EarthBound on Wii U Virtual Console Q&A

I’m unfamiliar with the Wii-U

Does Earthbound have a “miiverse” or whatever it is called in North America or Europe?

I’m gonna be buying a Wii U just for this.

Oh yes- I feel silly for forgetting to answer the questions.

I made it very clear in the customer feedback thingamawhatsit which popped up when I visited the nintendo website that I would be purchasing a Wii-U console specifically so that I could purchase Earthbound VC, play it, unplug the Wii-U and keep it on a shelf next to my cartridge.

I love it. I hope that they don’t alter the various song references. It would set a bad precedent for this sort of thing. I hope Nintendo is willing to stick their neck out for the existing content, and I have good faith they’d win any suit. That said, Earthbound seems like the sort of thing that would completely fly under the radar of anyone but the fans. I really doubt anyone who would even want to bring up a suit would even notice.

Then again, there were all those Monster Cable lawsuits targetting family owned local businesses like Monster Go-Karts because they used the word “Monster” in their name. Someone might go to their amusement park and think riding a go-kart was the same as a Monster Cable brand cable, then complain about the lack of visual fidelity!

I’m soo happy that EB is finally coming to the virtual console! I already own a physical copy, but I’ll definitely be buying it again on my Wii U to support the series in America.

I was considering getting a Wii U sometime down the line anyway, but now it’s pretty much a sure thing. I’ve still got my cart though; nearly 17 years and it’s still holding up strong, original battery and all!

I’m planning to buy a Wii U later this year, and although I still have my original EarthBound cartridge from all those years ago (with guide and box!), I’ll gladly double-dip for the Virtual Console version just to show my continued support for the game and the series. I’d love to think that massive sales for the VC release will get Nintendo thinking about bringing Mother 3 to the 3DS eShop in English, but let’s take things one step at a time.

“Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?”

I already have a Wii U, and I’ll be buying EarthBound day 1, no question about it.

“Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?”

It potentially could. If EarthBound sells well, I think Nintendo will at least consider releasing Mother 1 and Mother 3. Especially if demand is high for those games.

“Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?”

Yes and no. I played a little bit of it on an emulator.

Will it be released in Europe FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER???????

Collectibles will always be collectibles, which is what the Earthbound carts are for most people who own/seek them. I think the price for the original copy of the cart will follow the trend is has in recent times, but that’s my assumption (I will never give mine up even if the price sky rockets). Nintendo will get a nice income from this game I think.
To answer your questions.
1) I was planning to wait for the next Smash Bross at the longest, but seeing as how they plan to bring Earthbound to the Wii U I’ll be getting it a little before the Earthbound release. This was just the final reason I needed to get a Wii U.
2) Us fans cannot stop asking for an international release for the other 2 games I believe. This was such a big thing in itself that I’m sure we can all try and persuade Nintendo (eventually) into possibly bringing Mother 1 and 3 abroad. Besides, I’m sure we can wait it out for a long long time… Feels like what happened just now lol.
3) No. Owned the game since 1995 and grew up playing it (so many runthroughs in my life :D).

To comment on the Chrono Trigger thing: when the DS and Virtual Console releases came out, the price plummeted to around $20-30. It’s now hovering around $80-90, so I would expect prices to drop like a rock at first, but for collectors to still pay outrageous amounts, raising the value in a few months.

I will buy the game, for sure. I already own a WiiU, so I don’t see why not. I think that, if at all, it will only affect release plans for Mother 1/3 if it performes well enough, i.e. sells enough on the WiiU and pushes WiiU’s hardware sales enough overall. That’s why, I think, fan support will be very important. I don’t own EarthBound, but I will likely own a Mother 2 cart before EB arrives on VC.

I pretty much was settled on maybe getting a PS4, but now I’m definitely more conflicted and strongly considering buying a Wii U.

• Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?

— If it’s available on the 3DS, I may buy a 3DS system and get it for that but otherwise I do not plan on buying a Wii U. If one of my friends happens to have a Wii U, I would gladly buy EarthBound on their console as my personal financial contribution/support/”vote” for EarthBounds official re-release.

• Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?

— Hopefully it’ll help the chances of Mother 3 and Mother 1 being released.

• Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?

— It is not. I have owned my copy of EarthBound since either late 1995/early 1996 which it had been marked down to about $30 at the time of purchase.

Totally buying the game on VC. Too bad none of my friends have a Wii U or I’d buy it for them too.

I am rather happy that EB now has a WiiU release! I just hope that they didn’t end up changing the music or Dali’s clock. If Mother3 is released here and they decide to use the fan translation, they will probably have to remove all of Kumatora’s swearing.

I will be buying a Wii-U for this. I have been waiting way too long to not show whatever support I can.

Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? Yes
If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else? I have one already
Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan? Hoping for future new releases from the franchise.
Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound? Yes

TOTALLY getting a Wii U just for Earthbound. I just want to finally be able to show Nintendo that fans were willing to buy this all along and we supported it all the way. Sure, Earthbound may be the only game I have any interest in even playing on there, but still. It’s the principle of the thing. 🙂

Yes, I’m absolutely buying a Wii U because of EarthBound. I’m also super excited and relieved to already own a 3DS XL for that new Zelda game coming out later this year ♥

I don’t think this will make Nintendo any more likely to release MOTHER or MOTHER 3 outside of Japan, though. EB’s already perfectly localized in English, so the hard work is done. Unless, since they’re also releasing it in Europe, they’ll have to go and localize it for Germany, France, and all those other countries. I’d like to see what languages it’ll be available in in Europe once it’s released.

