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Difference between revisions of "EarthBound"

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|other boxart size=250px
|other boxart size=250px
|other boxart caption=Japanese boxart
|other boxart caption=Japanese boxart
|system=[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]<br>[[Nintendo 3DS]] and [[Wii U]] ([[Virtual Console]])
|system=[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|rerelease=yes
|rereleasesystem=[[Wii U]] ([[Virtual Console]]) <small>(initial platform in Europe and Oceana)</small><br>[[Nintendo 3DS]]{{tt|*| New Nintendo 3DS models only}} ([[Virtual Console]])<br>[[Nintendo Switch]] (Nintendo Switch Online)
|genre=Roleplaying video game
|genre=Roleplaying video game
|rating=[[wikipedia:ESRB|ESRB]]: K-A<small>(SNES)</small><br />ESRB: T <small>(Wii U Virtual Console)</small><br />[[wikipedia:CERO|CERO]]: A <small>(All Japanese VC rereleases)</small>
|rating=[[wikipedia:ESRB|ESRB]]: K-A<small>(SNES)</small><br />ESRB: T <small>(Wii U Virtual Console)</small><br />[[wikipedia:CERO|CERO]]: A <small>(All Japanese VC rereleases)</small>
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|developer=[[Ape]]<br />[[HAL Laboratory]]
|developer=[[Ape]]<br />[[HAL Laboratory]]
|jprelease=yes
|jprelease=yes
|jpreleasedate=August 27, 1994<br/>March 20, 2013 <small>(Wii U Virtual Console)</small><br/>March 4, 2016 <small>(New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console)</small>
|jpreleasedate=August 27, 1994<br/>March 20, 2013 <small>(Wii U Virtual Console)</small><br/>March 4, 2016 <small>(New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console)</small><br/>February 10, 2022 <small>(Nintendo Switch Online)</small>
|narelease=yes
|narelease=yes
|nareleasedate=June 5, 1995<ref>[https://earthboundcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/EarthBound-Press-Release-1.jpg EarthBound press release]</ref><br/>July 18, 2013 <small>(Wii U Virtual Console)</small><br/>March 24, 2016 <small>(New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console)</small>
|nareleasedate=June 5, 1995<ref>[https://earthboundcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/EarthBound-Press-Release-1.jpg EarthBound press release]</ref><br/>July 18, 2013 <small>(Wii U Virtual Console)</small><br/>March 24, 2016 <small>(New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console)</small><br/>February 9, 2022 <small>(Nintendo Switch Online)</small>
|eurelease=yes
|eurelease=yes
|eureleasedate=July 18, 2013 <small>(Wii U Virtual Console)</small><br/>March 3, 2016 <small>(New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console)</small>
|eureleasedate=July 18, 2013 <br/>March 3, 2016 <small>(New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console)</small><br/>February 10, 2022 <small>(Nintendo Switch Online)</small>
}}
}}
{{StrategyWiki}}
{{StrategyWiki}}
'''''EarthBound''''' (Japanese: '''{{tt|MOTHER2: ギーグの逆襲|Mazā Tsu: Gīgu no gyakushū}}''' ''Mother 2: {{tt|Gyiyg|Giygas}}'s Counterattack'') is a 1994 role-playing video game developed by [[Ape]] and [[HAL Laboratory]] and published by [[Nintendo]] for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. It is the second entry in the [[EarthBound (series)|''EarthBound'' series]] succeeding 1989's Japan-only ''[[EarthBound Beginnings|Mother]]'', and the first installment in the series to be released worldwide. Set in a fictionalized and hyperbolized version of [[Eagleland|America]], ''EarthBound'' involves four children led by the brave [[Ness]], prophesied to save the world by collecting eight melodies strewn across the world.
'''''EarthBound''''' (Japanese: '''{{tt|MOTHER2: ギーグの逆襲|Mazā Tsu: Gīgu no gyakushū}}''' ''Mother 2: {{tt|Gyiyg|Giygas}}'s Counterattack'') is a 1994 role-playing video game developed by [[Ape]] and [[HAL Laboratory]] and published by [[Nintendo]] for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. It is the second entry in the [[EarthBound (series)|''EarthBound'' series]] succeeding 1989's then Japan-only ''[[EarthBound Beginnings|Mother]]'', and the first installment in the series to be released worldwide. Set in a fictionalized and hyperbolized version of [[Eagleland|America]], ''EarthBound'' involves four children led by the brave [[Ness]], prophesied to save the world by collecting eight melodies strewn across the world.


