known mother japan japanese role playing video game developed published nintendo video game console party player travels world collect melodies route defeating evil alien force second game mother series released english language predecessor released virtual console released japan august north_america june game lengthy development period spanned years making involved number japanese including writer musician songwriter sound designer future nintendo president themed portrayal western culture popular role playing game traditions featuring real world setting numerous staples genre directed game wanted reach non gamers intentionally goofy tone heavily marketed release promotional campaign proclaimed game initial reviewers little praise united_states sold half copies japan critics attribute combination game simple graphics satirical marketing campaign lack market interest genre ensuing years dedicated fan community spawned advocated series starting featured character super smash series video games public knowledge game received wide critical acclaim deemed timeless classic japan sequel mother released game boy advance reissued given worldwide release following years fan lobbying marking debut territories including europe gameplay features traditional role playing game elements player controls party characters travel game dimensional world composed villages cities caves dungeons way player fights battles enemies party receives experience points victories experience points acquired character level increase pseudo randomly increases character attributes offense defense maximum hit points psychic points character map screen like console era world entirely seamless towns outside world non traditional element perspective world game uses oblique projection use view grid perspective unlike predecessor use random encounters physical contact occurs character enemy screen battle mode combat characters enemies possess certain blows enemy reduce enemy reach zero enemy defeated specific type enemy defeated chance character receive item battle battle player allowed choose specific actions characters actions include attacking healing reveals enemy weakness strengths emulate specific enemy running away characters use special psi attacks require character assigned command characters enemies perform actions set order determined character speed character receives damage box gradually rolls similar allows players opportunity heal character win battle counter hits zero character knocked unconscious characters rendered unconscious game transitions screen asking player wants continue response brings conscious telephone saved half money person time defeat party members showing unconscious battles random tactical advantages gained player physically contacts enemy indicated translucent green fills screen player given strike priority applies enemies engage party case red neutral priority indicated gray additionally friends stronger battles weaker enemies eventually won automatically battle sequence weaker monsters begin flee friends chase currency indirectly received father save game progress time party wins battle father deposits money account withdrawn towns players visit stores weapons armor items bought weapons armor equipped increase character strength defense respectively addition items number purposes healing towns contain useful facilities hospitals players healed fee plot game took place years later events mother player starts young boy named investigates nearby crash neighbor finds alien force consumed world hatred consequently turned animals humans objects creatures bee future instructs collect melodies sound stone stop force visiting meets kids named jeff psychic girl eccentric inventor martial artist respectively join party way visits happy happy village saves zombie infested fall prey trap instructs jeff winters boarding school rescue continue city seaside resort summers prince violent meditation called training joining party party continues travel desert deep darkness swamp forgotten underworld live sound stone eventually filled visits surreal location mind fights personal dark returning party travel time fight young battle known feeling isolation attacks static reliance prayer development mother released nes sequel mother developed years later creatures published nintendo game written designed japanese author musician produced nintendo president ceo mother development team different original game members unmarried willing work night project mother development took longer planned came repeated threat cancellation said project dire straits resolved joined team programming team members project team led lead programmer worked game programming team led lead programmer worked specific data text maps spent office view game continues mother story reappears antagonist die end mother player option choosing continue protagonist story choosing player character original considered space travel instead confines single planet new game months scrapped idea cliché sought game appeal populations playing games girls mother series titles built considered reckless offer ideas encouraged staff contribute new ways portraying scenes video game medium saw titles foremost games big scenario scripts said wanted player feel emotions distraught playing game game writing intentionally quirky goofy character written japanese script dialogue feel thought default player character names like team suggestions characters based real life personalities instance desert miners modeled specific executives japanese construction company final battle dialogue based traumatic scene film beauty accidentally seen childhood referred battle background animations video drug specialist nearly animations working solely backgrounds years idea rolling meter began balls drop balls screen hit work characters high health instead chose style hit points counter bicycle harder elements implement controls similar tank felt programmers particularly willing tackle challenges programmers found difficulty implementing game delivery service delivery person navigate obstacles reach player thought funny delivery person run obstacles hurry way screen unusual maps laid diagonal streets oblique projection required extra attention artists specifically chose having map didn want artificially distinguish towns areas instead worked town unique favorite town summers mother designed fit limit expanded size scope twice second game originally scheduled release january cartridge finished japanese release set august extra months team played game added small personal touches told liked game role playing game completed mother release north_america year later north american release traditional nintendo mother developed japan localized