Prerelease:Mother 3/2000

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

January 2000

Mother 3 was confirmed to be delayed to June 2000 in an IGN post.

April 2000

According to IGN, Nintendo of America opted to not showcase Mother 3 at E3 2000.

May 2000

64 Dream

The following is a partially translated interview from a May 2000 issue of 64 Dream:

After years of delays and speculative reports suggesting cancellation, HAL producer Shigesato Itoi recently sat down in Japan to discuss the status of MOTHER 3 for the N64.

64 Dream: Can you give us a status update on the development of MOTHER 3?

Itoi: Lately I’m filling in dialogue in between other jobs. In a broad sense, the girders of the building are in place and we’ve poured the concrete. Now we’re moving in the team of builders.

64 Dream: Keeping with that theme, what about interior decorating?

Itoi: That’s just about done. If we were still in the SNES age, this game would have gone on sale long ago. There are so many new issues in 3D. For example, a character running around a sharp corner, things like that happen constantly. In that sense, I think the introduction of 3D into the RPG genre has been something of a double-edged sword. We’re developing the game at a time when consumers expect it to be 3D, and that makes it all the more tiresome. At this point a MOTHER 4 is completely out of the question; the development team would hang themselves.

64 Dream: So there’s no plans for a sequel after MOTHER 3?

Itoi: For the time being we have to get MOTHER 3 out. We were working on the concept of MOTHER 3 while MOTHER 2 was still in development. However, the production difficulties associated with MOTHER 3 have demoralized us to the point where we don’t want to do a “4.” Besides, mentioning another sequel would get me in trouble. [laughs]

64 Dream: So the story of MOTHER 3 was done two years ago?

Itoi: Actually, it was much longer ago than that.

64 Dream: So out of the original 1996 N64 lineup, MOTHER 3 and Mario RPG 2 are still in development?

Itoi: Back then, RPGs were on the decline. Lately, it’s become almost compulsory to give your players a long gaming experience. But back then, everyone was satisfied in making games just entertaining enough to sell copies. If your game only lasts three days though, it’s comparable to blowing your entire budget on just setting up the basics and never actually delivering content. Finding just the right balance is very difficult.

64 Dream: So when can we expect MOTHER 3?

Itoi: We were aiming for March, but everyone kept arguing about minor issues. To make matters worse, Mr. Iwata’s next project is already kindling a fire under his backside. In other words, his time overseeing the development of MOTHER 3 is extremely limited. I really want to bring the project to a conclusion while Mr. Iwata is still on board. Some may accuse me of being ‘the boy that cried wolf,’ but I’d like to release it this summer.

64 Dream: Interesting…

Itoi: I’m already reviewing the completed portions of the game. Now it’s just a matter of adding in events and tuning the balance, which takes time.

64 Dream: We’ve heard you’re typically glued to your desk adding dialogue when the game finally gets into its finishing stages, right?

Itoi: During the last phase of development, my life consists of nothing but adding dialogue. That’s why I feel Chapters 1 and 2 flow so well.

64 Dream: Has the game drastically changed since last year’s Spaceworld?

Itoi: The content hasn’t changed that much, but it looks much better. That’s mainly due to improvements in our development tools and the efforts of the Pokémon Stadium team, who have given us plenty of help.

64 Dream: You were originally planning twelve chapters?

Itoi: Yes, but they will be abbreviated.

64 Dream: Are there five main characters then?

Itoi: I don’t know who you can really call a “main” character; if you really wanted to knit-pick, I suppose you could argue there’s only one.

64 Dream: Is that Lucas?

Itoi: Perhaps.

64 Dream: Is it true there’s a novel featuring characters from the series, including Lucas and Claus?

Itoi: Yes, they’re from a novel called The Notebook. It’s about the bonds between twins.

64 Dream: What sort of novel is it?

Itoi: Well, it’s similar to an RPG and it has an incredible presence. The author’s name is Agota Kristof, and it’s the first novel in a three-part series. The publisher in Japan is Hayagawa Press.