After a difficult and long development period of five years, ''EarthBound'' was published in Japan and the United States. English localization was led by [[Marcus Lindblom]], who helped translate ''EarthBound''&rsquo;s goofy tone. While successful in Japan, ''EarthBound'' was a commercial disappointment in the United States, where a $2 million advertising campaign was held to promote the game. Additionally, ''EarthBound'' received lukewarm reception. ''Mother 2'' was packaged in the Japan-only rerelease ''[[Mother 1+2]]'',  then it recieved Japan-exclusive sequel, ''[[Mother 3]]'', which was published in 2006 for the Game Boy Advance. ''EarthBound''&rsquo;s protagonist, Ness, would also be featured in the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]] as a playable character.
After a difficult and long development period of five years, ''EarthBound'' was published in Japan and the United States. English localization was led by [[Marcus Lindblom]], who helped translate ''EarthBound''&rsquo;s goofy tone. While successful in Japan, ''EarthBound'' was a commercial disappointment in the United States, where a $2 million advertising campaign was held to promote the game. Additionally, ''EarthBound'' received lukewarm reception. ''Mother 2'' was packaged in the Japan-only rerelease ''[[Mother 1+2]]'',  then it recieved Japan-exclusive sequel, ''[[Mother 3]]'', which was published in 2006 for the Game Boy Advance. ''EarthBound''&rsquo;s protagonist, Ness, would also be featured in the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]] as a playable character.
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==Reception==
==Reception==
Although the game was a success in Japan much like its predecessor, the game initially had very poor sales in the West which even prevented the game from being released in PAL regions, the cause was due to RPGs not being very popular in the west, and an odd marketing campaign.
===Initial release===
However due to a dedicated fanbase and the series representation in the Smash Bros series, the game became an incredible success with its Wii U Virtual Console re-release. The game received a ''GameZone'' score of 10/10 and the ''Nintendo World Report'' gave it 9.5/10, while receiving a ''GameRanking'' score of 88%. Critics praised the wacky humor, characters, and unique real-world setting, considering it as not only one of the greatest RPG games of all time, but the most original. They also praised how the game can shift from being "dark and serious" to "lighthearted and silly". EarthBound became one of Nintendo's best selling downloadable games in the Virtual Console lifespan, constantly topping the charts of the Wii U's most bought downloadable games, and is commonly referred to as the example of a cult classic.
''Mother 2'' sold 518,000 units in Japan, being their tenth best-selling game of 1994. In contrast to Japan, the game had very poor initial sales in North America, being roughly 140,000 copies, deeming it a commercial failure. The cause was the combination of the game's poor marketing campaign, unimpressive visuals and the general unpopularity of the role-playing game genre in western countries.
 
Despite Nintendo of America spending roughly $2,000,000 on marketing, ''EarthBound''{{'}}s advertizing was seen as one of the major detractors. Advertizing of the game mainly appeared in select gaming magazines (such as Nintendo Power), it's only other appearance was in an in-store only commercial. Released as part of Nintendo of America's [[wikipedia:Nintendo marketing#Play It Loud!|Play It Loud!]] campaign, the marketing heavily focused on humor revolving around rude smells, most infamously with its tagline "This game stinks" and foul-smelling scratch and sniff cards, which was deemed by critics as bizzare and did bare minimum to describe the actual game. The graphics were heavily criticized, as during the time of when the game was released, a major selling point was impressive graphics akin to ''{{wp|Final Fantasy III}}'' and ''{{wp|Chrono Trigger}}''; by contrast, ''EarthBound''{{'}}s simplistic graphics was viewed as being dated and "too cartoonish" by many critics. The overall price of the packaged game is also precieved to have hindered its sales. The poor sales and reception resulted in the game being excluded in the European market.
 
Despite its failure, ''EarthBound'' aquired a large following through the following years, further fueled by its representation in the ''Super Smash Bros'' series, which greatly changed the perception of the game by the time of the game's re-release.
 
===Re-releases===
Upon reaching the Virtual Console, the game recieved strong acclaim with its Wii U Virtual Console re-release. The game received a ''GameZone'' score of 10/10 and the ''Nintendo World Report'' gave it 9.5/10, while receiving a ''GameRanking'' score of 88%. Critics praised the wacky humor, characters, and unique modern-day real-world setting, considering it as not only one of the greatest RPG games of all time, but the most original. They also enjoyed how the game can shift from being "dark and serious" to "lighthearted and silly". The visuals, which were originally seen as detrimental, are now considered one of the many charms of the game. Many have praised the soundtrack as one of the big selling points. ''EarthBound'' has been viewed as the biggest example of a cult classic.
 
''EarthBound'' became one of Nintendo's best selling downloadable games in the Virtual Console lifespan, constantly topping the charts of the Wii U's most bought downloadable games. The game is currently the fourth best selling Virtual Console game on the Wii U, surpassed only by ''{{mw|Super Mario Bro. 3}}'', ''{{mw|Super Mario World}}'' and ''{{mw|Super Mario 64}}'', and the sixth best selling downloadable game on the Wii U overall.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
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''For the subject's image gallery see [[Gallery:EarthBound]]''
''For the subject's image gallery see [[Gallery:EarthBound]]''
{{gallery|galleryname=Boxart and promotional art|color=EB}}
{{gallery|galleryname=Boxart and promotional art|color=EB}}
{{gallery/cell|EarthBoundBox.jpg|200px|North American box art}}
{{gallery/cell|EarthBound box.png|200px|North American box art}}
{{gallery/cell|Mother 2 Box.jpg|100px|Japanese box art}}
{{gallery/cell|Mother 2 Box.jpg|100px|Japanese box art}}
{{gallery/cell|Early EarthBound boxart.jpg|200px|Early American box art}}
{{gallery/cell|Early EarthBound boxart.jpg|200px|Early American box art}}

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