A perennial cult favorite since its original release in the United States in 1995, EarthBound's fans have gone through long waiting periods just for Nintendo to realize that in fact, yes, there's a fanbase here for the Mother series. Although both EarthBound and its NES counterpart have been re-released many times in Japan, North America didn't get a re-release until 2013 on the Wii U Virtual Console, which also marked the first time EarthBound was released in Europe. At the time of its re-release, Justin Baker gave the game a 9.5, gushing over many aspects of the game, including the battle and control options. As the game expands to New 3DS three years later, three more staff members give their opinion of EarthBound. As time marches on, does the game still manage to hold up?

Bryan Rose, Reviews Editor: The one thing that fascinated me the most replaying EarthBound again all these years later is that there’s a lot of grinding. Almost too much grinding. I spent a lot of hours battling a bunch of enemies just to get to the next area. It’s a lot like the original Mother (now known as EarthBound Beginnings here), which also required tons of fighting. Frankly, it’s so much that I wouldn’t even bother if it wasn’t for the fact that this is one of the most charming games I’ve ever played. That’s all I could feel as I went through the familiar places, faces, and enemies - this game is oozing with a wit and charm that can’t really be paralleled. The writing is top notch, full of humor and references that you would never see in any other RPG. And that’s the appeal of EarthBound and why it’s one of my favorite games to play to this day - this is an RPG that’s like nothing else. Not on the SNES or anywhere, quite frankly - it’s wholly unique in how it presents itself, and that is where the charm lies. Earthbound isn’t an epic story, and can be bogged down by being a grind fest. But its cheerful aesthetic, fun music and excellent writing are really endearing in a time where we could use more games like it.

Matt West, Associate Editor: EarthBound has held a special place in my heart since the first time I played it. To fans like myself, the experience is an unforgettable one; full of charmingly strange characters, a world of whimsy, and a touching story of four kids saving the world. It’s a very unique game, both at the time of its release and in modern day, forgoing the traditional JRPG tropes of amnesiac, sword-wielding heroes set in ages of the past in favor of a tale set in creator Shigesato Itoi’s psychedelic interpretation of early 90’s America. Ness and his friends are nothing like the protagonists of other JRPGs at the time; they’re just average kids who fight baddies with Yo-Yo’s, frying pans, and Bottle Rockets. I fell in love almost immediately with EarthBound’s setting and unabashed willingness to be different.

EarthBound is a complete package, too. It isn’t adored by its fans today simply because of nostalgia. Itoi and his team worked hard to take what worked for JRPGs in the early 1990’s and provide their own spin on those elements. The battle system initially looks ripped straight from a Dragon Quest game, but there are major differences here that make EB’s fights a more active and streamlined experience. For example, the player doesn’t have to wait for all of damage of an enemy’s attack to be inflicted before making their next move; if Jeff is hit with a fatal blow, but you can get Ness to heal him before his HP ticks to zero, he can be saved without having to revive him later at the hospital. In another example, one of the most underrated aspects of EarthBound is the automated enemy encounters if your party is at a level in which battling would be a waste of your time. When running into these enemies, the game automatically gives the player the victory and experience points, which makes the entire experience feel much less tedious than other RPGs of the time. That said, EarthBound is still a 90’s JRPG – for better or worse. You’ll be forced to level grind at certain points if you hope to survive, and there are a couple of fetch quests that are a bit obnoxious (although, the game is hyper-aware of this and even makes a joke about it). But overall, EarthBound is a wonderful game that offers players something unique. It has a lot of heart, and was clearly a labor of love by Itoi and his team (which included help from one Satoru Iwata). It permeates with charm, personality, and joy, and deserves to be played by Nintendo and JRPG fans everywhere.

Donald Theriault, News Editor: Earthbound is honestly my favorite game of all time. That's not to say I think it's perfect – the inventory system takes getting used to, 1/128 odds for major items are a pain and there's a big early game grind. But Earthbound has charm coming out of its ears, with a cast of characters who are an absolute joy to interact with. The sheer ludicrousness of things like Zombie Paper (like flypaper, but for zombies) and Fly Honey still has me laughing 20 years after I first discovered them, and even though the game originally came with a strategy guide, it's still balanced enough that it isn’t necessary. It's worth every bit of the premium pricing Nintendo of America gave it.