Earthbound on the Virtual Console...?

[Rodimus]

Sorry if this has been addressed but I was curious what are the chances of Earthbound (SNES) being released on the Virtual Console? I want to get this but if it does get a VC launch then I'll just skip forking over $50 and just wait and download it for $8.

Thanks in advance :D

[chakan]

I'm pretty sure I read an article confirming this, but no release date.

[Rodimus]

JESUS that was a quick response :shock:

Thanks, I'll keep an eye and ear out for more info.

[chakan]

I found the article:
http://www.destructoid.com/starmen-net-assaults-nintendo-of-america-with-envelopes-books-39467.phtml#comments
You guys already know the score -- when there's movin' and shakin' in the way of EarthBound or Mother news, I'm usually the nerd on call to give you the skinny. And since almost every ounce of movin' and/or shakin' these days comes by way of Starmen.net, their appearance in the latest Nintendo Power should come as no surprise.

In Seattle for the 6th annual Starmen.net convention, site admin Reidman and his crew made tracks to Nintendo of America's Redmond headquarters to dump a metric ton of EarthBound- and Mother-related envelope artwork, a pretty swank Final Starman figurine and a load of copies of the EarthBound Anthology onto unsuspecting employees. The editors at Nintendo Power were pretty pleased and, plied with unique memorabilia and an outpouring of geek love, took Starmen to lunch at the headquarters' Cafe Mario and talked about -- what else -- EarthBound. The result of all this bribery? A nice spot in the latest issue of NP. Good on you, lads. You deserve the ink.

There's more, though: over lunch the discussion turned to EarthBound's forthcoming appearance on the Virtual Console. Some phrases and words were exchanged, and while Reid won't print exactly what was said, he states directly that the editors at Nintendo Power conceded the following: should EarthBound sell very well on the Virtual Console, chances of an official Mother 3 localization will increase.

Sure, it's by no means guaranteed, and this might just be the latest in a series of circumstances in which Nintendo of America has screwed with the piled-on hopes and dreams of Starmen.net and its devoted audience. But if EarthBound's VC sales truly have an impact on the company's stance on further localization of the brilliant RPG series, it certainly couldn't hurt. Plus, you were already planning on buying EarthBound on the VC -- right? Yes, yes you were.
Quick response because I really want this!

[Rodimus]

So it's pretty much confirmed that there will be a VC launch? If so that's awsome, I can wait.

[RAMSTORIA]

cant wait for earthbound on the vc, and hopefully it sells like hotcakes and mother 3 gets over here.

[urzishra14]

I just hope they release both earthbound games in the US officially through the VC, (the NES earthbound and the SNES eathbound) i'd love to see mother 3, but I'm just hoping for these two first i loved them so much.

[RAMSTORIA]

I just hope they release both earthbound games in the US officially through the VC, (the NES earthbound and the SNES eathbound) i'd love to see mother 3, but I'm just hoping for these two first i loved them so much.

i doubt theyd bother with the first one, it was never officially localized for here

[Scorch]

I have the original cart, but if an $8 purchase brought a Mother 3 translation to me sooner, you better believe i'd buy it on the VC.

[urzishra14]

i doubt theyd bother with the first one, it was never officially localized for here

it was officially localized it was just never released... heres some more information

http://starmen.net/merchandise/carts/ebproto.php

it is released in the ROM community as "earthbound zero".. its a great game.. best RPG on the NES in my opinion.. definately more fun than the first FF.. although I don't think it was as good as Phantasy Star..

so all they have to do is track it down in their "vault" and dump the rom test it and release it.. if you do more searching there is a former game programmer from Nintendo who gives a lot more information about the history of the game.. basically it was just about to ship and then the SNES came out and they dropped all the unreleased NES games.

[NamelessMC]

^What he said. It really sucked too because a lot of good games had the plug pulled because new hardware came out when the system was barely leaving its peak.
Half Life 2 on Dreamcast
Starfox 2 on SNES

I really hope this comes to VC just because it'll be the second VC game I get. I want to keep my VC limited to what I consider the "underdog juggernauts". I used to play Earthbound like 24/7 with my sister back in the SNES days. Man I had such a blast playing it. I remember I had almost chill tingling anticipation whenever we would get past a hard part and get to see a new town to buy new stuff.

Earthbound had the perfect balance between a learning curve and progressive story.

[dracula]

^What he said. It really sucked too because a lot of good games had the plug pulled because new hardware came out when the system was barely leaving its peak.
Half Life 2 on Dreamcast
Starfox 2 on SNES.

I could have sworn there was a castlevania game for the dreamcast in the works, i *think* i saw a preview for it either in a print mag, next generation i think?

[Sc4rfac3]

must
buy as soon as it hits vc

[Rodimus]

I could have sworn there was a castlevania game for the dreamcast in the works, i *think* i saw a preview for it either in a print mag, next generation i think?

Yeah, it got scrapped. It was called Castlevania Resurrection. I have a feeling the game would've been less than memorable if it was completed, considering the 3D Castlevania's track record. Here's what I believe would have been the opening intro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83bdT2dw-bk

Sorry for getting off topic..... back to Earthbound.

[NamelessMC]

Yeah, it got scrapped. It was called Castlevania Resurrection. I have a feeling the game would've been less than memorable if it was completed, considering the 3D Castlevania's track record. Here's what I believe would have been the opening intro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83bdT2dw-bk

Sorry for getting off topic..... back to Earthbound.

