My favourite characters from each game are Loid, Porky, and Duster, respectively, but Loid's the one closest to my heart. At the time of playing I was in many ways like him - same age, same schooling sitation (I had, for the record, NOT hidden in trash cans, but I did break many rules to avoid people and have hid in a milk bin if that's worth anything), same nerd reputation, same horrible self esteem...I can go on. His own journey with Ninten gave me some small glimmer of hope and he's been a longtime comfort character since then.
Also, while in Magikant I had Ninten die but not Loid, so I was constantly going back to heal at the fountain while trying to find a way out because I wasn't aware of the hospital. It went to the point in which Loid reached level 52 and basically carried the team. That was cool too.
The only game I played in the series is Mother 3 and man I'd say it's one of the best games for the GBA next to Wario Land 4. As for a favorite character I'd have to say I really like Kumatora. The way the game introduces her was pretty neat "Oh **** I'm stuck in a trap" (or something like that) and she is a valuable member of the team. Certainly a better Nintendo tomboy than Daisy. It's so hard to choose which characters are my favorite because they all have personality.
Kakea
Survivor
Towns Folk
#5
Meeeee! I love Mother! (My mother irl too!)
My favorite characters are:Ninten! He's so fiery despite his silent nature (As shown via Starmen.net)
And my Ito why moment... The robots range from hilarious to scary! The harbors look insane! The "Women" robots creep me out somewhat, a naked lady shooting you seems a lttle traumatizing for you children
And the giant one's are freaking terrifying, two of them CAN'T BE KILLED ununless a part of the story happens!
Eve's scary too, she's so kind... But the power emitting from that mother/robot...
Hikaiet
(0 v 0)-b
Towns Folk
#6
The only game I played in the series is Mother 3 and man I'd say it's one of the best games for the GBA next to Wario Land 4. As for a favorite character I'd have to say I really like Kumatora. The way the game introduces her was pretty neat "Oh **** I'm stuck in a trap" (or something like that) and she is a valuable member of the team. Certainly a better Nintendo tomboy than Daisy. It's so hard to choose which characters are my favorite because they all have personality.
Kumatora is my second favourite character from Mother 3 - My top favourite from that game is Duster. I'm a sucker for the noble thief trope and I could relate a lot to his family issues and ostracization, as well as his awkward personality. And the fact that he attacks primarily through kicking despite having a lame leg is amazing to me - shows just how dedicated the guy is even if he is 'lazy'. Honestly, while Loid may be my personal favourite and comfort character, Duster's a character I not only love and relate to, but look up to.
And while I don't mean to trash on Daisy none, Kumatora definitely fits that role better. Kumatora also really stands out from the previous female party members - the closest I can compare her to is Pippi from Mother 1. And in my own opinion, her introduction was the best out of the playable characters - you got the idea of what kind of character she was from the get-go within an impressively short time frame, better than any of the other characters.
PS - The exact quote is "Whatever. I got my leg caught in this stupid-@ss trap. I can't afford to die here, so I was just thinkin' about cuttin' my foot off."
Meeeee! I love Mother! (My mother irl too!)
My favorite characters are:Ninten! He's so fiery despite his silent nature (As shown via Starmen.net)
And my Ito why moment... The robots range from hilarious to scary! The harbors look insane! The "Women" robots creep me out somewhat, a naked lady shooting you seems a lttle traumatizing for you children
And the giant one's are freaking terrifying, two of them CAN'T BE KILLED ununless a part of the story happens!
Eve's scary too, she's so kind... But the power emitting from that mother/robot...
I love MOTHER and my mother, even if the latter can be an incredibly toxic part of my life. She's got her problems and I got mine, but she's still my mom and she loves me and I love her. I just wish things were less complicated between us.
ALSO YES!! Ninten and Kumatora are way up there in the 'characters that have 0 chill' category. I also appreciate how much more proactive he was than the other two protags - Ness and Lucas were straight up chosen ones and while Ness embraced it relatively quickly Lucas took forever to accept it, if understanably so.
But Ninten?
Ninten had his mc frickin' lamp attack him and decided that 'well sh!t better go figure this out'
Sure, he still had connections to the conflict, but he took initiative.
Ninten and Duster also for the physically disabled bad@sses club. All the mc frickin' way.
Ninten needs more appreciation period.
And I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembers Eve! I always thought of her a stern protective figure - never really found any of the robots particularly scary, though Loid implied to have accidental killed Teddy trying to save the group from one in the Japanese version DEFINITELY be traumatizing. You know what I did find scary, though? Other than obvious stuff like TaneTane island or Giygas (who I wasn't actually scared of) or the Rosymary witch?
