Summary

  • Mother 3 is coming to Nintendo Switch Online, but only in Japan.
  • The game has never been released outside of Japan, a long-standing sore point for fans.
  • The reasons for a lack of global release remain unclear, although the initial decision was likely financial.

The Nintendo Switch has been an exciting era for Nintendo exclusives, from new titles to the increasingly strong library of classics accessible through Nintendo Switch Online, but there's one gaping hole in availability that's been a source of available through Nintendo Switch Online. Mother 3, however, has kept up its legacy of absence outside of Japan, leaving the trio painfully incomplete on the platform.

As noted by Nintendeal on X (formely Twitter0, the lack of a Switch release for Mother 3 is no longer a worldwide condition, with the Japanese edition of the February 21 Nintendo Direct revealing Mother 3 as a Nintendo Switch Online addition. It's not uncommon for there to be some differences between regional Directs, but this is a reveal that will rankle more than most. Although it's not surprising that it's come to the system in Japan, the fact that it's done so without a corresponding Western release is yet another indication that Nintendo still has no plans to take it global.

Mother 3 Is Only Coming To Nintendo Switch In Japan

Mother 3 protagonist Lucas in a field of sunflowers.

Mother 3 has a long history behind it, with a long period of development that was initially canceled before being reborn as a Game Boy Advance project. It ultimately released to critical acclaim in Japan, but despite years of fervent requests from fans, an official localization has never materialized. Impressively, it only took two years before a fan translation patch was made available for the game, which was met with a positive response and remains the only way to play the game in English.

A blurry rural scene from Mother 3 with the red Nintendo logo in the foreground.
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There have never been many official details about why Mother 3 wasn't released outside of Japan, with the most concrete piece of information being former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé's assertion to Bloomberg that it "just didn't make business sense." EarthBound was originally a disappointment in North America, in part thanks to an unconventional advertising campaign that didn't convince many players to try it out, and the Game Boy Advance was late in its lifespan by the time that Mother 3 released. The game also deals with some potentially controversial themes, although Fils-Aimé asserts that this wasn't the problem.

Regardless of the ultimate truth behind Mother 3's absence in the West, the sad fact of the matter is that the situation shows no signs of changing. If Nintendo wanted to launch the game, it would have made sense to do so simultaneously with the Japanese re-release, especially considering that 2024 is the 30th anniversary of Earthbound. It's still a win for Japanese fans, but the lack of Mother 3 on the Nintendo Switch everywhere else is another letdown in a long, long series of predictable disappointments.

Sources: Nintendeal/Twitter, Bloomberg