100%Super Nintendo

Incredible

95%Nintendo Switch 2

Amazing

100%Linux

Cinema.

60%Super Nintendo

It does some cool and interesting things, but for all of its unique, it is very flawed.
First, it has one of the worst first impressions in an RPG. A no combat beginning with back tracking and basically zero story is a very rough start.

some of the good things are really good and innovative. Ilike the auto-win vs weak enemies mechanic. The setting is unique and cool, and I do like the art style. The music gets rave reviews, but I mostly just heard 60's sci-fi synth-scape music, which just didn't really jive with me.

For all it's innovation, it also feels very archaic. The dragon quest battle system and the nighthmare inventory management are the key highlights there.

The story is like an afterthought to just weird random set piece after weird random set piece. I guess some people find that part charming, but to me it felt lazy, boring, and rushed. There isn’t a story for 90% of the game. Then they try to dump everything on you in the end and it just doesn’t pan out for me.

I just don’t get the appeal, I guess. I get it’s unique. But I just don’t thing the good things really overcome the bad to me. It’s not particularly fun. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either.

90%Nintendo Switch 2

Really fun game, especially for being 30+ years old. I finished this game in about a week and enjoyed every minute of it.

70%Super Nintendo

Divertido pero muy lento

100%Nintendo Switch 2

despite never playing it much until now. earthbound has been a really special game to me since i was a kid. i'd watch playthroughs and those old starmen.net videos all the time but for whatever reason i just didn't play the game despite having access to it through the snes classic. so now i decided to play through it basically on a whim and now i am forever changed because of it 🩵

100%Nintendo Switch

This game is a huge hidden gem it is one of if not the best Super Nintendo game and one of the best games in general, it’s fun and pretty long so I will talk about the game in sections. First of all this game is WERID like you know how Nintendo likes to put some funny/joke part in there games an example being Lord Jabu Jabu in Ocarina of Time but, this whole game is the funny/joke parts some examples being trading with a bunch of monkeys, asking a women to make you a magic cake and then proceeding to pass out, putting zombie paper on the inside of a tent to catch zombies, and going inside a massive walking dungeon made by a guy named Brickroad just to name a few. The music is also incredible like the whole soundtrack is amazing so many well known themes like the Sanctuary boss theme which is most know by the what? Meme, but other than that the soundtrack really matches the theme of the game quirky and deep. The battle system is pretty cool having the health bar spin like a slot machine and even when it’s going down you can still heal and it will go right back up it doesn’t add a lot except for some close calls but it gets approved on in Mother 3. The enemies are also very strange so they fit the theme of the game perfectly same goes with the bosses. It’s also pretty weird that I think the final boss Giygas is way easier than 2 earlier bosses that being ness’s nightmare (who you have to challenge alone as ness) and diamond dog (who as a TON of health). The locations are also cool most of them have a naming theme just like Pokémon red and blue another great RPG, Pokémon’s name theme is colors like fuchsia city, lavender town, and celadon city, but for Earthbound they have numbers like Onett, Twoson, Threed, etc. It’s kind of sad this game isn’t very popular( I mean how many people found out about Ness and Lucas through Super Smash Bros.) anyway it’s amazing and it’s a shame it sold bad in America because now less people will play the game because it rose up in prices like crazy but, overall this game is perfect if you haven’t played it I highly recommend it.

70%Super Nintendo

A good RPG with some very silly dialogue and characters that have to carry for the lack of story otherwise (not that this is a bad thing). This is basically an all around improved Mother 1/Earthbound Beginnings so there is not much reason to play the first in my opinion as this would be the "definitive" version. Outside of this, it's a fairly standard RPG and not much else to note outside of nostalgia for people who played it when they were younger, but it is very charming.