united_states process game translated english western audiences game mother series released north_america time title mother changed avoid confusion sequel began english localization project converted percent script moving project filled position january credits game iconic phrases given liberties script weird wanted nintendo wanted script american direct translation worked great latitude divisional aided japanese writer translated japanese script tone positively described glass half challenged task culturally translating outsider view american audience sought stay true original text met spoke addition reworking original humor added private jokes american cultural allusions comedian spinal tap apart dialogue wrote rest game text including combat prompts item names easter eggs named non player character daughter born development took day birth proceeded work hour days weekends month game includes protection piracy triggered increases enemy counts game enjoyable additionally right players reach end copy story game saved file act ign declared arguably notorious example creative copy protection nintendo worked japanese artists programmers remove references intellectual property religion alcohol american release truck logo red crosses hospitals crosses alcohol coffee longer nude area seen image happy blue look like team concerned music licensing issues considered somewhat protected guise parody recalled music need changes graphical finished march game fully playable released june north_america nintendo spent million marketing american release ultimately viewed unsuccessful nintendo game marketing campaign derived game unusual humor nintendo larger play loud campaign game campaign included foul scratch advertisements called scratch advertising campaign ill conceived described campaign bizarre based jokes gamepro reported received reader complaints game scratch advertisement campaign expensive emphasized magazine advertisements extra cost strategy guide included game wrote price packaged game curtailed sales poor sales super nes game receive european release team devastated release poor critical response sales recalled game hurt reception graphics simplistic time critics placed high importance graphics quality felt game changes rpg formula rolling meter fleeing enemies ignored following years thought game aged time virtual console release music mother composers returned soundtrack newcomers comparison mother said pieces told super nes afforded team creative freedom channel based opposed old nintendo_entertainment_system restriction channels basic entailed higher sound quality music sounds closer regular compositions believes video game use string bending music soundtrack released november songwriting process compose synthesizer working programmers game personal pieces play player walking map battle favorite piece music plays player bicycle composed advance job found appropriate include wrote pieces included game team wrote music fill cartridge compact discs according repeatedly referenced listen founder eponymous album way home stated arranging game soundtrack based albums smile unreleased contained american themes shared smile evoked bright dark aspects america displayed sound mixed american humor hints style considered essential soundtrack mother recalls american composer think albums land dreams influential affinity cited john_lennon strong influence common theme love music prominent theme game album john_lennon plastic band helped avoid excessive instrumentation technical constraints soundtrack contains direct musical quotations classical folk music composers derived samples sources including commercial pop rock music texture work partially influenced reggae dub music speaking jazz noise felt best creating live performance mother music detail specific influence additionally felt mix tape wired magazine presents music presented particular selection artists running space age composer avant garde mentioned listened artists compilation stay awake interpretations music vintage disney films heavily development miscellaneous influences include music film score lost weekend albums pop rock musicians reception game originally received little critical praise american press sold poorly united_states copies compared twice japan described american release blamed low sales bizarre marketing campaign graphics average taste players game released popular united_states visual taste closer game especially expensive included strategy guide game celebrity japan european audiences multiple reviewers described game original unique praised script range emotions humor ign said game dialogue gameplay noted rpg aspects choice attacks battle found game bizarre memorable thought game script best asset medium strongest storylines fluctuated humorous poignant thought script clever sharp displayed wide range emotions want talk non player characters wrote game designers spoke players non playable characters noted interests shaped script allusions popular culture strangely narrative framework critics praised real world setting seen uncommon choice ign thompson noted 1990s homage love letter 20th century save point transfer money weapons enemies references classic rock bands noted theme distance knights dragons common japanese role playing game genre reviewers noted game steep difficulty ign thompson wrote beginning hardest aspects limited inventory experience monetary penalties death players new japanese cited quick time foes ultimate need avoid battles given difficulty bosses reviewers described game charm thought game self awareness added charm player learned game fun added music absolute delight complimented range space sounds themes bizarre battle tracks varied enemy type wrote game reputation comes consistent visual language character world design found ending despite finding ending credits character curtain photo album moments wonderful original reviewers wrote impressive fun praised game humor wrote game completely defied impressions des wrote past graphics bit nostalgia game entry level child rpg highly intelligent brazilian super explained expecting dungeons dragons style rpg disappointed visuals unlike bit games wrote american humor mature gameplay immature gamepro gave game mixed review commenting lack convincing story line dull nes clone graphics rpg fans little cautious approaching said saving fairly good music hilarious adult humor added humor mature little kids gameplay immature older gamers reviewing game years release ign wrote dark apocalypse silly interesting nearly decade original release lamented lack visual feedback battle animations felt game innovations feel smart unique rolling meter lack random battles thompson noted technical issues like animation