* The game Earthbound and its fans have received a lot of criticism over the years. This bothers me, and I wrote this essay in response to that criticism.
Some say Final Fantasy VII is the greatest game of all time. For those of us who would rather play games we can relate to, there is still Earthbound. Yes, I know, I'm going to sound like one of the thounsands of rabid Earthbound fans that make fan art, visit Starman.net every day, and make a big fuss out of Mother 3 not coming to the states, but the reality is that Earthbound was an escape from reality for those of us not living in the middle ages. Okay, so I played Earthbound when I was about 10, and haven't looked back since. What attracts me to this game? Outside of the memories of hours of gameplay that it holds for me, it also serves as a getaway car to reality, a trip away from the troubles of the world, to a place where I can have the convenience of technology, the simplicity of linear topography, and still solve all my storage problems by calling a service called "Escargo Express", which ironically took less time to arrive then "Mach Pizza". Not only did it quench my desire to escape to a parallel universe, but it also fulfilled my need to feel that I could be a hero. At any time, I could quit playing my game, grab my baseball cap and hat, and be the embodiment of Ness. I could be filled by Sad Ness, Happi-Ness, Good-Ness... and Ness's objectives paralleled my own lofty ambitions. I really truly wanted to take out the leader of the gang, maybe stay in a fancy hotel in a paradise and eat fancy food, knock the enemy out of the park simply by praying. Most of all, I wanted to be able to have psychic powers, to control fire, ice, lightning with my hands or my thoughts, and to be able to act like such powers existed in a modern world tickled my fancy. The music was another important of the game to me, and always has been. You have to know that music is a very critical thing to me, and having good music is as critical to a good game as the graphics and the storyline. If a soundtrack to a football game was all Keane songs (which I love), it wouldn't matter whether the players were life-like or just four pixels arranged in a square, the game would be awesome. The moving melody created by the sound stone when all 8 sanctuaries had been collected, along with the counter melody played in Ness's memories, made the game for me... it inspired my imagination, my thoughts, made me think about what might happen next. Combined with the themes for the various locales, the soundtrack for this game is probably the greatest collection of synth pieces you can find outside of the soundtrack for Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Why does Earthbound hold lasting appeal for me as I grow up? Because it is so intricate and deep, and each time I play it I catch new things I never saw or never understood before. For instance, I now find myself wondering why Mr. T is wandering around several different cities in the game, and why they never specifically call him Mr. T. The game is quick-witted, and an often cynical social commentary. One only has to listen to the characters in the game to
realize that each and every one of them is a drastic charicature of some stereotype. It is this cynicism that appeals to me, because it comes in a package with great music, an awesome RPG engine, a clever and often tongue-in-cheek naming system, and a compelling and poignant storyline. I know, I hear all those non-fans out there telling me to get over it, but seriously, that's like telling any gamer to get over Ocarina of Time, Halo, or Half-life. Earthbound ranks among these classics, and deserves respect for the path it paved. If not for Earthbound, it is doubtful that the die-hard Pokemon fans out there would ever have gotten the game they so faithfully protect. Earthbound has earned its place in the ranks of the best games of all time.
Some say Final Fantasy VII is the greatest game of all time. For those of us who would rather play games we can relate to, there is still Earthbound. Yes, I know, I'm going to sound like one of the thounsands of rabid Earthbound fans that make fan art, visit Starman.net every day, and make a big fuss out of Mother 3 not coming to the states, but the reality is that Earthbound was an escape from reality for those of us not living in the middle ages. Okay, so I played Earthbound when I was about 10, and haven't looked back since. What attracts me to this game? Outside of the memories of hours of gameplay that it holds for me, it also serves as a getaway car to reality, a trip away from the troubles of the world, to a place where I can have the convenience of technology, the simplicity of linear topography, and still solve all my storage problems by calling a service called "Escargo Express", which ironically took less time to arrive then "Mach Pizza". Not only did it quench my desire to escape to a parallel universe, but it also fulfilled my need to feel that I could be a hero. At any time, I could quit playing my game, grab my baseball cap and hat, and be the embodiment of Ness. I could be filled by Sad Ness, Happi-Ness, Good-Ness... and Ness's objectives paralleled my own lofty ambitions. I really truly wanted to take out the leader of the gang, maybe stay in a fancy hotel in a paradise and eat fancy food, knock the enemy out of the park simply by praying. Most of all, I wanted to be able to have psychic powers, to control fire, ice, lightning with my hands or my thoughts, and to be able to act like such powers existed in a modern world tickled my fancy. The music was another important of the game to me, and always has been. You have to know that music is a very critical thing to me, and having good music is as critical to a good game as the graphics and the storyline. If a soundtrack to a football game was all Keane songs (which I love), it wouldn't matter whether the players were life-like or just four pixels arranged in a square, the game would be awesome. The moving melody created by the sound stone when all 8 sanctuaries had been collected, along with the counter melody played in Ness's memories, made the game for me... it inspired my imagination, my thoughts, made me think about what might happen next. Combined with the themes for the various locales, the soundtrack for this game is probably the greatest collection of synth pieces you can find outside of the soundtrack for Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Why does Earthbound hold lasting appeal for me as I grow up? Because it is so intricate and deep, and each time I play it I catch new things I never saw or never understood before. For instance, I now find myself wondering why Mr. T is wandering around several different cities in the game, and why they never specifically call him Mr. T. The game is quick-witted, and an often cynical social commentary. One only has to listen to the characters in the game to
realize that each and every one of them is a drastic charicature of some stereotype. It is this cynicism that appeals to me, because it comes in a package with great music, an awesome RPG engine, a clever and often tongue-in-cheek naming system, and a compelling and poignant storyline. I know, I hear all those non-fans out there telling me to get over it, but seriously, that's like telling any gamer to get over Ocarina of Time, Halo, or Half-life. Earthbound ranks among these classics, and deserves respect for the path it paved. If not for Earthbound, it is doubtful that the die-hard Pokemon fans out there would ever have gotten the game they so faithfully protect. Earthbound has earned its place in the ranks of the best games of all time.
3 comments:
Ok, since the majority of people that check your blog and comment probably won't comment, I thought I would be one to do so. Second, now that you are posting at slower rate, it may be a while before people discover you are posting again (so post more).
I actually had to go to gamespot and watch a promo video to even remember this game. Turns out that I did play it, but I don't think I got into it much, but my recollection of it is very low.
What is more interesting is that your essay is showcasing a brilliant mind in that you can speak this way about a 12 year old nintendo game. I hope to hear more speak like this in the future (as opposed to settling for reading it).
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I don't believe I've ever played Earthbound, but it may surprise you to know that my vote doesn't go to Halo (although it is an awesome game experience). I would have to go with Morrowind. Totally changed my view of RPG's and computer gaming in general. In fact, I recently bought the expansion pack and played the whole game again!
I found this very interesting, Matt, just seeing the way you "think' and how well you write was fascinating to me even though I am not, of course, familiar with your game. But I'm familiar with my grandson (my FIRST grandhild!) and I love you very much.
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