Mother 3/Earthbound 2 under development [Archive]

MaiXu

11-07-2005, 11:35 AM

1up.com is reporting (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3145451) that (finally!) a sequel to Earthbound is under development, set for release on the GBA some time in 2006. Entitled Mother 3 in Japan (Earthbound in the US was Mother 2), it is still unclear if this title has anything to do with the long-canceled N64 update to Earthbound.

Only real quote-worthy nugget:

So now we finally know it's headed to the GBA, and that according to Itoi the game will be released "In the next season or so" which should mean a Spring 2006 release.

Dabombpizza

11-07-2005, 12:16 PM

Why does Itoi torture me so?! I love earthbound. It was fun, hilarious, and an RPG satire with some of the best humor a game has ever presented. Now make the N64 version into a DS game you brilliant little bastard.

Heretic Machine

11-07-2005, 12:16 PM

...Whoopty-shit, this is the third time this game has been in development, maybe fourth if you count the time they were talking about porting the N64 project over to the DS.

mr. murphy

11-07-2005, 12:41 PM

Spit chew spit
saliva spit spit
Want some gum?
Get yer own, twit.

fushi

11-07-2005, 12:45 PM

...Whoopty-shit, this is the third time this game has been in development, maybe fourth if you count the time they were talking about porting the N64 project over to the DS.
Eh?

Anyway, the official homepage (http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n08/mother3/index.html) is also up, but there isn't much info available there, currently.

Blade

11-07-2005, 12:48 PM

So God does love his children..

frederec

11-07-2005, 01:02 PM

No matter how many times they announce this, I still get hopeful every time. Maybe this time it will actually appear. I know my wife would freak if she could get her hands on more Earthbound goodness. We're such suckers. Even if they cancel this again, we'll still be hoping for an eventual release.

ghost

11-07-2005, 01:03 PM

Doing my best to constrain my boundless enthusiasm at the return of Earthbound 2 news, I'd just like to say that this is quite possibly the best news I've seen in a while, for me at least. Now they just need to port over the Mother 1/2 GBA game released in japan a year or two ago...

Last of the Red Hot Mamas

11-07-2005, 01:03 PM

The DS thing was a rumor (http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000050060547/) started by people with way too much time on their hands.

didragondi

11-07-2005, 01:10 PM

why on 'earth' are they looking at GBA instead of another great title to support the new system?

Magnanimous Gnome

11-07-2005, 01:13 PM

I'm with Perigon on this one. Mother 3 has been announced several times, and then promptly buried. Hopefully this time is different, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Maybe Mother 3 will be a pack-in with Duke Nukem Forever. :p

Dabombpizza

11-07-2005, 01:15 PM

why on 'earth' are they looking at GBA instead of another great title to support the new system?

My guess is fast development cycle, low budget, and how the GBA is the embodyment of the "cute" style of graphics that earthbound utilizes (something most of my friends could never get over).

Nin10dude

11-07-2005, 01:20 PM

Just setting few things straight...

-Mother 3 for GBA has been in development since 2002, which is why it's not on the DS.
-It was announced to be in the works in 2003, and since then, Itoi has been very quiet about it. (apparently too quiet, otherwise you guys would have known)
-The recent announcment was that it was nearly done, and will be shipping in Japan during Spring 2006, with an MSRP of 4,800 Yen.
-This will most likely have nothing to do with Mother 2 [EarthBound] or the N64 Mother 3, as Mother 2 had nothing to do with Mother 1, other than some main characters the looked similar. Mother 3 for N64 had absolutely nothing to do with Mother 1 or 2, story-wise, so, this probably won't, either.

outontheporch

11-07-2005, 01:24 PM

lame i thought it was going to be on the DS.

MaiXu

11-07-2005, 01:38 PM

...Whoopty-shit, this is the third time this game has been in development, maybe fourth if you count the time they were talking about porting the N64 project over to the DS.

Are you sure? I don't remember hearing anything about a new Earthbound since the N64 one got canceled. When Nintendo decided to port and release Mother 1 and 2 to the GBA in Japan (damn you, Nintendo, why the hell are they not over here in English?!), there was some speculation on as to a new Mother title, but that's as far is it got. Never heard about the DS port of the N64 ... last I heard, Itoi abandoned that game.

Speaking of the DS, I'd really love to see Nintendo use it for an RPG, and personally, I think Earthbound would be too perfect for the DS. What kind of quirky crap would they use it for? All I know is it'd be a perfect and strong selling point for the DS ...

Man, it's been too long since I played Earthbound ...

Magnanimous Gnome

11-07-2005, 02:24 PM

Last of the Red Hot Mamas

11-07-2005, 02:38 PM

When Nintendo decided to port and release Mother 1 and 2 to the GBA in Japan (damn you, Nintendo, why the hell are they not over here in English?!), there was some speculation on as to a new Mother title, but that's as far is it got.

No, it's been mentioned several times (http://starmen.net/mother3/) in official or semi-official contexts (including the Japanese television ad for Mother 1+2).

I think the reason that we don't see Mother 1 and 2 here on the GBA is that the two titles would not sell well at all, despite what fanboys may think.