multiple enemies screen went found game provide potent experience developers resources thought battle sequences surprised excellent battle system controls found reviews despite streamlined grind reducing convenience wrote menu interactions felt game far revolutionary compared battle scenes magazine compared game chosen story link hybrid narrative reviewers praised nintendo ign noted technically easier view tablet switching view mode multiple reviewers concluded game aged legacy release game english localization found praise localization reviewer described japanese english conversion notch time found localization funny clever evocative said unusually excellent time ign wrote nintendo dead wrong believing americans interested chaotic satirical world critics consider game surreal role playing games examples include items remove pencil statues experiencing game meeting man turned dungeon battling piles taxi walking listed video games play die wrote game checked video gaming actually played similarly eurogamer simon described sacred cow gaming called game utterly brilliant praised battle system described aspects game story saturn coffee break poignant called time champion self aware games warp perceptions boundaries break fourth wall citing frequent internal commentary medium final scenes player directly addressed game thought final scene clever powerful moment clever powerful game wrote went places game 1990s present day including player cool author told played game times said game felt fresh reliance personal experiences exactly sort title thrive today indie hit called accomplishment remarkable credited nintendo commitment voices creators ign said nearly decades release final boss fight continues epic video game time noted emotional impact wrote game content player feel lonely overall special individual aspect method video game medium explore ideas impossible explore media critics consider classic play video games game included games time lists including famitsu readers ign readers ign ranks 13th games 26th games distinct unforgettable game world perspective unconventional settings 1960s music named game essential japanese role playing games gamespot game year virtual console game year said great merely gem noted british players imported game regarded retro classic ign game true definition classic critics referred game time favorites cited official influence video games south_park series creator lisa citizens earth additionally reported unofficial influence contact known having cult following developed time release wrote gaming communities passionate active wrote game cult following ign wrote persistent ambitious dedicated collective hardcore fans groups influence nintendo decision making purchasing power virtual console digital trends wrote video game fans suffered fans cited nintendo reluctance release mother series games north_america ign described series neglected nintendo north_america similar reasons nintendo president later credited community response online social platform leading eventual virtual console platform physical copies hard find worth twice initial retail price wired described fan art videos tributes fan sites like mountainous popularity labor love nature double coat care aspects game development team appeared love work young started middle school definitive fan community web growth described site collection fan media absolutely massive provided place aggregate information mother series coordinate fan actions fan community intent acknowledge mother series community drafted thousand person petitions specific english language mother series releases time request shifted demand wanting interest recognized nintendo campaign mother english localization led creation color page art book anthology sent nintendo press outlets demonstration consumer interest called proposal collection fan art greatest gaming love letter created little response nintendo decided game founder professional game translator clyde led project november announcement october finish printed professional quality strategy guide video game merchandising site spun verge cited effort proof fan base dedication fan efforts include usa length documentary fan community mother fan produced sequel mother series went production definitively declared series following fan community came fans press interested work planned book game development release reply nintendo discouraged pursuing idea plans continue communicate directly community game history widely known later appearance ensemble cast member series including original sequels melee brawl 3ds wii biggest surprise original gave mother series fans hope future series ign wrote powerful characters players perfected odd controls psychic powers europe release better known role fighting game original role role playing game returned melee references saturn items tossed enemies battle arena based city joined mother lucas brawl wrote unpopular character series removed future installments returned 3ds sequel brawl lucas added later downloadable content nintendo produced sequels sequel announced nintendo mother north_america slated release expansion peripheral nintendo optical drive development hell game struggled find firm release date later cancelled altogether april japanese television advertisement revealed combined mother cartridge mother development game boy advance abandoned nintendo version kept plot mother released japan bestseller receive north american release basis sell mother release stated plans mother reaffirmed repeatedly ign described series neglected nintendo north_america mother mother mother released outside japan despite series signaled favorable odds future mother series outset wii virtual console platform ign rated having high probability release digital distribution platform adding nintendo listening game rated desired virtual console release nintendo_power poll rated release able published little effort wii version game commonly believed withheld music licensing concerns community told undisclosed legal preventing release english marcus instead nintendo realize magnitude game popular support consider priority project nintendo removed game demo collection north american release end announced moving forward january presentation announced japanese celebration nes mother following japanese march release citing fan interest nintendo social platform company president announced north american european release released july alongside free online version game original player guide game seller users time players overwhelmingly positive response game simon wrote game occasion return nintendo remaining lost classics years later released virtual console title new nintendo 3ds march europe march north_america
EarthBound