Brownie Brown interested in DS version of Mother 3
by Chris Greenhough 
{ Jan 21st 2009 at 6:30PM }
The lack of a localized Mother 3 on the Game Boy Advance must rank as one of Nintendo's more heinous crimes, but that's not to say they can't get out of our bad books. All it would take is, oooh, let's say a DS version of the classic RPG and A MILLION DOLLARS. Or, y'know, just the game.And look, Nintendo, Mother 3 co-developer Brownie Brown is happy to indulge us! Speaking to Siliconera, company President Shinichi Kameoka said Nintendo just needs to give the go-ahead. "If we were asked to make [a DS version of Mother 3]," he said, "then we would definitely like for fans abroad to play the game."
The ball is very much in Nintendo's court, then. Until they take a swipe at it, there's only one way to sample (and fully comprehend) Mother 3's myriad delights.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kevin @ Jan 21st 2009 6:59PM
I used to play the localization version but ended up quitting because I found it frustrating at times. I'm not saying it's bad, just my own experience with the game. Please don't flame me.
Hardy @ Jan 21st 2009 7:33PM
Well that's good. If you're happy then I'm happy andaWHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?
Do it Nintendo! You recycle other games more then once, do it for this one JUSSST once. Please.
Erik Stroud @ Jan 22nd 2009 9:07AM
I know. I would love to have my own copy of Mother 3. I beat the fan-translation back in November, and I have to say it was one of the best RPGs to come out in a long time.
rodjoh @ Jan 21st 2009 7:49PM
You'd think that they would take the chance now thanks to SSBB having Ness and Lucas in it... I mean seriously.... people want it. Just DO IT.
HairyBalls @ Jan 21st 2009 8:00PM
Over-hyped game, yay?
mike @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:05AM
the games actually incredibly good. I mean. Its amazingly good. the fact the Nintendo would 'ponder' not putting it out in the US, is baffling.
The only problem, is that, the Earthboud Franchise is about 10 years out of date. I guess they feel it doesn't have mass marketibility, but the game itself, story, gameplay, graphics, are top notch.
Roto13 @ Jan 24th 2009 1:21AM
Considering how much money they spent on marketing the original Earthbound and how much of a colossal failure it was in North America, I can't blame Nintendo for not bothering with Mother 3 over here.
There are about a million times as many Earthbound fans in North America as there are actual Earthbound OWNERS.
iRok @ Jan 21st 2009 8:02PM
Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes....
MarkShark @ Jan 21st 2009 8:44PM
Anyone else think that suggesting to bring it abroad if it was set to the DS is a reaction influenced by the fan translation?
Hardy @ Jan 21st 2009 8:52PM
If it is, that's one SLOW ASS reaction. The translation has been around for years now.
MarkShark @ Jan 21st 2009 8:56PM
...what? It just came out in October.
time @ Jan 21st 2009 9:10PM
commmeeee ooonnnnnnn nintendo!
you can do it!!
Monodi @ Jan 21st 2009 9:31PM
I (don't) like how Nintendo got all the seatbelts fasten for it except for the ignition button for localizing.
Santos L. Halper @ Jan 22nd 2009 12:10AM
I'm not even considering this as a possibility. For some reason, when it comes to anything Mother/Earthbound related in the US, Nintendo will do nothing but gives us the finger.
nintendo1889 @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:09AM
Yeah, tell me about it. Look at Earthbound for the VC; if that wasn't a cruel prank, I don't know WHAT it was. I'm sorry to say this, but whether or not the fan translation is related to this impulse to porting it, sales for the alleged port will be as badly affected as Chrono Trigger DS's premature release was when it was legally released. Yes, I may have downloaded the game, but that's not the point. The point is, since there already is a translation for Mother 3, and since tens of thousands of people downloaded the ROM/patch, wouldn't that make buying the DS port that much less desirable? Sure, there may be people who'd want a legit version, but, who'd want to do that? Let's just hope the translation is as quirky (see:good ) as the unofficial one was. Earthbound had a very good localization team, so, maybe they'll do it. Lastly, I don't care if the Mother 3 translation is illegal or not; it 's Nintendo's fault for not releasing it in the first place. Two years too late.
Disgruntled Goat @ Feb 13th 2009 5:17PM
Actually, there's another way to enjoy Mother 3 at the moment - and this one happens to be LEGAL:
just buy an import copy and play it with a translation guide.
I bought Mother 3 off play asia a year ago for $15, it plays perfectly on a DS, of course, as there's no regional lock out for GBA games. You can find several translation guides online and the game is perfectly playable. All you need to do is follow along and gradually memorize a few different commands / item character strings. $15 and a little extra effort sure beats years of ineffectual whining and petty theft.
Promoting hacked roms is pretty shameful, much less positing theft as the only way to enjoy a game that's fairly inexpensive to import. If you're angry with Nintendo - fine. Don't buy the game. Boycott their products. Stealing, however, doesn't strike me as a justified response. Nintendo failing to capitalize on its property isn't in any way equivalent to renouncing their legal rights to it.
At the end of the day, all the hollow rationalizations behind piracy won't replace the law.
METC @ Feb 19th 2009 6:11AM
Starmen.net clearly stated that they would get rid of the translation patch if/when Nintendo decides to release Mother 3 stateside. They are aware of what they did, and the only promotion that's going around is word of mouth.
Wolblade @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:42AM
Though this is interesting, I'd want to see these games on the VC as well.
Actually, I'm surprised they haven't added handhelds to the VC yet. Now that would make them a killing!
TJF588 @ Jan 22nd 2009 6:38AM
I still want to see the rise of the DSi store(s) accompanied by a "Virtual Handheld", perhaps even with patchings for co-op play, such as with the Pokemon games.
I would NOT want MOTHER 3 on the DS. Not by itself. Nintendo needs to release all three EarthBounds onto one convenient game card. They re-released MOTHERs 1 & 2 on GBA to go along with 3, so we oughta get the whle damn series in one package. THAT'd make it worth it to any emulator, the sheer simplicity of it. As long as they don't dare hike the price above $40 (hell, PKMN Emerald and AC:WW are STILL at $35, the fossils they are).
Lucky @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:55AM
They just might do that, but not release it in west because we're not worthy of seeing any EB-related outside Smash Bros.
rikki @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:42AM
I downloaded the Mother 3 translation. And I would buy Mother 3 DS if it was released here.
But Nintendo will not ask Brownie Brown to create a Mother 3 DS. Even if they did, the game would not come to North America or Europe.
The ball may be in Nintendo's court -- but like every other time the Mother/Earthbound series comes up, they're going to pick it up, put it in their pocket, and go home.
Donald @ Jan 22nd 2009 1:13PM
It's sad that the closest thing I'll get to another Earthbound/Mother experience is the downloaded translation and a fan-produced player's guide.
gukid @ Jan 22nd 2009 3:59PM
I can't really see where the a DS version wouldn't hurt the game, rather than help it. Possible better sound would help, slightly larger viewing screen... but tacked on touchscreen move, required useless nintendo wi-fi features like item trading or some garbage they always throw in...
From what I can see, even the DS Lite can still play GBA games, and there has been ABSOLUTELY nothing preventing Nintendo from releasing this late as it is. If they didn't release it on GBA, the won't release it here on DS, especially since the game is now "free" over here for all intensive purposes which would hurt their "profit margin".
0piggyjelly0 @ Jan 27th 2009 8:37PM
I sure hpe they make this too, and fast, my computer broke a few days ago wich means i can't play the patch i downloaded just a few days before that.
Also if you wonder how i'm posting this without my computer, I'm on the Wii.