It won’t be my first time owning EarthBound, but it’ll be my first time purchasing it brand-new so that the money goes straight to the source. I’m totes excited 🙂

It’s interesting what you said about this being a cash grab. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I guess it is! Hey, anything for an official release 🙂

I have EarthBound on SNES, but since my SNES is acting up (it’ll start up various games and then glitch and freeze) it’ll be good to get something so that I can play it actually (though it might be a good idea for me to figure out whats wrong and get a replacement). Looks like i better start saving up for a Wii U.

I’m definitely going to be buying a Wii U now that I can legally buy the game. Yes, it will be my first time owning a real copy.
As for future releases, I imagine in a few years, Mother 3 might get released in Japan, and then we can do the whole “Occupy Miiverse” thing again. Except we would say stuff like “Use our translation to make this available! We will buy it and spread the word!”

@Poe: It will likely be like it was with Super Mario RPG here in Europe; we will just get the US version, and will probably pay 1€ more than the usual 8€, because it is an “import” game. At least if they do it like it was with that game, which was previously unreleased in Europe as well. So, most likely, no translations to any languages. Not that it matters much to me, though it would be cool being able to play the game with fully german text.

When Earthbound release here, there will be an Earthbound Community in Miiverse, i hope, and of course, for the first time in Europe. I dont have a WiiU, and i dont expect about this notice, but im very happy, i have my original cartdrige and i will have in my WiiU soon.

Im quite Happy! i think that if this sells really, REALLY well, we might get another chance to have MOTHER 3 Released here, after all, they said they were working to have GBA games in the virtual console this time (But it has to sell REALLY, REALLY Well)

I used the money I was saving up for an Earthbound cart to buy my Wii U. So yes I will be buying Earthbound. I also hope Nintendo has a way to gift to other Wii U users so I could buy this game for my friends with Wii U’s to get the numbers up.
I can’t wait to play this game again!

I already have a Wii U so I will get Earthbound on virtual console the minute it comes out in america.
I think that since Nintendo said Nes, Snes, N64, and GBA games will be on the Wii U virtual console, I think Mother 1 and 3 will also be on the Wii U virtual console in Japan, but I don’t know about America and Europe. Maybe will all get a Mother Collection on the Wii U.
Yes this will be my first time owning Earthbound.
Btw Mato what is your Nintendo Network Id (your Miiverse username)?

I’m not planning on buying a Wii U. It took 18 years for Nintendo to pay attention to the EarthBound fanbase in North America. 18 years! Although it’s nice that new players will get to experience the game, as someone who has been around since the EarthBound.net days, I feel like the virtual console release is too little too late.

Thanks Mato, good summary post that should hopefully quell some of the random questions.

My thoughts:
– Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?

I got a Wii U last December with Mario U and Nintendoland (and The Cave, later on). I played them all for a few months, but recently it’s been sitting in a backpack in my room while I play other stuff. I was really banking on Pikmin 3/Wonderful 101 being out sooner, so for now I don’t have much to play on it. Not a Monster Hunter fan and I’d rather pick up Zombii U at a lower price. Earthbound is one of the only VC releases I’d consider purchasing a second time, so I’ll definitely be picking up a digital copy.

Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?

Tough to say. Mother 1 has a complete “official” translation already, but it doesn’t seem likely that it would see a VC release. Compare it to Star Fox SNES – while it’s the start of the series and a fun game in its own right, the sequel (in this case SF64) retconned the original. Notice that we have multiple rereleases of SF64, but no VC release of SNES Star Fox. Add in the fact that Mother 1 never saw an official US release in the first place, and I’d say the chances of Mother 1 on VC are slim.
While Mother 3 is more relevant and likely to get a rerelease someday, I highly doubt the fan translation would be used, and certainly not as a VC release. The more mature content in the story wouldn’t warrant more than an E10+ rating IMO, it’s more a matter of Nintendo not being open to receiving outsider help – they’d rather do it themselves whenever possible when it comes to creative control.
tl;dr version: Mother 1/3 won’t be VC releases due to the extra work needed to shore up old games, but a remake, trilogy pack, or what have you might be likely if Nintendo ever makes one. Just expect lots of wars over “Fan translation vs Nintendo translation” if it ever happens. =]

Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?

Nope! Got a used cart from a Funcoland (remember those, before Gamestop bought them out?) for like 30 bucks several years back. I had emulated it before to play it my first time, but when I saw the hard copy I knew I wanted to own it for real.

I already own a Wii U, so yes I’m definitely going to purchase it, day 1! And yes, it will be my first time owning Earthbound, as I live in Australia and have never had the money to import an American SNES, let alone the game!

I do not have a Wii U, but because EarthBound is being released on the console, I will gladly shell out 350 dollars for one.