Yeah, that got scrapped for different reasons though. What a lot of people don't realize is:
The Dreamcast had a VERY healthy life time in Japan. Close to 7 or 8 years. I think it wasn't until 2005 or 2006 that it finally went under. I don't know a lot about it, all I know is there were continually new games coming out on it even after it died in the states.

Castlevania, being a Konami release, had to have been scrapped for different reasons since Konami's based out of Japan.

I don't think it would've been memorable, unless you mean bad. Lament of Innocence pretty much sealed the deal for me as far as Castlevania in 3d.

I think if they adopt a game engine similar to Ninja Gaiden with better camera angles, they could have a REALLY good Castlevania 3d game.

I really wish they'd start making RPG's the way they used to, like Earthbound was. That game was so sweet.

[jer7583]

It was all but confirmed by nintendo when they said that mother 3's appearance in the US could be affected by Earthbound sales on VC.

I'll buy it immediately. I would buy it several times if that were possible.

[buffdrew84]

Blue! Blue!

Shakey ground here but i am looking to get the ebzero rom. any place to get the rom and emulator that will work with vista?

[RAMSTORIA]

It was all but confirmed by nintendo when they said that mother 3's appearance in the US could be affected by Earthbound sales on VC.

I'll buy it immediately. I would buy it several times if that were possible.

you can buy me some points and ill buy it ;)

[urzishra14]

Blue! Blue!

Shakey ground here but i am looking to get the ebzero rom. any place to get the rom and emulator that will work with vista?

you should use the "usual suspects" ... but since that game cannot be purchased (well an official english one anyways) use the usual torrent search site and look for "earthbound zero" or "earthbound NES rom" thats how i found a copy, after reading about it in EGM about "greatest games not released" or something to that effect..

now don't go thinking its going to be like nowadays rpgs, or even ps1 and some snes rpgs.. the game has many random encounters that get monotonous and the graphics are flat out terrible when used to playing 8 and 16 bit games from say even the GBC or GBA..

nonetheless, its a great game lots of fun very enjoyable.. good luck.

[Nohbdy]

HAY GUYS WHAT'S THIS
http://www.destructoid.com/earthbound-listed-by-esrb-for-the-wii-84335.phtml

[chakan]

Yay!

[Rodimus]

That's great news. just hope we see it soon.

[rothgar24]

I just read a great article last night about the fans in North America working hard to get nintendo to get off its arse and bring earthbound family games etc.

http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=850

The article was cautiously optimistic about earthbound on the VC but warned that nintendo has played around and screwed earthbound fans in the past.

[Redie]

1. It was realeased on the SNES and people who brought the game returned it and never got the idea of what a RPG is until they played Super Mario RPG and FF7. What is even more disturbing is how FF:MQ is completely ignored along with Secret Of Evermore.

2. Mother is Pro-Japanese game or Pro-nationaist game. It is Japan bound like the only other top RPG games out there. Far East Of Eden and Digital Devil Saga.

3. Mother is the property of Nintendo and the series is great and all but to be honest the game in Japan is not getting any special attention so why here. There is Final Fantasy, Tri-Ace, and even Digital Devil taking that spot. There is far too much competition and RPG gaming is something that is being ignored right now.

4. On the topic of RPG boom. The DAD boom in the 80's and the FF7 boom in the 90's is what even is making RPG being noticable now. They can release the game over and over again as with Mario but the truth is the series never really needed to be on any other system then the NES.

5. The VC is just a emulator which is no diffrent from you getting a controller to your PC and using that period. Then agian you can emulate it on your PPC device and even Cell Phone.

6. The game being translated is not going to start a pro RPG society in the USA anytime soon. The USA is too Bone-headed to have any such games. We are too violent and our entertainment system is unbalanced as with the Japanese system.

7. Leaking things from the company is not going to make Mother happen anytime soon.

8. There is many people making and selling copies on ebay.

9. Petitions will not help people want to see the money.

10. Starman.net and anybody hoping for this game to be released in english is like the American Sumo soceity who does everything less not including the Shinto in Sumo.

11. "Starmen.net" look like the color of baby food.

12. If we wanted a Eathbound or even Mother website then we would have it already.

13. The Same could be said for Startropics.

14. duh anybody can make there own Spin-off like with the Chorno trigger in 3d game. There is nothing stoping anybody at all.

15. People can sell homemade games even if there is some flapper jacker law that says otherwise.

16. The same goes for roms.

17. This is why there will never be a full release of Mother since it is a pro-Japanese game like Far East Of Eden. In fact the game itself is practically a Far East Of Eden Spin off. Just play this game instead. There is also many other Mother like games released before the original. Mother fights with the power of love and music that is from the world inside.

18. If you wanted to get Nintendo's attention then stop Spice Production and bring them to you. I say we go to SEGA and bring them back from the grave starting with the SATURN.

[darkwingduck13]

WTF is this guy saying? I mean, seriously. That must be a joke account, right?----^

[Redie]

what do you not understand.

[terribledeli]

WTF is this guy saying? I mean, seriously. That must be a joke account, right?----^

Yes. It's been discussed several times. It's clearly just the RegalSin2121 joker again.