HUGE Rumors from Square-Enix - Earthbound Compilation for DS & MMO Mana Game for Wii!

[Ecofreak]

I already know that there is a thread about the possibility of Dragon Quest IX being a Wii exclusive, but there`s more...

Lifted from GoNnitendo.com

-Nintendo will release an earthbound compilation for the DS, complete with touch screen functionality
- Square Enix is working on a MMO Mana game for the Wii
- If Dragon Quest DS (Joker) and Dragon Quest Wii sell well, DQ9 will go on the Wii

If Nintendo can pull this off, they may have just taken over Japan.

[Dr Mario Kart]

huh. I wouldve imagined DQ9 would already be in some sort of development phase.

[wbc1228]

humm..........
juicy rumor.

[jimbodan]

I just hope the earthbound compilation makes it to the US, but I'm not holding my breath. It will probably be yet another Japan only release.

[Reality's Fringe]

Earthbound comp? Yes...YES... YES!


I was hoping they'd do something like that. As for the DQ 9 rumor, there's supposedly something about it in the new EGM. I made a thread earlier looking for confirmation.

[Ecofreak]

Earthbound comp? Yes...YES... YES!

Toh ho ho... I think I may have just made Reality`s Fringe`s day! Or destroy his dreams if the rumors prove false. Either way, it will make for a good show indeed!

[DomLando]

If true that would be great news for Nintendo. Earthbound comp would be amazing.

[Scorch]

pleaseohpleaseohplease let that compilation be released here..

[Roufuss]

pleaseohpleaseohplease let that compilation be released here..

Exactly. Why get all excited over an Earthbound compliation? Nintendo didn't release Earthbound 1 + 2 OR Earthbound 3 (which is an all new game) out over here.

Sure, great, Japan is getting Earthbound for the Nintendo DS, it dosen't do us alot of good. Maybe I'd be a bit more excited if Mother 3 came out here, but Nintendo gave us the shaft on that one.

If anything, news that Japan is getting yet again another Earthbound compliation while we don't even have one is depressing.

[Ecofreak]

Exactly. Why get all excited over an Earthbound compliation? Nintendo didn't release Earthbound 1 + 2 OR Earthbound 3 (which is an all new game) out over here.

Sure, great, Japan is getting Earthbound for the Nintendo DS, it dosen't do us alot of good. Maybe I'd be a bit more excited if Mother 3 came out here, but Nintendo gave us the shaft on that one.

If anything, news that Japan is getting yet again another Earthbound compliation while we don't even have one is depressing.

Your anger and disappoinment are understandable - but I am pretty sure Nintendo can palpably feel the angst we American gamers feel about having Mother 3 in our grubby hands. And what better way to say `VALUE!` than release a compilation? Besides - releasing a complation would never sell if Mother 3 was actually released in the US, so maybe they always had this in mind?

[Vinny]

Exactly. Why get all excited over an Earthbound compliation? Nintendo didn't release Earthbound 1 + 2 OR Earthbound 3 (which is an all new game) out over here.

Sure, great, Japan is getting Earthbound for the Nintendo DS, it dosen't do us alot of good. Maybe I'd be a bit more excited if Mother 3 came out here, but Nintendo gave us the shaft on that one.

If anything, news that Japan is getting yet again another Earthbound compliation while we don't even have one is depressing.

Well, that was back then... it's different now. I mean, quirky Japanese titles have proven to do well and Nintendo lacks RPGs, so maybe they see an oppurtunity.

BTW, is this GoNintendo site reliable? I've never heard of it before..:-k

[Ikohn4ever]

BTW, is this GoNintendo site reliable? I've never heard of it before..:-k

yes and this rumor is from EGM

[Vinny]

Delicious news if true then.:)

EDIT! Whoa! My sigs appearing on on both of my posts here! So much for only one appearance per page.:-P

[chewster777]

Touch Screen functionality? How would they do that?

[elwood731]

I think the DS is really the most exciting platform out there right now. It seems to be delivering the games people want to play, while also delivering innovative titles we didn't know we wanted. I keep being amazed by what Nintendo is doing with it.

[-Never4ever-]

If I were Nintendo, I would shill out an ass-load of money to keep DQ exclusive to the Wii & DS. That right there would secure Nintendo as at least a strong number 2, if not number 1 (in the coming years).

As for the EB rumor, I would love another chance at finishing EB1 (mother 2), but I doubt we'll ever see EB here again, the lone exceptions are the virtual console & Mother 3 (I wouldn't be surprised if they gave this yet another title to distance itself from the mother 1 & 2). Nintendo of US really, really doesn't like EB.