Poo's. Mu. Training.
@_______@ No thank you Itoi. No thank you.
Chaos-san
Part-time goat
Towns Folk
#7
dang I've wanted to play the mother series for the longest time but I have no idea what console to play it on nor which one to play since there are so many titles in japanese and english
Hikaiet
(0 v 0)-b
Towns Folk
#8
dang I've wanted to play the mother series for the longest time but I have no idea what console to play it on nor which one to play since there are so many titles in japanese and english
While it is currently impossible to play an English copy of MOTHER 3 without going about illegal activity (emulators), you can play MOTHER 1, or as it's now been localized, Earthbound Beginnings, on the Wii U virtual console, and play MOTHER 2, or Earthbound, on the SNES, Famicon, and on the Wii U and new 3DS virtual consoles. You can also try getting one of the few English copy prototypes for the NES floating around if you're a real stickler for physical copies, but I don't think one has surfaced in years and they can go for literally thousands, so it miiiiight be best to just go for the virtual console. Earthbound likewise - not nearly as expensive but can reach the hundreds, especially around holidays.
If you don't mind playing in Japanese, you can buy all three games on the Gameboy Advance - 1&2 were re-released in a bundled pack, while 3 on its own in its original release. There's also MOTHER 1 for the NES, which is still pretty pricy, but not as much as the English prototype.
Aura Knight
Spirit of the West
Towns Folk
#9
Yes! I love MOTHER! I've only played Earthbound, but I'm working on MOTHER 3 on my Pi. As for the original, I can't quite find any way I can play it, as I don't own a Wii U. Ah well.
I think my favorite characters have got to be...ah, geez, most of them are really good, but I guess I should just list the ones that really stand out.
Lucas: Out of the three boys, I think Lucas is probably the best character. He starts out as this awkward boy who's dwelling on all the bad stuff that happened to him at the beginning of the game, but as he progresses, he begins to be more courageous and accepting of the situation he's been given, even coming to terms and letting go of his past near the end of the game. He shows a lot of character development, literally having to learn PSI from the rock bottom rather than a scant few abilities being available at the start, like Ninten and Ness.
Po(r)k(e)y: I've talked about this guy in my 'Top 5 Villains' list I made a while back. I put him at number 4 because he kinda falls from grace during the game, enough to be either Giygas's right-hand-man or being the one who pulls the strings now. Plus, his situation doesn't get any better in MOTHER 3, where the course of the game is enough to earn him the 'And I Must Scream' trope from TV Tropes. It's kinda sad, really.
Any of the main protagonists who can't use PSI: I really like these people because they show you don't need to have special superpowers to be a hero. Some of them even find some ways to make up for their lack of PSI, like Jeff and Loid's science and warfare abilities, and Duster's unique set of tools to use on the field.
Giygas: I know this guy is the villain and all, but I like the character. In the first game, we find out that this gentleman is reluctant to invade and control earth. He'd rather be spending his time with some of the important people of his life, like Maria. What I really like about him was how you defeated him in the first game. You don't defeat him with physical weapons, but you sing to him, and it triggers a bunch of feelings to the point that Giygas retreats due to his grief and sadness. And then he shows up again in Earthbound, looking so
much more different, and his character in general just shows a deep sadness that just wants to find peace.
I really enjoy the game series, but I'm sad that my siblings won't try it because they were promised a game "just like Undertale", and won't play it after they played it for about five seconds.
Oh well.
Aura Knight
Spirit of the West
Towns Folk
#10
Oh shoot, I forgot to post about my experience about it.
I haven't beaten Eathbound yet. I had to restart five times before it would work. The farthest I got was at Stonehedge. I was grinding for the Sword of Kings, but then something happened and I had to reset my game from the very beginning!!! I got uber ticked!!
I think the Mu training was freaky. I know what happens in the game that would make Earthbound creepy, but I have not told my siblings or my parents about them, so their reaction to the game will be genuine (I'm still thinking of a way I can get my Dad to be in the same room as me when I'm doing the final boss, just to see his reaction).
I've got Mother 3 on my Pi, but the farthest I've gotten in that game was in the mansion. I was chasing after Kumatora when I lost my progress on that game, too. I wasn't as mad as I was when Earhtbound got reset, as I was pretty early in the game, and I wasn't happy with how I named my characters.
