Prerelease:Mother 3/1997
This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Mother 3.
Contents
January 1997
Satellaview Broadcast
The January 26th broadcast of Satellaview reviewed all the games that were shown at Shoshinkai, including MOTHER 3. The information covered here is the same content you would see in magazines such as Weekly Famitsu and Dengeki Nintendo 64 at the time.
Game Catalogue II
Shigesato Itoi was interviewd by Hikaru Ijuin on the Japanese television program, Game Catalogue II. While there is no translation yet, Itoi refrains himself from saying much about the game.
Weekly Famitsu
The following is a translated inteview from the January 31st issue of Weekly Famitsu. Translation provided by Chewy:
Nagata: What, you think you can have some dog or kid handle the interview with Itoi?! No! Which is why I took the 7 AM bullet train to Kyoto, and here I am. Good moooorniiing!
Itoi, Iwata: Good morning~
Nagata: I guess we’ve only got 40 minutes for our interview so let’s get rolling. Starting with the usual question. Is the game really coming out this year?!
Itoi: (laughs) Here we go again. Today we have the on-site supervisor here with us, though. Tell him how it is!
Iwata: We would like to release it sometime this year.
Nagata: That again!?
Itoi: We truly hope for its release!
Nagata: I dunno, man.
Itoi: But we’ve got Iwata! Iwata! Once he joined MOTHER 2, the thing spontaneously finished, after all.
Nagata: Ah, that’s reassuring!
Itoi: Right? So now the readers are going to wonder. “What, so Iwata made that game?” (roaring laughter)
Nagata: So, the names of the characters have been announced.
Itoi: I named them.
Nagata: One would assume.
Itoi: They’re good, right? The person from this village is… huh? Who is this?!
Nagata: (roaring laughter) Hey, now!
Itoi: I’ve never seen this before!!
Iwata: Yes you have. I showed you before, but it’s been a little more processed since then.
Itoi: Oh! I get it. But… hey! What kind of business are you running!?
(All laugh)
Nagata: Is it all right to assume this boy is the main character?
Iwata: This time around there are twice as many characters as previous games; that’s because MOTHER 3 is arranged into chapters. It’s not an omnibus, but it’s split into chapters and the main character changes depending on the chapter.
Itoi: Ahh you finally said it. Now I can relax. I’ve been holding that in this whole time. (laughs)
Nagata: So eight people?
Iwata: Over eight.
Itoi: But it’s more fun to be in the dark.
Nagata: Yeah, it really is!! In a way, it’s tough to cover games that I love.
Itoi: Right?
Nagata: To be honest, I just wanna ask when it’ll come out and then go home.
Iwata: Now that would make people angry.
Nagata: And the show goes on. How’s the 64DD been treating you?
Itoi: Damn. You’re good.
Iwata: It’s all about the ability to overwrite. I want to use the creation of MOTHER 3 to put an end to everyone making the same kind of adventures in all the same ways all over Japan.
Nagata: So you’re not simply making it a multi-scenario?
Itoi: Not a chance!! I hate that! Multi-scenarios are the worst. That’s just abandoning the rights and duties of the writer.
Iwata: Yeah. We’d rather make a game that leaves everything in the world exactly as you left it. We’re always throwing things out or leaving them around, right? We scratch things up. That all stays.
Itoi: If you go on a trip when your place is messy, it’s going to be just as messy when you get back.
Iwata: Yeah, that’s what I mean. So the writable hardware of the DD is perfect.
Nagata: I see. Moving on, what’s the deal with the battles that Itoi’s always raving about like a madman?
Itoi: How rude! (laughs) I’d like to talk about what it is, but I can’t yet.
Iwata: It’s still in the testing stages. For example, MOTHER 2 had the monsters visibly walking around the field map. And when you touched a monster, you entered the battle. So first and foremost we want to expand on that. In short, we’d like to allow strategies against the monsters right on the field. Not so battles become obligations, but so it becomes more fun.
Itoi: Something that makes you happily squeal, “Is there another battle for me?!” (laughs)
Iwata: We’re experimenting with all kinds of things.
Nagata: Like what? Like what??
Itoi: You’re a persistent one.
Nagata: It’s because I wake up at six in the morning.
Itoi: So do I. Well, today my alarm didn’t go off, so…
Nagata: Wait, um…
Iwata: So? What time did you wake up?
Itoi: By the time I took my pajamas off it was 7:15…
Nagata: Morning habits aside, let’s get back to the battles…
Itoi: And my Shinkansen seat was 17A.
Nagata: Uh-huh, uh-huh… But, look, we’ve only got 15 minutes left…
Itoi: And I was torn whether to buy a lunch box, but I ended up settling for a sandwich.
Hongo (Nintendo PR employee): Oh! You ate a sandwich?
Nagata: Hongo, don’t encourage him.
Hongo: No, it’s just that we’ve prepared lunch boxes already, so…
Itoi: Hey, have you heard Hongo sing Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi?
Nagata: Ohhhh dammit all!
Iwata: I will say this. We’re thinking of incorporating sound into the battles.
Nagata: Iwata-san, you’re too kind.
Itoi: Well, if I were to blurt it out it’s all quite simple. So when you press a button on the controller, there’s a sound, right? A little blip or something. And if you make it so you can create all kinds of sounds, the controller becomes a pretty solid instrument. So we’re going to include that instrument in MOTHER 3.
Nagata: Hoho!
Itoi: And if you get good at playing that instrument, you’ll fight battles more efficiently.
Nagata: That sounds really fun! Maybe I was wrong about you!
Itoi: Well, things might change. We’re still in testing, after all. I tend to play and putz with it at the very last minute.
Iwata: Oh, but, once it reaches a certain level of playability, Itoi really steps up to the plate.
Nagata: So in other words, before it’s where you can play it, he’s bumming around the bench. (laughs)
Iwata: Right. Even if you hand him specifications—nothing. (roaring laughter) Is that going too far?
Nagata: Dangit, we’re outta time. Alright, can we at least get a special Famitsu-exclusive scoop before we finish?
Itoi: Ahh, I see, so Famitsu uses the same tricks as Shonen-Jump?
Nagata: Ohhhh dammit all!!! (laughs)
Itoi: …Alright, I’ll tell you! When this alligator gets mad, he stands up!
Nagata: That’s written in the article already.
(All roaring laugh)
Nagata: Ok we’re seriously out of time! Uhh, uhh, closing statement!
Itoi: Hiiii everybody! Did you have a good new yeeears?
Nagata: That’s not closing anything!!! [1]
New Images
Several new images were released in another issue of Weekly Famitsu in January 1997. This featured an interview with Itoi and Iwata, where the subtitle "Forest of the Chimera" was announced.
Lucas, Duster and Salsa roam the Sunshine Forest.
The sky beams rain down upon the party. A pipeline can also be seen.
Salsa looks towards the camera as a present box is seen nearby.
The Pig Warrior Army. Notice they are in the same hall from Shoshinkai 96! The red Pig Warrior in the middle is the Lieutenant, highest ranking officer who wields a schimitar.
An unknown NPC in a snowy area. The blue coated NPC is seen advertising "Honolele: Summer Resort", which is also known as "The City of Lights."
February 1997
Dengeki Nintendo 64
An interview with Shigesato Itoi was published in the February issue of Dengeki Nintendo 64, which enlightened on the development process at this time.
What is the current status of MOTHER 3?
Itoi: This time around, MOTHER 3 was only shown on a video exhibit at Spaceworld.
How far along are you in the development process?
Itoi: The plot is done. However, we’ve changed our approach this time and I’m going to try and include all our ideas. Last time, we had to meticulously go through and say we can’t do this, or that, or this. But in the new one, we can do “this” or “that”. We are now in the process of picking the various ideas our staff is coming up with.
So you have the plot?
Itoi: Yes, and it’s very interesting, but...you might think, “I’m a jerk.” I’ve changed a lot over the years. So if you’ve been a long time fan, you might say, “I’ve been expecting this betrayal for a long time.” In fact, the concept for MOTHER 3 was decided as soon as the development for MOTHER 2 ended. The original concept we created back then is still alive.
What’s it all about?
Itoi: Well, I really want to create a feeling of “disgust.” You might be thinking, “what do you mean by disgust?” When I’m making games, I’m always thinking about how I don’t like the feeling of “sadness”, and perhaps I don’t like the feeling of “laughter” either. I’m not sure how to express it, but these things have an impact which breaks things up and shakes your emotions.
In MOTHER 2, we included the sound of a synthesized burp. I love “unpleasant” ideas such as these (laughs). To put it down bluntly, that’s the theme of this project. It’s a lot like playing against Master Belch, with many twists and turns along the way. That’s what I would call “originality”. I want MOTHER 3 to be full of such things, since that’s what I believe originality is.
So far, the series has taken place in the modern day. However, in the video and images released thus far, “natural” atmospheres such as a “forest” have stood out.
Itoi: I can’t really say what time period the setting takes place in...I don’t know, but I wouldn’t say it’s a “modern drama.” I want to include both flashy elements as well as earthly ones. Thus, this time around the “forest” became a major key element.
In other words, the protagonist isn’t human, or a living being at all for that matter, but nature itself?
Itoi: You could look at it that way. The forest itself doesn't change since it's a natural element, but the world around it does over time. For example, I’m thinking of excluding things such as telephones. What would happen if I made a MOTHER game with no phone service? I personally think that would make it more fun.
Porky disappeared in the ending of MOTHER 2. Will he appear in this game?
Itoi: I’m sure Porky will appear (laughs). I wouldn’t have made this game if it weren’t for Porky, after all. He was an enormous help while I was making MOTHER 2, and I also came up with the concept of MOTHER 3 thanks to him. I’m going to keep that character around, of course.
