Prerelease:Mother 3/1996

This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Mother 3.

July

Announcement

The following is an interview with Satoru Iwata from Dengeki Nintendo 64. This is where Mother 3 was first announced as an Nintendo 64DD title.

"How will MOTHER 3 subvert player expectations?

Though we aren’t able to show any screenshots at this point in time, I think MOTHER 3 will subvert player expectations in various ways.

By that, I mean how the MOTHER series subverts expectations with aspects that are expected and unexpected. When it comes to that subversion, that was one direction that really distinguished previous titles. That kind of direction had an obvious significance to players, but those who have wanted more have been limited. We definitely want to continue that kind of aesthetic and worldview, but we don’t have anything more to talk about at this point.

What is going to change and what is going to take precedence?

First, you should ask “what is a common trait of the MOTHER series?” I think it’s Itoi-san’s writing. That is, it plays a huge part in developing the game’s scenario, but the most important part of it isn’t in the details, it’s in the depth of how that language is used. We wouldn’t change that part of the series.

When it comes to more details about how MOTHER 3 is connected to the series, an example is how the appearance of Porky from MOTHER 2 will play an important role in the game. That might mean other unexpected characters could make an appearance…

There will be a ton of other changes, like the setting of the scenario. You might assume that since MOTHER has had a contemporary setting up to this point, then this would be the case in MOTHER 3… But that’s top secret for now.

What’s fine to say about the protagonist? For now, we’ll say “a protagonist doesn’t necessarily need to be limited to one person.” I bet you’re probably wondering about it like, “Huh!? Not a standalone protagonist?”

Games on the N64 Disk Drive

(Summary) The N64DD allows games to use more polygons, so they’ll have better graphics that improve the gameplay in their worlds.

How does playing MOTHER 3 feel?

Games now are flashy, they take stimulating directions. We won’t deny it, MOTHER 3 also takes this direction. All we can say is we want to offer a viscerally pleasant feeling to players.

For example, the RPG overworld movement and battle controls are still being completely made. Both the movement and battles just haven’t been finished. They’ll be fun in themselves, though. Character movement will have a pleasant feeling to it. You’ll also be able to have fun looking at the abstract visuals. We want to have these kinds of things in the game.

(Source: Mother Forever)

November

64 Dream Article

And now for the long awaited MOTHER 3. Since it's on the Nintendo 64, it'll be in 3D, right?

Itoi: I've thought about making it 2D, but I'd hate for people to think it's not for the Nintendo 64 just because it's not in 3D. I considered going through with it anyway, though.

How much is done?

Itoi: The supporting scripts haven't been written yet, but all the scenarios are done. The map is done; all that's left is bringing the characters to life in it. So here on out are the details. But-in games, details are everything. As long as those steps aren't cleared, there's no difference between a completion rate of 60% or 20%.

I take it the heroes are the same?

Itoi: No, they're new. They even got a different outlook on the world. It's already a given that I'm going to defy expectations, anyway. Plus the concept came from MOTHER 2 and I wanted to hurry and start on 3. First, I wanted to turn a hard-boiled detective novel into a video game. That lead me to another idea, and I ended putting the two together to make MOTHER 3. I'd call up my game designer in the middle of the night while we were still swamped with MOTHER 2 work and asked what he thought of all my ideas for MOTHER 3. You know what he said? "This is not the time for that (laughs)."

A different outlook on the world, huh? Intriguing...

Itoi: I can't say anything about it, though. Even releasing a single graphic would spoil everything...

Does the cliffhanger at the end of MOTHER 2 mean Porky is back?

Itoi: Yep, I've become entirely dependent on Porky in order to go on. I'm nothing without him (laughs). And well, I love the Mr. Saturns. They're in 3, too. It'd be too lonely without them, don't you think? The development team calls them "Mr. Stupid", but I wanted to make a Mr. Saturn action puzzle game.

Are you considering it for one of the next consoles?

Itoi: We're still experimenting with battle scenes. I had this wacky idea - a battle idea that, alone would be enough to make an entirely new game. If that works out, then it's probably a go. The character designers and artists would probably end up changing to something entirely different.

There are so, so many people looking forward to MOTHER 3.