As for the rest of the interview, here's a summary provided by MOTHER FOREVER:

"64 Dream surprisingly vocalizes about a rumor spreading that MOTHER 3 would be canceled, "Taking the worst into consideration”, Itoi hesitates, “I think there is a possibility it won’t come out. If it were on the SNES, it would have released a long time ago.” The keyword for the game is said to be “crying”, as Itoi proclaims he brought himself to tears writing some of the events in the game. “The ending is beyond tears, it’s an empty white void! It’s terrible. Some might say I took the easy way out! But I can only apologize to those who aren’t satisfied.” He continues on to make another analogy on the ending as seeing the morning light after staying up through the pitch black of night. Itoi addresses the interest on MOTHER 1 for the Game Boy, and reiterates Cabbage, “the friendship game” is still in development."

GameFan

Mother 3 was confirmed to be delayed to winter 2000 in the GameFan magazine.

August 2000

Cancellation

Early in the morning of August 22nd, 2000, Itoi announced MOTHER 3 had been canceled on his website 1101.com. The decision to cease development on the project was made by Satoru Iwata about two weeks prior to the announcement. Three different sections were published, with the first being this personal letter from Itoi to the fans:

Itoi's Letter

"To be honest, the reality of what's happening still hasn't hit me yet, but I will express a little bit of what I'm feeling here.

Last night I quickly sped my way through the parts of the game that were done so I could get screenshots to put up on the site. Mr. Miura from the Mother team's art department took up the controller, and 3 hours passed as we played through battles in the game and discussed various things. I watched him play the entire time. The staff at "Hobonichi" watched the entire time too. There was laughter, shouting, some people who almost broke into tears... it was almost like they were playing an actual game on the market.

However, this was a "memory of the future" that would likely never happen. This game was developed in secrecy; until then I had never once heard a user's laughter in a situation such as the one above. But once I saw people innocently playing through and shouting things like, "Whoa!" I finally began to feel sadness.

Even after it was decided that development on Mother 3 was to be cancelled, people still kept asking when Mother 3 will be coming out. With the unanswerable answer stuck in my throat, I feel that after all the time that has passed working on it, I myself was never able to fully believe that this game would never come out.

However, the reality is that despite being 6 years in development, Mother 3 has been cancelled.

In regard to the parts that have been completed, I can say with complete confidence that it's a very fun and interesting game. I'm also still very proud of the story with its constant plot twists. But in realistic terms, it is now a phantom game that only the development staff knows.

Trying to explain Mother 3's cancellation simply in writing might wind up causing all sorts of misunderstandings. I also felt that doing so might be far too inadequate when considering the amount of time everybody on the staff spent on it, so I decided to talk about it in detail here on "Hobonichi Itoi Shinbun" so that I can explain the situation to everyone who has been waiting. I am sure it was a very difficult time for us, but we each tried our best to calmly talk about how we felt coming from each our own standpoints.

Because I've posted up the lengthy conversation exactly how it took place, there's a great deal of text to go through, but the feeling of having you here with us and listening in makes me feel truly happy.

It is indeed sad, but accept the truth as truth."

Roundtable Discussion

Part two of the MOTHER 3 cancellation announcement contained a lengthy discussion reflecting on the game's development between Itoi, Miyamoto, and Iwata. While it is recommended you go and read the entire discussion yourself, here are some key points of crucial information:

