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Earthbound Beginnings, known in Japan as Mother, is the first game of that series, although it was released in Western nations around two decades after 1995's Earthbound. As of recently, both Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings have been ported to Nintendo Switch Online, which has caused many people to turn their eyes towards the games.
Some people might question if Earthbound Beginnings is good to get into, as they wonder if it’s dated or a product of its time. Although not everything about the game has aged well, there are many parts of this 1989 title that still hold up to this day.
7 The Characters
Although Earthbound Beginnings is not exactly known for its character development – they don’t grow or change throughout the story, and don’t comment on the events happening within the game – the characters by themselves are considered to be unique and fun.
All the characters that a player can recruit are different in terms of personality and how they perform within battles. On top of this, the story of the game is told mostly through text and dialogue from NPCs, so having unique personalities for each character is important, lest it sounds like the game is putting exposition through the mouths of characters.
6 The Graphics
Although the graphics of Earthbound Beginnings aren’t as flashy or sophisticated as newer games, they are considered to be ageless by many due to how simplistic they are. It is ironic, too; at the time of release, the graphics of the game were considered to be “dated” and too simple by players.
However, it’s obvious that Earthbound Beginnings was able to age well in this regard. Due to how simple 2D graphics are, the sprite-work can be considered to be a stylistic choice. Overall, the graphics are one of the best parts of Earthbound Beginnings.
5 The Pacing
The pacing is considered to be controversial by many players; however, some agree that the pacing of Earthbound Beginnings has aged well for its time. The game does not hold the player’s hand or walk them through most of the game, so to speak.
The player is free to roam through the game’s map. However, if a player wants to actually play through the storyline, and they miss a way to progress the plot, they could pay an NPC to give them hints as to where to go next. There are almost no side-quests that players are forced to go through, and the main objective is always pushing the player forward.
4 The Music
Created by Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka, the music of Earthbound Beginnings is generally regarded as one of the most enjoyable aspects of the experience, and it holds up well. Most people agree that the music of more classic games is still nice to listen to, and Earthbound Beginnings is no different. In fact, some people might argue that the music is the best part of the game.
Experimental and complementary, Earthbound Beginnings' soundtrack shows the ability of music to enhance a story, and it was quite ambitious considering Mother debuted in 1989. In the same year, Suzuki and Tanaka released a studio album called Mother that contained music from the game.
3 Quality of Life Features
Even in a game as old as Earthbound Beginnings, there are some quality of life features (otherwise known as QoL) that most modern-day RPGs still don’t have. For example, when a player who is at a much higher level than a particular enemy fights them, the battle will be instantly won, and the player will still gain more experience. This is not something that most other RPGs have.
On top of this, enemies that are at a lower level than the player will run away from them on the map, instead of coming closer to them, like most other instances. It’s quite time-saving.
2 No Random Battles
It’s worth noting that there are no random encounters within Earthbound Beginnings whatsoever. The enemies are clearly shown on the map during gameplay. This means that the player not only has the option to run from enemies but there’s no chance of being unexpectedly thrust into a battle while walking through the game’s map.
This is what many players enjoy about the combat of Earthbound Beginnings. Along with the game having very nice combat mechanics, one of the best parts of the experience is that there is no chance of entering a battle whenever the player does not want to.
1 The Difficulty Curve
The difficulty curve of Earthbound Beginnings is one of the best parts of the game. It’s not necessary to grind through the campaign in order to level up, although it’s recommended in the long run (extra levels make fights easier). Still, it isn’t required, unlike with some other RPGs.
On top of this, there is armor that is dropped very rarely that is considered to be the best in the game. Although some players will grind to try and discover this armor, it is not necessary to find it in order to complete Earthbound Beginnings.
Earthbound Beginnings, or Mother, is available on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Famicom, and Game Boy Advance.