What’s the reason behind changing from 2D to 3D? Did the game just have to be in 3D?
Itoi: No, not at all. As long as it’s fun for the player, I don’t think it really matters what it is. Even the NES screen was powerful at leaving an impact. I just think that no matter what you’re going to use, it all comes down to using it well. Even though I do think it’s a neat idea to make it three dimensional like “Mario 64”, I’m really not all too particular about it. At the end of the day, I don’t even mind if it’s just words, as hiragana characters leave a good feeling.
Speaking of characters, dialogue has always been one of the main attractions about MOTHER. What about the dialogue scenes?
Itoi: It will probably be the same style as before, where a window appears and dialogue is displayed. However, I’d like to use hiragana for all the dialogue. I think RPG dialogue is a lot like reading a script. I want players to be able to freely express themselves by easily being able to narrate it and add their own intonations. I want to leave room for that, so I thought it would be better to use hiragana. In that sense, there’s no need for voice actors in my RPG. I’m committed to sticking with the power of hiragana, I’m very obsessed with it.
On the subject of obsession, you were very particular about the sound in MOTHER 2, weren’t you?
Itoi: Right now I’m pursuing various different ideas that can be done with sound. There’s a lot of ideas using sound that I want to play with. I once had an idea for a different game that used sound that I wanted to make, so I’m going to throw that idea in here.
What will the battle system be like?
Itoi: We’re thinking up a lot of things for the battle system. Every time I meet with Shigeru Miyamoto, he always asks me, “Is combat even necessary?” I think his homework for me is to really think about that question, and to be honest I have yet to reach an answer. There are times when combat can be really fun. There was a rolling HP display in MOTHER 2, wasn’t there? I can’t help but feel we only included it because there were a lot of numbers on screen. But, I put it in because I really wanted to. This time, the rolling HP element will be improved. For example, when you take damage, there will be a difference between a quick HP loss and a gradual loss. I’m trying to make a battle system where you can “feel the pain” by looking at the screen. After all, games are all about the experience through your fingertips, the nerves connected to them, and your eyes and ears. The question is how to take advantage of that so we can make full use of them. In that sense, using the rumble pak might be an interesting idea.
Speaking of ideas, MOTHER 3 is an idea only the 64DD can do. Can we expect to see some expansive worlds and ideas only the 64DD can offer?
Itoi: We’re trying our best. Sometimes it feels like plucking at feathers when you’re working with such hardware, so it’s best to keep your expectations in check when seeing the final product. If what you’re seeing on screen is good, then we’ve done a good job. It’s just a matter of getting it right and making software that’s fun to play.
Finally, please give our readers who are waiting for MOTHER 3 a message.
Itoi: I’m going to put everything I want into this. I’m making MOTHER 3 with the intention of it being the final MOTHER game. I want people to think, “there won’t be a fourth.”
April 1997
64 Dream
Shigesato Itoi was interviewed in the April 1997 issue of 64 Dream. While no full translation exists yet, MOTHER FOREVER provided a summary of the information in it:
"In this great and insightful interview with 64 Dream, Itoi opens up about the concepts that inspired MOTHER 3. He describes RPGs as a “road movie”, where you travel and meet different people. In creating Tazmily, Itoi did not envision it as the “first town”, and instead designed it as a field for the protagonist to explore – a sort of “Grand Hotel”. Itoi reveals that originally he designed MOTHER 3 as a “detective story” where a character falls in love and has an affair in town A, but lives in Town B. In order to investigate, the detective must travel on the train between both towns! The total number of playable characters is officially stated to be 8, with Duster and Lucas having prominent appearances. In accordance to MOTHER 3’s setting, 64 Dream notices that it appears more rural rather than urban like in previous games, although Itoi hints that the urban elements may appear later in the game. The reintroduction of previous MOTHER characters such as Porky, Dr. Andonuts and Mr. Saturn are also confirmed, to which Itoi reveals they experimented with making the latter a playable character. In speaking about the theme of MOTHER 3 in comparison to the previous two games (such as self-sacrifice with the Flying Men), Itoi states that there is no theme currently in place for MOTHER 3, but rather the intention is to “play intensely”, and “not knowing what to expect.” In the last section of the interview, details about Cabbage and MOTHER 4 are revealed. On the topic of MOTHER 4, Itoi says, “By the way, I haven’t come up with an idea for MOTHER 4 yet. It won’t be possible while continuing to work on this one. I can’t think of the next game right now without feeling a little frustrated. So for now, MOTHER 3 will be the only upcoming title available in the hit RPG series.” Cabbage is revealed to only be a tentative title without meaning, and draws comparison to Tamagotchi." [2]
June 1997
Weekly Famitsu
In June of 1997, the official logo was finally unveiled. However, " due to trademark issues the "Forest of the Chimera" subtitle had been dropped.
The following is a translated interview from the June 26th, 1997 issue of Weekly Famitsu:
Famitsu: The main character [a boy] looks different from the last pictures. According to this document, you are still auditioning in regard to the main character?
Itoi: Yes. The last one blew his audition.
Famitsu: The logo also looks different from MOTHER 2. Metallic lettering but partially made of wood, clearly implying the word Chimera: lion’s head, goat’s body, tail of snake. Where is the subtitle?
Iwata: We can’t use the word “Chimera” in the subtitle anymore because someone else already owns a trademark on that.
(Famitsu then asked about the game’s completion; they said it was almost done, and then…)
Iwata: And now Itoi-san has almost completed the scenarios.
Famitsu: Is this game already running?
Iwata: Yes, it is running on the DD.
Famitsu: On the DD? I thought it would be too early to run on the DD?
Iwata: We are making the field map on DD because it’s easy to do over. Above all, we want to play it as soon as we complete it.
Famitsu: How’s the game engine coming along?
Iwata: The system is almost finished. Maybe we still have to do more with the battle part, though.
Famitsu: I see. The scenarios are almost done, the engine is almost done…so, what’s left?
Iwata: We’re just putting things together.
Itoi: This game is awfully fun.
Famitsu: What is the funniest part?
Itoi: The story line. But at the same time, the game can also be kind of dismal at times.
Famitsu: What’s the point?
Itoi: It’s not that cheerful like MOTHER or MOTHER 2. In this game there are less than 100 characters, including those who just are a passerby. But we want to make sure there is a lot of depth for every single character. I could repute you to be something, but your mother might not think the same as I, right? We are making characters to see such stereoscopic angles. For example, the main character you control on one chapter acts as a supporting role on another chapter. That way, you can see the character’s inner side. And, therefore, it is not just a cheerful game.
(Famitsu had a chance to hear MOTHER 3‘s music. Famitsu says the music sounds like a mix of techno, R&B, and environmental, and is very impressive. The music has grooves, just like real music has.)
Famitsu: The music sounds very good.
Itoi: Yes, indeed. By the way, MOTHER 3 is based on twelve chapters…oops, I blurted.
Famitsu: Too late. [laugh]
Itoi: Anyway, I didn’t write the script for the last scene. But I already have a very last line. This is my most joyful part.
Iwata: He didn’t show even me. He told me that, “I wrote the last line on this notebook. But I’m not going to show you.”
Itoi: This is really good. I’m very happy to develop video games. [3]
New Images
Several new images were released to publications such as Weekly Famitsu at this time. Among them, fans received their first glimpse of the character Flint. However, he remained quite mysterious at this time since his relation to Lucas hadn't been revealed.
Screenshots
Flint and Lucas run into some chimeras in the Sunshine Forest.
Flint and Lucas investigate the pipeline in the forest.
Lucas standing in front of a hot spring in the Unlost Cave.
Lucas runs past some Yadogarins on the overworld.
Character renders
Reveal render of Flint.
Reveal render of Lucas's redesign.
An enemy called the Bihito. It has a frightening high pitched shriek when approached.
An enemy called the Camopus. It's a platypus with the ability to blend into its environment.
An enemy called the Yadogarin. It's shell is a prized collectable among those who live in Tazmily.
The two headed Kraken of Great Scale Village.
E3 1997
While MOTHER 3 did not make an appearance at E3 1997, Benimaru Itoh was interviewed about the game a couple of times at the event.
First Interview
The appearance of Lucas, one of the main characters, has changed a lot.
Itoh: The previous Lucas looked a lot like me…so that’s why all the staff shouted at me, “I don’t like it!” Especially Shigesato Itoi in particular who shouted, “No, I don't like it!” So he requested I redesign the main character to something more straightforward. Thus, I completely redesigned him.
By the way, it looks like Lucas is wearing a fanny pack.
Itoh: In MOTHER 2 the main character also wore a backpack, didn’t he? I think Itoi-san was very particular about this detail, as he said to me, “Aha! You know, when I’m playing RPGs, I always wonder how the characters store all their items! Even if it's miniaturized, I’d still like to have a place where they can store them.” So, if you look closely at the characters on screen, you can see we’ve included a method where they store their items.
How many characters are there in MOTHER 3?
Itoh: There are around 250 villagers in the game. But, that’s including all the extra characters we’ve created (laughs). Additionally, we’re planning to have about 90 enemies. Although, the final number will be double that taking colour variations into consideration.
Please tell us all the specifics on how the 64DD makes the game more fun.
Itoh: There are certain items you’ll need in order to progress through the story. But, you can’t carry them all on your own. With the 64DD, you can store those in your favourite place, or hide them wherever you’d like.
Ah, that sounds like a lot of fun.