100%Super Nintendo

https://youtu.be/geRz_d3oC0A
https://youtu.be/xM7kfGSjLtE
https://youtu.be/daezExT8Pt8
https://youtu.be/hKEhpnTb-ec
https://youtu.be/vuN43KN2nhA
https://youtu.be/P64EEy_oDyY
https://youtu.be/BkzcyrX3RoA
https://youtu.be/2f6KQR4-ycc
https://youtu.be/qpV-FoCiHAE

80%Super Nintendo

Um jogo realmente único, capaz de despertar um sentimento igualmente único de apego a ele, por toda a sua construção e desenvolvimento, ele cria um apego familiar. E é perceptível q aqui o jogo é tudo q o primeiro jogo tentou ser, mas q por limitações do hardware não conseguiram implementar na época.

Em relação aos gráficos e sons, é um jogo q envelheceu mto bem, com um pixel art mto bonito e colorido, com designs bem característicos de personagens e de cenários, tudo é mto carismático e divertido aqui, além de bem criativo, e traz consigo uma trilha sonora q combina mto bem com toda a temática do jogo, mantendo algumas músicas icônicas do primeiro jogo. É bom citar a escolha artística do jogo, q tem uma clara inspiração no desenho do snoopy e do charlie brown, q inclusive leva essa inspiração pro enredo e pra vibe q o jogo transmite.

Sobre o enredo, o jogo é uma sequência, mas com novos protagonistas e uma narrativa mto parecida com o primeiro jogo, contando com melhores diálogos e direção, e a narrativa mantém o nível do começo ao final, sendo mto divertida e engraçada. Ao mesmo tempo não é uma trama com plot twists, situações de climax ou vilões marcantes, é um jogo mais relaxante para se jogar e acompanhar, justamente com a mesma vibe do desenho do charlie brown, inclusive ele tem um ciclo episódico, q em cada cidade q o jogador passa é como um episódio, com suas tramas para resolver e solucionar os mistérios. Os protagonistas tbm são mto carismáticos e bem desenvolvidos... menos a última criança a se juntar, q já tem um desenvolvimento um pouco mais apressado q os outros.

E o jogo é um clássico rpg de turno... mas não tanto, já q ele tem mtas mecânicas únicas, q pra mim fazem dele um dos melhores jogos de entrada para conhecer os jogos de rpg por turno, principalmente os mais antigos, e é um jogo q se manteve bem atual, menos por dois motivos.

O jogo já começa sendo um rpg sem batalhas aleatórias, o jogador vê os inimigos no cenário, e pode fugir deles, e o legal é q ao finalizar uma dungeon ou se o jogador tiver com um nível mto alto, os inimigos daquela área fogem do jogador, isso já melhora a vida útil do jogo, para evitar lutas desnecessárias.

A batalha é mto bem feita, com uma perspectiva em primeira pessoa, e tudo remete a temática mais infantil, com efeito de status como podendo ficar resfriado ou com saudades de casa, o mesmo vale pros itens e os golpes.

Uma outra mecânica importante de ressaltar é a do hp regredir aos poucos, q inicialmente pode não servir para nada, mas nos níveis mais altos é uma mecânica mto importante q pode te salvar em mtas situações, e isso tbm influência em ser um ótimo rpg de entrada.

O jogo tem dois grandes problemas, um é ele ser mto lento, não no seu ritmo, mas na velocidade do jogo, os personagens demoram para se mover de um ponto ao outro (não tem botão para correr), e as batalhas tbm são demoradas, mas isso pode ser contornado nos dias de hoje pelo menos. O outro problema é o seu inventário q é terrível de administrar, não da pra organizar e amontoar os itens, além de ter mtos poucos slots, e nesse caso não é um problema q dê para ser contornado, e só é irritante.

EarthBound é um clássico q envelheceu mto bem, tem mto para se falar sobre ele pq é um jogo q não fica na sua zona de conforto, e recompensa os jogadores por isso, entregando um jogo único q continua atual.

Nota: 8/10 (★★★★) - Muito bom

90%Nintendo Switch

Undertale was a really formative game for me, being my first foray into a game with deep story and characters. I was in the undertake fandom about 9-10 years ago around when the game first came out, and yeah it definitely was the beginnings of parts of who I am today, mainly me being a furry haha. Anyways, Earthbound was a game that was brought up frequently as an inspiration for the game. I remember watching my friend play it at his house on his Wii U, but we never really got around to finishing the game. I just couldn't see the connections people were making, and instead saw a confusing game, with a kinda difficult battling system. Now that I finally got to play the game for myself, I can now see why this game was so influential for Undertale.