Kakea
Survivor
Towns Folk
#11
Kumatora is my second favourite character from Mother 3 - My top favourite from that game is Duster. I'm a sucker for the noble thief trope and I could relate a lot to his family issues and ostracization, as well as his awkward personality. And the fact that he attacks primarily through kicking despite having a lame leg is amazing to me - shows just how dedicated the guy is even if he is 'lazy'. Honestly, while Loid may be my personal favourite and comfort character, Duster's a character I not only love and relate to, but look up to.
And while I don't mean to trash on Daisy none, Kumatora definitely fits that role better. Kumatora also really stands out from the previous female party members - the closest I can compare her to is Pippi from Mother 1. And in my own opinion, her introduction was the best out of the playable characters - you got the idea of what kind of character she was from the get-go within an impressively short time frame, better than any of the other characters.
PS - The exact quote is "Whatever. I got my leg caught in this stupid-@ss trap. I can't afford to die here, so I was just thinkin' about cuttin' my foot off."
I love MOTHER and my mother, even if the latter can be an incredibly toxic part of my life. She's got her problems and I got mine, but she's still my mom and she loves me and I love her. I just wish things were less complicated between us.
ALSO YES!! Ninten and Kumatora are way up there in the 'characters that have 0 chill' category. I also appreciate how much more proactive he was than the other two protags - Ness and Lucas were straight up chosen ones and while Ness embraced it relatively quickly Lucas took forever to accept it, if understanably so.
But Ninten?
Ninten had his mc frickin' lamp attack him and decided that 'well sh!t better go figure this out'
Sure, he still had connections to the conflict, but he took initiative.
Ninten and Duster also for the physically disabled bad@sses club. All the mc frickin' way.
Ninten needs more appreciation period.
And I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembers Eve! I always thought of her a stern protective figure - never really found any of the robots particularly scary, though Loid implied to have accidental killed Teddy trying to save the group from one in the Japanese version DEFINITELY be traumatizing. You know what I did find scary, though? Other than obvious stuff like TaneTane island or Giygas (who I wasn't actually scared of) or the Rosymary witch?
I forgot about Poo's training... that was so wrong (yet enlightening) I understand the message, but it's SO FREAKING SCARY!!! Ninten DOES NEED APPRECIATION and is one of the awesomest Nintendo characters in his "Goes outside to beat people into submission with a freaking' plastic bat, nature" I didn't see that Lodi might've killed Teddy in the other version... that's scary and sad... And I AM afraid of Giygas, in a pity/legit fear/empathetic way... And who's Rosemary witch!? Is there something I missed!?
Sorry I can't reply to everything rn, there's stuff I need to do school wise and stuff for the RP forum revival - I will reply to everything in due time, but I wanna quickly make a comment.
I'm glad it inspired you! That said, most people actually recommend against playing them in order - a big reason for this being the fact that it's not necessary to play in order due to huge timeskips, it's the oldest game, and that it's very different (and far more difficult!) gameplay wise. I personally hold the first very close to my heart (as evidence by my Loid icon), but I am in agreement with that sentiment - typically I suggest they be played either 2-3-1, or 3-2-1, the first format being the most approachable/easiest game to get into, and the latter format being most well-made game. I also prefer to give 3-1-2 for those invested in darker themes and characters since 2 is significantly lighter and less character driven than the first and third.
Hikaiet
(0 v 0)-b
Towns Folk
#14
I forgot about Poo's training... that was so wrong (yet enlightening) I understand the message, but it's SO FREAKING SCARY!!! Ninten DOES NEED APPRECIATION and is one of the awesomest Nintendo characters in his "Goes outside to beat people into submission with a freaking' plastic bat, nature" I didn't see that Lodi might've killed Teddy in the other version... that's scary and sad... And I AM afraid of Giygas, in a pity/legit fear/empathetic way... And who's Rosemary witch!? Is there something I missed!?
Poo's mu training was honestly nothing short of terrifying and the fact that we hardly know Poo before it means we can never know if the kid who calls himself Poo and joins Ness really IS Poo. We don't know how much of it was literal or metaphorical. And that is terrifying. It boggles my mind that it's less well known than Giygas or the Threed stripper zombie as one of the second game's darker moments.
And YES HE DOES. HE REALLY DOES.
The original japanese version of MOTHER 1 did not include the little prologue scene with Teddy preforming in Ellay once he got better. It's not outright stated that he died, but it's very much implied. The line "OH SHOOT! I MISSED!" was also something more along the lines of "Damn it, I was too late!" . Apparently this was changed in the GBA re-release, and the ending segments found in the English prototype are present. Pretty heavy stuff - I can understand why it was changed, but I'm a little sad that it was.