Itoh: Wouldn’t it be interesting if the enemies all had their own unique behaviour, so that they’d be able to find these hidden items and steal them? Haha...then if you managed to defeat the enemy, your items would be returned to you. Hmmm...I really wonder if that would be possible (laughs). Also, please keep this next thing secret between you and I...but there’s something I want to propose to the team. Let’s say there’s a big river you can’t cross, but then (bleep), and finally then you’d be able to cross the river! The place where you’d be able to set it would differ depending on the player. This is also something secretive, but MOTHER 3 is a (bleep) game. For example, you can plant tons of seeds in a certain area, and when it comes time to harvest them, you can do so. So if the player really thinks about placing the seeds in the right area, the game will open up to them. I’m sorry, I just can’t help myself, I talk too much in America (laughs)! But anyway, what do you think? Do you think my ideas are interesting?
They’re very interesting!
Itoh: So as I’ve said before, not only are the rooms cluttered just as the player left them, but the 64DD allows for all kinds of fun tricks. If you can imagine it, the player can even create their own landmarks on screen. I’m wondering if this’ll make it hard for second hand stores to sell the game.
I thought there might be some kind of wall in the game where players could spray paint their name, since you mentioned wanting MOTHER 3 to be difficult to sell in second hand shops.
Itoh: That’s very cool! I think I’ll steal that idea (laughs). Also, I shouldn’t really tell you this without consulting Miyamoto-san first, but we’re using the unique features of the 64DD to create something incredible. If the conditions are right, this is something we’ll be able to do. So, Lucas is a very kindhearted child who likes flowers and small birds. For example, it’d be very nice if you’d be able to create your own garden using flower beds made from various flowers Lucas picks up. I’m in charge of the art direction, so I can pitch whatever I’d like, but I’m not sure if that’ll be easy to do in terms of the hardware (laughs).
(Laughs) So you designed everything yourself, Benimaru-san?
Itoh: No, all the enemies are designed by Toshinao Aoki, who did the animation for “Ugo Ugo Ruga”, and I directed all the enemies he created. Therefore, some people might notice a discrepancy between the design method of the enemies and villagers. However, that’s actually what we’re aiming for.
What kind of atmosphere is it like when creating MOTHER 3?
Itoh: The MOTHER team communicates well with one another, rather than thinking alone. All the staff get together to brainstorm ideas, and often someone will say, “I like that guy’s idea!”
That sounds like a lot of fun.
Itoh: I don’t know…(laughs) I guess you can say that’s why it takes so long to make these games. So we discuss ideas like, “Maybe it would be fun to do something like this?”, and then we get those ideas approved by Itoi-san so he can pick out what he likes. Furthermore, we then expand on our ideas until it’s almost inflated to novel-like proportions. We’re developing things in a “give-or-take” manner, and so far it’s been working out well.
How will Mr. Saturn appear in MOTHER 3?
Itoh: There is a Mr. Saturn village, after all. In addition to Mr. Saturn, there are other characters bound to make you cry. Mr. Saturn was originally created from Itoi-san’s doodling, and these new crying characters were born from that as well. It’ll spoil the fun if I say too much, so I won’t reveal more about it. But, I believe these are characters with a personality just like Itoi.
How will you make use of the clock function?
Itoh: We’re currently in dispute on whether to use the clock or not. Using the 64DD, the player can set the time themselves. So, if a specific enemy doesn’t appear until a certain time of day, the player can easily change the time. That kind of clock function doesn’t make much sense for us to use, although it definitely is beneficial for other software on the 64DD. For example, I’m sure many other developers might include a Christmas event on December 25th, but that’s not the way MOTHER likes to take a spin on things. That’s why I think the clock function will be utilized in the manner which I said earlier, about the player being able to plant seeds which will grow as time goes by.
So changes will appear over time after you start playing the game?
Itoh: Yes. Things in the village will change along with seasons over the course of time. Additionally, the player’s own actions may have an influence in how things might change. I really hope we can do something like that.
Itoi-san once said MOTHER 3 will be a game themed around betraying the player’s expectations.
Itoh: There is a feeling of strangeness for people who have played the previous games, but the basic theme is the same. After all, it is a continuation of MOTHER 1 and 2. By all means, we can’t disappoint every MOTHER fan! So that’s what’s being done. However, the art style has changed drastically. So, I think people who played the previous games may feel quite uncomfortable at first. I do believe you can enjoy this game without playing the previous ones, but those who did will enjoy it even more.
I’m happy to hear that.
Itoh: When we visited the U.S. this time around, we were informed by the staff that we should let everyone know “EarthBound 64” was in development. I think many people are going to be introduced to MOTHER for the very first time on the N64, so our priority was making the game fun for them. So that’s why I feel like people who have been familiar with the series up to this point have been crying everywhere, “This is it! This is finally it!” (laughs). I’m glad so many people are looking forward to it.
'I’m really looking forward to it myself. By the way, why is it called “EarthBound 64” in North America?
Itoh: I think it was because we thought “MOTHER” was a difficult title for English speaking audiences to understand, and because it was going to be the first RPG released by Nintendo of America on the N64, we wanted to make it a title players would immediately jump on. I think the name came from the image of children jumping around the Earth.
Lastly, it seems the 64DD has been delayed until next March.
Itoh: Really?! (laughs) It’s not my fault!
So…(laughs) Some people believe the reason the 64DD was delayed is because Itoi-san is busy fishing. Is production going smoothly?
Itoh: This is our first time working with the 64DD hardware, so there have been a few hiccups along the way, but those have been resolved and work has gone smoothly since. So, it’s not as if everything has gone to a halt just because Itoi-san is busy fishing. No, don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he’s busy fishing anyway (laughs)! The concepts created by Itoi-san are in the hands of every staff member, and we’re in the process of bringing them to life. Some people may think we’ve been fishing instead of working on MOTHER 3, but the reality is we’ve been busy in between jobs (laughs). However, he’s still leading the staff properly, so I don’t think there are any issues in that regard. Of course, he has a role to give direction when it comes to something very important, but it’s not like all the staff are waiting with their mouths hanging open not sure what to do because Itoi-san is in between jobs. So, development is not affected even if he’s busy fishing.
Itoi-san keeps claiming that the scenario is very interesting.
Itoh: The dirty thing about that guy is…(laughs) Well, I shouldn’t have phrased it as “dirty”. But, the dirty thing about him is he’s drunk on his own ideas, and he won’t even tell me what the last line is (laughs)! On the contrary, he seems to like it so much himself that it drives him drunk with power. That’s why all the staff are working so hard to figure out what the last line of the game might be, which I find very moving.
Thank you so much for your fun stories today. [4]
Nintendo.com Interview
"Although the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive accessory was not shown at the last E3, it was certainly on everyone’s mind. Many of the questions in the Nintendo hosted Q&A sessions focused on this much-anticipated accessory. While exact marketing plans are still being kept under wraps, it was confirmed that Mother 3, the latest installment in the Japanese role playing game series that was previously released as Super NES Earthbound in the United States, will be one of the launch titles for the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive in Japan. Luckily, Mr. Benimaru Itoh, the art director for Mother 3, was at the show. He answered a few questions on the game in the Q&A sessions, but Nintendo Power Source was fortunate enough to have a chance to sit down with Mr. Itoh and find out even more about Mother 3. We’re happy to be able to present this exclusive update and the accompanying development storyboards!
Mother 3 is shaping up to be Nintendo’s first real role-playing game for the Nintendo 64. During one of the E3 Q&A sessions, Mr. Itoh talked about how Mother 3 will use the processing power of the 64-bit Nintendo 64. “Mother 3 is going to be for 64DD, and it will make maximum use of the writable feature of this accessory. Many things that the player does will be written to the disk and this will affect the future course of the game. This will make everyone’s course different.”
Although it’s difficult for him to reveal too many details about what the development team is planning, Mr. Itoh gave us a few simple examples of how the writable features of the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive might be used. “For example, your character might drop some of their food somewhere. This food might attract a hungry monster to that location. Your game would have a monster in that place, while another player’s game wouldn’t. You might also plant a seed somewhere, and it would grow into a tree. Something like this might help you get up a cliff…” He went on to explain how the real-time clock in the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive might be used to determine how much time passed in the game world, even while you were not playing.
Mr. Itoh relates that the team has epic goals for the Mother 3. For example, Mr. Iwata of HAL Labs (who is one of Mother 3’s project leaders), wants to make every player’s game a different experience. “In the case of Final Fantasy VII, there are a million people playing exactly the same game. If we sell a million copies of Mother 3, Mr. Iwata wants there to be a million different games out there!” says Mr. Itoh. “I’m not sure if we will be able to make everyone’s game that different, but Mother 3 will surely be a step in this direction.”
Another goal of the Mother 3 team is to create a truly epic 3-D computer graphics game. Mr. Itoh relates that he and Mr. Miyamoto once watched Disney’s Toy Story together. Afterward, they discussed the impact of this movie together. “Toy Story is an epic movie with 3-D graphics,” Mr. Itoh said. “This movie established a style for creating feature animation using computer graphics to tell a story. But there is no standard for 3-D movie games. We need to establish a different way for games.”
When Mr. Itoh says epic, he means it. He estimates Mother 3 will provide 40-60 hours of play time to get through. But because Mother 3 will have many different paths you can take, it will have more replay value than other RPGs. “Most RPGs have a straight path that takes a short time to get through. In this game we will make players spend time off of the main street. This will make it feel more like the real world.”
“While the original series was set in ‘America,’ the world of Mother 3 will be a mixture of worlds,’ he continued. “It will feature a world with fantasy, medieval and science fiction technology. It’s like the mythical beast, the Chimera, which had different heads.”
Though set in a slightly different world, the grand story line of Mother 3 will be connected to the previous games in the series. “You can get a clue about the story line through Pokey’s final words in Mother 2 (SNES Earthbound).” says Mr. Itoh. “Pokey didn’t die at the end… he escaped to a different ‘era’ or ‘age’. Part of Mother 3 is about him getting older in this ‘era’ that he hastily escaped to.”
