Bill Trinen has said it's the SNES game being put on Wii U, so no.
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Earthbound Coming to Wii U Virtual Console in NA / Europe
- Thread starter Jamix012
- Start date
Bill Trinen has said it's the SNES game being put on Wii U, so no.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
There were a few very minor changes made to the script in the Japanese VC version, so it's not impossible.
What did they change with the script? I hadn't heard anything about that.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
http://earthboundcentral.com/2013/03/a-tiny-change-in-wii-u-mother-2/
and
http://forum.starmen.net/forum/Game...n-European-Virtual-Console/page/3#post1929315
I've never heard of any major video game publisher doing this. Smaller companies like XSEED have, yeah, but I don't know. I just can't see Nintendo doing it.
Wow, it's so insignificant that you have to wonder why they even bothered.
Bjoern the Smexy
Member
So, as I said in this thread already, Tomato would be totally okay with Nintendo using his translation of MOTHER 3 for free, should it ever get released outside of Japan and much more.
Nintendo, please listen to him, please bring out MOTHER 3 in the US and EU.
Also SO glad to see that Miiverse works just as intended, if not better.
It's so good to see that people DO have the chance to make a change.
Nintendo, please listen to him, please bring out MOTHER 3 in the US and EU.
Also SO glad to see that Miiverse works just as intended, if not better.
It's so good to see that people DO have the chance to make a change.
That would be fantastic, but I doubt it would happen. Not even in my dreams.
I would bet money they have a partial translation at NoA somewhere.
I think there's a chance. Mainly because the translation is extremely well done, they have the tools needed to make changes if need be, and that Mato is a professional translator.
They need to seriously get Nintendo's attention.
Miiverse posting would probably be the best way to go.
LiveFromKyoto
Member
They're already committed to bringing GBA games to Wii U virtual console. If they're already translating this one, what would stop them from doing another one if they had good reason to believe it would sell?
Really, there's only so much of their classic catalogue that still makes for a newsworthy release in this day & age, and translation costs have come down in the age of Google Translate.
Nobody is translating Earthbound. Why would they need to? It already exists in English. (Before anyone brings up EU, remember that no import VC-games have ever been translated)
lunchwithyuzo
Banned
I still hope we see the Super FX stuff (Star Fox, Stunt Race FX, Yoshi's Island) and Tetris Attack make it to Wii U VC too. Wii's SNES VC just felt incomplete without them (and Earthbound).
lunchwithyuzo
Banned
Sega licensed the demiforce translation for Monster World IV iirc.
Itoi's aware of the Mother 3 translation, as are Treehouse... I wouldn't rule it out entirely, even if such a move would be very un-Nintendo.
Christopher
BDE (Big Dad Energy)
for a SNES game?
I never played it - I wonder if it's as good as you guys make it seem to be.
It's not like that's the only thing the system has (and will have) going for it this year.
KojiKnight
Member
When has anything hyped this grandly ever been as good as the fans proclaim it to be?
Don't get me wrong, Earthbound is a good game and a great RPG, but it's not going to knock your socks off in any way. In fact, setting people up this grandly is doing people a HUGE disservice because it'll be many many hours into the game before you get into the better parts, so you'll have a bunch of people jumping in expecting greatness, and instead be treated to graphics hardly better than an NES game, a story that is random and hard to follow at first, and music that can be a bit unbearable.
These types of hype are just going to convince those people that the following is crazy after everything doesn't pan out after the first hour or two.
It depends on how old you were when the game came out (1995). It's hard to articulate, but there are layers of nostalgia, both direct and indirect, that will speak to you if you were a child of the late 80s to early 90s in North America. It evokes that feeling of "days gone by" better than any game I've ever played.
If that's not your case, Mother 3 might be the better game for you!
WickedCobra03
Member
Whelp, time to buy a WiiU by the end of the year. Hopefully there is a price drop or something.
Davey Cakes
Member
Earthbound is a pretty darn memorable experience, in terms of video games. If you've never played it before, some aspects today might be dated, but just like Mother 3 (which was released in 2006 and fan translated in 2008), it'll feel like a much different experience than anything else you're currently playing.
It's not something that I'd truly want to over-hype, because the last thing I'd want is for someone to be disappointed by Earthbound. That said, maybe I should just speak for myself, but I think EB is the kind of game that would top "favorite games of all time" lists rather than "best games of all time" lists, even if there might still be some overlap. It's one of those experiences that is merely mechanically sound overall, but has a way of resonating with the player. I guess that doesn't make it much different than many other cult hit games.
I certainly wouldn't buy a Wii U just for Earthbound, but as a single selling point among other? Sure. If you're interested in a slew of other Wii U games already, then EB could tip the scales because it's an experience you really can't get anywhere else, at least in terms of legitimate means.