I first payed EarthBound in 1998 or 97. Can’t quite remember when. It was around the time Smash Bros was first released. I remember seeing the inception of earthbound.net into starmen.net. The Mother on Gameboy color petition (which i signed), the EarthBound 64 petition (which i signed). I had a rom and emulator for EarthBound, so I never bought the cartridge.

This will be my first time legally owning the game.

I owned a Wii U since November 30th, the launch date in Australia. I will be getting this VC release day one, if it comes to Australia.

I’ve owned a CIB Mother 2 for 7 months now and still love it as much as when I first got it. Sure it’s not in English and I can’t read Japanese, but to own a physical masterpiece such as this, is truly an unexplainable feeling. I came across Mother in 2002, with SSBM on my brand new GameCube.

I have a Wii U, I’ll be buying Earthbound as soon as it’s available. It will be my second time playing through it, as I do own it for SNES as well. I bought it for $50 (cartridge only) at a GameStop about 10 years ago back when they still sold old-generation used games. I’ve played through the other two games on emulators and would happily purchase them if they were released in the US in any form.

I do not own a Wii-U (mainly because I won’t be able to play any console games until much later this year ‘cuz I’ll be living in a dorm for a while), but when I DO get one, I will absolutely buy Earthbound. It’ll be my first time actually playing the game legally–I played a ROM before, but I really prefer playing games on actual consoles.

If enough people buy the game, I think it’ll mean good things for the future of Earthbound. Or I hope it will, anyway. Even though I’m not a die-hard Earthbound fan, I do enjoy the games. Plus, they have one of the most loyal fanbases I have ever seen, and I want to see good things happening for the series because of that.

As someone who owns and thoroughly enjoys their Wii U (aside from the current release drought), I can tell you Off TV play is a great feature both for retail titles and VC games and EB will be no exception.

” a lot of people point to Chrono Trigger, which has had multiple re-releases, and say, “The original SNES version can still cost a lot of money.” It’s strange, because other people point at Chrono Trigger and say, “The original SNES version has really dropped in price.” So I don’t really know WHAT to think.”

Just eBay’d Chrono Trigger and a loose copy of the game in good condition will easily run between starting at anywhere between apprx $80-120 or more. Boxed sets with manual but without the maps/posters average around $150-170. Complete sets mint with box, manual and maps/posters averaging at about $250. So no, EB cart
and complete set prices probably aren’t going anywhere. I also for you can now also get CT on IOS in addition to the PSX FF disc, DS port, VC and PSN release.

I already have a Wii U, and I’ll be definitely getting Earthbound when it releases.

I think the opportunity is there, since they effectively responded or acknowledged the Miiverse feedback. If at any time they do release Mother 1 or 3 in Japan, it’s possible that they may consider it for other regions.

I have the cartridge form, but what better way to play it again on a new console and on the gamepad!

I got a Wii U at launch, and i love it. I also have an EB cartridge that i got from a gamestop for about $10 back when i was in high school (ages ago). However, i’m still gonna download it on the VC the day it comes out.

With regards to the legal issues — even if it’s released unchanged, it doesn’t mean that legal issues weren’t the reason it took so long to release in the first place. Legal issues don’t mean the game is unreleasable, it just means Nintendo had to deal with every rights holder in order to clear them up. And for something like a song, there can be a LOT of different people who hold rights to the song.

I’ve owned a copy of Earthbound with box and strategy guide that I got for $15 in the late 90’s from a used game store. It’s not the nicest copy of Earthbound, but it’s my copy. 🙂

Yes, I’ll definitely be picking it up again for my Wii U. Nintendo NEEDS to know that this release wasn’t in vain. After all, the worst that could happen would be for them to release this, see low sales, and go: “THAT is why we haven’t released it!” We need to encourage them to do stuff like this, and the only way I know how to do it is to vote with my wallet.

I sincerely hope they consider releasing your M3 localization on 3DS virtual console. *That* would be beyond phenomenal.

I’ve had a Wii U since it launched, and It’s a very good system. I WILL be buying Earthbound the second it comes out. I’ve had a copy of earthbound for about four years, cost me $80 o_o

i am just your generic video game fan, so i brought a wii U. i am going to connect it to the internet so i can play earthbound on the gamepad!

Ill buy a wii u just for earthbound. I wanna support them now so later they might release mother 1 and 3

GET IT TO EUROPE ALREADY!!!! In case everyone has missed that.

I don’t have a wii u yet. I would buy one just to play this but I am still not old enough to get a job. I just really want to support this cause and the second I do get a Wii U this will be my first purchase!

I really hope Nintendo does something with Mother 3 eventually 🙁

• Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?

I will absolutely buy it, along with a Wii U to play it.
I was already thinking of buying a system and this was the final thing to convince me.
Plus, at this point, the prices for a cartridge of EB are so ridiculously high, that it’s more justifyable for me to buy a new 200-250EUR game system, rather that ONE freakin cartdridge.

• Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?

I hope so.
So far, the only way to play the translated Mother 3 on real hardware is through flashcarts, and those, alonf with an original copy, aren’t exactly common to find.
A “proper” emulated version of M3 on Nintendo hardware would certainly be a nice touch – and, if the EB re-release becomes a success, I’d see no point in Nintendo withholding Mother 3, especially after your generous offer (which NoA must be aware of at this point).

• Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?
Sadly, Yes.
I still bite myself in the ass for rejecting an offer, which was 50EUR for a perfectly fine copy.

I got a question? Will this be a full-blown release or only temporary like the Japanese VC?

My answer for those three questions is yes.
I told myself that I’ll only get a Wii U if they make a new zelda game for it or release EarthBound on it. And I think there’s a possibility for the other two games in the series.
And I never owned a copy of EarthBound, like many others I played through an emulator. But Im glad that its finally being re-released.

I have the Wii U already and I already own a copy of EB w/ Box and Guide from back in 2000 .. but I will buy this the second it comes out, and I’m going to for@e my wife to play it so I can relive it vicariously through her. 😉

I feel like I will have to get a WiiU now that this game has been announced for re-release. In fact, now more than ever, I’d like to get the console to reach platinum Club Nintendo status before the cut off in June.

It would not be my first time owning a Mother game, as I purchased and imported Mother 1+2 and Mother 3 for the GBA, but it will be the first time I would purchase an official English version of any of those games.

I do have some questions about it, though. How good is the up scaling of SNES games (or other systems, for that matter) on the WiiU virtual console for HD TVs? Are there any modern additions (like save states, scaling modes, filters, overclocking, etc) available? Also, I wish more than anything that all the sound from the original SNES is faithfully reproduced, because the sounds and especially the music are at the top of the list of the reasons I love Earthbound (and the GBA versions of SNES games are all inferior for this reason).

I am going to get this, as it;s the first time ever thios game has been legally buyable in the UK/Europe as a whole and I already own a Wii U.

I think there is a small chance of it, but not for a while.

Yes, this will be my first time legally owning a copy.

i bought a wii u long before this. BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. I owned a copy of Earthbound (used but still playable) but sold it on ebay because i had my PSP stolen from me and I wanted to get a new one for the Star Ocean rereleases. Yes im sad that i dont have a physical copy anymore, but im finally getting a legit way of playing it again!!

I already own a Wii U, and am definitely buying the game, but more importantly, anyone I run into who has a Wii U. I will buy the game for, if for nothing else, than to just show other people the game and boost some sales. I have a feeling since it is not coming out on 3ds, that many people who would buy it won’t, and I don’t want Earthbound to be looked at as a failure again.

May seem a little stupid but oh well.

IT HAPPENED!

Of course I’m buying it again! Anyone who wants to see any future for the Mother series should absolutely pony up the $5-10 if they have a Wii U. I intended to also buy it as a gift for friends, which I’m pretty sure their shopping system allows you to do.

Nintendo FINALLY listened to us Earthbound fans– we cannot miss this chance to empower/legitimize our years and years of petitioning with actual dollars.

I was waiting until the next smash bros. to get a wii u but now that this has been annoced I am going to change my mind and get a wii u in June with Pikmin 3.

Because of this, I will be buying a Wii U around the time this is released. I’m super excited to be able to support this game to show my love. This is a big start to getting my loyalty back to Nintendo.

@thurislord
They could just make mother 3 T for teen. The game is practically made to resonate with teenagers anyway. Anyone else agree?

I’ve had a Wii U since launch — I love it, it’s a great console — and I’ve had Earthbound since the mid-’90s and yes, of course I’m buying this. I may gift a couple copies too.

I think that this definitely has good implications for the series outside of Japan. NoJ has finally seen how big of a fanbase it has elsewhere in the world.

Also, yeah. This will be my first time owning Earthbound, as I was forced to resort to playing on a emulator. 🙁

Yes, I’m getting a Wii U for Earthbound. I was planning on getting one eventually, but not until a new Zelda (not counting Wind Waker HD) or Smash Brothers came out. This is definitely the reason for me to finally be purchasing one, I’m excited to actually be able to support Nintendo for a franchise that has brought me much enjoyment. Also, this is great for the future of the series.

The funny thing is I bought my Wii U at launch, and I always had a funny feeling that EarthBound would show up in one form or another on it (remake, VC release, ect). I even have had a spare $8 on my eShop account whenever EB would show up (which I used to do for the my Wii back in the day as well. I left $8 on my account for about 2 years!).

Anyways, heck yeah, I’m getting this! I have been waiting a long to show my love and support for EB and Nintendo! As an owner of an EB cart myself (which I got shortly before prices increased, which was right before SSBB came out).

As for future of EB outside Japan, I think with the VC release of EB, it might be Nintendo testing the waters a bit. Yes they know the demand is high, but I think they might be doing this to see if EB fans would put their money where their mouth is. As you have briefly touched upon Mato, there is a faction of EB who refuse to buy EB since they have it for free on an emulator (I have no idea how many there are, but I know they can be quite loud mouthed).

Anyone who thinks that needs to take into consideration this is how Nintendo (and frankly, pretty much any company that sells products, video games or not) views a franchises as succesful: they don’t really base it on the popularity of a game or series by how big the following a game has, but on SALES. I know this is quite obvious, but if you take that context into this situation, it would seem like a no-brainer to download EB pronto, even for the ’emulator-only faction’ (for a lack of a better term).