In fact, its clear to me now that undertale is more than insipried by this game, where instead like the entire vibe of the game is kinda just ripped 1 to 1, as well as many ideas and sections. Thats not a bad thing, but like even so far as having a secret village of people who talk weird was taken from this game. The story is told in a similar way with different areas having its own mini story and new characters. I do think Undertale does a better job at characterizing its characters, but with that being such a smaller game, it makes sense why. This is just such a long game, that its really surprising how they keep the game fresh with so many new creative ideas and areas. Like, the two hidden alien villages, the dinosaur land, the moments where you play as different characters, and even the ending are just all so good and creative and really help the pacing of the story. There are many really great characters in this game too, and it all comes to a close with a really great ending. Its not as emotional as undertales ending id say, but it still is really great and moving stuff. The writing is also really great, and I think the localizing team just did a fantastic job here.

This game also kinda plays exactly like Undertale as well. Sure, the combat is entirely different, but besides that its almost exactly the same I would say to the point where some of the same sound effects are even used. A lot of characters and buildings look almost identical to something out of undertale. A lot of the puzzles and events just feel like something that would happen in Undertale, with pencil erasers, eraser erasers, standing still behind a waterfall for 3 minutes, shyness books and so on all just feel ripped out of that game. I was really worried that this game was gonna be confusing to get through, but it really never is. I honestly didn't really consult a guide at all until the end of the game because I was worried about the final boss (which I beat first try!). There is a very helpful hint system and it kinda just tells you exactly what to do next, its great. This game honestly plays just like a modern game in that sense.

What isn't so modern however is the combat. I actually really like the combat in this game, and think it gets really great as you build your characters up. The sense of progression in this game is fantastic, and like each new character or PSI power you unlock really does do a lot to help you. The game really does have minimal grinding, where its more so just important for you to properly prepare for a boss rather than be at a certain level, besides a few points in the game. What I do find annoying however, is just the random encounters. Like, each random encounter can really eat away at your HP and PP, and by the time you get to a boss, you really just cant do much unfortunately. This was a problem for the entire game, and it got really annoying where some random enemy just one hit one of my guys randomly, causing me to waste PP before the boss. The random nature of this game can get really old and tedious sometimes, and id imagine it would be even moreso if I wasn't using the Nintendo online rewind feature so much.

If you told me that this game was made by Toby Fox, id believe you. I don't bring up Undertale so much in this to say how "bad" that game is, and how much it copied it, because honestly, I still think I like that game more than this one. I say that because I am just blown away at how influential this game is, and how it indirectly impacted my life. Earthbound is a really great game, with a lot of creative ideas, funny writing, good characters, and a nice combat system. Its not perfect, but if you like undertale, I cant see any reason why you wouldn't like this game.

75%Super Nintendo

too long

85%Super Nintendo

another one that i played during covid times and augh, i wish i played it sooner but at the same time i dont thinmk i wouldve been ready for it when i was the target age to play it. if youve ever heard someone say that earthbound is deceptively deep then they are 100% correct, its the kind of game that has the capability to really grasp you and squeeze your heart in weird ways depending on the state you're in. very cute, very quirky, can get tedious at times, but a classic turn based game with the impossibly ahead of its time rollback hit points— one of the few games i can safely call a must play if you're getting into the classics and havent already played it, 9/10

75%Super Nintendo

Quirky and fun. Nostalgic.

95%Super Nintendo

Lo hizo un compa que no sabía hacer juegos y aún así está pasadisimo de burguer, no me imagino que hubiera pasado si sí hubiera sabido hacer juegos el compa.

85%Super Nintendo

85%

80%Super Nintendo

One of the greatest Super Nintendo RPGS that went on to inspire so many other games. The roll-down mechanic for your health is a great addition to the game as well. Overall, the game is amazing and story is worth it all through-out the end. Certain parts of the game are tedious however which usually deals with buying items, healing party members, earning money, and some parts of the game can be cryptic with what you need to do to progress, but other than that this game is worth a playthrough from anyone!