Mother 3’s story will span about a 10 year period, with the actual game play picking up during key events in that time period. “The game is currently planned to have twelve different Chapters, but the time line isn’t quite linear,” explained Mr. Itoh. “For example, Chapter 5 may take place before Chapter 3. And you may have a different main character in some of the Chapters. Altogether there will be 10 possible player characters, and the different characters will have different roles in different Chapters. The main character in Chapter 2 might be a supporting character in Chapter 3.”
With all these different characters, the team briefly considered making Mother 3 a multi-player game, but the game design difficulties were insurmountable. Different players would go in different directions and cause chaos, and it was hard to make monsters react properly to multiple characters controlled by different players. Therefore, the game will be single player, but you will control teams of up to three characters.
Mr. Itoh couldn’t get in to too much detail about the battle system, but he did say it would be completely different from previous RPGs. “As is found in any RPG, when you encounter enemies, the screen will change to the battle mode. However, you will be able to see the monsters on the map view.” When asked what he thought about some RPGs which have many repetitive battles, Mr. Itoh replied: “There will be fewer battles, but they will be of higher quality. Of course, many important battles will take place. We have some great ideas but unfortunately, I am always scolded by the team for saying too much about this subject!”
The many development sketches that accompany this article are used by Mr. Itoh to pitch ideas for the game to Mr. Itoi, the story writer, and other team members. Therefore they do not exactly represent what will appear in the game. Nevertheless, they give us a tantalizing glimpse of the world of Mother 3. When we asked Mr. Itoh what he liked most about working on Mother 3, he said: “It’s my own world. If American players like it, that would make me very happy!” We’re sure that this science fantasy epic game will make American RPG fans very happy indeed!
During one of the E3 Q&A sessions, Mr. Itoh promised to keep Nintendo Power Source up to date on the latest information on Mother 3. We will continue to provide you with the best insider coverage on the development of this game." [5]
New Concept Art
Alongside the interview, a collection of concept art from Benimaru Itoh was published on Nintendo's site.
Another angle of Osohe Castle.
A huge sunset in the desert.
A river in Shimedori Forest.
The crossroads in Tazmily.
Lucas exploring the Unlost Cave.
A dome shaped building overlooking a tall mountain.
A pink, magicant-like city.
A village full of egg-shaped buildings.
A village suspended in a tree top.
An orange palace.
The exterior of the Blacksmith hut.
A pirate selling goods in a makeshift shop.
Another pirate shop.
A hot air balloon inflitrating some fortress at night.
A machine that digs oil out of the ground.
August 1997
The MOTHER 3 Times Volume 1
In August of 1997, The MOTHER 3 Times began publication in Dengeki Nintendo 64. It was a monthly feature that showcased material and lore from MOTHER 3, as well as development updates. The following is a translation of information from volume 1.
"LOOK AT ALL OUR PRETTY FACES! WE’RE GOING TO BE IN MOTHER 3!
No matter where you are, there’s no doubt you’ll hear news about the D.C.M.C. performing from somewhere. After all, their name is famous in the world of MOTHER 3! Every member of this five piece band plays an important role in the story of the game. Speaking of bands, you might remember the “Runaway Five” played a modest role in the previous game, MOTHER 2. However, this time around the band will have a more significant presence - let’s take a closer look at their profile!"
"DESPERADO CRUSH MAMBO COMBO D.C.M.C.?! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!
Yes, they’re just as wild as their name suggests. D.C.M.C. has been a success story met with revolving gigs ever since they first took to the stage in MOTHER 3’s world. Let’s introduce all the members to you: first we have O.J. Hagii who plays guitar, Lucky on bass, Magic Zildjian on drums, Baccio Trumpman on the sax, and lastly Shimmy Zmizz on the electric keyboard. You’ll surely be cheering after you listen to the heavy sounds of their five bombastic instruments! However successful they may be, who knows what role D.C.M.C. will play in MOTHER 3’s story?"
In addition, an interview with Benimaru Itoh was also published in volume 1. While no full translation exists yet, he talks about the many things he would like to include in the game - such as a flower shop where the player can buy many different seeds to plant.
MOTHER 3 Performer Contest Announcement
In this issue the MOTHER 3 Performer Contest was announced. Itoh implored fans mail in a photo and letter about themselves, in order to have the chance to be featured as an NPC in the game.
September 1997
The MOTHER 3 Times Volume 2
"MEMBERS OF THE D.C.M.C. CAUGHT RELAXING ON THE BEACH. AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH US BEFORE LEAVING FOR THEIR WORLD TOUR!
We came across members of the band D.C.M.C. camping out at Summers Resort in the scorching hot 21 degree weather. I was able to have a word with them to see how they're feeling just before leaving for their upcoming world tour. They greeted me with their iconic motto, "Cool is hot, hot is cool", with band leader Shimmy Zmizz stating, "We're gonna rock until you drop!" with their new song "Bon Voyage Amigo" on the horizon. In commemoration of this interview, we'll be presenting a hot off the press "Cool is Hot" T-Shirt Shimmy Zmizz could be seen wearing at the time!
The then-current staff was unveiled on the next page of this volume, along with a group interview of them all.
| Role | Staff Member |
|---|---|
| Director | Atsushi Kakuta (角田敦) |
| Sound Manager | Shigenobu Kasai (葛西重忍) |
| "Window" Manager (UI) | Masakazu Ebihara (海老原正和) |
| Development Tools | Seiji Otoguro (乙黒誠二) |
| General Manager of Maps and Terrian | Isao Takahashi (高橋功) |
| Battle Designer | Shimei Tei (鄭志明) |
| "Player" Designer | Yoshiya Taniguchi (谷口祥也) |
| Main System Manager | Satoshi Mitsuhara (三津原敏) |
MOTHER 3 Development Team Interview
Translation provided by Jonathan (DaEgg123):
"On behalf of the MOTHER 3 development team, Atsushi Kakuta (Director) and Satoshi Mitsuhara (Main System Manager) gave us this interview."
Please tell us about your work on MOTHER 3.
Kakuta: MOTHER 3 is being developed by a joint team between Creatures Inc. and HAL Research Institute, and I am the director of the whole project.
Mitsuhara: I’m the chief of the programming team, but I’m also in charge of weapons, characters, and backgrounds.
What kind of games have you been involved in so far?
Kakuta: I was the project manager for Kirby 2 on the Game Boy.
Mitsuhara: I was in charge of the general player movement in MOTHER 2.
Kakuta: Mitsuhara completed the English version of MOTHER 2 shortly after the Japanese version was released (we were all impressed).
First of all, when did the development team at HAL first start working on MOTHER 3?
Kakuta: A very long time ago (laughs). We were doing a lot of experiments in preparation for MOTHER 3.
What kind of things, for example?
Kakuta: Yeah. For example, if we made a slope on a stage, we’d put all the characters on it to see if they would slide down. We’d try out various experiments like these on our computers. It’s a very slow process.
What do you keep in mind as you work on MOTHER 3 each day?
Mitsuhara: MOTHER 3 is a departure from typical RPGs, so I’m always looking for ways to incorporate new technology.
What’s been the best thing about working on MOTHER 3 so far?
Kakuta: There are a lot of people involved in making MOTHER 3, and meeting them inspires me. But, the best part is that I get to know the story of MOTHER 3 before anyone else does. But it’s not all good, there are so many things I want to figure out and try with the 64DD, because “there’s nothing the N64 can’t do.”
Mitsuhara: I think the good thing is that because of the N64DD hardware, we can now do things we had to give up on before. But on the other hand, there are so many new things to learn that it makes it difficult. But, we’ll try and fit in as much as we can this time, because after all, we still have a lot left to do with MOTHER 3!
Any last messages?
Kakuta: I’m confident that people who aren’t fans of video-games are probably going to enjoy it.
Mitsuhara: We’re working hard, so please wait a little longer!
MOTHER 3 Performer Contest
A follow up on the Performer Contest featuring Itoh was reported on. He reviewed some of the applicant: “There are so many of them […] Next time I would like to get with Itoi-san and choose the best one.”
October 1997
The MOTHER 3 Times Volume 3
"MOTHER 3 to Become Playable with Shocking Experiences in November's Show!
Nintendo's upcoming games will be coming together and playable under one hall come "Nintendo Spaceworld '97" on November 21st through 23rd. The show will be running until Sunday, and surprisingly it turns out MOTHER 3 will be exhibited and playable at the venue. According to those involved with the game's development, the beginning of the story will be revealed. Additionally, you'll also be able to witness the main engine and control some of the characters. How much they are willing to show is currently being debated among the staff, so much is still under consideration. According to one of the staff members on MOTHER 3's graphics team, "We still have a long way to go before MOTHER 3 is ready for the November show, as there are one or two technical challenges to overcome. Hopefully, we can exceed expectations!" It's expected development will be proceeding urgently until the event."
MOTHER 3 Performer Contest Screening
The next few pages of this volume focus on an event called the "MOTHER 3 Performer Contest", in which Dengeki Nintendo 64 readers could submit an application to appear as an NPC in the game. A screening on applicants was held between Shigesato Itoi (Series Creator and Scenario Writer), Atsushi Kakuta (Director), Benimaru Itoh (Art Director), and Toshinao Aoki (Enemy Designer). An excerpt from their discussion can be read as follows, where they review an application from a grown man with a Mohawk:
Itoi: The person who sent me a bunch of photos of himself and told us about his life story is amazing. He used to wear a Mohawk, but then got a job and found a girlfriend.
Aoki: That person’s letter is really amazing, isn’t it?
Itoi: It’s so many pages long…it’s something that couldn’t be captured with a single face, but an attempt would be interesting. Maybe something along the lines of a “special award.”
Aoki: If we were to use his face, would it have to be for an NPC?
