MOTHER 2 (Earthbound) on Japanese Virtual Console March 20th

[treismac]

Is it headed to North America too? Let's hope so. Also, anyone wanna predict Earthbound cartridge sales coming back to earth or vice versa in the wake of this news?

http://earthboundcentral.com/2013/01/10890/

[Aussie2B]

I don't know if this news will make much of a difference. There are many gamers who are convinced that it's legally impossible for Nintendo to re-release Earthbound in the US (as misguided as that view may be). And the Japanese GBA got a re-release of the first two Mother games, so there is precedence for Nintendo reviving the series in Japan but skipping out on doing so in the US. I personally think there's a pretty fair chance of Earthbound getting a re-release in the US in some form eventually, but there's no knowing if this will be it.

[Jack_Burton_BYOAC]

Okay. Buy Mother 2 from the VC, then play Earthbound via the homebrew channel. You can even inject the Earthbound ROM in place of M2 and use Nintendo's official emulator.

Clear conscience imo.

[wiggyx]

I'm ready to buy a hard copy for sub-50 dollar prices again. Come on US re-release!!!

[Tupin]

Nothing is going to go forward with a North American release until Itoi/Nintendo agree to changing the Sky Runner theme. That's what's holding it back.

[JSoup]

Okay. Buy Mother 2 from the VC, then play Earthbound via the homebrew channel. You can even inject the Earthbound ROM in place of M2 and use Nintendo's official emulator.

Clear conscience imo.

If you have access to the Homebrew Channel, you can just skip the "buy Mother 2" part like the rest of the internet has done and just use ZSNES Wii Version (or whatever the popular SNES emulator is these days).

[Jack_Burton_BYOAC]

If you have access to the Homebrew Channel, you can just skip the "buy Mother 2" part like the rest of the internet has done and just use ZSNES Wii Version (or whatever the popular SNES emulator is these days).

Yes, of course. However, that's why added "clear conscience imo" at the bottom of my post. Some people hold back from playing the game via Snes9x-gx on their Wii because they believe in only playing games which they legally own.

If you buy the Mother 2 on VC you legally own a copy of the game, and you can go ahead and download Earthbound without any mental reservations about doing so.

Now, there's heavy disclaimer here:

It would still be illegal. When you buy Mother 2 on VC you have the right to play Mother 2 on VC and nothing else. You can't legally download Earthbound, you can't even download a Mother 2 ROM to play on your PC.

However, from an ethical standpoint I feel you've literally "paid your dues" to the developer by purchasing the VC version.

[wiggyx]

Nothing is going to go forward with a North American release until Itoi/Nintendo agree to changing the Sky Runner theme. That's what's holding it back.

I doubt that's a major holdup at this point. Nintendo can see the hype surrounding this game in the US at this point, and it would take very little effort to make the change(s).

Nintendo hasn't had a fresh idea in years IMO. Why not bring a decet franchise to life in the US? This would be a simple (and cheap) way to test the waters and it would mean that they could go on just remastering old crap and churning out more pseudo-2D Mario games for the 3DS while offering next to nothing worthwhile for their home consoles.

[Rob2600]

Nothing is going to go forward with a North American release until Itoi/Nintendo agree to changing the Sky Runner theme. That's what's holding it back.

Do you have an official source to back that up?

[wiggyx]

Do you have an official source to back that up?

Good luck finding "official", but this is clearly and intelligently written and full of many legal bits that I understand to be accurate regarding copyright law (of which I have a moderate amount of personal experience being a designer and holding a few trademarks of my own, as well as being included in a handful of patents).

http://earthboundcentral.com/2009/02...-legal-issues/

http://earthboundcentral.com/2012/07...-legal-issues/


If Nintendo wants to release it here, they will. NOTHING so simple can hold that up. The change could be made with minimal investment in either time or money.

[Leo_A]

Those articles are theories and nothing more.

[IHatedSega]

Nintendo needs to wake the fuck up and realize their older fans are old enough now to understand turned based combat. RPG's werent popular with kids who were used to Mario platforming, its that simple, thats why Earthbound failed.

