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Head of the Mother series of quirky RPGs, Shigesato Itoi, has updated his Mother 3 website with a handful of new features, including screenshots of various scenes throughout the anticipated GBA game.

Judging from the screens, it appears as though the isometric view present in Mother 2 (EarthBound) has been replaced with the more standard overhead, fixed perspective used within most 2D role-playing video games. The three scenes also point out a small but satisfying amount of characters and locales, such as a blond-haired boy and his dog at a town park and museum, and a cowboy standing near a forest in the rain. At the moment it could be speculated that the game may contain some sort of day/night cycle and possibly changes in weather.

As for the additional updates to the site, there are a total of sixteen "gifts" displayed on the main page - each leading to new media. A different box opens on a particular day - about every week or so - up until the Japanese release of Mother 3, in a way similar to an Advent calendar.

There's still been no official talk of a North American or European release.

Screenshots

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Words of Wisdom:

If something can go wrong, it will.

If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. - Murphy’s Law

Boing! Zoom! - Mr. Saturn

The screenshots on the Japanese site look interesting, with a couple characters that have counterparts in the other Earthbounds, especially the excited lady in the town square. It's interesting to see that Shigesato Itoi has a boy without a red cap, but the new kid and his dog look cool. I can't get to the screenshots page on gamesarefun from where I post, but I'll take a peek when I get home. Can't wait to open the rest of the giftboxes, though I probably won't understand most of it.

Edit

Has anyone noticed that the graphics seem similar to Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga?

This post has been edited by Barrylocke on 16th February 2006 13:32

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.

Very interesting. I'll be praying night and day for it to come out in NA...well, maybe not every single day.

I wonder if it'll follow the same story formula as the first two, or something completely different? Hm...

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OSonic Rave
/ \Last Arcanum
[ ]Strike Raid
XRagnarok

Am I the only one who's disappointed that the graphics are almost unchanged? I'm glad the feel won't be lost, but it might be a bit too much like the first two (which looked very similar as well)... they've gotten rid of the isometric view, which is something i personally enjoyed. But anyways, I won't judge it based on 3 screenshots - I'm just happy that I'll finally be able to play another Earthbound. I'm sure it won't disappoint.

This post has been edited by Jlombardi13 on 19th February 2006 08:02

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Lou: There's a couple of guys fighting down at the aquarium, Chief.
Wiggum: Do they still sell those frozen bananas?
Lou: I think so.
Wiggum: Let's roll.

TA-DA! Three more spankin' new screenshots from Mother 3 have surfaced, causing much salivating from fans (or from me, at least).

Only the second screen is rather unmistakable; its image shows the inside of a haunted house, complete with perhaps hammered, partying ghosts. The third is made up of a temple of sorts (maybe another "far east" area) featuring outdoor bouncers and a sign for "DC-MC" while the first somewhat resembles a rest stop (is that a cow waiting in line for the ladies' restroom?)

Lastly, as GAF explains via the link, its launch will include the release of a Deluxe Box Set that's likely to be sold exclusively in Japan. The set will come packaged with a copy of Mother 3, a "special edition" Game Boy Micro, and a totally authentic Franklin Badge. Actually, scratch that; it's much safer to assume it's not authentic. But then again, I highly recommend against standing on rooftops during thunderstorms with it in hand just to find out...

Also, there's apparently a rumor stating that Nintendo plans NOT to localize Mother 3. Of course, that's currently just a rumor and as far as I can tell has yet to be confirmed as true or false.

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Words of Wisdom:

If something can go wrong, it will.

If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. - Murphy’s Law

Boing! Zoom! - Mr. Saturn

Quote (SilverFork @ 16th February 2006 06:31)

Judging from the screens, it appears as though the isometric view present in Mother 2 (EarthBound) has been replaced with the more standard overhead, fixed perspective used within most 2D role-playing video games.

I'm confused by this....

Those screens seem to mimic exactly the view style present in Earthbound. Maybe I'm not noticing something???

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"That Light has bestowed upon me the greatest black magic!"

Quote (SilverFork @ 21st February 2006 07:22)

Also, there's apparently a rumor stating that Nintendo plans NOT to localize Mother 3. Of course, that's currently just a rumor and as far as I can tell has yet to be confirmed as true or false.

The fanboy in me is praying that they'll do what Namco did with Tales of Phantasia and deal with the re-surge in Earthbound hype by releasing both Mother 3 and the Mother 1+2 package sometime either late this year or early next year. If Nintendo decides to not release either, then they are severely underestimating America's love for Earthbound.

And is it just me, or does the dude in the first two screenshots (he's second in the party in the top screenshot and the only person in the party in the middle screenshot) look exactly like Liar X. Agerate? The first two games did sort of have recurring characters (Ninten is the same as Ness, as is Ann with Paula, Loid with Jeff, and Teddy with Franky), so I guess now Liar is one of the destined four? Nifty.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

Quote (The Ancient @ 21st February 2006 07:39)

I'm confused by this....