Itoi: I think the players are composed entirely of really good people. Even the four year olds (laughs) and the 78 year olds. I get the feeling if I met someone who likes MOTHER, we'd hit it off with all kinds of things. So from that stand point, I find the fans quite wonderful.

Is the release date set for next spring?

Itoi: If I confirm that, it's going to turn into me lying all over again (laughs).

Then could we please have a word for all the fans waiting for MOTHER 3?

Itoi: I'm sorry. Please wait a little longer. Read a book or something. Books are good. Reading is important. I mean, someone poured their heart and soul writing that thing. You can hold in your very hands a thought that took an entire lifetime to form. Yessirre, books are something.

(Source: Yomuka (scan), Chewy (translation))

Shoshinkai

Mother 3 was unveiled at Shoshinkai as a teaser title for the 64DD. Footage was also shown of other upcoming games including The Legend of Zelda 64 and Super Mario Kart R.

The Mother 3 footage shown at the event was as follows:

• A Ness lookalike character roaming the jungle, passing by a Shrill Snake.
• The Ness lookalike character being chased by Pig Warriors in Pork Beans.
• The Ness lookalike character looking at a barricade of Supreme Tank Z enemies.
• Lucas in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by Shippopos in a lake. (Currently lost)
• Duster limping down the crowd at Club Titiboo.
• The DCMC showing off a Mother 3 banner.
• The Pig Warrior Army roaming the desert with an "ice cream cone"-like drill. (Currently lost)
• An ensemble of villagers looking up at the camera in a green and white hall. (Currently lost)
• Lucas and the Ness lookalike at the Tazmily Crossroads. (Currently lost)
• Lucas running around Tazmily Square. (Currently lost)

Media response to the Mother 3 footage was highly positive, with press such as Game Fan Magazine writing, "As fans of that game will surely recall, the MOTHER series has a reputation for pretty poor graphics, which made these stunning shots look all the more impressive. While Nintendo has said almost nothing about the game, these pictures speak volumes: we know it has racing scenes, polygon-rendered overhead scenes, and first-person towns full of real-time polygonal towns-folk. A 64DD exclusive, due out late next year."

Overseas, many fans speculated that Mother 3 would have a greater connection to the previous titles due to the appearance of a Ness-lookalike character. However, this was misconstrued due to lack of context and untranslated information. As stated in 64 Dream, the main characters were "all new, with different outlooks on the world". According to Itoi in Dengeki Nintendo 64, this character was a "...boy (who) probably won't appear in the actual game. I would like to think of him as a special appearance to make the world of "MOTHER" easier to understand."

Nintendo Power listed the title as among the first 100 games for the Nintendo 64. While there was no current release date in sight, anticipation for the game was pretty high despite the Mother series' previously-niche audience. While coverage continued regularly in Japan, little of this information made its way overseas.

Character Renders

• 

  Lucas

• 

  Duster

• 

  A waitress who inadvertently appears to be Kumatora

• 

  Fassad and Salsa

• 

  Mr. Saturn

• 

  Lisa

• 

  Isaac

• 

  Mayor Pirkle, an earlier version of Pusher

• 

  The DCMC and an unnamed female singer in the middle

• 

  Dr. Andonuts

Enemy Renders

• 

  Oranga, an orangutan with exceptional acting skills.

• 

  Rolly, who attacks with its tongue and moves by rolling its whole boy around.

• 

  A species of nearly extinct fish called Boogill, which love heading into Tazmily.

• 

  Otto walks like a normal crocodile, but raises its upper body when it attacks.

• 

  A mysterious creature called Emigre, which produces the highly valuable Emigre Milk Tazmilians love.

• 

  A Pig Warrior, tied up from a tree.

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 178)

Screenshots

• 

  An ensemble of the characters in the game.

• 

  The Ness lookalike in the Jungle area.

• 

  Lucas in the Jungle area.

• 

  Pig Warrior Army with their drill in the desert.

• 

  Ness lookalike being hunted by Pig Warriors in Pork Beans.

• 

  Ness lookalike looking up at some Supreme Tank Zs.

• 

  Duster enters Club Titiboo.

• 

  The DCMC introduce Mother 3 to the world!

• 

  Lucas, the Ness lookalike, and other characters in Tazmily.

• 

  Lucas and the Ness lookalike at the Crossroads.