Nintendo releases Earthbound on Wii U Virtual Console!

[IBNobody]

Being overshadowed by something doesn't make bad (or good, for that matter). It's loved because it's different, not in that stereotypical medieval world that is way overused. And the game doesn't take itself seriously, and it's actually funny.

Just because something isn't set in the stereotypical RPG world doesn't make it good. I have a good sense of humor, but I didn't enjoy the game when I played it. It was a bunch of little kids in a boring world with a rather simple combat system. When it came out, I was in my late teens. I played it because there weren't any other RPGs at the time that I HADN'T played. It's one of the few RPGs that I beat and returned to the store.

And then two months later, Chrono Trigger came out.

 

[DJPlace]

I think in the japan version ness runs around naked or something they should put that in here but that's wishful thinking in my part...

 

[Deleted-188346]

I don't know why Nintendo is offering this only on the Wii U Virtual Console. A port of an almost 30-year old niche title is not going to sell systems, and the more places you offer the game, the more people can be exposed to the title, which could only boost awareness of the franchise as a whole. I mean, that would make sense, but nooo...

I don't think Nintendo expects this to sell systems. But, it does improve the overall desirability of the Wii U, which it gravely needs. The 3DS doesn't need much more support right now.

 

[beundertaker]

lame. let me know when there is an official earthbound 2 translation. minimum effort on nintendo's part means minimum effort on my part aka keep pirating.

 

[the_randomizer]

I don't think Nintendo expects this to sell systems. But, it does improve the overall desirability of the Wii U, which it gravely needs. The 3DS doesn't need much more support right now.

Gahars thinks that 2013 - 1995 is 30 years? That's news to me

lame. let me know when there is an official earthbound 2 translation. minimum effort on nintendo's part means minimum effort on my part aka keep pirating.

The hackers' translation was pretty dang professional, I doubt Nintendo wants to spend the money to localize it.

BTW, your self-entitlement is showing

 

[Yepi69]

PSP and the DSTWO can do it easy and IIRC Earthbound was one of the few games that SnemuLDS (the SNES emulator for plain DS carts) didn't even have a problem with. It's more of a matter of Nintendo wanting/not wanting to release SNES games on handheld than it is the actual capabilities of the 3DS.

What? SnemuLDS had sprite glitches and battle glitches on EarthBound.

I think in the japan version ness runs around naked or something they should put that in here but that's wishful thinking in my part...

On the Japan version (Mother 2) Ness IS naked when he enters on magicant, however they removed that on the American Version because people would complain he was showing a pixelated dick.

 

[Slamicite]

I love MOTHER 1 and 3, but not Earthbound.
The battle system is pretty much what you'd get from an early NES RPG such as Dragon Warrior 2. Lackluster battle animations, unbalanced party members and being forced to run away from the constantly recurring fights to save MP. Having the enemies appear on the overworld doesn't do much since they move faster and can see you from all directions. At best you can leave them stuck by an edge when they chase you.

Spoiler

Earthbound drags on for almost the entirety of its long length with no significant plot advancement at all. The ending some may call open-ended, but I call it awful. It has no cohesion with MOTHER 1.
The battle with Giygas is pathetic. Oh, ok, you make your villain incredibly powerful, now that's cool, right? Well, it would be, if you just didn't have to pull off a textbook deus ex machina to finish the story.

The setting is the only point where I understand the praise. However, I personally disagree that it alone can make the game worth it. Most good fantasy settings have their idiosyncrasies anyway, and there are other options for radically different ones.

I'm glad it's been re-released, though. There is a serious lack of accessible legitimate ways to play that game. I wonder if they may release it on the 3DS too, since more people have that.

 

[Deleted-188346]

2013 - 1995 is 30 years? That's news to me.

I think you quoted the wrong person.

 

[the_randomizer]

I think you quoted the wrong person.

Fixed, added Gahars' name into the quote, as he assumes Earthbound is 30 years old

 

[Boy12]

Damn, why don't i have a Wii U?

 

[Bryon15]

I have a serious question. Why did everybody care so much about this game releasing on virtual console, when you could easily play it on a modded Wii with snes9x gx years ago?