95%Emulated

The humor and themes are amazing. Battle system is great too. A classic for any rpg fan.

100%Super Nintendo

Really great game for a player getting into the Old School JRPGs. Very much holds up to modern standards of playability and quality of life that are seen in Modern JRPG games. Stuff like Instakilling weak enemies, Being prompted to sell your old equipment after buying a new one, Overworld enemies over Random encounters. By far the strongest aspect of the game is its Music thats really ahead of its time and varied and its Characters (Especially NPCs) that always have something fun and quirky to say. It is an emotional journey throughout and is extremely fun and memorable throughout, with very little parts actually feeling frustrating or old. Highly Recommend to play atleast once in your lifetime.

95%Wii U

A strange, unique RPG full of quirky characters and genuinely heartfelt moments. Classic.

85%Emulated

A 16-bit acid trip of an RPG. It was cool to see some of the DNA of more recent titles like LISA and Undertale. I don't even know where to begin. It's ridiculous and silly. Hilarious. Constant jokes. I do wish some of the jokes weren't at the direct expense of the gameplay. There are a few enemies that are not fun to fight as a joke. Nuclear Reactor Robots have a move that just full-heals and they do it most turns. Another enemy steals items and there is no way to get them back, which I thought was crazy. And the final zone before the final boss is just an absolute grindy slog. This was slightly remedied by a very rare drop from a Bionic Kraken, the Gutsy Bat, which has an incredibly high crit chance. That being said, I really enjoyed the game overall! The different abilities of the characters are really interesting (even if Paula was barely existent in my strategy until the very end). Game Overs are pretty forgiving, as you keep any gained levels and experience when you respawn at the last save point. I did find a bug where you can't use Escape Rats at all if you have one in storage, which did mean I had to backtrack through two entire dungeons. Otherwise, I didn't encounter many bugs. I'm told Mother 3 smooths out most of my issues with it, so I'm looking forward to that. 40 hours of lunch breaks have finally come to fruition. Shout out to some new favorite characters: Bubble Monkey, Tessie the Lake Monster, and Dungeon Man.

90%Nintendo Switch

A disruptive JRPG.

70%Nintendo 3DS

Earthbound
• First time playing
• What compelled me to check out Earthbound was not just to play an important part of gaming history, but just simple curiosity.
• Toby Fox, the creator of Undertale, has cited Earthbound as a major influence upon his work. Undertale has gone on to be a major influence upon indie games in general, which is a lot of influencing.
• It should go without saying that Earthbound is an important game.

100%Super Nintendo

Holds up so well. One of my favorite games. Love the music. Some sound effects changes in NSO version.

90%Nintendo Switch

very nice retro game and somewhat creepy

85%Emulated

Great game, great story, horrible inventory system. The lack of direction given in this game truly reflects what an RPG was back then.

80%Super Nintendo

Earthbound no es un juego fácil de digerir hoy día.
Pero su sombra es tan alargada que uno no puede dejar de rendir tributo a este JRPG que pretendió luchar contra la propia "Edad de Oro" del género al que pertenecía. "David contra goliat" en otras palabras.
Su línea genealógica ha sido discontinua porque su acogida fue insuficiente. Pero aquellos que han sabido recuperar el pasado han encontrado en Earthbound ideas asombrosas para la creación de juegos contraculturales y fundamentales tanto para el renacimiento del género como para el nacimiento del concepto indie como undertale cave story o chickori...

Luchó contra los excesos de la evasión que repetían una y otra vez la fórmula "Final Fantasy" y "Dragon quest".
Si Sigmund Freud levantara la cabeza se asombraría de la cantidad de "Malestar en la cultura" que es capaz de evidenciar este juego. Pero claro Earthbound no tuvo como objetivo ser un medio de evasión más, sino un reflejo de nuestra existencia, en vez de nuestra anestesia.