So bringing it back to my point, if this sells well on the VC (which there is no doubt it will), Nintendo might be prompted to release Mother/EarthBound Zero and Mother 3/EarthBound 2 (which imo Mother 3 should called Earthbound 2 if it were to be localized) on the VC as well, or even better, as a remake collection of sorts, but the former sounds more likely, especially since Nintendo announced the Wii U will support GBA games. I mean, what other GBA games do you think they’ll add besides for Pokemon?

In conclusion, (sorry for this being long), I think no matter how you feel about this VC release, everyone here NEEDS to support EB and buy it when it hits VC. I know many people do not own a Wii U, but try to save up for one, and there WILL be other great games in the future for Wii U. If you could wait 12+ years for Nintendo to acknowledge EB, you can wait a little longer for SSB4, Mario, Zelda, and other games to come out. If you absolutely refuse to buy a Wii U, convince your friends to at least buy it, and if they refuse, buy them a $20 eshop card and force them to download it. 😉

Oh, and one more thing, I typed all that on my Wii U 😀

i already have a SNES cartrige but i will be getting the virtual console version as well, i am not buying a wii u for the game because i already have a wii u.

Im glad it will finally be released in the UK and im going to get it the day it comes out, but im still gonna keep my SNES version that i spent a lot of money importing to the UK from the US as it has served me well.

• Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?

I’m definitely buying the Virtual Console version. I already have a Wii U Deluxe, and I’m keeping some of my eShop money set aside for Earthbound.

• Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?

Although it’s likely wishful thinking, I’d like to see the US Earthbound Zero prototype on the Virtual Console. As for Mother 3, I’m hoping Nintendo buys the fan-translation and releases it worldwide.

• Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?

The VC release would be my third version of the game.

Hmmmmm… I’ll probably buy the Wii U when the next Zelda/a good game comes out on it… I wish I could jump up and buy a Wii U just for Earthbound but personally I don’t have a problem ｅｍｕｌａｔｉｎｇ it. Plus I don’t even own a TV right now.

I do think if it sells it will mean something good for more releases outside of Japan, and I do hope it sells well.

@Halloween There is a Wind Waker remake coming out next year according to my local GameStop.

I’ll definitely buy it; already have a Wii U. I’ve said repeatedly that Nintendo would not release Earthbound on VC, but, hey, sometimes it’s nice to be wrong. 🙂

I expect cart prices will dip slightly when the VC version comes out, but I doubt they’ll crash. Most of the people paying hundreds of dollars for it aren’t doing so primarily to play the game; I mean, the empty *box* sells for a fortune. It’s almost a pure collectable, and I think that won’t change. Especially if the VC release is meaningfully edited.

I’ve owned a copy of Earthbound for many years (don’t remember when I got it, but I do remember I paid $20 for it — and thought that was expensive for a used SNES game! — so it was a while ago). I also own an import copy of Mother 2.

As for future releases, well, if sales are *super* strong, Nintendo of course won’t be able to ignore that. I wouldn’t be very surprised to see Mother on VC, since they’ve already localised it, but Mother 3’s more of a reach. Personally, though, I’m not betting on either of them.

I own a Wii U and a SNES copy of EarthBound, but I may be getting it again just for the sake of showing Nintendo that EarthBound is worth my money.

Even though I own the game on Mother 1+2 and the American release I’ll download this on my WiiU for a few reasons. Those being:
To support the series

To help localization of other Japanese titles (Buy Pandora’s Tower, it’s fun)

Think there’s is a quote somewhere that says Mother 3’s localization depends on Earthbound’s VC sales

Because the game is fun and now I can play it on a gamepad while my brother watches TV

To see If there are any changes to the game

If I ever get interested in Let’s playing again this is more conventional than the standard SNES

Wow that was a lengthy list.

“Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?”

I’m currently beginning to save up money for somehow getting a Wii u before earthbound it rereleased.

“Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?”

Yes; I think that they will rerelease mother 1 and 3 based on whether Earthbound sells well.

“Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?”
Yes. I admit I first played it on an emulator. However, I got a friend of mine in Japan to mail me a copy of Mother 3, and I’m currently planning to also get a physical copy of Earthbound in addition to the virtual console rerelease once the price bubble pops from the virtual console rerelease.

Q: “Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?”

A: I already own a Wii U, I already own EarthBound on SNES, but I will be purchasing EarthBound on Wii U nevertheless!

Q: “Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?”

A: This announcement broke down a huge barrier, IMO. Virtual Console will not only support NES and SNES games, but GBA titles as well. When that was first announced and then hearing of Itoi’s initial Mother republication tweet…it just seemed as if Nintendo was throwing cryptic hints at us. Mother 1 is already localized, Mother 3 already has a wonderful fan translation (and didn’t one of those involved meet Itoi in person recently?)

At this point on, anything’s possible. (I hope Square Enix is taking notes on EarthBound finally heading to Europe…maybe us North Americans can finally enjoy Terranigma…)

Q: “Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?”

A: Nope, I’ve had the game since the late nineties; bought it at a video store in a bargain bin… for five bucks.

