The Wonder Years: Week 3 - EarthBound
Posted by Owain J. Brimfield on 05.02.2007
The most western-influenced game ever to come out of the east.
Welcome to the column where all gamers of a certain age come to wallow in 16-bit nostalgia. I'm your host, Owain J. Brimfield, and I'll be discussing some of the hidden gems and instant classics of gaming's golden era. Some of these games may crop up on the Wii's Virtual Console at some point, some may be consigned to the annals of history. Either way, they're worth tracking down if you missed them first time round, or replaying if you were lucky enough to catch them. Let's take a trip to:
EARTHBOUND
(Ape / HAL Labs, Super NES, 1995)
It's the year 199X, and an intrepid soul has travelled back in time to warn of a future world torn asunder by a malevolent force that can only be stopped by a pre-destined band of hardy young warriors. Bad sci-fi flick, or setting for the most original RPG of the 16-bit era? You know it has to be the latter. Receiving this message from the future courtesy of the splendidly-named Buzz Buzz (because… he's a bee!), young Ness sets out from his hometown of Onett on a globetrotting quest to harness and unite the world's energies against the evil Giygas before it's too late. But first, his mum wants him to change out of his pyjamas.
EarthBound presents a refreshingly modern twist on a classic genre, as befits its present-day setting. Valuable items are obtained not from treasure chests but from trash cans, enemies range from corrupt policemen to flatulent blobs of slime, and spirit is regained not from some mystical source but from phoning Ness's mother at home. Of course, some stereotypical fantasy elements and themes find their way into the story - sanctuaries, life forces, time travel, nature vs technology and the like - but they are dealt with in a pleasingly offhand manner. This is not to say the game is devoid of sentiment (pretty much a killer blow for an RPG). There's a suitable amount of emotive investment - many of the characters are children who come from broken families, and even Giygas is only in such a state because its immense power has caused it to lose its mind. It is, however, balanced out with a substantial dose of whimsy that leaves an indelible mark on the gamer.
It's unfortunate to note, however, that the game's quality takes a downward turn just after the halfway point (upon being called to enter Moonside, if you want specifics). I remember one review at the time mentioning how fantastic the game would be if the second half was as good as the first, and that's a particularly apt comment. Frustratingly, it's difficult to place a finger on exactly why this should be. Perhaps the fault lies with only introducing one of the four main characters when the game is two-thirds complete (even if he is named Poo), or maybe it's that the later locations don't have the same homely appeal that makes Onett and the other towns so endearing. Regardless, by the time you start to entertain these thoughts, enough of EarthBound's allure will have rubbed off that the residual brilliance left over from the first part more than compensates for any shortcomings in the later stages.
While we're on the subject of ‘things I remember people saying about the game' [note to self: current sentence displays lack of journalistic competence], several players have denounced EarthBound's difficulty level as too extreme. If you are one of these gamers, please let me know so I can prescribe treatment - I can only imagine what would happen if you attempted something genuinely challenging like Super Probotector. One of this game's chief strengths as an RPG is its superbly pitched difficulty curve. Despite the occasional power imbalance between the protagonists, and with the exception of the stupidly obscure method needed to defeat Giygas' final form, Earthbound is always demanding while rarely becoming exasperating. It also manages the characters' experience levels sufficiently well that it is seldom necessary to go out of your way to level up, a gameplay conceit of RPGs that has always bugged me. This makes for a hearteningly satisfying gaming experience.
On a technical level, the game was several years behind the times. The simplistic graphics, while undoubtedly charming, were nothing compared to other 1995 entries in the genre - in fact, they were barely an improvement on Zelda 3, a game three years older. Combine this with a control scheme that requires the use of less than half the joypad, and the casual gamer can certainly be forgiven for any initial misgivings. Thankfully, it doesn't take long for EarthBound to win you over with its rustic straightforwardness and embed its jaunty tunes in your skull. It's frankly difficult to elaborate further on the game's appeal without running out of synonyms for the word ‘charm', which is exuded in abundance - this is very definitely a game to warm one's cockles (now there's a recommendation you don't hear every day).
Sadly the game is relatively hard to track down these days - last time I checked, one eBay auction for a mint condition copy had reached $151 - and for some reason the series has found little success outside of Japan. I've never understood this; EarthBound's portrayal of idealistic early 90s Americana should have made it a surefire crossover to the west, and a funnier, more wholesome RPG you will not find. Ness may have achieved greater fame with his subsequent appearance in the Smash Bros. series, but it would be a great shame if his gaming roots were cast aside. EarthBound, we salute you and your madcap world of Starmen, ancient evils, destiny, and drugged-up zombie hippies.
EarthBound trivia
In a fantastically satisfactory touch, you can actually continue to explore the gameworld once the game is complete, and many of the NPCs will exhibit different behaviour now the enemies are vanquished.
The game was promoted in the US through a bizarre scratch-and-sniff scheme, complete with campaign slogan "This game stinks!" Unsurprisingly perhaps, it wasn't a big seller.
The game's sequel, EarthBound 2 (aka Mother 3), was one of the first games announced for the N64. Spending the entirety of the system's lifespan in development, it eventually emerged some ten years later on the DS.
Earthbound is number 57 in my official all-time Top 100 games.
Tangential musings
We're now into May, and my Dilbert 365-day calendar has only provided me with two solid laughs so far this year. Turn your attention away from your cod-philosophy novellas, Scott Adams, and bring back the chuckles.
I finally had a chance to play the much-hyped Guitar Hero 2 this week. It's certainly fun, but I worry that for the next few days I won't be able to play my real guitar without picturing lots of coloured buttons and poorly animated character models.
Good lord, but M&Ms are such a good confectionery item. I defy anyone to name me a situation the little round candy treats wouldn't improve.
So James Doohan's ashes have finally made it into orbit, there to spend an eternity basking in starlight. It's refreshing to know that in these troubled times there are still people gazing at the stars.
And finally…
As always, reader feedback and suggestions are welcome, I respond to everything so just drop me a line. Next week in "The Wonder Years" - it's basketball, Jim, but not as we know it. Until then - keep it real, keep it retro.