I don't think Mother 1+2 would've done all that badly in the U.S. Earthbound for the SNES wasn't a big hit, but that was before JRPGs really became mainstream in the U.S. Given the stateside success of the Fire Emblem games (another series that's huge in Japan but was practically unknown in the U.S. until recently), I'm hoping Nintendo will give Mother another chance and at the very least give us a U.S. release of part 3 (I've kinda given up on Mother 1+2, but if part 3 does well enough, who knows?).

Blade

11-07-2005, 03:10 PM

Anybody complaining that Mother 3 won't be on the DS: why?

The only advantage DS-exclusive development allows is use of the touch-screen and slightly better graphics. The DS plays all GBA titles so it won't be left out..

MaiXu

11-07-2005, 03:48 PM

I think the reason that we don't see Mother 1 and 2 here on the GBA is that the two titles would not sell well at all, despite what fanboys may think.

Tis a shame too, as I would more than likely buy them.

I dunno about that. A good RPG is a good RPG, and I think it'd sell as well as some of Nintendo's other games. I'd bet it'd sell just as well as Fire Eblem.

frederec

11-07-2005, 03:55 PM

The DS thing was a rumor (http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000050060547/) started by people with way too much time on their hands.

A situation like this almost makes you wish life was like Persona 2 where if a rumor got spread far enough, it would become real.

Spigot

11-07-2005, 05:02 PM

I'll get myself excited when it actually lands in stores. I've had my hopes raised a few too many times to run out and drool right now.

mister_slim

11-07-2005, 05:37 PM

Well, Mother 1 & 2 should show up on the Rev download service.

MajSheppard

11-07-2005, 06:08 PM

I won't believe it until I see it. This is the biggest problem I have ever had with Nintendo. They redux until your ready to puke, except with one of the best games I have ever played. I place it behind only Chrono Trigger in terms of RPG's. Yeah FF games are awesome and they round out the top five, but Earthbound had a humor that made it more fun for me. I still am angry that the 64 version was not release, but not as much as the GBA rerelease not being brought to America.
Oh and if Mother 1/2 are in english on the Revolution, I will buy it without question.

Nessus

11-07-2005, 07:31 PM

mr. murphy

11-07-2005, 07:31 PM

Have you guys ever tried to play Mother 1? EarthBound is one of my favorite games ever, but frankly, even if it were available on another system, Mother 1 is just too slow and clunky to really be playable.

I can play old games, but not all of them, I guess.

Kyle Jones

11-07-2005, 08:56 PM

Hurray! The world isn't doomed! To think, after seeing in Wal-Mart a cupholder converter that allows you to hold frenchfries for only $2.95, I thought it was all over, but the lord works in mysterious ways.

Now, Animal Crossing Wild World will happily tide me til Earthbound.

Heretic Machine

11-07-2005, 09:05 PM

My friend who knows a bit of Japanese imported Mother 1+2.

In a way I'm kinda glad it's on GBA and not DS because if Nintendo are retards and decide not to release it here I can always get a fan translation ROM eventually.

EarthBound is in my top 3 favorite games.

Well, if you plan on playing that fan-translation on the GBA you'll need a GBA flash card... You could buy that right now and load it with Earthbound and Mother 1, with proper emulators for each <.< If you don't plan to play it on the GBA, you could just use it on your PC with the right emulators.

kwillhan

11-07-2005, 10:55 PM

I loved that game. Rented it, and didn't sleep and beat it in a day and a half if i remember right. lots of doritoes.

Played that opening scene so many times. With the present in your sisters room, your 'dad' calling on the phone. The meteor. The über Fly from space.

What's your favorite food? I always put mine as pussy. So then your mom would give you pussy for dinner. sigh. What a great game.

Definitely pick up a sequel. on whatever system. No questions asked.

kel

Magnanimous Gnome

11-08-2005, 11:47 AM

Well, Mother 1 & 2 should show up on the Rev download service.

I don't know about that. Mother 2 yes, but Mother 1? Do you really think Nintendo will allow US gamers to download titles that were never released here? I can't see them translating all those games, and I really can't see them putting up games that are only in Japanese.

I have a feeling that the US virtual console "store" will be quite separate from its Japanese equivalent.

Last of the Red Hot Mamas

11-08-2005, 01:22 PM

I can't see them translating all those games, and I really can't see them putting up games that are only in Japanese.

Nintendo already translated Mother 1, though. The game was finished and ready for a U.S. release (under the title "Earth Bound"), but Nintendo canceled it at the last second because they wanted to focus on the SNES instead. That's why it's so depressing Nintendo never released Mother 1+2 in the U.S. -- both games already exist in English versions, so it wouldn't have been that difficult to bring them over.

More info (http://www.lostlevels.org/200407/200407-earthbound.shtml)

mister_slim

11-08-2005, 02:28 PM

I don't know about that. Mother 2 yes, but Mother 1? Do you really think Nintendo will allow US gamers to download titles that were never released here? I can't see them translating all those games, and I really can't see them putting up games that are only in Japanese.

I have a feeling that the US virtual console "store" will be quite separate from its Japanese equivalent.
They've already said games that were never released in a particular territory will be available (Sadly, the GC games I want won't be available). I know some of Europe is fairly exited about it, because a fair number of major games were never released there. I don't see them localizing much stuff specifically for the Rev, but I think everything will be available (with very large warnings).