[botticus]

As for the EB rumor, I would love another chance at finishing EB1 (mother 2), but I doubt we'll ever see EB here again, the lone exceptions are the virtual console & Mother 3 (I wouldn't be surprised if they gave this yet another title to distance itself from the mother 1 & 2). Nintendo of US really, really doesn't like EB.
I have a feeling the more accurate reason is that Earthbound sold like shit on the SNES, so they don't figure they'd sell enough to make the localization worthwhile. I don't have any numbers to back that up, but there's really no other reason they would avoid it so long.

Edit: Hmm.. Mother 3 has sold 379k copies in Japan so far. I bet they wouldn't expect more than half of that for the US.

[Reality's Fringe]

I have a feeling the more accurate reason is that Earthbound sold like shit on the SNES, so they don't figure they'd sell enough to make the localization worthwhile. I don't have any numbers to back that up, but there's really no other reason they would avoid it so long.

Edit: Hmm.. Mother 3 has sold 379k copies in Japan so far. I bet they wouldn't expect more than half of that for the US.


Thing is, it didn't do too well because no one knew what it was during the SNES days. Now it has a HUGE cult following, and I'm sure it would sell like the fucking hawt lavas. I'd preorder it, and I haven't preordered a game since Twilight Princess 2 years ago.

[Roufuss]

Thing is, it didn't do too well because no one knew what it was during the SNES days. Now it has a HUGE cult following, and I'm sure it would sell like the fucking hawt lavas. I'd preorder it, and I haven't preordered a game since Twilight Princess 2 years ago.

Exactly.

If Nintendo can take a chance publishing Tales of Phantasia, which is I assume on the same grounds (people love Tales now), I'm sure NoA can take a chance on Earthbound.

I tell you what, even if they don't want to localize Mother 3 and aren't sure about it, Mother 1 + 2 already HAVE localizations at NoA, so test the waters with those.

Also take into account alot more people now know who Ness is and what Earthbound is from SSB and SSBM.

Or make it online only, that worked well for Electroplankton, you'll get people who will buy just for the rare factor.

[mcelfour]

Just my thought...why would Nintendo release a compilation with Mother 3 in Japan so soon after Mother 3's original GBA release? I don't know that that makes too much sense. If there's a Mother 1-3 compliation, I bet it's for US release (and possibly Japan as well, but not exclusive).

[Mr. Anderson]

I sent an email to Nintendo asking them to localize Mother 3 for America. I even said please. :p

[kaw]

As much as I'd like this Earthbound rumor to be true, I think a more likely possibility is a Wii virtual console release of the translated, but never released in the US version of Earthbound, and the Earthbound 2 SNES game. Depending on the success on those games maybe we'll see Earthbound 3 localized and released on the virtual console or the DS.

I hope the rumor is true though, I'd definitely pre-order it!

[munch]

I've never played Earthbound. What's the deal with it?

[ratzombie]

Earthbound Compilation? Awesome... just awesome.

On another note, I can't wait for Contact, it looks pretty Earthbound-like.

[b3b0p]

How many of EGM rumors have come true, really?

They are only saying this to get more and continuing readers. Just my opinion.

[Rig]

I'm really hoping for that Earthbound compilation. I've never played the SNES version, because I knew nothing of it when I was younger, and I don't want to pay the high price for it on ebay. And I don't play ROM's...

[Dwapook]

I have a feeling the more accurate reason is that Earthbound sold like shit on the SNES, so they don't figure they'd sell enough to make the localization worthwhile. I don't have any numbers to back that up, but there's really no other reason they would avoid it so long.


I'd think they'd atleast look into it.. with EarthBound for SNES having always sold for so high on ebay, it just seems idiotic that they didn't see any money in Mother 1&2 for GBA.. Am I missing something?

[alongx]

Just my thought...why would Nintendo release a compilation with Mother 3 in Japan so soon after Mother 3's original GBA release? I don't know that that makes too much sense. If there's a Mother 1-3 compliation, I bet it's for US release (and possibly Japan as well, but not exclusive).

I was going to bring up this same point. Mother 1+2 came out very recently. Mother 3 is less than a year old (I think, not willing to check now). Why would they need/want to make a Mother compilation for a console that can play all three recently released Mother games?