And, the fact that you could curl up on the couch with it or relax in bed with it, thanks to Gamepad play, makes it all the sweeter.
If not an official one, you'll get a bunch of good retailer-specific deals and/or bundles leading up to the holidays. That's pretty much a no-brainer.
Davey Cakes
Member
Anyone who's interested in Wii U but willing to wait a while should just grab one during the holidays when all the better deals start appearing. Black Friday will surely yield some worthwhile options.
TheLastCandle
Member
Had a busy week so couldn't express my joy at this news here til now.
Yesssssssssss.
Favorite game ever with off tv play.
Yesssssssssss.
Favorite game ever with off tv play.
Davey Cakes
Member
Bill Trinen said that they're just putting the original SNES game on the VC. I take it that there aren't being any changes made.
I'm not taking any chances based on that quote, either. If I KNEW it was going up completely unaltered, I'd be more willing to sell my cartridge to help buy a Wii U. As it is, I'm not letting go(still going to splurge on a Wii U in all likelihood).
I don't know what is it about the Earthbound/Mother games, but they seem to have this ridiculous charm that attracts me to them. I have never played Earthbound or Mother 3 but I feel a strong feeling towards the games. I was like 18 when Earthbound came out on the SNES, so being a "too cool" teenager I passed on Earthbound, but I remember reading about it and its wackiness. Now with this announcement I feel like a kid reliving old memories, although I really don't have Earthbound memories to begin with. I plan on getting the Mother 3 handbook because a its too damn cool. And perhaps somewhere down the line even get a CIB copy of Earthbound. I just find it strange that these games give me feelings similar to the old Zelda games. I can't wait to finally have the opportunity to play Earthbound, hopefully my son enjoys it as well!
peanutbutterlatte
Member
Iwata: We would like to ask European fans to wait just a little longer to play Earthbound
19 YEARS OF IT! IN ENGLAND!
19 YEARS OF IT! IN ENGLAND!
I scheduled my appointment two days before this announcement for my fourth tattoo. This is to be my first video game related tattoo. It's going to be Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo (obvs walking in order) in their full pixelated glory walking down my right, inner forearm. Probably just large enough to retain their detail, not massive. Ness will be giving his peace sign for fuzzy pickles. It was a pretty amazing coincidence.
I think it's a pretty decent game.
Now I'm torn on buying a WiiU. Really hope Nintendo makes some announcements soon that will justify getting a WiiU. They still have a decent distance at convincing me it's a decent investment.
BroggieDoge
Member
So is there a actual release date on this? It won't be out tomorrow with the update will it? I never played Earthbound before I'm pumped I finally get to play this game.
Iwata: We would like to ask European fans to wait just a little longer to play Earthbound
19 YEARS OF IT! IN ENGLAND!
NEVER FORGET
Is this a re-release or a new earthbound? Only earthbound I know is the snes one, is this the snes version?
Christopher
BDE (Big Dad Energy)
I'm sure you know the answer to this already...
EarthBound's still my favourite game ever, so I guess I should try to explain the appeal too. A lot of people seem to reduce the game to just the ending. I don't think that's right.
To start off, understand that it's not that great on paper, it's more about the experience. It doesn't have the most detailed graphics on the SNES. It doesn't have a particularly advanced battle system. It's probably better than most RPGs of the time in terms of gameplay, but it's quite accurate to call it a Dragon Quest clone. But it's a unique game within that rather traditional form.
Graphically, the game has a very simple look, a lot like Charlie Brown. It's sort of an interesting thing considering the game's setting. Most of the time it's not set in the real world; it's set in a cartoonish version of it. Not a particularly serious or dark place. But the game starts off warning you of a future where "all is devastation" - a very real threat that does show itself in the game. It's the same sort of contrast as some of the creepier Pokemon or a Kirby final boss has with the rest of its setting. It makes sense; the same HAL that makes Kirby worked on this game. The APE that worked on this game became the Creatures Inc that makes Pokemon, which has some other similarities (boy hero in a red cap and psychic powers).
The gameplay is somewhat more streamlined than other RPGs of its day. You could perform almost any action (except ringing your bicycle bell, which is useless) with just your left hand on the SNES controller. You can destroy weaker enemies instantly without a fight, avoid the stronger ones - there's no random battles - or chase away the weak ones. There's no overworld. But, at its core, it's a Dragon Quest knockoff. Not even an active time battle system.
