So has Earthbound aged well?
Yes.
Finished playing it last month on an emulator and the game remains a charming and fun RPG. It's not the best SNES game, and it's not even the best RPG, but it's got that fantastic atmosphere and uniqueness. No game I've played has even been remotely similar (besides Mother 3)
>>321317080
the combat system isn't amazing, but the combat is never that hard and fights are usually short so it isn't really a problem. However, the best thing about earthbound is the writing and the general feeling of being on an adventure. So in that regard it has held up well.
>>321317080
I would say yes. Still a tremendously fun game to play. Great music, entertaining story and pretty fundamental mechanics for the genre.
apparently given a cheap knockoff can sell half a million copies to autists.
but in truth its a bit grindy at points.
The UI and inventory system is anus but otherwise holds up pretty well.
It has aged remarkably well, as the difficulty curve is masterfully paced so that it's a pretty easy game to play with incredibly simple mechanics that most people who have heard of an RPG before can understand and beat very easily without feeling like the game is holding your hand, and the atmosphere and mood of the game is still top notch.
>>321317482
When was it grindy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwHZwvTdnPI
>>321317482
LISA? Citizens of Earth? Undertale? there's a lot of games which could be described that way
also
>grindy
No.
Hipster fags sperg about how they love the game so much that it's impossible to not know everything (or at least the key bits about the game because it's "genius") that if anyone tries to actually play it for the first they're truly playing a "first time" because they already have os much base knowledge and the game is a boring chore to play.
On top of that, indie shitters constantly jerk off their games as "earthbound-inspired" so the point where it doesn't mean anything anymore and Ness is annoying bitch tier in Smash
>>321317682
fanstastic bait
the game is shit but it has aged incredibly well.
the art and dialogue's charm is not based on quality of graphics or power of game engine.
>>321317546
>>321317650
been years since I played it, but I recall having to grind at points.
>>321317682
fuck outta here nigga I didn't play EB until 2015 and the fanbase didn't spoil shit for me.
>>321317546
Onett for starters.
Overall it still holds up because the art style is bright and hearkens back to a white America with a quirky jap theme
>>321317812
i played through it recently, i never had to grind.
>>321317812
you really only have to grind if you run away from lots of battles, and even then only at the stonehenge base since that's probably the place with the most difficult enemies in the game
great game. i helped and watched my brother play through it last summer. it's so fun i want to play through it again already
Is the Sword of Kings worth it?
>>321318326
its really good and absolutely wrecks most enemies, but it takes HOURS to grind for it.
>Enemies on field move super-fast and you can never escape from them in battle.
I don't think so Tim.
The combat system hasnt, but the game itself is still fantastic. Great writing, amazing music, and I personally love the artstyle.
Played it for the first time no spoilerino or much looking into besides hearing about 'earthbound style games' (like Lisa). Shit was amazing.
>>321317943
It's been a few years since ive played it but I remember three distinct locations that you need to grind:
1. At the beginning of the game, before the Frank boss fight
2. Peaceful Rest Valley
3. The mall
>>321317546
For me it was only grindy in Scaraba. I didn't have many problems besides that.
>>321317080
Mostly.
I wish there was a sprint button.
>>321317080
Graphicly yes, it still plays like an NES RPG though
>>321319538
Never stopped Dragon Quest.
>>321319319
>not mastering the bike
>>321318326
By the time you have it, chances are you can oneshot everything.
>>321318474
>not wanting to fight in an rpg
>>321317546
Everything until you get Paula
And trying to get the rare weapons (fucking Sword of Kings, 1/128 my ass) but that's entirely optional
>>321320054
Grinding for the sword actually makes you so powerful that by the time you get the sword its pointless.
No.
Play Undertale, it's Earthbound remade better
>>321317080
you fags love undertale and it's just a shitty copy of earthbound, so yes.
>>321317393
>pretty fundamental mechanics
like?
As much as I love EarthBound, I feel it hasn't.
I actually feel more comfortable playing Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II, and they have aged pretty badly (especially the first one)
>le DUDE RETRO LMAO meme graphics
Shit game, why do indie devs think they can get away with this shit in 2015?
>>321317080
Considering niggers loved ripping artsytle off in fucking 2015, yeah
>>321317080
I played it during the summer and it still holds up really well
the art style really stands the test of time
There's nothing wrong with the combat, at least it carries some weight by making reflection and debuffs important, unlike a lot of similar games.
>>321320313
Well if you want Poo to be anything but an item and Starstorm dispenser in the final areas it's nice. Still took me an absurd amount of time to get it.
It's slightly altered Dragon Quest combat, the most basic JRPG possible. It's aged fine.