Those screens seem to mimic exactly the view style present in Earthbound.  Maybe I'm not noticing something???

Think of Fourside's exterior; it's probably EarthBound's best example of an isometric line drawing (or whatever that's called). The angles of the buildings and roadways therein, as well as such in most of the other towns, is what was collectively meant by "isometric view."

All the screenshots from Mother 3 thus far suggest only a standard perspective is being used there. But like I said, it only appears this way based on what's visible within the scenes, so things could still turn out to be different.

This post has been edited by SilverFork on 22nd February 2006 09:40

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Words of Wisdom:

If something can go wrong, it will.

If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. - Murphy’s Law

Boing! Zoom! - Mr. Saturn

You might want to go back to the Japenese Mother 3 site and open the newest present box. They have two new screenshots. One is of the blond kid and his dog in a cave. Their is lava in the cave, a present box, and what appears to be an enemy roaming about. The other is a battle screenshot

The battle screenshot looks very much like the battles of Earthbound, but the mechanics might be different. Who knows...

This post has been edited by Barrylocke on 1st March 2006 13:10

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.

The kid's dog has been in just about every single screenshot the kid's been in. Does this main that one of the chosen is a dog this time?

Also, could any of our Japanese scholars translate the names on the battle screen?

Edit

Haha, I probably should have thought of checking Starmen before anyone had to tell me.... Well, in any case the names on the battle screen, presumably the blonde kid's and the brown dog's, are "Flint", and "Boney".

This post has been edited by laszlow on 1st March 2006 19:15

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

I saw a translated version of Itoi's site on starmen.net, but I can't access it now. Go their and look for it. I recall that in one of the gift boxes is a download of a song from the game.

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.

With these immortal words....."Lookin' good Mr. Car-ter."

and it is....

Ayuh. Furinto would be "Flint", and Bonii would be "Boney", so , yup.

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OSonic Rave
/ \Last Arcanum
[ ]Strike Raid
XRagnarok

There's a new gift box open today, and it appears to be some kind of world map, dominated by what appear to be a mountain and a volcano, with some forests and civilization down below. It looks kinda trippy, but hey, it's Earthbound. Starmen's translated version of the Mother 3 site.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

Saw that yesterday. It's quite different from the Mother map, which was rural, and the Mother 2 map, which was suburb/exotic

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.

Another week, some more Mother 3 updates. Starmen's translation of the official Mother 3 website tells us that the two main characters are twin boys named Lucas and Claus, which are anagrams of one another. The blonde kid that we've seen in several screenshots is Lucas.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

Quote (Kane @ 1st March 2006 17:17)

With these immortal words....."Lookin' good Mr. Car-ter."

and it is....

Isn't it Mr. Kotter?

I just wish someone would tell me that there will be a US release. :-/ Wondering if this is just another shiny game we'll never get ruins the anticipation for me.

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Veni, vidi, dormivi.

I never noticed the angrams. I wonder if Lucas is slightly more of a main character than Klaus.

New questions:
1. Who then, is Flint
2. What's up with the dog
3. And will they EVER announce an American release??? (Oh, and I guess a European release too...)

I much prefer the regular version, but I will ROM this game if I have to. I'm sure someone on starmen.net will translate it.

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.

Y'know, it wouldn't come as a big shock if they refused to localize this game for a few years, if at all. Like always, it'll no doubt be available in translated ROM form soon enough after its release, especially if official word does eventually state that they've basically opted to disappoint the masses outside Japan.

It seems Nintendo of America has always failed to acknowledge just how many fans of EarthBound indeed exist in the western world; starmen.net, for example, has their annual member call-in to the company in support of the series where they ask if NOA has reconsidered releasing the Japanese exclusive games, but other than that it's as if the bigwig folks are so sure - only not - that those unreleased titles wouldn't sell very well over here. 'Tis a shame.

One thing's for certain: If it turns out Mother 3 won't be coming out domestically, you can bet your butts there'll be a faintly echoing yet agonizing, wailing sound of sorrow (with a small dash of fury) erupting from the general vicinity of the Mid-Atlantic.

--------------------

Words of Wisdom:

If something can go wrong, it will.

If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. - Murphy’s Law

Boing! Zoom! - Mr. Saturn

Yea!! New Stuff! New characters can be seen.

So Flint is the name of the dad. Looks like he won't be a faceless man on the phone. He actually fights with you!

And of course Boney is the family dog. He stills seems to hold a more important role than that though.

Still hoping for localization, of like Silverfork and her ET lovin self said, I wouldn't be suprised if it doesn't come across the Pacific to our hopeful hands.

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.

More new stuff (translated Itoi page). They have some new wallpapers (mostly boring) and new pics of some Mother 3 monsters (*****ing incrediculous). My favorites: the parental kangashark, the ostrelephant, and the rhino rocket. They must be seen to be believed.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

What's that you say? More screenshots? Sounds good to me.

It definetly shows that the new world will be diverse and it looks quite exciting. I especially like the one in front of the house and the one on the cliff.

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.