But the bread and butter of the game is probably in the NPCs. Talking to everyone you meet is probably the best way to experience the game. Again, on paper, it doesn't seem impressive. They're just the standard JRPG guys who aimlessly wander a single spot and spout two pieces of text at most. Those lines might help flesh out the setting, they might be a hint. Or they might have nothing to do with you at all. It might be a joke, an odd comment, or it might even be a threat.
The man behind EarthBound is Shigesato Itoi. Some say that Nintendo can make another game without him, but it's actually rather absurd. Itoi isn't a game designer. He's a guy who does a lot of things. Based on what I've read: he wrote the lyrics to songs, books, blogs. He wrote the tagline to Miyazaki movies and did the voice of the father in My Neighbour Totoro. He's an influential gourmet in Japan and has appeared as a guest critic in Iron Chef. He came up with the name "Gameboy". He's gone gold mining - unsuccessfully. He's worked with Cirque de Soleil and followed them to North America.
Fundamentally, this is a game from an interesting guy who meets a lot of people, not a game designer. And that's a big part of it. The people in the game world don't necessary exist for you. But they're interesting. They can be silly, gloomy, informative, or weird. It's a good experience to talk to them. And, oddly enough, they might be inspired by real people.
The music's another distinctive thing. Not sure if there's any other game that sounds like it. It also shows off how difficult it is to peg the game as any particular thing. Some songs are goofy. Others are serious and cool. There's also plenty that have more soft and nostalgic.
And, of course, there's other little weird things. Most of the status ailments are non-traditional. Enemies will occasionally do completely useless things in the middle of battle. You can find burgers in trash cans. You can converse with animals through your psychic powers.
Story's a hard thing to dissect since people always look for something different. I don't think Itoi's ever been considered a novelist, though I seem to recall hearing that he's written at least one book, and I know he's collaborated with the novelist Haruki Murakami. I think you can get the most out of the story through an appreciation of subtlety. There's a lot of things that are lightly or indirectly explained, and I believe it's intentional. The villain, for example, largely acts through servants, puppets, and warnings from knowledgeable allies.
"The War Against Gigyas!" is a constant thing overarching the story. But it mainly takes the forefront towards the end. The game is linear and the bulk of it is paced in an episodic way: a bunch of largely unrelated things, but always distinct and interesting in their own regard. I think that people who like EarthBound have strong recollections of the locations. I think that the most interesting are
,
,
,
, and
.
, the
, the
, and the
might also be memorable locattions to some, though you don't spend a lot of time there, so most have probably forgotten them.
Speaking personally, I felt a great sense of adventure with this game. It's not a huge environment, but every one is filled with its own little quirks and some distinct experience. When it adds up, it makes the world feel larger than the size of the map.
...I should stop making gigantic posts.
To start off, understand that it's not that great on paper, it's more about the experience. It doesn't have the most detailed graphics on the SNES. It doesn't have a particularly advanced battle system. It's probably better than most RPGs of the time in terms of gameplay, but it's quite accurate to call it a Dragon Quest clone. But it's a unique game within that rather traditional form.
Graphically, the game has a very simple look, a lot like Charlie Brown. It's sort of an interesting thing considering the game's setting. Most of the time it's not set in the real world; it's set in a cartoonish version of it. Not a particularly serious or dark place. But the game starts off warning you of a future where "all is devastation" - a very real threat that does show itself in the game. It's the same sort of contrast as some of the creepier Pokemon or a Kirby final boss has with the rest of its setting. It makes sense; the same HAL that makes Kirby worked on this game. The APE that worked on this game became the Creatures Inc that makes Pokemon, which has some other similarities (boy hero in a red cap and psychic powers).
The gameplay is somewhat more streamlined than other RPGs of its day. You could perform almost any action (except ringing your bicycle bell, which is useless) with just your left hand on the SNES controller. You can destroy weaker enemies instantly without a fight, avoid the stronger ones - there's no random battles - or chase away the weak ones. There's no overworld. But, at its core, it's a Dragon Quest knockoff. Not even an active time battle system.
But the bread and butter of the game is probably in the NPCs. Talking to everyone you meet is probably the best way to experience the game. Again, on paper, it doesn't seem impressive. They're just the standard JRPG guys who aimlessly wander a single spot and spout two pieces of text at most. Those lines might help flesh out the setting, they might be a hint. Or they might have nothing to do with you at all. It might be a joke, an odd comment, or it might even be a threat.
The man behind EarthBound is Shigesato Itoi. Some say that Nintendo can make another game without him, but it's actually rather absurd. Itoi isn't a game designer. He's a guy who does a lot of things. Based on what I've read: he wrote the lyrics to songs, books, blogs. He wrote the tagline to Miyazaki movies and did the voice of the father in My Neighbour Totoro. He's an influential gourmet in Japan and has appeared as a guest critic in Iron Chef. He came up with the name "Gameboy". He's gone gold mining - unsuccessfully. He's worked with Cirque de Soleil and followed them to North America.
