I just popped my copy in yesterday and checked out my save files. I'm ready to take on Giygas again, man!

Earthbound is definitely in my top 5 childhood SNES experiences. I absolutely adore it.
I'm going to check out a couple of the above videos now.

I've never pirated a game, but I will someday download an emulator and ROMs for Earthbound and translations for Mother 3 and maybe Mother 1.

Someday.


Unless Nintendo actually releases any of them.

I just watched the Happy Video Game Nerd video and it was pretty depressing. I knew pretty much all of the information but having it thrown at me in succession made me sad.

I actually downloaded the patch and ROM for Mother 3. It is a WONDERFUL game and the translation is top-notch. I should purchase the cart and patch it properly though.

Darn Nintendo and whoever else is responsible for not bringing this game over to NA!!!

Such an amazing game. I bought it new when it came in the over-sized game box with the Player's Guide included. I haven't beaten it 20+ times like you have Chris, but I definitely got a few playthroughs. I just haven't played it in years now though!

Thanks for the videos, I'll have to check them out.

@nate38@Zero

While I am not a fan of pirating games and as much as I know you guys want to play it legit, I say do what is necessary to play the game. If you have to pirate it, go for it. Game is freaking expensive on the market now. I got my second copy back in '06 for 60 bucks and the price has tripled at my used game store since. It is freaking ridiculous.

How is buying it used any more "legit" than downloading a ROM? You are giving the developer zero dollars either way.

@Oldmanwinter Hmm, I'd say you're at least taking part in the economy that the game is revolving around. I know people who buy games new at full price only because they know that they can sell them used at some point.

But I think he meant that we want to play it legit as in have Nintendo bring it over to VC. Or at least, I know that is what I want. But yeah, if it doesn't happen, I'll probably pirate it eventually. I'm not paying $80 or whatever a used copy runs for now.

Yeah, I'd argue that it's not just about whether or not the developer gets money off the transaction (or the music artist, etc.) but whether the transaction benefits the larger economy of the games industry (or music industry, etc.)

I never felt any guilt about buying used CDs because it helped keep the music stores I frequented in business. And that meant they didn't have to close shop, pack it in and get proper jobs. And those guys could use the money I spent to buy more music themselves. So everyone gets a turn on the money-go-round.

That said, when it comes to high prices due to scarcity, I'm less sentimental. I'm not paying 80 bucks to some joker for a copy of Earthbound. That's just extortion. Pirate that sucka.

@Oldmanwinter

Well to me, playing it on its original console (when possible) is the best possible and most "legit" way to play it even if Nintendo gets nothing for it and then legal download services but since it is entirely too expensive on the used market and for what ever reason not coming to VC, I say pirate it.

And now that the game has been announced for the VC, I feel this is wholly appropriate for bumping.

Also Zero, edit the game info please.

Do basically every time I've filled out a Club Nintendo survey I'd just talk about needing Earthbound to come to NA over and over so... I think we all know who is single-handedly responsible for Nintendo's decision. You can thank me at your own convenience.

@chrisbg99 Wait, why am I editing the game info?!

@Zero

You were the one who created it 5 years ago.

And yeah I pretty much did the same thing whenever I did a survey. Almost everyone one of my "Make VC better" entries were related to getting EarthBound on VC.

Shouldn't it be a new entry in the database? There's more than one Ocarina of Time in there, for example.

@VickiL

The rule is that VC games for Nintendo systems and the original cart version are the same entry.

The only reason that comes to mind as to why it took so long was that for one thing, people are more aware of video games, and by people I mean the people who are likely to sue video game makers at the first opportunity, and Earthbound has so many opportunities that the game releasing here today would be treated like a backpack of cocaine falling off of someone and spilling all over the road in full view of the public. A public full of extremely dedicated police officers.

With that said though, I suspected they were building up to this when Itoi mentioned something about, and I quote, "Making Earthbound playable" I'm guessing they reworked the game to make sure it complies with worldwide laws, doesn't infringe on other peoples' IPs, and so on.

I'll be looking forward to getting this and seeing how much has changed.

Changes or no, I'm happy to get this in my hands again. This was one of the games that I didn't want to let go of when I sold off my retro game collection in 2004 (I was broke and needed money), so I'm happy to have it again in some form (my MOTHER 1+2 import aside since I can't read it).

@Dark Weres
From what I saw when Itoi played Mother 2 on Wii U there had been no changes to music or samples (that seems to be the main thing people bring up in theories), so I have to wonder if there will be any substantial changes made to the US and EU versions beyond some slightly altered dialogue and stuff. I mean, Japan isn't some sort of haven from the repurcussions of international copyright law, is it?

There is only one thing changed in Mother 2 that I know of. A change of dialog early in the game that Itoi apparently was never happy with.

@r_hjort
All I know, and even this is hearsay, but you can make fan-games and fan-work and sell it in japan. Over here, you can sell "parody" or "homage", so I guess it depends on what legal guidelines there are for a work to fall under those labels.