Mother: The Legendary Video Game That Changed RPGs
RPGs are somewhat of an all-time favorite, especially if they’re weird.
There’s so much thrill in watching the loading screen of a bizarre video game, anticipating the escape that you get from entering this 2D world.
Twists in time and space amplify the eeriness of the characters and the background. This goes without saying that the visuals and the music pull everything together. Some may be familiar with the legendary video game Mother, also known as EarthBound, which is one of the most celebrated surreal role-playing adventure games.
Mother isn’t exactly disturbing, but it has a certain kick to it. Created by Nintendo in 1989, Mother changed the concept of role-playing games. Shigesato Itoi wrote the game with a few ideas in mind: firstly, he wanted to appeal to a broader audience, and secondly, he wanted to roam away from the fantasy genre. Like Dragon Quest, RPGs were reserved for fantasy elements, but Mother happens in an offbeat and parodic United States. The quirky characters, like the New Age Retro Hippie as well as Bla-Bla Gang, as well as the casual tone of the conversations show how lighthearted this game is.
Mother was the first game of the franchise, and when Mother 2 was created, Nintendo released it overseas under the title EarthBound, but it was met with little success. Mother 3 was also created, but remained Japan-exclusive. In 2015, the first game Mother was released as EarthBound Beginnings outside of Japan for the first time.
The plot changes from game to game, but the essence remains the same. In Mother, also known as EarthBound Beginnings, the player is Ninten, a young boy who discovers his ancestral connection to alien lifeforms and befriends other kids with superpowers and psychic abilities. Battling enemies and collecting hints, the kids try to find the disappeared mother of their friend Ana. Fans of Yume Nikki, as well as comedic, spunky characters, will find their newest obsession with the franchise. Though simple, the gameplay is quite enrapturing. On top of that, Mother is one for the nerds and is wholly underrated.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