The Rosemary witch is this girl you encounter in Spookane. She claims to be your assistant though you have never met before, asks you questions, and if you say you want to know the answers, she asks for a ludicrous amount of money but gives you incredibly specific hints about things for the future. If you say you do no, she says "Well, you can color me gone" and vanishes, never to return. What's freaky about this is that she knows about Magicant...A place that only Ninten and crew can access due to
it not being a real place and simply a manifestation of the linger subconscious of Maria - whom Queen Mary is.
Some theorize that she's just a figment of Queen Mary off to help you, but it doesn't explain her need for so much money (especially considering almost everything in Magicant is free), nor why she never returns. Others theorize that she's just someone crazy, perhaps possessed by one of the ghosts there, but that also doesn't explain how she vanishes into thin air or how she knows about Magicant. And some theorize that she's straight up a ghost, but that doesn't explain how she knows your name or how she knows about Magicant. She isn't super freaky unless you think about it, but it really does begin to mess with your mind once you do give it thought.
Oh shoot, I forgot to post about my experience about it.
I haven't beaten Eathbound yet. I had to restart five times before it would work. The farthest I got was at Stonehedge. I was grinding for the Sword of Kings, but then something happened and I had to reset my game from the very beginning!!! I got uber ticked!!
I think the Mu training was freaky. I know what happens in the game that would make Earthbound creepy, but I have not told my siblings or my parents about them, so their reaction to the game will be genuine (I'm still thinking of a way I can get my Dad to be in the same room as me when I'm doing the final boss, just to see his reaction).
I've got Mother 3 on my Pi, but the farthest I've gotten in that game was in the mansion. I was chasing after Kumatora when I lost my progress on that game, too. I wasn't as mad as I was when Earhtbound got reset, as I was pretty early in the game, and I wasn't happy with how I named my characters.
It's possible your copy of Earthbound is pirated or bootlegged - I'm 99% sure I read something about bootlegged and pirated copies just flat out making it unplayable or even just deleting itself. And good luck with that - I think the best reaction I ever got from it was Moonside.
And good luck with the third! It's the second longest/shortest of the trilogy, but it should be easier to make through than the first (which is the shortest) due to it being nowhere near as difficult.
Yes! I love MOTHER! I've only played Earthbound, but I'm working on MOTHER 3 on my Pi. As for the original, I can't quite find any way I can play it, as I don't own a Wii U. Ah well.
I think my favorite characters have got to be...ah, geez, most of them are really good, but I guess I should just list the ones that really stand out.
Lucas: Out of the three boys, I think Lucas is probably the best character. He starts out as this awkward boy who's dwelling on all the bad stuff that happened to him at the beginning of the game, but as he progresses, he begins to be more courageous and accepting of the situation he's been given, even coming to terms and letting go of his past near the end of the game. He shows a lot of character development, literally having to learn PSI from the rock bottom rather than a scant few abilities being available at the start, like Ninten and Ness.
Po(r)k(e)y: I've talked about this guy in my 'Top 5 Villains' list I made a while back. I put him at number 4 because he kinda falls from grace during the game, enough to be either Giygas's right-hand-man or being the one who pulls the strings now. Plus, his situation doesn't get any better in MOTHER 3, where the course of the game is enough to earn him the 'And I Must Scream' trope from TV Tropes. It's kinda sad, really.
Any of the main protagonists who can't use PSI: I really like these people because they show you don't need to have special superpowers to be a hero. Some of them even find some ways to make up for their lack of PSI, like Jeff and Loid's science and warfare abilities, and Duster's unique set of tools to use on the field.
Giygas: I know this guy is the villain and all, but I like the character. In the first game, we find out that this gentleman is reluctant to invade and control earth. He'd rather be spending his time with some of the important people of his life, like Maria. What I really like about him was how you defeated him in the first game. You don't defeat him with physical weapons, but you sing to him, and it triggers a bunch of feelings to the point that Giygas retreats due to his grief and sadness. And then he shows up again in Earthbound, looking so
much more different, and his character in general just shows a deep sadness that just wants to find peace.
I really enjoy the game series, but I'm sad that my siblings won't try it because they were promised a game "just like Undertale", and won't play it after they played it for about five seconds.
I disagree about Lucas being the best of the three because I'm Ninten trash, but I definitely understand your reasoning, and I do think both Ninten and Lucas are a lot more fleshed out than Ness.
