EarthBound 113th Best Game Ever

As noted by the “related posts”, there was a VGChartz list very similar to this one which pegged EarthBound at 28th. I’ll skip my own opinions on whether #113 is the “right” rank, and rather, simply repeat what I said in the other article: a ranking of games based on which one is “better” is so vague as to be meaningless. The objective measurements mean nothing, and the subjective measurements are, well, subjective – subject to the whims and tastes of the individual. Perhaps the editors of Game Informer liked EarthBound 113th out of all the games they’ve ever played. But that has no bearing on us, really.

That said, on a scale based on my personal enjoyment of games that I have played, EarthBound certainly ranks in my top ten.

No, that sounds about fair.

I love the game, but it is pretty clear that it will always be cult, I seem to remember Itoi himself saying something along those lines a while back.

Although I wouldn’t mind hearing what games are apparently better than it.

Personally, I think it should have gotten a slightly lower spot than that, but it does look pretty fair to me.

Well, considering all of games ever made in history and there were a lot, it sounds reasonable, though of course many of us are probably biased and might put it in the top 10…

#113, WTF? EB will always be in my top 5!

Top 200. Hmmm, it’s alright I guess. Of course, I’d like it to be in the top 50 at least, but it’s not that good of a game.

I would think this photo was from many years ago, but there’s a glimpse of a DS game in there. Anyway…

It’s great to see it made the list. Top 200 anything is a hell of a list to make. I wish it would have got into the top 100. If it did, I’d wish it made the top 50 and so on.

I think it should be around 86 in my opinion.

GameSpite Quarterly put it at #8:
http://www.gamespite.net/toastywiki/index.php/Games/8-EarthBound

On a personal list, it would be higher, but on an objective 200 long list, I think it’s fine.

I think the fact that its a RPG puts it in a good place. RPG’s i found more like playable stories. Sp i can see why its 113#, still my #1 XP

@ IMB70: That’s exactly how I feel.

I think it should be in the top 75, at least. It innovated the entire RPG genre in ways that hadn’t been done before that are STILL being done now. Well, actually, I guess Mother 1 did that, so I’m surprised not to see that.

At least it made the list. Yeah!

Q is right. It doesn’t really matter what the rankings say, because what matters is your own personal “ranking.” IMHO, if you depend on things like this to dictate what makes a good game, well…your loss. Sorry if that sounds overly harsh.

For me, the MOTHER series are my top three games of all time, with MOTHER at #1. Zelda games are right behind them, though.

Somehow, the Legend of Zelda was #1 >:(

I think it’s too low. Not too low, but I’d say more 60-80 range.

MAN! that list is so screwed up! Earthbound is right where it should be, but there are so many other things wrong with this list… like the fact thet the SNES starfox is above the N64 one, the original Zelda is #1 (I mean, it’s good…but its not that good…) and ocarina of time is # 20. Also, the majority of the first 50 are all XBOX360 and PS3 games, with a couple of NES games thrown in.

I think it is way too low, but I’m glad it at least got mentioned.

The entire list is here:
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/?p=28230#more-28230
Many of their choices are rather… odd.

Hey. I just started playing Mother 3 on a VBA. Every time I boot it up the emulator slows down the game. Is it possible to convert my save to VBA-M? If so how?

Deserves a spot in the 80s.

Deraj626: The SRAM file is compatible across all emulators, so just save in-game and VBA-M should be able to use it fine. (The save states might work too, since VBA-M is based on VBA, but I wouldn’t depend on it)

Although I am disappoint(being in the low 100’s), its good to see EB on the list 😀

89-100 would have been better

I have not gotten the new issue yet, but I believe it got quite a bit higher in a list of 100 best games ever, like 28, but that was more so based on the popularity rather than quality. But I personally think it should be a bit higher.

I personally think it should be in at least the top 75. At least it was mentioned though.

