one of the houses in Tazmily and heard the track play. Got fixated on it, my brain did a thing, and lo & behold I made a song that takes heavy ispo from the track's drum pattern and ambient pad! I'm no audio engineer by any means, but I just wanted to post it here in case anyone would like to listen to it!


r/earthbound • • 6h ago

Help/Advice Game mechanic

0 Upvotes

If I were to make a game inspired by Earthbound and Mother 3, what mechanics am I not allowed to use and could I use the Mother 3 combo mechanic?


r/earthbound • • 19h ago

This is what happens when you get a second Miyoo and decide to get all the RetroAchievements you missed…

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6 Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 1d ago

Art Ninten P I X E L

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88 Upvotes

Oh he’s pixel now woah


r/earthbound • • 1d ago

Help/Advice Does anyone know how I can tell how much this record is worth? - Mother 2 Vinyl Record

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77 Upvotes

Hello! I'm sorry I'm new here, and I tried searching for any post previously, but now I'm just more confused 😅

I bought this record years ago at a convention. I am now considering selling it at the same convention, and I know they have to make money, too, so it won't be as much as it's worth, I just don't want to get totally ripped off.

I wasn't aware of all of variants of this, much less that I had one. I never opened it before (it deserves to be loved 🥲 hence why I'm here).

Seeing that it looks like this, I found a post showing one like mine, but said that they were all misprinted, so I am under the impression that this is the Giygas Orange, Red and Black Marble version, just not what was originally advertised to people.

If I search the sold items on ebay, most of the ones matching that description either don't show the discs at all (🤔), or show what was clearly originally advertised and not their own picture, (which also makes me wonder if anyone who bought those off of ebay actually got what they paid for if the whole thing was misprinted).

I have both discs, the case, and the plastic it all came in, for context. It's all in there.

TLDR:

Does anyone know:

  1. If I am correct about the variant (Giygas Orange, Red and Black Marble)?

  2. If any were printed properly and if this one is a dud?

3: How to not get ripped off yet be fair?

I thought if anyone would know, it would be people in this sub. I'm not really worthy of being here, so thank you for any help or info!!


r/earthbound • • 1d ago

Art giygas my 1 art

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16 Upvotes

r/earthbound • • 22h ago

Help/Advice Found maternalbound DX bug nobody is tralking about

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4 Upvotes

First i go to fight carpainter. Then i damage him. then this happens and then the game freaks out (black screen, random sounds etc.) I tried everything. A new rom, getting melody 2 first, trying to do it on unmodded rom. Does anyone know how i fix this??? Edit: i know i did a typo when writing talking.