Porky is SUCH an interesting character, especially if you follow the supposed original translation of MOTHER 2 (which also gives Ness more depth) - apparently it was originally meant that Porky took Ness's silence after the whole fiasco with the Mani Mani statue as a rejection of apology, and instead of the whole 'psyche!' thing, he swears he'll show Ness. Already having experienced abuse from his parents (which I can confirm is a thing - it's implied his father beats him and Picky), corrupted by the Mani Mani statue, and being rejected by the one person who showed him kindness (even if it was manipulated out of him), it's no wonder he fell into Giygas's hands, and arguably began to use him as well. He's by no means justified, but he's a tragic character in the sense that he really was just some messed up kid who didn't know how to get the help he needed, and those who wanted to help him didn't know how to give. It also makes him
appearing in Ness's Magicant pleading to please be friends again so much more poignant, which would imply that Ness doesn't just feel sorry for Porky as the English translation suggests - but that he feels guilty and even responsible for what happened to him. Both versions imply that he wanted to help Porky - that he did want to see Porky as a friend, but that he just didn't know how. The thing that makes it so much stronger is just the fact that with the Japanese translation, it isn't Porky going down the wrong path without Ness being able to help, but that Ness was responsible for driving him there.
But really, we can't blame Ness either - Porky was genuinely an abusive person and Ness had every right to do what he did, but it's still very hard to cut people out like that. I have no idea if all of this is true but there are more supporting sources than conflicting ones, and honestly, I like to think of it this way because it just feels more satisfying. After all, we already know the game had to be toned down a LOT for the American release, so it doesn't seem far-fetched.
For non-PSI users, let us not forget Teddy, Pippi, Flint, Salsa, and Boney. Out of them all, the non-PSI users most dear to me are obviously Loid and Duster, but since I've already talked about them, let's talk about Pippi and Salsa.
Pippi was such a subversion of the damsel in distress trope, especially considering the game's release date of 1989. Here we have her, little girl in a pink dress and braided hair, captured by Zombies that brave strong ol' Ninten has to rescue.
...Except that she's actually way stronger than Ninten. Or any of the characters. And that she, being seven years old, was simply scared. She could've easily fought her way out if it weren't for her fear holding her back. She even has some sass to give Ninten if he acts too big headed.
Then there's Salsa. Oh Salsa, you poor little thing. How the heck people forget about the monkey they played as in chapter 3 boggles my mind. Y'know. A literal, ordinary monkey, no super powers or intelligence or anything, forced by a
Magypsy, which are easily one of the strongest species in the game
to do their bidding and shocked whenever he disobeyed or even just out of spite, enduring all of this cruelty just so his girlfriend held captive could be safe? Like damn??? I'm super aro and even borderline romance repulsed but that's some goddamn admirable dedication, selflessness, and love right there.
I like Giegue more than I like his corrupted form of Giygas, and while I agree with you, I want to mention that he wasn't reluctant at all - not until Maria's death anyhow. He was a child who felt abandoned by his mother and betrayed by his father. He's a tragic character in his own right, but to me Porky is by far more tragic - and far more malicious.
Aura Knight
Spirit of the West
Towns Folk
#15
Another thing I really enjoy about the MOTHER series is how seriously they take their game. I honestly can't think of any other game where a soundtrack for an NES game gets a song that is included in the official soundtrack. That's just cool!
Kakea
Survivor
Towns Folk
#16
@Hikaiet I need to play through that again, too! But right now, I'm playing through Earthbound. I just completed Moonshine, (Which still freaks me out SO bad!) and am getting ready to go into Montanrelli(? I don't know how to spell his name, although I'm AT THAT PART OF THE GAME) building to save Paula from Porky! I hope I find something different than last time I played through!
Aura Knight
Spirit of the West
Towns Folk
#17
I just got to Tenda, now I'm off to stonehenge! I'm keeping the Casey bat for that sword, though.
Aura Knight
Spirit of the West
Towns Folk
#18
Due to some stupidity on my part, I went from bring Lv. 60 at Stonehenge to level 45 in Fourside. >-<
Ace
Aaannnd boom! goes the Dynamite.
Towns Folk
#19
If my apparent half bro ends up with an SNES classic, I'll finally get a chance to play it to see what all the appeal is about.
Aura Knight
Spirit of the West
Towns Folk
#20
I beat Earthbound not too long ago, so I know it wasn't pirated. I guess I was just being stupid with my states is all. :/
And I AM afraid of Giygas, in a pity/legit fear/empathetic way... And who's Rosemary witch!? Is there something I missed!?