Earthbound -SNES- 8.5

October 9, 2024

I finally played through Earthbound. I do not own the authentic cart, so I played it on the snes classic mini. Over the years, I have heard many retro gamers talk about how much they love this game, but I put off playing it for a long time because it did not look like my type of rpg. However, a week and a half ago I decided to give it a shot. At first, I did not like the game at all. But part way through, it actually started to grow on me. And after finishing it this morning, I can honestly say I really liked it!

The story of Earthbound starts with a crashed meteor that wakes up the lead character’s neighborhood. You investigate the crash site with some friends, and a bee from 10 years into the future tells you that Giygas, the universal cosmic destroyer, is going to destroy the earth. The bee also says you are the chosen one to stop this from happening. You must find the three other chosen children to help you on your quest to visit eight secret sanctuaries to record melodies that will lead you to stopping Giygas.

When I first started my playthrough of Earthbound, the quirky vibe and humor seemed lame to me. The suburban American setting was different from what I was used to in a jrpg, and the npc’s wandering the towns would crack corny jokes. It was weird, and I did not see the appeal.

However, the story gets a little more serious and much more cerebral as you proceed deeper through the quest, especially when you enter Ness’ mind into the psychedelic realm of Magicant. This balanced out very well with the light hearted beginning and middle of the adventure. And during the final battle, the story gets surprisingly heartfelt with all the npc’s praying for your triumph over the evil Giygas. I absolutely loved the ending of Earthbound, and it actually made me look back fondly on the beginning of the game and how it fit with the overall narrative.

The gameplay is also really well polished, with a lot of fresh ideas for the rpg genre. Enemies are visible before you fight them, giving you the ability to run away or sneak in a surprise attack. When you get hit with a mortal blow, your health meter slowly ticks down, giving you time to heal if you’re quick enough. The battle system itself is easy to understand and lots of fun. It feels similar to the Dragon Quest games with the first person perspective and satisfying sound effects from basic attacks. The game also does not punish you badly for dying, letting you keep all your experience and only taking half the money from your wallet, and none from your bank account.

I also loved how much variety there was in the locals and how unique each of them looked from each other. The quaint Twoson, zombie infested Threed, metropolitan city Fourside, snowy Winters, beach town Summers, desert of Scaraba, and prehistoric land of Underworld were all distinct and memorable. The vibrant colors in the graphics and unconventional soundtrack further enhanced the game’s artistic flair.

I was indifferent at first, but Earthbound really won me over by the end. The emotional beats in the final stretch brought perfect balance to the more comedic tone of the rest of the game, and gave me a much deeper appreciation for the offbeat nature of it all. I rate Earthbound an 8.5 out of ten. I can see why it is adored by so many, and it has expanded my horizons for what I enjoy in gaming.