WHY CANT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gameguy]

Yes, of course. However, that's why added "clear conscience imo" at the bottom of my post. Some people hold back from playing the game via Snes9x-gx on their Wii because they believe in only playing games which they legally own.

If you buy the Mother 2 on VC you legally own a copy of the game, and you can go ahead and download Earthbound without any mental reservations about doing so.

Now, there's heavy disclaimer here:

It would still be illegal. When you buy Mother 2 on VC you have the right to play Mother 2 on VC and nothing else. You can't legally download Earthbound, you can't even download a Mother 2 ROM to play on your PC.

However, from an ethical standpoint I feel you've literally "paid your dues" to the developer by purchasing the VC version.

What good would doing that accomplish? Why would Nintendo bother to release the game here at all if they still get the money anyway? I would think refusing to pay for a copy until it gets a legitimate release here would better convince them to have it localized for North America, assuming there's enough demand for it here.

[Jack_Burton_BYOAC]

What good would doing that accomplish? Why would Nintendo bother to release the game here at all if they still get the money anyway? I would think refusing to pay for a copy until it gets a legitimate release here would better convince them to have it localized for North America, assuming there's enough demand for it here.

It would accomplish you playing the game. Not everyone is so ready to fight the good fight. Refusing to get it from the Japanese VC would accomplish nothing other than reinforcing Nintendo's current apathy on the matter.

If anything, Nintendo could notice how many people bought it with USA billing addresses and see potential.

I think the whole issue is a good example of how short sighted Nintendo (and other Japanese devs) can still be when it comes to understanding what the rest of the world wants.

[wiggyx]

Those articles are theories and nothing more.

Indeed, which is how I tried to present the info when I prefaced it with "good luck finding anything official". Since we aren't privy to official rationale, theory is all we have, and those articles contain sound theory backed by empirical data, and not just some fanboy's frustration-infused grumblings.

[rkotm]

I realize EB/MOther 2 has copyrighted music in it (certain samples and songs), but...it gets a digital re release in japan, (not to mention mother 1 +2 10 years ago ) and it's okay for the ""legal problems"" (copyrights, if there are) to stay, but not in america? I think Nintendo of America just doesnt like EB. I think something went down during it's American release in 1995 that caused a big stink with NOA, and they'll forever never consider any American re-release, or else they would have by now.

[JSoup]

It would accomplish you playing the game.

So would just skipping all that crap and just emulating the game like the rest of the internet did 6+ years ago.

[Edmond Dantes]

I realize EB/MOther 2 has copyrighted music in it (certain samples and songs), but...it gets a digital re release in japan, (not to mention mother 1 +2 10 years ago ) and it's okay for the ""legal problems"" (copyrights, if there are) to stay, but not in america?

You're underestimating how different our cultures are.

Japan doesn't take copyright law very seriously. They allow people to create derivative works and even sell it at conventions (Doujinshi, anyone?). Hell, Lupin the Third--one of Japan's longest-running franchises--is a walking CASE of copyright infringement, and this was why early attempts to export the character had to change his name.

And as has been stated, America is a very litigitious country. We try to sue restaurants for selling coffee hot, for chrissakes.

That being said, this so-called "music issue" sounds like B.S. to me too, and some comments I've heard/read from Nintendo regarding Earthbound make me concur with you--Nintendo just hates Earthbound and wants to bury it.

[Rob2600]

theory is all we have, and those articles contain sound theory backed by empirical data, and not just some fanboy's frustration-infused grumblings.

I'm sorry, but those links are in fact fanboy grumbling. The Skyrunner song is a perfectly innocent homage to The Who and nothing more...certainly nothing that would cause a lawsuit.

[wiggyx]

I'm sorry, but those links are in fact fanboy grumbling. The Skyrunner song is a perfectly innocent homage to The Who and nothing more...certainly nothing that would cause a lawsuit.

And that's what someone with ZERO knowledge about US copyright law would think. No offense, but "perfectly innocent homage" is perfectly ignorant of how such things work.