El juego comienza con el bullying (un concepto aún no explorado en los 90) para recorrer y progresar por todas las problematicas y escalas sociales visibilizando, los derechos de la infancia, terminados por conformar en 1989, el fanatismo religioso, la corrupción, la ausencia de libertad, las incorrectas interpretaciones de la felicidad impuestas por el sistema, los miedos del subconsciente, la sencillez con la que uno puede posicionarse del lado del más fuerte, la corrupción, la ausencia de felicidad en un mundo lleno de supuesto bienestar o incluso el miedo a morir.

En Earthbound yacen ideas para todo aquel que quiera regresar, desde una lectura pausada y atenta. Puede que hoy sea para muchos ojos un juego tecnológicamente retro y difícil de masticar, pero es que él nunca pretendió ser un juguete más.

100%Super Nintendo

Genuinely one of the best RPGs of all time and it's really sad some people get bored of it in the 1st hour and don't continue it (i've met 3 different people who said the same thing) if you're into RPGs its as essential to play as Dragonquest I & II

100%Nintendo 3DS

peak gaming

80%Super Nintendo

A tough review for sure, the game for it's time was phenomenal, but it just doesn't hold a candle to games like Chrono Trigger or FF3 on the SNES. I loved the quirkiness and trippiness of this game for sure, but without a guide this game is ridiculously difficult and seems to be geared towards kids. The game just felt weird in general compared to most RPGs before and after this game, things like the rolling hp and limited inventory space were interesting things to take into account for a JRPG, but really gave it some character versus some simple games like BoF and Lufia that were more story oriented. I see a lot of people saying this game is a masterpiece, and I believe it is a great game, but it definitely isn't one of the greatest. Like I said I think two other RPG's on the console are better than this for sure, great game and worth a playthrough, good luck without a guide though, the game has some crazy spikes in difficulty for sure.

100%Emulated

Just an absolute all-timer. Holds up. Looks and sounds great and the writing is still somehow witty and charming decades later.

95%Nintendo Switch

Even after all these years, Earthbound remains a classic. Due to its weirdness and quirkiness that is was especially back then seen as odd and out of place.

Nowadays these traits are what make it stand out. Although its not quite perfect, its damn close.

I think the difficult can be very all over the place at times and the inventory system is absolutely dreadful. The way that Poo's equipment works is quite annoying when compared to everyone else's.

It is not hard to see why people place Earthbound in the special place as they do.

90%Super Nintendo

Very Good

95%Nintendo Switch

Was very good and such a shame it took me all these years to finally play it. Very well written, combat is awesome and the game makes back tracking fine since the auto battle feature exists, so nice to have. Loved the music (it was rockin') I would hum different town themes or battle themes even when I wasn't playing. The artstyle was pretty awesome as well, so vibrant and detailed. The layout of dungeons were nice as they were not super long but not to short either. The pace of the game was really well done. I think I put 10 or 12 hours in a single gaming session as I couldn't put it down.

A few reasons why id say it wasn't a 10/10 is mainly due to item management, a little dated and annoying to use but I understand that this is a 30 year old game and limitations but still a pain. The other slight annoyance was sudden power spikes in some areas, I'd feel overpowered then in the next 5 minutes I'd be struggling, now I'm ok with a challenge and this wasn't the hardest game even with the spikes but just how sudden it came caught me off guard. I also found the final boss to be a little underwhelming and the ending a bit lackluster but not bad by any means,

100%Nintendo Switch

10/10

90%Super Nintendo

This quirky game still holds up and is still unique among RPGs. This game established the iconic visual style and music of the franchise, and was really fun to play. The writing is great, and the story is endearing with good mechanics to back it: no random encounters, and approach battle outcomes. I played all of the games in order and rank them in the same order (from worst to best). I didn't think the series could get better than this, then I played Mother 3.

100%Emulated

Best storyline ever

60%Nintendo Switch

The most fun I've ever had with a mid game. I mean the presentation is amazing. There is still no other game like it. Even games that try to mimic its gameplay, soundtrack, or presentation don't usually stick the landing. Even with Undertale which is basically an offshoot from Earthbound - the defining elements of the game are when it deviates from Earthbound with the morality system.

There aren't many games out there where you want to talk to every single NPC. So many quotables. It also has a completely unique soundtrack with some of the strangest songs I've ever heard. I also appreciate some of the sweet moments interspersed with the laugh out loud moments.