 

[Hielkenator]

lame. let me know when there is an official earthbound 2 translation. minimum effort on nintendos part means minimum effort on my part aka keep pirating.

Get the USA version of earthbound.

 

[eyecat14]

Earthbound is Mother 2, not Mother 3. You'll be playing a completely different game. Earthbound was released in the US anyways, so I don't know why would even need a translation...

This is off topic but I fucking LOVE Octocat!

 

[raulpica]

I have a serious question. Why did everybody care so much about this game releasing on virtual console, when you could easily play it on a modded Wii with snes9x gx years ago?

Because buying and playing something legally (and not $200 for an original cartridge) is awesome?

 

[Boy12]

Because buying and playing something legally (and not $200 for an original cartridge) is awesome?

Duh!

 

[the_randomizer]

I have a serious question. Why did everybody care so much about this game releasing on virtual console, when you could easily play it on a modded Wii with snes9x gx years ago?

Because this version doesn't have the anti-piracy protection that crashes the game at the last boss or increases the encounter rate...? More often than not, most dumped ROMs of this game had more enemies to fight, making it near-impossible to get through. Spending $10 is helluva better than paying those greedy sods who charge $100 for a new or good condition copy.

 

[koimayeul]

Still yet to play this one.. I'll check if it's on the french Wii (not U) store in a little while.

 

[beta4attack]

Still yet to play this one.. I'll check if it's on the french Wii (not U) store in a little while.

No, it's just for Wii U.

 

[chavosaur]

Because this version doesn't have the anti-piracy protection that crashes the game at the last boss or increases the encounter rate...? More often than not, most dumped ROMs of this game had more enemies to fight, making it near-impossible to get through. Spending $10 is helluva better than paying those greedy sods who charge $100 for a new or good condition copy.

Huh.
I never knew that existed. That would explain why the past couple times I tried to play it, I set it down because I would encounter something every 4 steps :/
Maybe I will pick this up then.

 

[Yepi69]

I love MOTHER 1 and 3, but not Earthbound.
The battle system is pretty much what you'd get from an early NES RPG such as Dragon Warrior 2. Lackluster battle animations, unbalanced party members and being forced to run away from the constantly recurring fights to save MP. Having the enemies appear on the overworld doesn't do much since they move faster and can see you from all directions. At best you can leave them stuck by an edge when they chase you.

Spoiler

Earthbound drags on for almost the entirety of its long length with no significant plot advancement at all. The ending some may call open-ended, but I call it awful. It has no cohesion with MOTHER 1.
The battle with Giygas is pathetic. Oh, ok, you make your villain incredibly powerful, now that's cool, right? Well, it would be, if you just didn't have to pull off a textbook deus ex machina to finish the story.

The setting is the only point where I understand the praise. However, I personally disagree that it alone can make the game worth it. Most good fantasy settings have their idiosyncrasies anyway, and there are other options for radically different ones.

I'm glad it's been re-released, though. There is a serious lack of accessible legitimate ways to play that game. I wonder if they may release it on the 3DS too, since more people have that.

Wha...? EarthBound was probably the only game where you get loads of money while being overpowered over enemies, and if you did played Mother 1 and Mother 3 (as you stated) you would know EarthBound wasn't about fucking the final boss up until he's coffin blood and split apart, was about beating the final boss with everyone's help, what less can you expect from a SNES game from 1995? And no, don't compare to Dragon Warrior 2 cuz EarthBound takes a different level over gameplay.
And Mother games have ''cohesion'' on all of them, the music from Mother 1 is on EarthBound, and the music from both is on Mother 3.

Because this version doesn't have the anti-piracy protection that crashes the game at the last boss or increases the encounter rate...? More often than not, most dumped ROMs of this game had more enemies to fight, making it near-impossible to get through. Spending $10 is helluva better than paying those greedy sods who charge $100 for a new or good condition copy.

I think you meant fake cartridges cuz the rom dumps don't have anti piracy, only the bootleg cartridges.

I have a serious question. Why did everybody care so much about this game releasing on virtual console, when you could easily play it on a modded Wii with snes9x gx years ago?

Why people make this stupid question, it was already answered because its better and officially, not everyone needs to hack their Wii to play the game, not to mention playing it on the Wii U's gamepad is way better.