On the topic for actual physical copies of the game and it’s value; it may drop a bit price for a bit, but it’ll still be around $100. Case-in-point: Wild Guns for SNES – that game is available on the Wii Shop Channel and it goes for $150 on ebay (torn label)

I will certainly be buying a Wii U and downloading EarthBound; I want to do my part to tell Nintendo that they made the right choice in making the game more widely available in the US. Besides, there are bound to be some great games on the Wii U in time; Zelda, Mario, SSB4, maybe even Fire Emblem at some point, so the purchase should serve me well in the long run, too.

I think that it means SOMETHING for future Western releases. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Mother 1 and maybe even Mother 3 to make it to the West on the Virtual Console, though even just getting EarthBound is enough cause to be happy.

I owned a GBA Mother 1+2 cartridge, and I currently own a working, saving SNES EarthBound cartridge I received for a recent birthday/Christmas. I’m unlikely to sell my cartridge, but I will be getting the download version as well.

I don’t own a Wii U but this has me sold on it. (Wind Waker HD was a nice shove in sales for me, but this finally made up my mind.)

I think M1 will but I’m not so sure about 3.

Nope.

For those on the fence about purchasing a WiiU: If you haven’t played Deus Ex Humam Revolution yet, the WiiU is getting an exclusive Director’s Cut with several new features and improvements (loved that game on PS3) that game comes out in May.

For those who love JRPGs, the WiiU already has some very interesting titles in the pipeline like X (some kind of sequel or spiritual sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles) Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem, and a title currently known as Project Y2K (a game inspired by EarthBound and The World Ends With You)

I already have a Wii U and will be getting it.
Sadly no, but we can hope.
Without emulators, yes.

While no, I don’t have I Wii U, I want to get one, so I’m gonna start saving. When I do eventually get one, I WILL BUY EARTHBOUND IMMEDIATELY.

If there’s enough support then I think things may change.

Nope, never owned an EB cart in my life.

Yes! I’m definitely getting EB. This will be my first time owning an actual copy of Earthbound, legal or illegal. (I was never a fan of emulators; being a Mac user my 2010 Macbook Pro likes to overheat whenever I open up your MOTHER 3 fan translation…)

I hope to GOD that the entire trilogy is released as a world-wide release in some sort of bundle or something some day….

Anonymous said on Apr. 18, 2013
“I got a question? Will this be a full-blown release or only temporary like the Japanese VC?”

Seems you’ve misinterpreted something here; Mother 2 was one of the games released in celebration of the Famicom’s 30 year anniversary…for 30 days the game was available to download for the equivalent of 30 cents. The promotion for that game has simply ended, now it’s going to cost the standard Super Famicom VC price.

Apple Kid said on Apr. 18, 2013
@Halloween “There is a Wind Waker remake coming out next year according to my local GameStop.”

It’s actually coming as soon as September. There’s no official release date yet, therefore GameStop’s default release date is 12/31/2013 (that’s what they do)

To be honest, I’m 99.9% sure I will be buying the Wii U because of this announcement. The 0.1% is because I’m worried that I can’t justify that rationale because of just a Virtual Console game… but I LOVE Earthbound so much. I’ve only played it once on an SNES (a long time ago, maybe 18 years) and have since only played it on emulators.

I’ll probably buy the Wii U once Earthbound comes out, if not earlier because a good retail game (or HD version) comes out.

I hope they’d see interest in Mother 3 and reach out to you! I’d love to play that as well!

Iamsotired said on Apr. 18, 2013
“I’m unfamiliar with the Wii-U

Does Earthbound have a “miiverse” or whatever it is called in North America or Europe?”

Game-specific Miiverse communities pop up upon their day of release, so currently no, not yet. But you can post on the Japanese communities – that’s what we did with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate months before it was released out here (all you have to do is ‘follow’ Japanese gamers and view their post history to find all their unique communities) and that’s how we found the Mother 2 community and bombarded it with comments from NA/EURO (prior to that, we used the Balloon Fight community as our platform to petition for EarthBound – I drew a few pics: Master Belch, Mad Duck, and the Clumsy Robot, and wrote a message saying, “You cannot grasp the true form of NOA’s teasing” If you already own a WiiU, follow me on Miiverse, same as my name here – TravenousMaximus)

TravenousMaximus: Actually, no – MOTHER 2 and the other old promotional VC games are currently unavailable. When they’ll be available to buy again is unclear.

@TravenousMaximus: There is a much easier way to access Japanese communities than that: at the top of the Communities page, there is a drop-down menu for the Miiverse region. Change the region to Japan there.

I took a search on eBay for EarthBound, and there are carts now as low as $100. Some at $80. Ain’t that sweet?

eBay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/EarthBound-Super-Nintendo-1995-/281095454775?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item4172984037

johnr754: I think you’re misreading how those auctions work – they’re that low because the bidding hasn’t ended yet and they have days left to go.

oh ok

Yes. Yes. No.

1.) I knew one day I’d most likely be getting a Wii U (probably for the latest Zelda title), but this seals the deal; I HAVE to buy a Wii U now. Your plan worked, Nintendo. Bravo.
2.) I could see Nintendo considering a MOTHER 3 release if this goes well. The original MOTHER is a bit of a wildcard, though; not nearly as much discussion about it at large compared to 2 and 3.
3.) I still have my old EarthBound cart (though no SNES to play it on at present), and have played the original MOTHER (as EB Zero) and MOTHER 3 translated (thanks for that, by the way), so I’m no stranger to the MOTHER series.