>>321317080
the graphics were so bad for a snes game. It comes as no surprise though since it was an up-port of a nes game.
If you compare this to the most beautiful graphically in the same genre of this era it falls short of its contemporaries such as Seiken Denetsu III, Final Fantasy VI, and Chrono Trigger.
I tried playing Earthbound for the first time this year. Got up to when you control Jeff on the mountain and I haven't touched it since. Should I pick it up again?
>>321320830
>since it was an up-port of a nes game.
That's wrong
The only thing in Earthbound that struck me as outdated (even the day it was released) was the menu. Very old school, which was already being thrown away by other SNES RPGs. I mean, even they knew bringing up a menu to talk/check was bad so they made L do everything, which is what everyone uses. So why even stick to the old menu when you intentionally make a button to bypass it entirely?
>>321318831
I agree with you on grinding before franky, but you can skip most of the rest valley and the boss is weak to psi INSERTNAME and you should be going through the desert before the mall where there are rare enemies that give tons of exp and money.
How long did this take you
>>321321059
Because guess which series Earthbound is heavily based on?
>>321320938
In 1998, a copy of the unreleased NES Earth Bound cartridge was auctioned and the game code was extracted from it and circulated for download on the Internet. To avoid confusion, the game was dubbed EarthBound Zero by fan translation group Neo Demiforce, as Nintendo had since released the SNES sequel to Mother in North America under the title EarthBound. This copy was shipped over to a relative of one of the members in Neo Demiforce. Soon after, fans of the series and other video game enthusiasts, at first, debated as to the origin of the original development cartridge.
Today, it is generally agreed that the cartridge is legitimate, as Mother 1 + 2 contains most of the changes found in the NES cartridge. This is further confirmed by the changes in the ROM being present in EarthBound Beginnings
>>321321329
At least three hours of grinding while fast forwarding the emulator. I swear I get 1% drops in Monster Hunter on my first try but getting a 1/128 from enemies you can fight up to like five at a time takes ten times as long
>>321321357
Every rpg boils done to only one thing dungeons and dragons whether it's table top or pc version
>>321321407
The NES game was Mother 1
There was later a GBA port of Mother 1 and 2
Mother 2/Earthbound was never on the NES
>>321317080
memetale
I don't like the lol so randum story
>>321317080
Yes, It's as mediocre now as the first day, a perfect example of an overrated game because nostalgia, as it was the first or one of the first JRPGs for a lot of children in the US.
A solid 6/10. The fact that so many people consider it not only one of the best SNES JRPGs, but even one of the best games ever, is fucking disgusting.
Now, Mother 3, that's a pretty fucking good game, easily a 8-9.
>>321317080
It's a good game. Games don't "age", they're either good or bad. It doesn't make sense for a game to be good but to "become" bad, magically over time.
>>321322030
"aging" isn't a statement against the quality of the game, it's a statement about whether a game "holds up" now comparatively to how it was perceived at release
>>321321357
I'd say most JRPGs of the time were riding the Dragon Quest popularity wave, which itself took a lot of inspiration from stuff like Ultima and Wizardy. At the same time though, by the time the SNES was around most devs had realized that kind of interface wasn't really useful in the game they were making because they didn't actually use any of the functions that made it important in the early WRPGs. Like in Ultima, having the option to straight up select to attack an NPC instead of talking to them.
It just always struck me as weird that the Earthbound devs were both thoughtful enough to realize that the old interface was useless and they should add a button to circumvent it, while also being afraid to not have the interface and appear less Dragon Quest-y to consumers.
>>321322292
That is incredibly wishy washy logic and doesn't mean anything. Just speak in normal and simple terms; either the game is good, or it isn't. Saying "it aged" is so stupid and irrelevant to any sensible discussion about video games.
>>321321994
Weird shit happening is lolsorandom? The plot is pretty clear.
>>321322419
believe as you will
How about this.
If the game was made in 2015, would you still like it? I feel that everyone who loves this game played it when they were kids. Just like with FF7. They deny the obvious flaws because of nostalgia.
>>321322443
>pencil shaped stone
>>321322652
>Just like with FF7. They deny the obvious flaws because of nostalgia.
I played FF7 for the first time in 2011 and I loved it. People like you often go around declaring "nostalgia" on people who played old games just months ago.
I should probably play through it again sometime. I've finished it about 6 times so far over the course of my life. I feel like I always find something new the next time I play through it.
>Insignificant Trinket
>>321317080
Amazing game that most people fault simply because of its fanbase. It and mother 3 tie as my favorite games of all time(mother 1 is great but kinda aged) and I think everyone should at least look into them. Although not for everyone I think those who would like it would love it.