Man, this list is full of fail. How on earth are StarFox, Beyond Good and Evil, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Okami, Metroid Prime, Chrono Trigger, Bioshock, Starcraft, 1st generation Pokemon, Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Super Metroid all inferior to CoD4? I mean, it’s entertaining, but there’s absolutely nothing innovative about it. Of course, it makes sense that a magazine owned by a game retail chain would pimp uninventive commercial products over something games that are actually unique. /rant

My sister showed me this article earlier this week, and after glancing at the games in the higher ranks and seeing the criteria, we concluded these people really don’t know what they’re doing. Of course, I’ve never really thought much of gaming magazine, anyway. Earthbound will always bee my number one 😀

Hm – I agree with Q and Ice Sage, this kind of list is fairly meaningless and subjective. Still, I think they got a lot of the goodies on there, if not in the order I’d put them in.

But no love for Space Invaders? That’s a crime.

It’s all subjective. That said, I disagreed with pretty much that entire list. It went against not only what I felt should have been the top 200 but also went against what I thought would be the top 200 based on what I perceive to be others’ opinions (seriously, SMB1 better than SMB3? Sonic 1 better than Sonic 2? The original Legend of Zelda better than both ALttP and OoT? Right. Homage is one thing, but reality is another.)

I would have given it a lower rank. Mother 3, however, deserves to be in the top 20.

They went out of the way to mention it, that’s for sure. They made it really noticable, I think they just wanted to stay on the good side of EB’s fanbase. I don’t think they actually really like the game. :/

My opinion on this might be biased by the fact that I have a vendetta against GameStop and forcing me to subscribe to this magazine.

I can’t stand that they put it in this position considering the choices that they chose above it. I was actually looking through the list with a friend and she started making fun of EB after seeing the spot it was put in, below such games as Halo, Uncharted (which I have never played), Kingdom Hearts and CoD MWII. This list is completely biased considering that the magazine is pretty much owned by Gamestop and their obsession with FPSs. We are living in a nation obsessed with First person shooters, sure I enjoy a few like L4D, Half Life or the occasional goldeneye, but when the US is obsessed with one genre entirely, it pisses me off. it wouldn’t be so bad if everyone were to love RPGs, but any game that doesn’t involve Blood, gore or football is considered gay and childlike nowadays. So yes, I believe EB deserves a higher spot on the list. Also LoZ was number 1? WTF?!

Also, I now completely despise Game informer for putting Metal Gear Solid 3 as one of the lowest games, It was arguably the best one in the series and was much better than numbers 1, 2, and 4 in my and many other fans opinions.

It would be closer to 1 on my list, but it’s plausible that there are 100 games better than it.
Knowing Game Informer, stuff like Halo, Call of Duty and Madden are probably tops so the list isn’t close to accurate.
It’s neat to think that someone there thought to even put Earthbound on the list; they could have just put every WWII shooter and called it good.

I’m guessing halo, TF2, Final Fantasy 7, Pokemon Crystal, or Super Smash Bros Brawl as #1

It should be in the TOP 80

But it’s ok for me, #113 it’s not that bad 🙂

I think earthbound deserves a bit higher up than that. It’s a fair spot and it’s nice that they even considered putting it there, but it is a lot better than 113th place

top 10 are.

1) Legend Of Zelda (NES)
2) Super Mario Bros (NES)
3) Tetris (NES)
4) Grand Theft Auto 3 (Ps2)
5) Half-Life 2 (PC)
6) DooM (PC)
7) Metroid (NES)
8) FinaL Fantasy 3 (SNES)
9) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
10) Ms. Pac-Man (Arcade)

if you’re wondering each one has a fantastic reason for being where it is, even Half-Life2 and Grand Theft Auto.
HL2 got there for great character development and the first video game world to feel like it was written by George Orwell.
GTA3 got there for being an awesome sand-box game.

I know this isn’t a site about that, just wanted to let you guys know that the list is actually very fair.

Meh.I hate “Professional” reviewers.Most of them are overly biased.Which is why I never subcribed to any gaming magazines or to went any gaming review websites.I think Earthbound deserves alot better myself.

Logic completely goes out the window when any list of this sort goes beyond top TWENTY or so. Mixing criteria certainly doesn’t help either. Modern Warfare 2, only 2 weeks old (surely much less than that when the list was put together) outranks Yoshi’s Island, one of the most critically acclaimed platformers of all time? Not a single Suikoden title on the list? CoD4 higher than Goldeneye, the game that paved the way for console shooters? My mom always told me opinions can’t be wrong, but after seeing this list, I’m inclined to disagree.

