Shigesato Itoi’s journey to becoming a video game creator was a labyrinthine and fortuitous one, a strange tale that took him from novelist to voice actor in My Neighbor Totoro, and beyond. That his game series, Mother, would be equally strange and compelling, is no surprise. Earthbound earned its place as a JRPG classic through its sharp writing, one-of-a-kind humor, and absolutely bizarre take on Dragon Quest-style roleplaying. Taking traditional roleplaying tropes and systems, Earthbound sets its adventure in America’s backyard, introducing a zany cast of characters and a unique take on hit points in combat, and ends with a fight against a giant space vagina. It’s weird, and lovable, and well-deserving of its cult classic status.
For many years, the only way to play Earthbound was by tracking down its absurdly expensive Super NES cartridge, but recent rereleases on modern consoles, including the Switch via a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, have made this once-scarce game easily attainable.
Price: Free with Nintendo Switch Online subscription ($19.99/year)
Platforms: 3DS, Super NES, Super NES Classic Edition, Switch, Wii U
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