[botticus]

I was going to bring up this same point. Mother 1+2 came out very recently. Mother 3 is less than a year old (I think, not willing to check now). Why would they need/want to make a Mother compilation for a console that can play all three recently released Mother games?
Because we've never seen two of them in the US. Hence if this rumor is true, I don't doubt it will be released here.

[Sarang01]

Agreed botticus and on the ES front if DQ Wii proves to have an interesting story and has the enormous size one expects from DQ instead of just using the Wii controller as a gimmick they should have no problems seeing it sell well in Japan and potentially here.

[zerolens]

huh. I wouldve imagined DQ9 would already be in some sort of development phase.

Exactly what I was thinking. How many more months/years are they going to wait before they start on it? That's like waiting to see how Crystal Chronicles will do before deciding on if FF13 will be PS3 or Wii. I would get Nintendo for sure if DQ9 was exclusive to it but unless someone from Square/Enix has said anything about this then the rumor was probably pulled out of thin air.

[furyk]

Exactly what I was thinking. How many more months/years are they going to wait before they start on it? That's like waiting to see how Crystal Chronicles will do before deciding on if FF13 will be PS3 or Wii. I would get Nintendo for sure if DQ9 was exclusive to it but unless someone from Square/Enix has said anything about this then the rumor was probably pulled out of thin air.

Good point, but at the time, Nintendo was all but dead in the water, and Crystal Chronicles required one of the most arduous set ups in the history of video games. Not to mention the PS2 and Cube were both out for a few years at that time. Right now, the DS Lite is outselling every thing in Japan combined. It makes sense to release your most popular game on the most popular console. I'm still leaning towards this being bullshit though.

[banpeikun]

then again they don't come out with new DQ games all that often. i mean, how long between VII and VIII? 4, 5 years?

[graf1k]

How much could it really cost them to localize a 3 AFAIK text-only games into English and jam them onto a DS cart, especially seeing as they are already translating the third one for Europe anyway. Hell, they could do a limited pressing. It'd just be stupid to ignore all the people in NA that want it. And apparently there are plenty. Shit, if I could get all 3 games in English for $35 I'd buy it just to see what all the fuss is about.

Maybe Nintendo is waiting to see how Contact (which apparently is very Earthbound-esque) does in America...

[Reality's Fringe]

Imagine if they packed the compilation in a big box with a strategy guide for all three games (EB2 just being a reproduction of the original guide). :drool:. I'd pay $50 for it, easy.

[epobirs]

If I were Nintendo, I would shill out an ass-load of money to keep DQ exclusive to the Wii & DS. That right there would secure Nintendo as at least a strong number 2, if not number 1 (in the coming years).

As for the EB rumor, I would love another chance at finishing EB1 (mother 2), but I doubt we'll ever see EB here again, the lone exceptions are the virtual console & Mother 3 (I wouldn't be surprised if they gave this yet another title to distance itself from the mother 1 & 2). Nintendo of US really, really doesn't like EB.


Only in Japan. DQ isn't a big mainstream draw in the US and Europe.

It isn't Nintendo's policy to pay any serious premium for exclusives. They have a lot of confidence in their ability to cover that need with first and second party products. In any case, unless the Wii achieves a massive instaled base very quickly, DQIX will almost guaranteed be a PS2 game. The DQ series has never been in a rush to jump platforms. DQVII came out as a PS1 game well after the PS2 was dominant. Since the series has never been technology driven they can take advantage of the installed base of the PS2, which will still be immense by the time a DQIX is likely. And if Sony keeps its promise the game will be playable on the PS3 in backward compatibility mode, making for an even larger potential customer reach.

NOA likes Earthbound just fine. It was SNES owners who avoided it in droves and made it a non-starter in the US market. The market's tastes dictate which games get localized.

[Strell]

Imagine if they packed the compilation in a big box with a strategy guide for all three games (EB2 just being a reproduction of the original guide). :drool:. I'd pay ONE...MEEEEEEEELL-YUN DOLLARS for it, easy.

Fixed.

[cochesecochese]

As much as I'd like this Earthbound rumor to be true, I think a more likely possibility is a Wii virtual console release of the translated, but never released in the US version of Earthbound, and the Earthbound 2 SNES game. Depending on the success on those games maybe we'll see Earthbound 3 localized and released on the virtual console or the DS.

I think this is the most likely scenario. Iwata mentioned Earthbound specifically as a VC download. You're looking at a few thousand dollars investment to test how it does whereas a cart release is in the hundreds of thousands. Definitely going to be a test run scenario.