Itoi: I don’t think you can make an enemy out of him. Don’t enemies have to be killed after all?!
Itoh: Yeah, wouldn’t you hate it if you were killed? I’m sure they’d say, “this isn’t what I expected!”
Itoi: On the other hand…I do love to betray expectations like that (laughs.)[6]
The three finalists were:
- Hiroki Mukodani, a 12 year old boy with a face full of charm.
- Akira Sasaki, a man with eyebrows so perfect, they looked painted on.
- Taira Imamura, a young woman with a profound collection of MOTHER memorabilia.
Although they claimed the winner was already decided, they held on the announcement until the next issue. They went on to discuss the upcoming Spaceworld '97 demo that was mentioned on the first page. Kakuta stated seven programmers were currently at work on it. Shigesato Itoi contemplated how they would communicate the demo's restrictions to players: ”It’s more interesting to have fun with things rather than just say, “you can’t go beyond this point.” Maybe you (Itoh) could create a character called the “Game Eraser Machine” for the event?”
November 1997
Meanwhile, in North America, the game had received a lot of attention from the gaming publications, especially from Nintendo Power. At this point, the N64 incarnation would become known as EarthBound 64 in the west and it was implied to come overseas eventually, following the Japanese launch. However, no official announcement of a localization ever came to fruition.
Space World '97
Unfortunately, when doors opened at Spaceworld '97 on November 21st, fans were disappointed to find MOTHER 3 wasn't playable after all. The demo was allegedly pulled last minute due to the game still needing more development. Nonetheless, tons of footage was shown at the event, which include:
- Pig Warrior Sergeants, Supreme Tank Z’s, and Pig Warrior Lieutenants in Pork Beans marching through the desert.
- Flint walking through a residential area within Tazmily Village.
- Flint talking to villagers, such as Isaac. (Currently lost)
- Flint walks into the Yado Inn, and heads to the weapon shop upstairs. (Currently lost)
- The Kraken emerging from some brown substance with Fuel in its jaws. Lighter can be see watching this occur just to the left.
- "MOTHER 3: Forest of Strange Creatures” logo.
- Lucas twirling into a Pork Bean, and driving it. With a funky squash-and-stretch animation!
- Lucas riding a Drago in the mountains. (Currrently lost)
- The Pig Warrior Army overworking the Claymen in the factory. One Pigmask rides a lift above.
- Lucas walking on the rafters high above the Claymen Factory, with the lift lowering to his right.
- The DCMC performing live on stage. (Currently lost)
- A cinematic of the Pig Warrior Army marching in the desert. Each of the soldiers have their own unique walking animations!
- Flint running into a Capybara on the overworld.
- Flint selecting lightning magic in the battle menus. The battle background has an arena of animated flames.
- A Pig Warrior and Capybara switch places in battle. The screen dims and flashes as he summons a bolt of lightning.
- Flint performs a three hit combo on the Pig Warrior. He’s wearing nothing but grey underwear underneath his tunic!
- Flint tumbles off a grassy hill, displaying the physics in the game.
Screenshots
Pig Warriors marching through the desert.
More Pig Warriors in the desert.
Great Scale Village's Kraken arises from a brown substance, with Fuel in its mouth.
MOTHER 3: Forest of Strange Creatures logo.
Flint walking out of a house in Tazmily and talking to Isaac. "Your own life's become more important now..."
Flint standing near a river in Tazmily.
Flint walking around Tazmily, with a river right behind him.
Flint in the Yado Inn's lobby.
Flint running from a Capybara.
The Capybara hitting flint.
Flint battling a Pig Warrior and a Capybara.
Sleep, Wind, Absorb, Tornado, Thunder, and Feint on the Magic menu in battle.
Thunder magic graphics in battle.
A Capybara swaps with a Pig Warrior in battle.
A look at the rhythm combo system.
The Drago Imposter and Capybara in battle.
Flint falls over a cliff.
The DCMC groovin' out live on stage.
Lucas riding a Drago.
Lucas starting up the Pork Bean.
The Pig Warriors enslave the Claymen in their factory.
Lucas infiltrating the Claymen Factory from the rafters above.
Booklet
Mother 3 was shown on the booklet given out to visitors at Space World '97. Translation of the text in the upper left corner of the pamphlet reads: "While it is unfortunate, this time the exhibition was only a video introduction, but development is progressing. We will surely be able to give everyone more detailed information in the near future. Stay tuned!"
The booklet also contains the characters that would appear in the game, many of them making it to the final product, but some of them having drastically different designs;
| Characters | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmore | ||||||||||||||||
| Pigmask Lieutenant(?) | Lighter | ??? | Mike(?) | ??? | Wess | Jackie(?) | Jonel | ??? | Duster | Bronson(?) | ??? | Ollie(?) | Carefree Guy | Richie | Butch | |
| ??? | Pigmask Private | ??? | ??? | OJ Hagii | Baccio Trumpman | Pigmask Sergeant | ??? | Lucas | Claus | ??? | ??? | ??? | Fuel | Shimmy Zmizz | ||
| Boney | Kumatora | Angie(?) | Lisa | Hinawa(?) | ??? | ??? | ??? | Flint | ??? | ??? | Lardna | ??? | Caroline(?) | Nana | ??? | |
| Save Frog |
The MOTHER 3 Times Volume 4
"THIS IS WHAT HIS FACE WILL LOOK LIKE! FINALLY AN IMAGE OF HOW MUKODANI-KUN WILL APPEAR IN MOTHER 3!
"In our last issue, we reported on the final selection process of those who wanted to appear in the MOTHER 3 cast. It was predictably a mess trying to select the winner at the developer’s meeting, but they’ve finally been decided! The winner seems to be Hiroki Mukodani from Hyogo, who can be seen in this astonishing screenshot! His likeness in-game is based upon photos that were sent to Benimaru Itoh. In the image, he seems to be in some interior, but it’s unsure what role Hiroki will have in MOTHER 3. According to the team, it’s a sworn secret. In honour of his appearance, Mukodani-kun forwarded some words of gratitude to us, “Thank you very much! I’m very happy to be in the game. I'm going to show all my friends!” It remains unknown how active a role Mukodani-kun will play in the game, so please wait for more updates in the future."
Toshinao Aoki Interview
This issue featured an interview with MOTHER 3 enemy designer Toshinao Aoki.
What do the new MOTHER 3 enemies feature?
Aoki: There are many types of enemies that are completely unique in comparison to enemies one might encounter in a standard RPG.
Are there really that many different enemy types?
Aoki: There are. For example, there’s the four legged Kraken and flying enemies. You know, I think there will be more enemies than MOTHER 2. This is a concept art collection of MOTHER 3 enemies I haven’t shown anyone yet. It’s a pretty good collection; there’s a lot of weird stuff in here.
Are there any interesting enemies in here that haven’t been announced yet?
Aoki: Yes, there are. But it’s still a secret. However, I would like to let you know that even the types of species that appear will be much more advanced than the previous game. This is the first time I’ve drawn creatures with such a fleshed out background.
I can’t wait to see what you do with it. Taking a peek at it, I can see how it’s very unique (A glimpse at the concept art shows not only the enemy's location, but the size of its body and method of attack).
Aoki: Yes indeed. Benimaru-san (Lead Art Director, Benimaru Itoh) himself is in charge of the game's locations. Without a location, it’s difficult to visualize what the enemies might be. Once I have some simple background details, then I start trying to draw the enemy.
Does Itoi-san ever give you any detailed orders?
Aoki: Yeah, he does. Sometimes he might say, “the head should look like this” and so on. But for smaller enemies, I’m allowed to draw them freely.
So you’re left completely in charge of everything then?
Aoki: Well, I still don’t know if I would say I’m in charge or not (laughs). Basically, in that case I start designing enemies without even thinking about the small details. There are many enemies I’ve made for MOTHER 3 that might not fit and be rejected (laughs).
Do you ever create enemies to match the story and locations?
Aoki: Yes, I do. Although I started designing enemies before the scenario was even finished. So I guess, at the beginning I created enemies without even having a specific place in mind for them. Sometime down the road I was told something along the lines of, “There will be a swamp” that would appear in the game, so I then drew some enemies to match that swamp.
You’ve drawn a lot of enemies, but where do these ideas come from?
Aoki: Oh, let’s see...I really have a “monster spring” inside of my mind.
Is it going to flow outside of you (laughs)?
Aoki: I wonder where it comes from. I wasn’t really inspired by anything, even as a child I wasn’t really into monsters like these, but…
There’s also the work in bringing these enemies to life in 3D on a computer, isn’t there?
Aoki: That’s right. But the process of creating it in 3D isn’t done by me alone, but rather with a group of several people. We’ll decide on the enemy, and then we animate how it moves. The rest goes on from there until we finally see it on the game screen.
Lastly Aoki-san, you are involved with MOTHER 3 as a freelance artist. What other work do you do?
Aoki: Besides games, I also do art direction for TV programs. I am in charge of the visuals for a Saturday morning NHK program called “Nandemo Q”, so please check it out. It’s on very early in the morning.
I’ll make sure to watch it. Thank you very much for your time today.
December 1997
The MOTHER 3 Times Volume 5
"COMMEMORATIVE PHOTOS OF MOTHER 3 CHARACTERS TAKEN BY 'THAT PHOTOGRAPHER?!' OPENED GRANDLY TO THE PUBLIC!
A school trip-like photo of characters from MOTHER 3's world was taken during Spaceworld '97 in Makuhari Messe. This photo was specially made for the show with Itoi's special touch to promote MOTHER 3. In addition to the protagonists such as Lucas, we finally get a good look at the colourful cast of characters that will inhabit MOTHER 3! Far off to the right, we can also see the appearance of Mr. Saturn! It seems he will play an active part in MOTHER 3 after all? I'm curious. I hope we find out more soon!"