Heck yes, I’m going to buy the VC release…first chance I get! I already have a Wii U (and I was one of those who asked for the game on Miiverse, of course…I feel slightly accomplished now!), so that’s not an issue.

I think this will mean something for future series releases outside of Japan if we all do our jobs and BUY THE THING. Seriously, high sales will encourage them more than anything else.

I have a complete copy of EarthBound due to my dad having had awesome taste back in the day, so no, this won’t be my first time owning it. But I’m MORE than happy to buy this version to support the game and have a more convenient way to play it (SNES is downstairs in the living room, Wii U is in my room).

So here’s what I want to know: will Earthbound’s VC manual be a digital copy of the players’ guide? Probably not, to be sure, but it would be pretty rad.

To all the people clamoring that we need to get Mother 3 released internationally too, I have this to say:
Be patient, it’s not time yet. Nintendo isn’t able to offer Mother 3 yet. Once GBA games are available on the Virtual Console, there will inevitably come a time when Mother 3 is released on the Japanese eshop. When that day comes, you’ll know what to do.
Until then, relax and celebrate the good news.

These sure as hell are great news, but i’m still unsure about buying a Wii U just for EB. I want to support the decision and convince them to rerelease more Mother games outside of Japan, but i might as well buy an original cart + a SNES for that money.

Unrelated Question: I’ve noticed importing Mother 3 is more expensive than part 1 or 2. I’d think it’s the opposite since it’s newer and sold a little bit more. Is it just that the demand is higher?

I still have my original copy of Earthbound/Guide/Box circa 1995-96. I just finished playing it in celebration of the Japanese VC release. I bought the Wii U a few months ago, namely for the usual Nintendo titles and Rayman Legends. While the solid titles for Wii U are currently sparse, I feel confident Nintendo will have some great games this year. I will absolutely buy/download the VC version of Earthbound on the Wii U when it is released.

I just bought the game for the first time 2 days before the announcement.

I was waiting for a reason to get a Wii U… and this is it. I’m hoping the system will get some sort of price drop before the game is released, as with the price of the system now it’d take me a while to save up the necessary funds…

All of the games that were made available for the Famicom anniversary promotion that have since been removed from the shop will be restored next week, when the Virtual Console officially launches with the new system update. They will be available at normal prices (not 30 cents), but if you have the Wii version of those games transferred to your Wii U, you can buy the Wii U versions at a discounted price (about 80% less).

That said, I’ve very excited about EarthBound’s future rerelease, and it’ll definitely be a day one purchase for me.

For the last three questions:
1. Yes!
2. Yes!
3. And Yes!

1. If I get a Wii U, it will be because of this game.
2. I’m optimistic, so I’m just going to say I think at least MOTHER 3 will come to the US.
3. If I get a Wii U, then yes, because I can’t afford the cartridge, nor do I think I ever will be able to.

No one seems to be concerned with MOTHER 1. It’s all MOTHER 3…

1. I don’t have a Wii U and don’t plan on getting one anytime soon, so I guess I have to say no.
2. Hopefully. I hope the Wii U fanbase supports it, and that it gets a lot of new people interested in it. Basically, I hope it proves to NOA once and for all that this property is marketable.
3. I’ve owned the Super NES version for well over ten years, so I’m set. ^_^

I’ll definitely be getting this for my Wii U. It’ll be my first time owning it.

I really hope others buy this on the Wii U rather than emulating in it in something like snes9x or zsnes. Blech. Those emulators have so many problems – you won’t be getting an experience true to the original game at all. Nintendo’s quality control will (hopefully) keep the emulation very accurate. Though you still can’t beat a real snes or the bsnes core in higan.

Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?

Of course I’m getting it! I already had a Wii U. I wanted to play some of the games shown at e3, like ZombiU (Although there’s a Walking Dead game out now, screw ZombiU) and Pikmin 3.

Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?

I do. I think we should campaign on the English Earthbound Miiverse next for 3 and 1! xD Clearly NCL sees Miiverse a lot more then they see petitions sent to NoA.

Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?

I believe so… The first time I ever played it was when I was at a ripe young age. It could have been a rental. We used to rent games all the time. I hardly even played it, though, because it scared me. 🙂
Years later, I got into emulation and I thought of EB while nostalgia-tripping on old games. Once I finally went and played through the whole thing, I not only loved the game, but it gave me a love for RPGs in general. Mother 2 is my reason for loving to grind in Mother 1. xD

Got logged out again. I would say “C-C-C-Combo breaker”, but this actually keeps the combo going. Stupid WordPress.

I got my earthbound from a friend that was selling his snes, he gave me the game for free when I was 3 or 4. (He was like 14) I don”t have a WiiU but I have the original game. So Nintendo’s gonna have to be a lot better than that to make me buy a WiiU.

I am a younger fan of the game and own a jappines copy of the game. I already own a wiiu and am EXTATIC to finaly get to play it in englash./) [] ‘ /] / /
/ ) / / ]/ [_]

Me, to quote Regular Show, ‘The numbers aren’t important! It was the principle!’ I emulate myself, but I wanted Mother 2 to be released not only for those who do not emulate, but also for the renewed interest in the game and the recognition of our support.

