When you mention Earthbound, the 1995 SNES RPG game, the response is almost always a positive one. The strange wonders of this brilliant, but bizarre game have captured the hearts and minds of players around the world, and it remains one of the most beloved games of all time. Now that Earthbound is on the Nintendo Switch, fans are reminded of its greatness, and prompted to consider the merits of modern games, compared to the classics of the ‘90s.
Earthbound on the Nintendo Switch
“Earthbound is my favorite game.” It’s the immediate reply to a user’s inquiry on the Nintendo Switch subreddit about Undertale, which they are interested in trying. While Undertale is certainly a popular game, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which a similar inquiry about Final Fantasy VII would elicit a comparable response. But Earthbound continues to hold a special place in many gamer’s hearts, and is available to play right now on Nintendo Switch.
“The fact that it’s on Switch makes me so happy,” one user replies, “I never played it as a kid, so I’m going to give it a go.” Another says “I played it when it first came out and loved it. I played it again a few years ago and loved it just as much.” It’s a recurring theme, and one that I can personally attest to – even years after first playing Earthbound, I returned to it a couple of years ago, and it was just as charming as I remembered.
If you’re interested in playing Earthbound yourself, you’re in luck – it’s available to play on the Nintendo Switch Online’s SNES library. You can also check out the ocremix Earthbound fan album, which remixes the game’s soundtrack with a range of different musical styles.
Some replies do mention that Earthbound does suffer a little bit from quality of life issues. It’s a game from the mid ‘90s, after all. However, “you can’t argue with the story and atmosphere,” one user says, “It’s a great game” – another agrees, and also recommends Mother 3.
“I always see Earthbound screenshots and think it looks like Yakuza: Like A Dragon,” another replies, referencing the absurdly funny, modern day Yakuza spinoff. “The humor and the modern setting,” another replies, “I just love it.”
“Earthbound scared me as a child,” one user replies, “the final area of the game ruined me as a child,” they continue, “that is definitely one of the best final dungeons in gaming.”
“I always wondered what the world was like after the ending of Mother 3,” another replies, referencing the sequel to Earthbound, which was only released in Japan. “I always liked it,” another replies, “but it just never resonated with me like other games. I like it, but it’s just okay.”
“I got this [Earthbound] when it came out and played it over the course of a few months,” one user replies, “and I remember correcting a mistake in the player’s guide as an adult.” Another replies, “I absolutely loved Earthbound, it was my first JRPG and I think I played it to death,” while yet another replies “I was really into the Earthbound series when I was a kid, I still have my books, guides, and map.”
“I played Earthbound as a child and I still love it,” one replies, “I’m glad kids today get to experience it.” Another replies “I remember playing Earthbound and accidentally whacking my brother with my controller when the King Statue came up,” to which another replies “it was always my favorite game. I remember begging my mom to take me to an arcade to play it.”
“Earthbound is one of my favorite games of all time,” another replies, “I was obsessed with it for years.”
