22 June, 2008 |

A look back at Earthbound for the SNES

Earthbound for the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) was the first major foray into the world of RPG gaming for the console. While RPG's were at that time, and still are today, wildly popular, most required a level of involvement that casual gamers were unwilling to give. Earthbound is notable for its casual and humorous gameplay and for having a timeline which places the game in the modern era, as opposed to the fictional mythic past that most RPG games are set in.

Earthbound was a rousing success in Japan though it only achieved the status of cult classic when released in the United States a year following its Japanese Debut. Many gamers initially were unimpressed with the subtlety of Earthbound's gameplay and storyline especially when compared to the blockbuster hits being released on all of the major game consoles of that time.

In hindsight though, an increasing number of gamers are taking a second look at Earthbound both for the uniqueness of its gameplay and for the elegant extra touches that Earthbound's designers seeded throughout the game. The graphics and gameplay in Earthbound sometimes resemble a traditional side scrolling game rather than that of an RPG. This unique perspective lends to the intimacy and enjoyability of the game play in such a way that game players begin to feel more like a character in the game rather than just a player. On another note, Earthbound sometimes received criticism because of what some feel to be overly simplistic graphics. Those who praise the graphical choices made in Earthbound note that while the graphics are simple they aren't cheap. The designers of Earthbound made a concerted effort to give the game a certain look. For those who love Earthbound, its graphics are a major part of why they enjoy the game.

Battle sequences in Earthbound are dramatically simpler than in other RPGs; the player has hit points and enemy characters do as well. Striking an enemy reduces its hit points and with enough strikes the battle is won. Although other attacking and defensive strategies can be used in battle, this simplified concept significantly reduces the learning curve for Earthbound, allowing gamers of virtually any level of experience to become experts immediately. For this reason, and also for its lighthearted approach, quite a number of non traditional gamers were very receptive to Earthbound. Women gamers were rare enough back then, but many women who would never be considered to be gamers at all, enjoyed Earthbound.

Though it's been many years since Earthbound's original release, fans of the game are still clamoring for a sequel to it, made for one of the more sophisticated game systems of today. Copies of Earthbound commands a high premium in gaming circles, and some gamers claim that Earthbound is the best RPG ever created. While these arguments may be relative, it is certain that few games attract the same level of continued interest for as long after their releases as Earthbound has managed to do. Still more amazing is the fact that from a commercial standpoint (at least outside of Japan) Earthbound was not a successful game.