Shogo Sakai and Takuto Kitsuta Interview
Both Shogo Sakai (composer) and Takuto Kitsuta (sound programmer) were interviewed in this issue:
“ITOI-SAN SAYS, “LET THE MUSIC CARRY YOU AWAY TO A HEAVENLY PLACE”
What kind of overall atmosphere does the music of MOTHER 3 have?
Sakai: (MOTHER 3) has a refreshing kind of atmosphere with it’s music, I think. I’m a little nervous myself, as I intended to give strong first impressions. But that’s why it has such a refreshing sound.
Did Itoi-san order any specific details?
Sakai: There was nothing in particular. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted to (laughs). On the other hand, there might be some people at Creatures being told what to do. I’m sure they’re sick of it, so I’m thankful to make my own orders.
Please teach us a little bit about your roles.
Sakai: I compose all the main songs in the entire project.
Kitsuta: I take the songs Sakai-san makes, digitize them (by utilizing raw sounds in the game, they can be digitized) and add sound effects. This is our creative process.
Sakai: Back when I replaced Hirokazu Tanaka, I composed a song inspired by his work…
Kitsuta: I’m going to play a song I contributed as a guest. We’re doing it in a shifting 2 person system like this (laughs).
The sound of MOTHER 2 is present. Was this your choice?
Sakai: I often listened to the music of MOTHER 2 for reference. It was a surprise, because my music has a different flavour compared to it. So I think the music of MOTHER 3 will sound completely different from 2.
Have you made a lot of songs so far?
Sakai: I thought about it before, and I think there will be about 100 songs once the project is completed in its entirety. However, about 40 songs have been made so far. There is a main theme throughout it too. I arranged it and put this jingle wherever I could. While the melody itself stays the same, the arrangement itself changes so it feels like a completely different song. While it may be the same song, I think it’ll be hard for the player to notice. Also, depending on what’s on screen (Action, weather, and player’s emotions), I’m changing the music ever so slightly.
Did the song writing go smoothly?
Sakai: That’s not the case. There is a song that has a habit of appearing in the scenario whenever necessary. Most of the songs were composed by myself, with a refreshing approach in mind. So, this is the only song Itoi-san himself took part in. I was asked to create a ‘strong sounding’ song, and I think I did a good job creating that.
What kind of song is it?
Sakai: It gives off a poisonous feeling, like a ruling fist. It has a very alternative style, like a military song. It’s a song with such a twisted feeling (laughs).
So you composed all the songs yourself, Sakai-san?
Sakai: No. I left all the techno or mechanical music to Kitsuta-san.
What kind of scenes does that mechanical music appear in?
Kitsuta: Well, after all there is a scene where a mech appears. It’s a battle scene, therefore I approached with a feeling of shouting “let’s go!” (laughs)
Previously, Itoi-san told us he wanted to use music to drive battles?
Sakai: It feels very good (laughs). Itoi-san told me what he wanted to do, and I said, “Very well! I’ll take care of the rest.” (laughs)
By the way, how does the sound function on the N64?
Kitsuta: There is enough sound quality to the synthesizer as is, so it’s expressive power can be properly reproduced.
Sakai: Kitsuta-san’s programming is so good, it comes out keeping the raw sound of the music alive.
Lastly, I’d like to ask a few words about Sakai-san’s music. What’s it like?
Kitsuta: Right. There are subtle nuances throughout, from recurring melodies which are intertwined with the music. I think many will be surprised by it.
I can’t wait to hear all of it. Thank you very much for your time today (I listened to some songs from MOTHER 3 after this, and it had a quiet feeling I can say I’m truly impressed with.)
64 Dream
The following is a translated interview and Q&A session from the December 1997 issue of 64 Dream. Translation provided by Chewy.
Shigesato Itoi and Shigeru Miyamoto Interview:
64 Dream: Tell us about when you two first met.
Itoi: It started when I’d gone to visit Nintendo. It was about ’86-’87? Someone in the advertising agency introduced me to Nintendo’s office since I was a fan of games, and I’d brought a project proposal for MOTHER with me.
64 Dream: So it wasn’t an advertising job?
Itoi: That was earlier on, when I’d gone with some advertising agency for a presentation.
Miyamoto: Right. It was for an ad for the Mario series.
Itoi: We proposed doing it all live-action.
Miyamoto: I remember that. They said, “This is the Mario that children want to see.”
Itoi: Well, it was nothing to write home about. [laughs] I can’t even remember the slogan.
64 Dream: When you showed up with the MOTHER proposal, who first agreed to hear you out?
Itoi: Mr. Imanishi [Head of Public Relations Board of Directors at time of article] and someone else, but I forgot who—someone in developing. And when I explained my project, they were like, “Oh, really, now? Wahahaha!” and I was like, “Yes, really! Wahahaha!” [laughs] But at one point they mentioned I was better off asking someone more familiar with developing, so they introduced me to Miyamoto. I think Miyamoto was wearing a company uniform at the time—yeah! Everyone was wearing uniforms! [laughs] A gray jacket like some kind of factory worker. There was something strange about it—suddenly meeting all these people in matching jackets.
Miyamoto: It was less creepy when we were used to wearing it every day, but I suppose that’s how it’d seem from the outside. [laughs]
Itoi: Well, not so much creepy as just feeling, wow, that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that. I went vacationing in China in 1980 and it was sort of the same thing. [laughs] Anyway, Miyamoto’s someone who always has and always will say flat-out what he’s thinking, so I was trying not to cry. [laughs]
64 Dream: He criticized your MOTHER proposal?
Itoi: It’s not that he criticized it. Looking back now, I know it wasn’t a big deal, but…I approached it like I was making an advertisement. With advertising, if something struck me and I felt from the start that it was gonna make it, then it’d make it. But Miyamoto wasn’t the least bit interested in it. He just sorta nodded and went, “Uh-huh, uh-huh,” like he wasn’t even listening. Questioned how I was gonna make it and stuff. [laughs]
Miyamoto: Hey, I remember it. But we’d met before that. One day, without warning, some people from the advertising agency stopped by and you came with them into the development office.
Itoi: Wha—really?
Miyamoto: Yeah. I noticed you were there and was introduced as the man who made Super Mario. Then you said to me, “Congratulations.” When you said that, I realized for the first time that its success was a happy occasion, and was moved by what a nice greeting that was. [laughs] Then a few of the younger employees came and asked you for your autograph and later on they got hounded on by the boss for undermining the workplace. [laughs]
Itoi: I don’t remember anything about autographs, but I remember, now, going in the development office. I was watching the monitors of employees drawing a character from Doki Doki Panic climbing a rock, and you explained that this is how games are made.
Miyamoto: I did?
Itoi: Looks like we remember totally different parts. I’m impressed with myself now for coming up with “Congratulations” as a greeting. [laughs]
Miyamoto: I felt from the very beginning that I’d be willing to work on something with Itoi. But I mentioned that I wouldn’t appreciate it if I couldn’t get him to take it seriously. There’s no point in building a project around a couple of big names. The second time we met I brought some development materials and slammed the big pile down on the desk to show him how much writing it took. Told him to write up at least that much, as a way to threaten him. [laughs]
64 Dream: So, Itoi, when your MOTHER proposal was criticized—
Miyamoto: I wasn’t criticizing him! [laughs]
Itoi: Boy, you jump to conclusions. [laughs]
64 Dream: [laughs] Did you find him mean?
Itoi: It’s not that. It was a sadness directed at myself, for how powerless I felt. Like I’d been underestimating the whole thing. That project proposal was absolutely nothing compared to the mountain of paperwork I faced if I ended up undertaking it. But the paperwork wasn’t the problem. I was fine with that part, I just thought it’d be really tough to make something that would genuinely impress people. I did a lot of thinking on the bullet train ride home, about how I should go about doing it. And after that, Nintendo was nice enough to look into what kind of team I could best work with.
Miyamoto: And that’s when we had our first proper meeting together.
Itoi: The team I met at Nintendo apparently thought I was only going to join a meeting once or twice and then be done with it. Like I was only filling some outside supervisory role. They thought they’d have to come up with everything themselves, until I got totally involved with it afterwards and they realized that wasn’t the case.
Itoi: Things move fast when you get to know people in the creative business. It didn’t feel like we were gradually getting to know one another.
64 Dream: What did you find charming about one another?
Itoi: Charming? [bursts out laughing]
64 Dream: People can respect the work of another person, but there’s still a tendency for two people to not mesh very well.
Itoi: That’s possible, but y’know, if I respect someone’s work, even if we don’t mesh on a personal level, I just bury that part and forget it. If there’s someone I absolutely can’t stand but he’s done work that I can respect, then yeah, he’s a great man.
Miyamoto: Wonder which one I was. [laughs]
Itoi: Between Miyamoto and I personally, I feel I’m sort of in a big-brother role. Miyamoto’s above me on a professional level, though.
Miyamoto: Which is why I’m the one who comes here [Itoi’s office] for counseling. [laughs]
64 Dream: Do you ever bring an in-progress game here to get advice from Itoi?
Miyamoto: No, I don’t really do anything like that.
Itoi: Miyamoto doesn’t come to me for advice on games. When we meet, it’s more like hijinks in a high school after-school club room. Once talks turn to work, I mess around and Miyamoto gets down to business.
64 Dream: I hear you two also have a meeting planned today as soon as our interview is finished. What kind of things will you be discussing?
Itoi: Big things.