Even so, I still want to go all ‘shut up and take my money!’ to the developers…

[Speaking of memes…
“Screw the legal worries, just put the game out!”
…do you not mean ‘Screw the rules! I have (or, in this case, “want”) money!’]

I wasn’t really planning to get a Wii U until much later, but now that Earthbound’s been announced, I’ll get one just to play it. Although I’ve been wanting to get the SNES version for some time, this will be my first time actually owning Earthbound.

The only way the price will go down is if enough people hold off on buying copies for long enough until sellers realize they can’t make as much off the game. Whether or not the VC re-release will cause that to happen is a mystery, but the cynic in me says no.

I’ve already got a Wii U and Earthbound will be my first Virtual Console purchase on it.

I really hope it means the rest of the series will see release outside of Japan, but I suppose that might depend on EB’s sales.

I’ve been waiting nearly five years, since the original re-rating for VC in 2008, for Earthbound on VC. I’ve never played it because I don’t do emulators and I’m too stingy to pay 50 dollars (well, by now, it’s probably a butt-ton more than that) for a cart on eBay. I’m hella excited.

I’ve been waiting on buying a Wii U, but now that EarthBound is coming, I’ll be trying to save up the funds for one.

got me to buy a Wii U nintendo ^_^

I nearly shat my pants when I watched that Nintendo Direct. Not just this, but like half of it was really awesome stuff!

I was planning to buy a Wii U for SMTxFE already, but if Earthbound ends up coming out before that I’m definitely getting it for EB instead. I’m not the hugest fan of EB in particular (I like Mother 3 a lot more, definitely), but I love the community and the series in general and want to support it.

To answer your question Tomato, yes I will be buying a Wii-U for this. With Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem, the Windwaker remake, and a new Smash Bros on the horizon, it’s been less of a question of “will I?” and more of a question of “when will I?” This EarthBound release just greatly increased how soon I plan to get one.

As much flak as I give Nintendo about the Wii U, I still want one if I can get it at the right price. Besides, after all our efforts to get the series noticed, I would be a total hypocrite if I didn’t buy this.

•Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?

Not sure yet. I want to support Earthbound but I have to see what else the Wii U has to offer.

•Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?

If EB sells well then I get the feeling there is a chance we might see Mother 3 as well. It is a longshot but the odds are better then they were previously. As far as Mother is concerned, that is another story…

•Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?

No. I currently have a cartridge of the game. Paid $95 for it online at the time when the prices were really starting to go up for the game. On a sad note I could have gotten the whole package (game, guide and box) for $100 years ago but was collecting DC games at the time. The 2nd biggest regret I’ve ever had in regards to video games (#1 of course being the fact that I sold my SNES a long time ago).

•Are you going to get the Wii U version of EarthBound? If so, are you going to buy a Wii U because of this announcement, do you already have a Wii U, or are you going to skip this release unless you happen to get a Wii U for something else?

Absolutely. I was hoping for something to tide me over, and this was the coupe de grace. So much was actually making me that closer to deciding on getting it, and then suddenly this bombshell hit. I would be VERY happy to get this system, thanks to this game.

•Do you think this means anything for future releases outside of Japan?

If Earthbound can get out to America, and the UK, then this is a very interesting/likely idea to happen. We should definitely keep an eye on further developments with this. What I really like though is that, after throwing nods to the series in Smash Bros., the game finally came out after enough people became fans. So now, there will definitely be some further involvement in the near future.

•Will this be your first time actually owning EarthBound?

Nope! My brothers and I had the SNES cartridge back then when it first came out. It was a very special time with that system, looking back on it. There’s a special place in my heart for Earthbound, and I’m glad I will soon have it again to keep–FOREVER. When I get another physical copy, it’s staying this time.

First question: Yes I will get the release. I have to buy a new Wii U, though, because I broke my first one into bits by dropping a couch leg on it.

Second question: Not sure. It depends on the sales of both the Japanese and NTSC/PAL versions whether or not the will decide to re-release one of the others in Japan, and then we’ll have to see what that means for Nintendo of America. MOTHER may happen, but MOTHER 3 seems unlikely in yhe English-speaking countries.

Third question: No. This will be my sixth copy. I have two English cartridges (sold one), one Japanese cart, MOTHER 1+2, and a flash cart containing the ROM (!) in case I feel hacky.

I do own a Wii U. This actually will be my first time playing the game because I couldnt pay that much for the game, and definately wasnt going to resort to playing it illegally.

1. Yes!! I will get earthbound!!!!! 😀 I already have a wii u so it’s no problem for me. I was worried because I bought that thing and there aren’t any fun games on it (we’re still playing Nintendo land) but now that there’s Mario kart 8, smash bros, earthbound, and Mario land 3d I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad I have a wii u!!!!!
2. No… Well maybe… It depends on if it’s anything good like more Earthbound titles, umm dragon quest gba maybe, ect.
3. Yes! It is! I’ve been wanting to play it for a while now and was surprised to find out that they didn’t have it for the wii, read up on the legality issues and gave up hope. I dislike emulators soooo…. I was thinking about getting a mother game but it’s in Japanese….