Fundamentally, this is a game from an interesting guy who meets a lot of people, not a game designer. And that's a big part of it. The people in the game world don't necessary exist for you. But they're interesting. They can be silly, gloomy, informative, or weird. It's a good experience to talk to them. And, oddly enough, they might be inspired by real people.
The music's another distinctive thing. Not sure if there's any other game that sounds like it. It also shows off how difficult it is to peg the game as any particular thing. Some songs are goofy. Others are serious and cool. There's also plenty that have more soft and nostalgic.
And, of course, there's other little weird things. Most of the status ailments are non-traditional. Enemies will occasionally do completely useless things in the middle of battle. You can find burgers in trash cans. You can converse with animals through your psychic powers.
Story's a hard thing to dissect since people always look for something different. I don't think Itoi's ever been considered a novelist, though I seem to recall hearing that he's written at least one book, and I know he's collaborated with the novelist Haruki Murakami. I think you can get the most out of the story through an appreciation of subtlety. There's a lot of things that are lightly or indirectly explained, and I believe it's intentional. The villain, for example, largely acts through servants, puppets, and warnings from knowledgeable allies.
"The War Against Gigyas!" is a constant thing overarching the story. But it mainly takes the forefront towards the end. The game is linear and the bulk of it is paced in an episodic way: a bunch of largely unrelated things, but always distinct and interesting in their own regard. I think that people who like EarthBound have strong recollections of the locations. I think that the most interesting are
Happy Happy Village
Threed
Saturn Valley
Moonside
Magicant
Stonehenge
Lost Underworld
return to Onett
Cave of the Past
Speaking personally, I felt a great sense of adventure with this game. It's not a huge environment, but every one is filled with its own little quirks and some distinct experience. When it adds up, it makes the world feel larger than the size of the map.
...I should stop making gigantic posts.
Crimsonclaw111
Member
Mother 3 seriously needs to be a 3DS VC release rather than a Wii U, if it happens.
People need to just play the game, that's all there is to it.
iamaustrian
Member
yeah stupid nintendo.
I wish I could download and play other jap games like "Sin and Punishment" for N64.
Hell, I wish the would introduce something like a VC festival(maybe named "hanabi") once in while where they release japan-only games for the first time in the west.
but nah, they don't listen.
like that one time, when I wrote them they should develop a sequel to "Punch Out" and "Sin & Punishment" even though they would know both will bomb horribly.
they never listen to their hardcore fans
POWERSPHERE
Member
yeah stupid nintendo.
I wish I could download and play other jap games like "Sin and Punishment" for N64.
Hell, I wish the would introduce something like a VC festival(maybe named "hanabi") once in while where they release japan-only games for the first time in the west.
but nah, they don't listen.
like that one time, when I wrote them they should develop a sequel to "Punch Out" and "Sin & Punishment" even though they would know both will bomb horribly.
they never listen to their hardcore fans
This is the first time they've listened to Earthbound fans at least.
MaverickHunterX
Member
yeah stupid nintendo.
I wish I could download and play other jap games like "Sin and Punishment" for N64.
Hell, I wish the would introduce something like a VC festival(maybe named "hanabi") once in while where they release japan-only games for the first time in the west.
but nah, they don't listen.
like that one time, when I wrote them they should develop a sequel to "Punch Out" and "Sin & Punishment" even though they would know both will bomb horribly.
they never listen to their hardcore fans
Yeah, but EB is a special case. Sure, Ninty has had several failures in its history, but I think the big difference is that unlike other series, Nintendo always seemed to hold a grudge towards EB.
A lot of younger gamers seem to forget how different the RPG market was 15-20-25 years ago, where console RPGs were not as big mainstream as your Mario, Sonic, etc. Heck, I remember Final Fantasy III (6) being heralded as the best selling RPG of the early 90s at 500,000 sold. Compare that to FF today; Square Enix would drop dead if FFXV only sold half a million.
Do people honestly believe that? The last I've heard, Mother 3 was skipped only because it came well after the DS came out. And even then, Magical Starsign (another Brownie Brown game) was released as a test game, one that the Starmen.net folks were aware of. The test game was a bad idea, but poor reasoning and malice are two different things.
Solid SOAP
Member
This is how I'm gonna go into it, an experience much like Majora's Mask. At base value it's a very simple game that doesn't do anything necessarily new, but it has a lot of charm, character, and emotion in it that's hard to pinpoint to anyone who isn't a fan. I'd like to become a fan though, because it looks like a game worth playing with memorable characters and story.
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