Miyamoto: Global strategies. [laughs]
Itoi: In particular we talk about things that seem unrelated to the task at hand. Global-strategy things. [laughs] There’s a lot to talk about since today’s meeting is the first one in a while, so today I think I’ll have a heated discussion about world domination. [laughs] I talk around things I’m thinking about, and…sometimes I want to align my field of vision with Miyamoto’s. When I double-check where I’m at with my thoughts, and we meet up and get back on track, that makes the phone calls and mail afterward a lot smoother.
64 Dream: Miyamoto, do you ever have Itoi check your texts and slogans?
Miyamoto: Once in a while. [laughs] And the occasional advice on a title.
Itoi: Miyamoto also understands the importance of words, and is aware of issues at Nintendo. He’s mentioned how there hasn’t been enough effort to raise that mindset among employees. So we have a lot of conversations about language.
64 Dream: I think the N64 hasn’t caught on as well as we hoped despite how incredible it is because the console itself isn’t entirely understood. In particular, we’ve received messages from our readers talking about how the commercials don’t do a good job of getting its more amazing features across.
Itoi: It’s not too late…it’s not hopeless, and I know what kind of changes we should make. It’s just that things are different nowadays. I know what it would take to address the new environment, though, so I think things will turn out fine either way.
64 Dream: What do you mean by “either way?”
Itoi: I’m sure people will understand once the games emerge from under the surface of the water, where they’re hiding. I hope so, anyway. We’ve got the seeds planted, but I want to plant even more of them.
64 Dream: What about you, Miyamoto?
Miyamoto: There’s a flow, a momentum to it, so…I think all we can do is chip away at it. I have no intention of throwing things around. But you can’t release a product after missing the window of opportunity to release it, so I’d rather be proactive. But—not to bring up the true-false statement [see quiz part two below], but—since I can’t see games going away in my lifetime, I’m in no hurry with anything except PR campaigns. Getting people to know our work might just mean trying to hurry and finish the games people are looking forward to like Zelda 64 and Yoshi. Even if I take a really active stance in what I say, the more I talk, the more I’m just running in place…either way, all we can do is keep working. We were supposed to have the usual games all lined up by last summer, but we’re still running late, so I’ll pipe down and focus on working on them.
64 Dream: A lot of readers think the PlayStation commercials are really cool. Itoi, what do you think of the ads as a professional advertiser?
Itoi: I can see there being people who find it cool. But it’s probably more accurate to just call Nintendo’s uncool, rather than say Sony’s ads are cool.
64 Dream: Nintendo’s commercials are uncool?
Itoi: They are. There’s a ton of reasoning behind them, but…they just kinda end up uncool.
Miyamoto: It’s not that each individual commercial turned out uncool. It’s uncool that they’re being seen as uncool.
Itoi: In order for Nintendo’s ads to improve, all the other commercials are going to have to improve, too. We’re on the topic of Nintendo and Sony ads right now, but there are plenty of other ads out there, right? Aren’t they all boring? Nintendo’s just another part of that. We’ve got to consider advertising as a whole.
Miyamoto: Also, I’m not really in a position to say this while being called uncool, but not many people out there think anything else besides just, “Nintendo is uncool, Sony is cool.” I’ve thought for the past few years about how games as a whole will deteriorate if people aren’t thinking beyond that. I don’t think it’s enough to simply have a good director, make a good game, and make a good ad.
64 Dream: Miyamoto, do you win anything, too, in competitions at advertising companies?
Miyamoto: Not really. Advertisement creators have strong emotional attachments to their work, so I know better than to butt in. Ads are more of an objective thing. I’ll say something once in a while, but…is that bad?
Itoi: I’ve started feeling like I want others to speak up more, so maybe you should. You’re not an advertising pro, so you might be worried about having different thoughts and doubts on different days. But we might be reaching a period when I’d rather have you speak up to a certain extent.
Miyamoto: What I find amazing about Itoi? Hmm, maybe his perspective. People see things all kinds of ways—short-sighted, far-sighted, broad-minded and narrow-minded. Itoi just sees things really clearly. Another thing is the quality he maintains even with his speed. I use him as an example to my staff and tell them how a pro stays up all night to write this much. [pantomimes thick stack of papers]
Itoi: I think his “sense of sports” is amazing—how he turns “things” into “actions.” It’s a skill no one’s ever had before. Not sportsmen, not engineers, not painters. It was only created through game development, just like there would be no need for kicking skills without soccer. I feel like, for the first time, there are people who think about objects or expressions in terms of their motion. For example, Miyamoto’s action of stirring sugar into his coffee is nothing amazing, but when it comes to creating that action in a game, he creates the action of sugar-stirring with an entirely different approach than an animator would.
Miyamoto: I’m aware of it. I can’t put things into words like Itoi can, though. I’ve said this before, but there aren’t a lot of people in the world who can explain what they’re doing. I feel jealous of Itoi when I’m talking with him and I hear him arrange his words in a way that allows him to think about them. I don’t have the capacity to arrange my words so neatly. Even when I’m making games, whether or not I’ve prepared a space to arrange my thoughts makes a huge difference when moving on to the next step. I come here [Itoi’s office] for help in arranging my thoughts.
64 Dream: Itoi, you worked on Star Fox 64 ads, right?
Itoi:' Yeah. I also recently made them for my bass-fishing game. Long ago I worked on the ones for MOTHER 2 and Game Boy Bros. (a series of colored Game Boys; “Play it Loud” in America)
64 Dream: Are you making the ads for MOTHER 3 on your own?
Itoi: I might do them myself. MOTHER 1 is the only game I passed to someone else to work on. According to commercial approval ratings, the commercials for MOTHER 2 remain at the top of the list to this day.
64 Dream: Do you have any ideas yet?
Itoi: Nothing.
64 Dream: If we were to pinpoint something that the N64 is missing now, what would you say that is?
Miyamoto: I think it’d be a bad move for us to drive up the number of titles we release ourselves. I think having twenty titles out and available to play at any time is enough—it’s not that I’m elitist, it’s just my own opinion as a consumer. It’s just that the N64 is lacking variety in its genre of games. Like even though there are so few titles, there are several soccer games.
Itoi: The same could be said for other consoles. There are lots of titles, but not a whole lot of variety, so everyone screws up that balance.
Miyamoto: The N64 has yet to fully reveal itself to us. The console is standing at the starting line now that the 64DD and its conceptual products have been unveiled. We’ll know everything come November at the enormous event in the Makuhari Messe convention center.
64 Dream: Although the N64 has reached its true form with the release of the 64DD, consumers know very little about the system. We get a lot of questions asking, “Just what is the 64DD?”
Miyamoto: We haven’t really been sure to what extent we need to explain it to magazines. The 64DD was originally meant as an alternative to CD-ROM. When it comes to the future of gaming media, Nintendo will continue to make cartridges, but we concluded that DD was a better option than CD for expanding the range of gameplay. It would have been easier to understand if the DD was already included when the N64 first came out. It’s getting harder to explain after the fact. [laughs] Here’s the difference between each media: CD holds a lot of data, DD holds a moderate amount of data and backs the data up, and ROMs hold the least data and process the fastest. By attaching a DD to the game console, we can drastically increase the number of possible genres. Distributing hardware that can make these new genres is a benefit of the long life of this industry. The market’s only going to shrink if there’s nothing but price drops and scale expansions for preexisting genres.
Itoi: I came up with a lot of ideas because of the 64DD. All things start with the 64DD. There are so many ideas I wouldn’t have been allowed to come up with if we didn’t have the 64DD. Including the game Cabbage.
Miyamoto: Almost every new project for the N64 is based on the 64DD. But there are basic technologies required to make things on the 64DD, so I think we’ll make the game on a cartridge first, then add the technology we’ve cultivated to finish it up as a full-out 64DD game.
64 Dream: What do you have in mind for price?
'Miyamoto: I’m not under the assumption that we can charge as much as we want if it’s interesting enough, but we can’t let this turn into a mere price war, either. There are plenty of markets out there that collapsed after waging price wars, so I’m nervous about the video game industry dying out for a reason like that.
64 Dream: Itoi, do you ever get hassled about product-line design?
Itoi: What’s product-line design?
64 Dream: We’re often asked that by readers, too.
Itoi: What is it?
Miyamoto: Not a game that only works on a single cartridge, but a disc of game data that can be used as-is across several games.
Itoi: Oh, I get it.
Miyamoto: It means that several games have a common link between them. It’s not confined to one package—they’re each related, so…we mentioned Pokémon, didn’t we?
Itoi: Yeah, I get it now.
Miyamoto: So you can play the Pokémon Game Boy cartridge on the 64DD. We’re considering adapting for not just Pokémon Gold and Silver, but all of the versions, and allowing players to perform “tune-ups” on games through the 64DD and change the structure of gameplay. For example, when people buy Macintosh computers, they all start out identical. But as time goes on, each person’s Mac becomes a different computer. So you add on different data and can create your own unique games. We’re considering setting one package at 6000 yen and making it like a collectible set of baseball cardséplayers can pick and choose what they like to build their own original kit out of a compilation of different sets of parts. Writing your own data like that is what makes media like the DD so convenient.
64 Dream: Is MOTHER 3 separate from this product-line design?
Itoi: I’m not considering it. Maybe Iwata has something in mind. I’m still going along at the level I started at, which isn’t one that would cross platforms…but if there’s something that could host a concept like that for us, we have all kinds of ideas that might have some potential.
Miyamoto: It does have a structure that would allow importing Mario Artist drawings into MOTHER 3, though.
Itoi: If it’s only to that degree, then I wouldn’t really be interested in it. It’s not interesting to show off what’s possible just for the sake of it, so I want something that’s a little more necessary. And I don’t have anything in mind right now. Look at how everyone rotated and resized graphics when it became possible to rotate and resize. I really hate that. [laughs]
Miyamoto: It’s true that I want to make the 64DD into some kind of strange toy, and broaden the playing field so people aren’t using everything up as they all make the same things.