[graf1k]

Only in Japan. DQ isn't a big mainstream draw in the US and Europe.

Yeah but isn't DQ THE most popular series in Japan, at least in recent years? They get a leg up in Japan as a strong #2 or even #1 and more big JRPGs are bound to jump ship for the Wii even if they don't look like a playable Advent Children.

[Doom Gaze]

I just don't think the Earthbound rumor is true.. the game just wouldnt sell, and even though Nintendo knowingly releases cult games they know won't sell, they want to torture us.

As for the Dragon Warrior rumors, I wouldn't rule it out.. Enix has always supported the number one Japanese console almost exclusively. Square has to a much lesser extent, as they supported Sony even though Saturn was beating PSX in Japan and they supported Wonderswan because Yamuchi wouldn't let them release anything on Nintendo.

It's very likely that Nintendo will be number 1 in Japan regardless.. as long as RPG support materializes in any good capacity on Wii, Nintendo will own Japan.

If they can get the viral effect they have with DS, they can spank Sony with little difficulty and maybe even get near MS.

[zerolens]

I just don't think the Earthbound rumor is true.. the game just wouldnt sell, and even though Nintendo knowingly releases cult games they know won't sell, they want to torture us.

As for the Dragon Warrior rumors, I wouldn't rule it out.. Enix has always supported the number one Japanese console almost exclusively. Square has to a much lesser extent, as they supported Sony even though Saturn was beating PSX in Japan and they supported Wonderswan because Yamuchi wouldn't let them release anything on Nintendo.

It's very likely that Nintendo will be number 1 in Japan regardless.. as long as RPG support materializes in any good capacity on Wii, Nintendo will own Japan.

If they can get the viral effect they have with DS, they can spank Sony with little difficulty and maybe even get near MS.

Has any games/companies jumped ship to Nintendo yet though? Major games like FF13, MGS4, etc. are still on the playstation. And is Square/Enix going to be able to tell the Wii will be #1 at launch? DQ8 came out in late 2004. How long are they going to sit on their hands waiting to see which console does better? I doubt they can tell at launch. It's certainly possible DQ9 could be on the Wii but I doubt they can wait another year or two and sit back waiting to see which console does better in Japan. They need to make the decision soon if they haven't already done it. I'm sure DQ9 will sell extremely well in Japan no matter which console it's on and will be a system seller.

I just can't imagine them still trying to decide this time next year waiting to see which console is doing better. There were rumors at one time that DQ9 and FF13 may be multi-console on PS3 and 360. With FF13 looking to be exclusive to PS3 and 360 a flop in Japan it would be stupid to believe DQ9 will be on the 360 at this point. It was believeable at one point though because MS was going to be aggressive in Japan and had high hopes. Nintendo after the lackluster Gamecube has to prove itself in consoles, unlike handhelds where it's having no problems.

Not sure why Square/Enix would want to start splitting its RPG's up between two consoles where plenty of people still only buy one console. Getting FF13 was extremely crucial for the PS3, and until announcements are made where you see the major stuff like KH3 or whatever jumping ship to Nintendo then PS2 or PS3 seems more likely than Wii.

[destro713]

I've never played Earthbound. What's the deal with it?

It's the American version of the second game in Shigesato Itoi's Mother series. It looks like crap, is extremely linear, has a lame battle system, is often way too easy, and gets tedious in parts. It's also the best video game ever made, for reasons that are almost impossible to explain.

[Strell]

It's the American version of the second game in Shigesato Itoi's Mother series. It looks like crap, is extremely linear, has a lame battle system, is often way too easy, and gets tedious in parts. It's also the best video game ever made, for reasons that are almost impossible to explain.

This sentence is the only one you really need to pay attention to.

It's linear, but not annoyingly. You go to lots of different, varied locales. It's really quite amazing the breadth of places you end up at. As my friend put it, the game is about the journey, and he's absolutely right.

It's not really easy in the sense that when you get to a new area, the enemies will kick your ass, no matter how much you think you've powered up. Toward the end of the game, you'll be a total badass. But I fail to see why this couldn't be aimed at....every other RPG in existence. And yea, this does make it tedious at times. (Fucking Fourside shopping mall...how I loathe thee.)

The battle system isn't lame, it's just simple. Just like every other 16 bit RPG battle engine. Attack, Magic, Item, (Special Skill), Run.

And while it looks simple, the graphics are absolutely charming. Where else do you get to fight New Age Retro Hippies?