But do not kid yourself - the combat is bad. I would've put the game down if I weren't emulating it on the Switch so I could rewind all the bullshit that would randomly happen. It is wildly imbalanced and you are always underleveled or overleveled. By the end of the game I was dreading every fight because every single NPC interaction was more enjoyable than battling enemies (with the exception of the unskippable photo guy interruptions that happen every 10 minutes). And even if you defend the combat, the inventory management in the game is indefensible. It's like they didn't even try to make it intuitive. The delivery service is cute I guess but just like the photo guy it became trite by the 4th or 5th time you had to use it. Also, how in the world are you supposed to play this game without a guide? There is no shot I would've beaten this game if I was a kid playing it on the SNES with no internet. Call a hotline? Based on the advertising for the game they probably would've just made fun of you for getting stuck lol

Anyway, this is one of those games where I appreciate it more than I enjoy it. If you're interested, either emulate it so you can rewind / fast forward or watch a lets play or something.

85%Wii U

Un poco mas corto y menos desesperante el final y le doy un 95

100%Super Nintendo

Charming Indie Game. No wonder Toby Fox was inspired by it.

70%Nintendo Switch

I love the aesthetic of the game, and I can see why it hasn't really been remastered/remade since it'll feel like a whole different game. I like he colors and quirkiness, and it gave me Yellow Submarine-esque vibes (they even mention Yellow Submarine in the game). I don't view it as one of my favorite games of all time like so many people do, but I can understand where the love comes from and understand why people resonate with it. The rewind option on the Switch... THANK GOD FOR IT because I would've wasted so many hours needlessly reviving and healing and crying... I haven't played any other version, but I can already say the Switch version is the best due to being portable, having the rewind option, and being able to create and load saves whenever. Saved so much time.
The story is wack and odd, especially towards the end, but its cool in its own way. With the rewind option, I really didn't have to grind much which I was surprised, but that may be just because I was lucky. I like the final boss because it was memorable, though if I played this game as a kid, and playing the final boss at night, I would've probably been traumatized and freaked out, kinda like how scary Adult Swim on Cartoon Network was at times as a child. I wish there was a bit more to the actual ending, but it was fine. I also think the inventory was frustrating at times, as I hate how little there was, and that I couldn't get rid of key items I had no use for, and they just took up useless space on its limited capacity. I also didn't really like Pokey as a character, I found him annoying and underdeveloped, idk why he is talked about so much by everybody.
Overall, the creativity is what really shines in this game and shapes its identity. Though I don't find this as a 'masterpiece' like many others do, its a harmless game that has fun moments and a quirky atmosphere to make it worthwhile.

85%Nintendo Switch

Amazing game, does show it's age at times though.

100%Wii U

All time greatest game, really is the capstone for video games.

100%Emulated

One of my favourite games, something about its vibe really resonates with me.

100%Super Nintendo

Most people haven't play Mother 1, but I would consider this to be more of a remake of that game. Most of the main characters are almost the same, a lot of locations are very similar and even some of the plot points are the same. But the first game was on the NES and rushed, so it suffers in many sections. This game has everything perfected and many new features to make it among the best RPGs on a system already known for amazing RPGs.

You start as Ness, who comes from very humble beginnings. You're just a kid with a quiant family, but you somehow get wrapped up in a wacky alien invasion and soon are relied on to save the world. Armed with baseball bats and yo-yos you attack a wide variety of enemies--from hippies and bag ladies to abstract art and moles.

The battles are turn-based with lots of text, but the visuals and the sound design elevate it to something magical. The first Mother had nothing, just enemy sprites. This one has a variety of animated backgrounds that use the full extent of the SNES's capabilities. The sound design is so good that you can tell what is happening with your eyes close. There's beeps and bumps with every attack or miss, and you learn to love the sound of a critical.

The story is positively sublime. It's wacky while still maintaining an internal logic. It can be silly, it can be tragic, but it's always memorable. And the places that you travel to are all distinct and many of them utilize ideas rarely seen in other games. It is necessary that everyone plays this game sometime, as it easily ranks towards the top of any list.