64 Dream: Could you offer some final words to all those N64 users out there?
Itoi: It’s boring to just call an interesting game “interesting.” I think it’s the greedy users and not the complainers that are going to spur growth when they think about what was interesting about a game and what they want done. After a while the creator and the distributor are going to combine into a single role. From that end, everything’s going to get dull if you’re only approaching things passively—when everyone gets together to play, it’s easy to sit out, but the ones calling everyone to play are the ones that survive.
Miyamoto: Anyway, I haven’t made the first part of the things that I need to make, so…
Itoi: The topic always turns to that. [laughs]
Miyamoto: [laughs] You’ve got to look at that before you start getting excited about what comes next. But talking about hardware is irrelevant, and it’s too early to talk about five, ten years in the future. Please play with an open mind—don’t focus on being on the N64 team. Who knows if I’ll ever make a PlayStation game. [laughs] But as I’ve been saying, the N64 hardware is designed to accommodate the will of creators, so it has a future. I think the next generation for other hardware is going to be biased towards the N64.
Q&A Session:
Q: What’s the reason for changing MOTHER 3’s graphic and music team from the previous series?
A: Because the graphics changed to 3D polygons. When it came to the graphics, I knew I had to come up with a new team since the game was now in 3D. As far as the music, the new music guy that had just joined the company was really good, so more than anything it was a decision to take a chance with him. He wasn’t a so-called celebrity, and I didn’t want the music director bothered by accusations of merely having connections with me in the past, but he’s Sakai, who’s done the music of a certain RPG in the past. He’s seriously good. I really hit the jackpot. [laughs] Sakai reads the scenario’s I’ve written and always manages to build upon the image I was going for. It’s thanks to the music that these scenarios get filled out, so as the scenario writer, I couldn’t be happier.
Q: Do you have a favorite character within MOTHER 3?
A: I have a tendency to fall for the supporting side characters. [laughs] I usually pick one after the characters have already come to life. Story-wise, probably the Drago. There’s a Drago that looks kind of like a dragon, and I felt really strongly about it when I was writing the scenario. I could just feel the pangs of emotion.
Q: Is there a concept behind the logo?
A: There’s definitely a certain concept there. Nowadays, exclusion is such a big thing. I think it’s fine if a Nintendo 64 fan plays a PlayStation—I don’t like when things of the same color all clump together in the same place. I wanted to turn this into a general theme, so the logo has one pure object with another object mixed in. Usually this makes people uncomfortable, but it’s that aspect in which our future lies.
Q: Will Takuya Kimura be in the commercial for MOTHER 3?
A: It seems he’s up for it. [laughs] But his appearance fee sure has shot up since then. [laughs] It sounds like he’s assuming it’s a given that he’ll be in it, though. I wonder what the young boy from the MOTHER 2 commercial is doing nowadays. He must be so tall by now.
Q: Is the ending decided yet?
A: No, not yet. It’s the same when I write slogans; when I come up with something, I always stick a pin in it and mull over whether it’s good enough or not. Then, if I feel good about it one day, and still feel good about it the next day, and that continues on, whatever holds up through that process is what I put together. Since I could still come up with something even more impressive, I figured it’s better to keep it to myself for now. I don’t think I’m going to start bringing the ending to light until we’ve reached a point of completion with everything else. But if you were to ask if the ending makes you cry, well, I think you’ll be crying halfway through. The end might make you freeze and go, “…What?!” Really, it’s a cruel game. [laughs]
Q: How about the official title for Cabbage?
A: It’s not decided yet. But the title Cabbage is strangely popular. [laughs] It’s just something I randomly blurted out, though. Either way, being asked about the title makes me want to just stick with Cabbage. [laughs] Maybe there was some subconscious connection with Cabbage Patch Kids. At this point I think Cabbage would be just fine. It’s not that there aren’t other names on the board, though.
Q: How is Cabbage coming along?
A: We can finally see it all coming together. Now that Iwata from HAL Laboratory has joined us, the tools we’re using to make Cabbage are drastically modernizing. Making those tools is the most laborious part. So it looks like that part’s finishing up, and then there’s a team that’s solidifying the specifications. So right now we’re in the middle of docking the two together. So it’s all moving forward. I’d like to be very vivid when debuting the characters, so please wait a little longer. We aren’t planning on showing it at the exhibition in November. After all, we’re flying this game under the radar of the Nintendo president. That’s what’s fun about it. Its debut might not be until early next year.
Q: Is Itoriki Curry really the best stuff in the world?
A: You bet!! It’s delicious! (Editor’s note: During one of his fishing trips, Itoi visited a small curry shop near Mt. Fuji. He claimed the Itoriki curry, which uses saké for flavouring, was the best curry he ever had, which then made the shop famous all across the nation!) Just yesterday I got a fax from Akiko Yano and her husband [Ryuichi Sakamoto] in New York. Both they and Sister M [their daughter] said it was delicious. It’s a reproduction of curry being made at a liquor store called Itoriki. We’re having a factory produce it for us, and we’re selling it through mail-order. One package is about 500 yen, I think. I pour myself into making a good bowl of curry about once a year, but it’s more delicious than anything I could hope to make.
Q: Are you going to continue to work on more games in the future?
A: I plan on doing plenty more games. I think concepts are crucial for games, so aside from Cabbage I want to explore even more. With the bass fishing game, I was worried about body movements and was trying to figure out how to make the actions behind the fishing more realistic. Iwata is doing the basic research at HAL Laboratory, so once that’s done we’ll move forward for an N64 version. Plus, the major features of the 64DD are complete, so after we’re done, I’ve got plenty of ideas prepared for our meeting so Miyamoto can keep saying, “No, I don’t think so.” [laughs] [7]
Game King
MOTHER 3 was briefly reported on during the December 29th broadcast of Game King.
Dengeki Nintendo 64
The following is a translated interview with Satoru Iwata from Dengeki Nintendo 64. Translation provided by Starmen.net:
DN64: Once and for all, what percentage of Mother 3 is complete?
Iwata: Uhh . . . that’s a difficult one to answer. If you look at the scenarios, systems, and maps separately, we’ve gone a long way. We just have to put all of these elements together. It’s difficult to say something like “95% complete.” Simply put, in order for each part to be collected together, the system must be finished up, so from here on in I think we have to continue working on the system.
DN64: What is the game system about? In the last game, the “hit points” were shown on a “drum” indicator, and there was an analog feel to it.
Iwata: The “drum” indicator is the same as in Mother 2, and as for the “analog” feel, since the it is the theme of the series, various things are being prepared. For example, until now there have been no battles involving “sound.” When fighting, you play on a 3D stick with your finger, just like a guitar chord, and perform a song. If it’s a good song, you deal a satisfying blow. Simply, this basic system hasn’t greatly changed from Mother 2. It’s a command-style face-to-face battle.
In addition, before entering into the battle, there is a new device. If you bump into an enemy, you won’t immediately enter the fray, but will first have an exchange with the enemy, after which a battle will occur. In RPG battles, the movement may cause some to describe it as “simple.” But I wanted to do something more. On the map, you can enjoy walking and fighting, and fun elements have been added. For example, even if it’s a powerful enemy, if you travel along without problems, you can defeat this enemy without worry. Even if you are worried, you can cut through the exchange before you fight, I think. Of course, if you believe in yourself, you’ll defeat whomever stands in your way. The way in which you walk and fight will change the way the game develops.
DN64: Does “the way in which you walk and fight will change the way the game develops” mean that there will be multiple scenarios?
Iwata: No, the body of the story is one whole unit. Mr. Itoi says, “writers must waive their obligations and rights when it comes to multi-scenario and multi-endings.” Of course, even multiscenario games have their limits, but Mother 3 won’t have multi-scenarios. Honestly, beyond making 64DD-made games, the “writing” is the most important. The way in which a story is told is a big part, just as the final goal is important. However, depending on the player, you can have different adventures. Each player’s footprints will be left behind. This means that this has a quality like a high level of multi-scenario.
DN64: To what degree is the game’s volume, or the world’s breadth?
Iwata: All I can say is that it isn’t the type of game where it only centers around the world map. For most RPGs, you only have a narrow path to follow. This one will let you go just about anywhere!
DN64: Previously, you were developing a game called Chimera’s Forest. What can you tell us about this?
Iwata: That forest is very similar to MOTHER 3. Chimera’s Forest kind of died out, but the forest hasn’t changed very much.
DN64: Let’s return to the game system. There are many heroes, so how do you select them?
Iwata: There is a construct of the first two chapters. Each chapter has separate heroes. Each hero is either a child or adult, or is non-human. Each has different purposes and has common abilities. Each is an inhabitant of the forest. [8]
References
- ↑ Special MOTHER 3 Lesson - Weekly Famitsu, January 31st 1997
- ↑ Shigesato Itoi Talks About MOTHER 3 Again! - 64 Dream, April 1997
- ↑ New Lucas and Logo Reveal - Weekly Famitsu, June 26th 1997
- ↑ MOTHER 3 on the 64DD is Going to Be So Much Fun! - Nintendo of America, June 1997
- ↑ Itoh Talks to Nintendo.com - Nintendo.com, June 1997
- ↑ MOTHER FOREVER - February 16th, 2022
- ↑ Shigesato Itoi and Shigeru Miyamoto Discuss the DD - 64 Dream, December 1997
- ↑ Satoru Iwata MOTHER 3 Progress Update - Dengeki Nintendo 64, Unknown Date
Index
Mother 3 prerelease timeline
| |
|---|---|
| Overview | Differences |
| Nintendo 64 version | Early N64 Development • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 |
| Game Boy Advance version | Early GBA Development • 2001-2002 • 2003-2004 • 2005 • 2006 |