>>321317080
yeah
>>321317546
>mfw I grinding crows in Winters to get that t-rex bat
All of that because of who someone told me it was impossible to do so.
>>321317080
Honestly? Not at all. Even at the time there were still much better RPGs for the SNES.
>>321321994
>stop your rival from resurrecting the evil force
What's so random about it?
>>321322652
I'm playing it for the first time now. I like the humor and the quirky characters, but it feels a bit dry sometimes, and the dialogue is a little wonky. That part with Buzz Buzz at the beginning was toppest kek though.
>>321322775
>jokes in a videogame are random
What?
>>321322652
I played FF7 a couple of years ago when it came out in the PSN store and I loved it.
>itoi will never make another game
I know that mother is finished but I always wished he did something else in the games industry.
>>321317546
the only time I ever felt like grinding was on the sharks in the beginning to get PSI Rockin. After that, the rest of the game was pretty much a breeze.
Earthbound Zero, on the other hand, was pretty ridiculous with its grind.
>>321323515
>check his twitter
>all of his posts are about his dog
no wonder Toby uses a dog as his author insert
>>321323623
Does he still even play video games?
>>321322652
If it was made with modern day assets? You bet. Hell, even with the regular assets it would be a fantastic digital release.
>>321317080
I really need to finish Earthbound and Mother 3. I find issues in Undertale and Lisa because they are both spiritual successors but both go to the opposite extremes of the mixed themes in the Mother series. One is unwaveringly edgy, creepy, and dark with no breaks, the other is (on one playthrough) Feelsy and campy throughout.
>age well
pfffff
>>321322443
>>321321994
xD you're fighting an Annoying Old Party Man
xD you're fighting an Attack Slug
xD you're fighting a sign
xD you're fighting an angry duck!
xD you're fighting a cute UFO LOL
>>321323367
Find me an example of lolsorandom in any game that can't be brushed off as a joke.
>>321324758
How is it random if it's explained by the game?
>>321323515
It's a bummer because in the 90s he was coming up with all sorts of new projects for nintendo which have never seen the light of day. Like one game called Cabbage, which would have been a game that revolved around A-Life. He even came up with the name "Nintendo 64".
I guess Mother 3 burned him out totally from the game industry.
>>321325110
>stop criticizing my favorite game
Is invader zim one of your favorite tv shows?
>>321317080
Mother 3 is better
>>321325409
>counter-argument to your argument
>HNNNH YOU JUST WANT ME TO NOT CRITICIZE YOUR FAVORITE GAME!!!
>>321325158
>like one game called cabbage, which revoved around A-life
source? I know just about everything about this man, even his fucking blood type and I've never heard of this?
>>321325110
It's literal lolrandum story.
>>321325738
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_%28video_game%29
https://yomuka.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/itoi-miyamoto-interview-64dd/
It hasn't aged at all.It was always shit.
>>321317546
Well it would be cool if whenever a new character joined your party they didn't join at lvl 1
>>321325940
Wow, I can't believe I had never heard of this. I knew he always wanted to make a mr.saturn puzzle game and even released a board game based on the slot brothers but I had no idea this existed. Too bad no videos or pictures exist of it.
>>321326078
only Paula ever joined at Lv 1, and she wasn't much trouble to get up to pace with her teddy bear and the fact that the Happy Happy Village cave wasn't that difficult to get through with her. Jeff got enough levels during his chapter before joining, and Poo got a bunch of levels right before he teleported to you.
>>321317546
Had to obtain a decent level before I could beat Frank and his robot
RNG is a bitch before you get Paula
>>321326361
>I knew he always wanted to make a mr.saturn puzzle game and even released a board game based on the slot brothers
Shit, I didnt know about that either.
And what's cool is that Animal Crossing supposedly borrowed ideas from Cabbage. And AC is one of my favorite Nintendo franchises.
if you guys can't handle a 1/125 rare drop I want to see one of you go fiend hunting so you can know true hell
>>321317080
Use a guide and its a lot of fun.
>>321327810
If you need a guide in the first place then it simply not good at all.
>>321317080
I don't think it's aged well at all. The difficulty curve is all backwards with it being hard at the beginning and progressively getting easier as you go on. Plus it is so easy to get lost because the game gives you no hints as to what you're supposed to be doing. I like games that don't hold your hand but here it's just frustrating.
Games don't age, and therefore can't age well.
So the answer is "no"
>>321318326
Not at all.
>>321322292
>holds up
So you mean, whether the game is good or not?
That is exactly what that other guy was saying.
I get that old games used different gameplay mechanics and some of them followed dumb trends, but saying that a game is bad because a modern player couldn't adapt to the gameplay mechanics of the game is just a retarded argument.
