Awesome history! I think this is the most complete history so far, and the only one that didn't bore me to death.

I say we storm Nintendo with torches until they meet our demands.

Personally i like the idea of all three Mother games in one DS card.

Wow, I didn't know that game at such history.  I remember renting the game back in the days (because that's the only way I could afford games back then) and It was great. I also remember reading about Earth Bound 64 being cancelled, I didn't even know about the GBA games. 

Knowing all this really does make me feel like getting back ito the mother fandom.  Great video !

Great work! It was so good that I had to create an account just to say how "awesome" this is, as I'm one of those advid cult followers! I'm gonna follow every video now =) keep up the good work!!

Oh man, this game.

I was absolutely entraaaanced by it. I've followed the history of it from the first time that I had seen the article about it in the very same Nintendo Power magazine where "Earth Bound" was first mentioned to the US audience. Just something about that very small article at the very back of the issue just enticed my mind back then, and even at that time when I looked at how basic the graphics in the screenshot looked when compared to the upcoming SNES games of the coming year, the concept of playing an RPG in a modern setting had overpowered my perception of the visuals being a hindrance. I had a feeling about this game, a very mysterious and indescribable feeling.

Following Nintendo Power some time later and seeing the advertisements for Earthbound on the SNES (And taking those scratch n' sniff cards with me everywhere that I went till the scents wore away after so long), I was so ready to play the game. A friend of mine got to rent it, and I got to play it with them. We were the kind of kids at the time who would make fun of stuff and giggle like blithering idiots over the likes of Gumby movies and episodes of "The State" for hours, and we both had something against SNES, since we were just then transitioning from the Genesis.  Something about this game, tho, we somehow mellowed out while playing it and kind of went speechless with being impressed and immersed, although we didn't really get very far along in the story. Another friend of ours at the time had saw us playing it and made a comment on how unappealing it was. We both defended the game with more seriousness than I think we'd ever done before for any other game or console during the "console wars".  It felt so good when I did that.

Eventually I'd gotten the chance to buy the game myself not too long after it was released at full price (After having rented it several times first), and I looooved it. After giving it to another friend of mine 3 years later in 1998 since he was nice enough to let me watch his Japanese Dragon Ball Z VHS tapes, I went and brought another copy at a Best Buy. There were times when the game and I were seperated from each other not long after, and I was quite sad about that, coming home from school to not be able to play it again made my afternoons disappointing till I got the game again. Still have it now and still play it every now and then.

It's great to see this kind of a history lesson on the entire series, there were bits of knowledge I'm now familiar with, and it's always fun to gain wisdom over Earthbound's legacy! Aw man, I remember seeing some info about "Earthbound 64" in an issue of Gamefan magazine and just being so happy about that, even if there was only 1 screenshot there.  Seeing that Ness was in the at-the-time new  Super Smash Brothers title as a hidden character, I was so happy about that as well,  although I've never owned the console.

This history lesson is one that sort of ends on a sad note. Usually I watch these types of videos and know that once it's over, it's over and I've learned a thing or two about the subject matter and I can say that I was there and experienced the history for myself. But for the Earthbound series, it feels as though there have been many chances where we non Japanese players could still have hope for further installments and re-releases, and yet, here we are, still wanting more.

Erm, I apologize for this long comment! I had to say something while watching these videos about Earthbound. So I registered for an account and now I've got it out of my system, I feel better, now!

I have never had the pleasure to play such a great game but I plan on paying the outlandish prices online to purchase the cart and add it to my collection. Sad to say, the SNES is a recent additon to my heap of old school gaming pieces and as such I only have a few heavy hitters.

But that has nothing to do with what I wanted to say here. I really enjoyed this look at the history of the game and the unfortunate occurances that gave way to this game becoming an underground classic. As a student of Game Design I always enjoy a look behind the scenes to get a glipmse of how the industry works as a whole.

Very informative Roo, although i'm a newcomer to the site I would say that hands down you guys host the best site i've been to for the sake of open discussion of gaming both tabletop and console/PC. I enjoy the level of intellect that is applied to all things gaming on the site as well as the quirky unforced conversational humor present in these reviews as well as in the podcasts.

Keep up the good work, both you, the commodore, and Boomer too. Thanks for giving us something cerebral as well as entertaining proving that these two adjectives don't have to exist opposite one another.
 

I've just started playing Earthbound for the first time. What can I say, I'm already in love with it. It was actually quite revolutionary for its own genre, but because so many people haven't played it this isn't widely known.

oh Earthbound, I remember you!

Ok, I played this game (ones again) ages ago, and I loved it. Everything about this game was so cheeky, and light hearted. I had a friend form middle school who talked about it everyday at lunch, so I rented it and got as far as the Threed. Everything about this game just makes you smile, I am ones again playing threw it and I am pretty far.

If there one thing I love about Earthbound is how colorful everything is.... everyone should play this game at least ones!

Good Stuff! :)

Great video, and I'm happy to see someone made one such as this! This is the video that drew me into CotGW to begin with, back in 2009, but I just recently became a member.

Kudos, Roo, and thanks for making this!

Many years ago someone introduced me into the wide world of ROMS. When I described the kind of games i enjoyed playing, he told me I had to play this one. I fell in love so hard. I watched a Let's Play of Mother 3 on youtube and it still has so much charm. I love, love, love Earthbound and this history made me want to experiance it all over again. I came to this site explicitly for this video and made an account just so I could tell you how awesome it is. Thanks so much!!!

I actually remember the reason I never got EB. I didn't actually like the setting of the game personally. Hell, even though I loved--to the point that it's now my favorite in the series-- FFVI, I was a little meh on the fact it didn't have black/white mages, and that it kinda mixed up the magic use with everyone being able to use it. I liked more of the FFIV kinda medieval fantasy where jobs were specific. Not sure I am stating it correctly, but I liked it more knights and wizards than futuristic stuff.

I didn't really like the fact it was set in contemporary times. Although I obviously can't speak for others, this was the reason I never bought it as a kid. I kinda just stayed with Square. I remember staying home a week fake sick from school to finish Chrono Trigger.

These videos have made me pick up a copy though, so I have you to thank for that. I'll finally get to experience what others obviously love so much.