I don’t really care what order they put these in!
Personally on my list EarthBound would be a lot higher.
Acctually in my oppinion this list would be verry different, but everyone has their own oppinions!
I’m Verry happy that they put EarthBound on the list, and Verry happy that is got a quite large picture in there!
:3

I think it sounds about fair. Don’t get me wrong, Earthbound is awesome. But there are better games out there. Just with the SNES’s library alone. Hell, just be glad it made it to any list AT ALL (considering EB’s neglect in the US)

I say it’s alright. I do say its a little low though. If it was in the 70s I would understand, but they choose already. SO my opinion isn’t saying anything really.

@James: Modern Warfare 2 isn’t on the list….

Wow… Good Rank. I think Chrono Trigger is though the 100 to 50 or more.

@Edracon: Number 181.

http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=105214
has the full list

I would personally put it at probably overall 25-30 range.
For it’s importance and signifigance, barely scratches #200. Originallity top ten. Story top 20.

@james: oh… now I see it… Earthbound still beat it though.

>>Man, this list is full of fail. How on earth are StarFox, Beyond Good and Evil, Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Okami, Metroid Prime, Chrono Trigger, Bioshock, Starcraft, 1st generation Pokemon, Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Super Metroid all inferior to CoD4?

While I personally agree with you (I mean, Metroid Prime is inferior to Call of Duty? Haha), that doesn’t mean they are simply advertising the game, they could possibly just like it.

>>seriously, SMB1 better than SMB3? Sonic 1 better than Sonic 2? The original Legend of Zelda better than both ALttP and OoT? Right.

Again, I agree here, but actually that’s the tendency that these publications have, they list the first game in the series usually above all others for some reason.

It was cool when Nintendo Power did this style of list like 12 or so years ago, but nowadays it’s so cliche. And I don’t get how games always change their position ever few years on this list. Sometimes a game will be 28 than 10 than 50..what the hell?

i would say like 90 and Mother 3 like 40

Its to lwo 😛

Apparently it was lower than Mario’s Picross along with Metroid Prime and a bunch of other great games so this list isn’t exactly a good one. Seriously, that part just…made me mad.

Earthbound should be around the 70s, at least.

108. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
109. Crash Bandicoot: Warped
110. Halo 2
111. Tetris Attack
112. Final Fantasy XII
113. Earthbound

Seriously? Crash Bandicoot?
…And CoD4 is “better” than Metroid Prime, Pokémon Red/Blue and Chrono Trigger?

…Yeah. They weren’t paying attention.

@ IMB70

Not only that, but they see DooM as better than DooM 2.

They are absolutely bleeding mental.

Why the **** is Megamn X No. 120?! And, If you see right at the bottom of the picture, you can see Megamn 8 CD Box for Playstation, Mario and Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story Instruction Booklet and the Donkey Kong 64 cartridge! WTF?! Man, You must clean your room now, its an emergency!

UltraGamer15: I agree, this rank is stupid!

Uh… you do know that’s MY room, right?

I think that Earthbound should be in the Top 50.
Well, it at least is the best SNES game ever.

Why did batman-Ark asylum make in the top 100 when it’s only been out for…. a year?

I’m amazed. Two of my favorite games both got on there – Silent Hill 2 and Earthbound. The nerd in Staarf is pleased.

EB gets #113 and the fans’ response is… “that’s about right.” Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat??

If you do disagree, go ahead make your own list. If people will defend this one, you’re golden already.

For me EarthBound would be in the top 10.

8)

I’m glad they used a screenshot of the ending, instead of just using a screenshot of Ness and Pokey standing near the meteorite in the first 5 minutes of the game. Nintendo Power likes to use that one a lot.

(I’m not going to be biased)
To be reaaaally fair, I’d say it should be at least top 30.

Well, for the casual gamer. It’s in my top 5 though. 🙂

Well EB isn’t well known thru the US as M2 is at japan..

What? Only #113? It should be #1.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRST!!!!!!!!!