Best. Game. Ever.

[Callandor]

This sentence is the only one you really need to pay attention to.

It's linear, but not annoyingly. You go to lots of different, varied locales. It's really quite amazing the breadth of places you end up at. As my friend put it, the game is about the journey, and he's absolutely right.

It's not really easy in the sense that when you get to a new area, the enemies will kick your ass, no matter how much you think you've powered up. Toward the end of the game, you'll be a total badass. But I fail to see why this couldn't be aimed at....every other RPG in existence. And yea, this does make it tedious at times. (Fucking Fourside shopping mall...how I loathe thee.)

The battle system isn't lame, it's just simple. Just like every other 16 bit RPG battle engine. Attack, Magic, Item, (Special Skill), Run.

And while it looks simple, the graphics are absolutely charming. Where else do you get to fight New Age Retro Hippies?

Best. Game. Ever.

Amen! :applause:

[destro713]

Oh, don't think I was badmouthing it in any way. That game is my favorite game ever by a longshot, and one of my favorite things to ever exist on this planet. I was just making a laundry list of what haters like to throw at it... because really, the game does indeed stack up very poorly to something like, say, Chrono Trigger if you list all their pros and cons on paper. The greatness of Earthbound can't really be quantified. You can say it has "charm," but that's not nearly adequate to describe how attached people become to it.

While we're throwing out moments... "Let's get together in 10 years or so." (Dr. Andonuts)

I played that game in 2005 and that line became more poignant that I could have imagined.

And how about Mu Training?

[Strell]

I figured that was your intent, and I gathered that from the post, but I wanted to chime in anyway. :)

The friend I mentioned is in Japan right now and he's played through Mother 3 (I mentioned this in the Mother 3 thread), as he is fluent in Japanese. He has said it doesn't quite live up to Mother 2 standards, but for a lot of little reasons. I asked him for an example and he said "Well, remember when you'd increase your stats and it would say things like 'Oh baby!' when you get a big one? Doesn't happen anymore."

He also said that M3 doesn't feel so much like a journey as M2, which I could completely understand.

Where almost every RPG is based on the premise of "We need to stop X and save the world," it sort of forces you into a corner of thought. At that point, it doesn't really matter where you go or what you do. You just know you have to get to the enemy. Earthbound was "We don't know how to stop the shit that's going down, so let's take a journey." And as a result, you travel around everywhere looking for clues and seeing amazing sights.

It's every kid's dream - meeting friends while traveling around the world. And while that doesn't give it much of a story, it gives it something so pure and simple to base the game on. Something so easily instantly understood by anyone who has ever played it - that something is about to change you forever.

I swear it's the only game that ever hit me on an emotional level. I don't fucking cry at video games, but Earthbound sort of stopped me in my tracks more than a number of times. Finding the music, the landmarks themselves, tea with Mr. Saturn (BOING!), etc.... It was just all so simple, but so easy to apprehend.

When I finished the game the first time, I just sort of sat there in awe and couldn't think about what to do next. But I kept hoping that, outside, I'd hear a loud crash, forcing me to stumble out there with a bat....

Anyway, brilliant game. Absolutely brilliant game. Itoi said he won't make an M4, so I'd easily kill for an M Collection. And then I'd kill for an M4.

At any rate, I really, really hope we get a localization effort. A straight translation by some nerds online won't do justice.

It's really sad that it didn't do better sales wise when it came out, and that the graphics are enough of a reason to get newbs to turn it down. I'm sort of hoping Ness's inclusion into Smash Bros helps him gather more of a presence. The game is just so sadly underrated by the gaming world as a whole, and deserves much more attention and praise than it gets.

[furyk]

It's really sad that it didn't do better sales wise when it came out, and that the graphics are enough of a reason to get newbs to turn it down. I'm sort of hoping Ness's inclusion into Smash Bros helps him gather more of a presence. The game is just so sadly underrated by the gaming world as a whole, and deserves much more attention and praise than it gets.

I agree big time. The one shining light of hope for all us Mother fans is that Mother 3 was only released recently in Japan and "Earthbound" hasn't had a new game out since Ness in Smash Brothers. Remember, Fire Emblem was totally unknown in most gaming circles in the US before Melee, and it's had three games released since then with a fourth in development for the Wii. My guess is we'll see Mother 3 be the last great GBA title released and a psuedo remake of Mother 1 & 2 for the DS gets released at the same time with some sort of connectivity feature between the two games (like Pokemon Dash only not sucky).