So, I finally beat EarthBound for the first time. WOW! What an amazing game. If you’re looking for a review, there are thousands out there on the Internet. Rather than focusing on the gameplay elements, this article will explore just how crazy the world of Shigesato Itoi can get.
*Beware of spoilers!
Throughout your entire adventure, a traveling photographer follows you. Sometimes, he’ll even appear twice in the same area. If that doesn’t sound creepy enough, he apparently can fly. Also, your party is helpless in his presence. All you can do is make the peace sign with your hand and say “fuzzy pickles”. If he has so much power, why doesn’t the photographer defeat Giygas?
Speaking of the final boss, Giygas is freaking nightmare fuel. Many players of EarthBound have said that he looks like a fetus. I’m not so sure of that. To me, he looks like the Lethal Lava Land painting in Super Mario 64.
Actually, it would technically be the other way around, since Super Mario 64 came out later. However, the battle with Giygas isn’t all bad. Take a listen to the music from the first stage of the fight.
I could quite literally write a book on all the weirdness in EarthBound, but rather than making you read 500 more pages, I’ll only mention one more for now. After you collect the seven sound stone songs, EarthBound’s equivalent to the Triforce, you travel to a world inside Ness’ (or whatever you called your character) mind. Magicant is the most trippy part of the game. You will meet people that you have met on your journey. Then, when you talk to them, the color pallet of your surroundings will change. I really like the wording on Wikipedia: “Ness’s Magicant is a surreal, spacelike land in a purple sea”. I will say no more. You need to see it for yourself.
Hindsight 64-bit 