90%Nintendo Switch

This is a very special game. I finally completed it after starting it years ago and getting sidetracked by beginning college. Despite never finishing it, I had a lot of positive feelings towards the game and even some nostalgia. I was excited to come back and make an attempt at completing it, and I'm very happy that I did. This game mostly holds up well for its age, though at times it can feel like a game that came out in 1994.

Earthbound is embedded with such love and quirky humor, you can just tell the developers had a great time creating this game. It's truly wacky, weird, and funny. Almost every character interaction left me smiling. And yet, despite how nonsensical the world and plot comes across, the game manages to strike a perfect balance by staying somewhat grounded by rooting the characters and plot into real world themes and situations. Ness and friends often come across locations and conflicts that mirror those of our own world, which gives the player a natural investment in the events of the game. This game packs some genuine heartfelt emotion into it at times, especially in regards to Ness and his family. I appreciate how hard they commit to this as well, even going as far as to make Ness homesick if you don't check in with your mom for a long enough period of time, which literally starts to make Ness waste turns in battle because it eats him up so much. Ness is just a kid, and despite the world ending stakes and bizarre world he inhabits, they maintain his very grounded humanity. This game isn't afraid to lay on some heavy subject matter, either overtly or in the subtext, as there are several moments that make me question how they slid this into a game that presents itself as if it were for all ages.

I can't say enough about the music and sound design. It is WEIRD. It's distinctly Earthbound, and I've never heard anything like it. It ranges from upbeat and silly to strange and abstract, much like the aliens who threaten the world. The enemy design follows suit here as well. You'll fight cults, spiders, piles of barf, drunks, paintings, robots, aliens, and so on.

The plot is nothing insane, aliens are here to take over the world and you're the *chosen one* who is here to stop it from happening. Why you? Why not. It was foretold in an ancient prophecy. I would say the zaniness and emotion of the plot is what truly makes it interesting. You WANT to see Ness and friends succeed because they're all worth rooting for. I love traveling from ridiculous set piece to ridiculous set piece and from insane character to insane character. It's fun seeing what the game will throw at you next. It feels like a globetrotting adventure as many of the locations are reminiscent of real world locations (or at least generalizations of them).

Combat is somewhat of a typical old school turn based RPG with nothing too much to write home about. One thing I do appreciate about it is the "rolling HP" which sometimes allows you cheat death if you're able to finish a battle or heal before the health drops to 0. It can be frustrating trying to figure out who will move first on certain turns as the game doesn't make it wholly apparent how fast the enemies are in relation to the party. Sometimes regular enemies just absolutely blindside you and steamroll you at random points. This can especially be frustrating as checkpoints can sometimes send you far back from your current progress, making you trek back through an over world littered with frustrating enemies to deal with.

Thankfully I played this on the Nintendo Online SNES application, so I had access to save states and rewinding. Honestly, this game would have really tested my patience at times if it were not for these features. This game has the tendency to be cruel and unforgiving in some battles, and without the ability to course correct and save yourself a lot of time I could see this game becoming exhausting. Even using certain items or PSI abilities. Sometimes it's not clear when a move or item will function, causing you to complete waste an item or PP in the process. Descriptions of items and attacks exist but they feel limited and don't give you all of the necessary info. Sometimes I'd equip a stronger weapon just to find out it has terrible accuracy and I couldn't land a hit to save my life. It's moments like this where the game does show its age.

Pros:
- Unique and charming world
- Heartfelt story and characters
- Unpredictable (in a fun way)
- Distinct and fascinating aesthetic
- Tackles themes of humanity and society, sometimes very adult themes
- Inspired wacky RPG's to come after

Meh:
- Combat is standard RPG beats with slight nuance

Cons:
- Game can occasionally show its age
- Enemy encounters can be frustrating in both frequency and mechanically

Overall, if you like the RPG genre this feels like a must play. It stands out, even after all these years, for crafting a world with a distinct vibe and aesthetic unlike any other I've experienced before.

100%Nintendo Switch

Isn't this the best game ever made?

10 slices of pizza / 10

95%Super Nintendo

Cute. Spicy dialogues. Unique RPG.