Summary

• EarthBound, the beloved Nintendo RPG, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024 and deserves a remake for a new generation.
• Despite initially poor sales and marketing struggles, EarthBound's cult fandom and internet presence made it the popular game it is today.
• A remake of EarthBound would be a perfect anniversary celebration, offering improved graphics and quality-of-life updates while preserving its unique identity.

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of beloved Nintendo RPG EarthBound, and it's high time that the game gets a new, freshened up treatment to introduce it to a new generation. The second installment in the Mother series, EarthBound takes a very different approach to the RPG experience from most of its contemporaries. With a unique modern American setting and a penchant for mocking genre staples, there's a reason that the title is especially well-ed today as an innovative game and thoroughly engaging experience.

Although it's hard to dispute its status as a classic now, the Western release of EarthBound wasn't much of a success originally, and it seemed like the marketing never quite managed to convey what made the game good to consumers. While consumers were eagerly lapping up high adventure fantasies, the simplistic graphics and ads that tried to emulate the unusual tone by declaring "This Game Stinks" made EarthBound a harder sell. Cult fandom and the rise of the internet ultimately gave the title the traction it needed, and references and appearances in games like Super Smash Bros. seem inevitable in hindsight.

A Remake Would Be The Perfect EarthBound Anniversary

EarthBound Needs A Proper Switch Release

Not every classic game needs to be remade, but among Nintendo's classic catalog of titles, EarthBound is a perfect target for a fresh treatment. The poor sales of the original release mean that SNES copies fetch exorbitant sums today, with digital re-releases remaining the only official way for most people to access the game. Nintendo Switch Online can play EarthBound through the library of available games, but it deserves more than a slot in a crowded subscription service.

Although a remake of EarthBound might seem like something of a long shot, it does appear that the game won't its anniversary idly. The official of potential Switch 2 release in 2024.

What An EarthBound Remake Could Look Like

The Super Mario RPG Remake Shows The Potential

A remake wouldn't have to overhaul basic aspects of the game, as EarthbBound has aged well on the whole. The story, characters, and humor are all still golden, and minimized grinding and increased complexity smooth over some of the lesser elements of its predecessor EarthBound: Beginnings (Mother in Japan). All the same, its generally charming graphics are sometimes lacking in detail compared to other SNES RPGs, and an awkward inventory system and occasionally slow elements could use some quality-of-life reworks. Preserving the game's identity is ultimately more important than any potential changes, but it wouldn't be hard to find a reasonable balance that only cleaned up general frustrations.

The new Switch release of Super Mario RPG is a perfect example of revisiting a classic without overwriting what made it so special, and EarthBound could be the perfect candidate for a similar treatment. In the Super Mario RPG remake, the original world is built in the same style but rendered with 3D graphics, while new equipment, movement, and party management options minimize any general inconvenience. Converting the art of EarthBound might not be quite as easy, but there are plenty of concepts to explore that could make the translation ultimately feel worthwhile.

Although the EarthBound series never released a game in 3D, it has flirted with the concept in the past. The original Mother 3 project went through a phase where it was planned for a Nintendo 64 release, one step in a complicated saga that ended in cancelation before development restarted in 2003. In that same year, an entry was pitched for the GameCube with the exciting visual angle of rendering the world in a felt-like style. The felt idea might be the most fruitful for a remake, emphasizing a handcrafted charm that could maintain the simplicity of EarthBound's style without looking bland in 3D.

Mother 3 Shows Why EarthBound Needs To Return

The EarthBound Series Deserves A Spotlight

It's difficult to talk about any new releases in the EarthBound series without mentioning the lack of a US release for Mother 3, an unfortunate circumstance that has long been a sore point for Western fans. The lack of any apparent initiative to make a Mother 3 release happen poses some concern for Nintendo of America's general interest in the franchise. On the other hand, the release of the first game as EarthBound: Beginnings on the Wii U virtual console (and later Nintendo Switch Online) does show that hope isn't always dead.

Ideally, an EarthBound remake could help pave the path for a Western release or remake of Mother 3, although that might be a bit too much to wish for. Considering how much video game releases can depend on circumstances and climate, however, it's impossible to completely rule out anything in the future of the series. Super Mario RPG wasn't a game that many fans would have expected to be resurrected, especially considering Nintendo's turn away from building up Mario lore in more recent Paper Mario games. No matter what may come for Mother 3, any forward momentum for the franchise would benefit fans.

It's best not to get hopes unreasonably high for a major return of EarthBound, as it's entirely possible that the anniversary will come and go with only ing acknowledgment from Nintendo. If there is a chance for a remake, however, now would be a great time for it. Ness's adventure has served as a major inspiration for modern hits like Undertale, and the Switch releases of Super Mario RPG and Link's Awakening show that a careful touch can make classic Nintendo hits shine anew. 30 years after its release, EarthBound may be more popular than ever, and a remake might just be the perfect anniversary celebration.

Source: Hobonochi Mother/Twitter