• MOTHER 3 originally started development on the Super Famicom, but was shifted to the 64DD "halfway through."
• The game was canceled not because development wasn't going well, but because it took too many resources away from other projects like the GameCube.
• Iwata states there is no meaning in calculating a percentage of how much work was completed, since time is a factor in everything. But, he guesstimates only 30% of the final product was reflected by a consumer's perspective.
• Miyamoto says he feels like it was 60% done by a developer's point of view, with the foundation of the game completed and only the remaining programming left to be finished.
• Iwata claims if they had only created what was essential and skipped the polishing, it could've been finished in a short amount of time.
• Halfway through development, the team downscaled MOTHER 3's vision drastically.
• Iwata was unable to dedicate much time to the project since March 1999 due to traveling between the United States and Japan. He kept up with development through emails and phone calls.
• MOTHER 3 skipped the experimental phase and went straight into production.
• The game's supervisors wanted to cancel the project back in 1999, but had a change of heart realizing it would have been a waste.
• Iwata felt responsible for misleading the programmers in being too ambitious. Early on, they recklessly envisioned things that were beyond the N64's specifications.
• Itoi thought that since the game was in 3D, as long as all the assets had been created, they could be manipulated easily like puppets on a stage. He didn't realize how the programming would change depending on the scene.
• They considered porting it to the GameCube, but didn't go through with it since it wouldn't solve all their issues.
• Originally they wanted to release the game by winter 1999, but missed that mark and were aiming for winter 2000. However, they canceled it upon re-evaluating the game's state of completion.
• Itoi proposed before cancellation that they could make 3 of the chapters into a slideshow with text and pre-rendered images to act as transitions. Alas, the team decided against it since they already had so many environments they wanted to work with.
• Itoi considered releasing a novelization of MOTHER 3 after its cancellation.
• Miyamoto played the first half of the game, and was genuinely surprised as a player, since he couldn't see himself making the same choices Itoi did.
• Itoi claimed the first half of the game was pretty run of the mill, until a large twist happened in the middle of the story.
• The rotating protagonists of MOTHER 3 was inspired by the Jeff and Poo segments of MOTHER 2.
• Itoi wrote the concept of one town changing over time to break up the "road trip" formula of RPGs.
• Miyamoto and Itoi agree MOTHER 3 had much in common with the concept of Majora's Mask.
• Itoi included so many intricate details in the cutscenes and dialogue of MOTHER 3 that it made it hard to cut things. The team was very against dropping all these details as well.
• Itoi felt it would take 2 more years to finish the game properly.
• Miyamoto states that it could've taken between less than a year or up to 2 if they continued in the direction they were going.
• Iwata questioned if it was necessary making MOTHER 3 a 3D game after all.
• MOTHER 3 was green-lit because MOTHER 2 sold well.
• Itoi thought MOTHER 3 would have a smooth development period compared to MOTHER 2, having conquered the worst of their issues on the latter. Instead, MOTHER 3 had an even more troubling development cycle.
• Itoi felt indifferent to the cancellation himself and more sorry for his staff. While he states that he had not given up on the series, he said if another MOTHER 3 were to come out, it would not be the same game as on the N64.
• Miyamoto brought up the idea of re-developing the game for the GBA to Iwata, but another producer insisted a GBA game would take just as much time to develop.
• Iwata felt personally ashamed of MOTHER 3's cancellation since he had the final call to pull the plug on the project.
• The reason they kept going despite things looking slim is because they really wanted to try and finish the game.
• Iwata was hospitalized from the project due to overworking and stress at one point.
• Itoi was a producer on MOTHER 2, but joined the MOTHER 3 team as a full time staff member and script writer. He was completely in charge of writing the game, and didn't allow others to interfere.
• Itoi wanted MOTHER 3 to be geared towards the player, aiming to make "something Nintendo couldn't."
• The original 12 chapter structure was cut down to 9. Although, Iwata insisted the team it was only 7 chapters to alleviate some of their stress.
• The team wanted the game to be playable at Spaceworld 2000, so players could at least experience some completed parts of it. But, their supervisors wouldn't allow it.
• Itoi said if he were to make MOTHER 3 again, it would be more of a vignette as opposed to something so complicated.

(https://yomuka.wordpress.com/2013/08/18/earthbound-64-cancellation-interview-itoi-miyamoto-iwata/: )

To make up for the cancellation, screenshots and music were posted on Itoi's website:

Final Screenshots

The third and final part of MOTHER 3's cancellation announcement was a gallery of screenshots from the prototype, as well as a couple music tracks.

• 

  Flint in a shop. "We're all out of "Firewood" right now, but..."
  >Buy Sell
  .

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
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  "Get a grip! Get a grip, Lighter!"

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  "D..d..duster. You've sure grown strong!"

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  "Duster... Turn the other way, I'm a bit embarrassed."

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  Kumatora caught in a bear trap, both of them having a different design from the final.

• 
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  "Alright!
  Here we have something absolutely amazing!"

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• 
• 
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  "I've got good news & bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

• 
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  Wess in front fighting the Pork Trooper, while Duster is knocked out of commission.

• 

  "Drago's Child attacks!". Player is Salsa.

Music Tracks

In order to make up for the cancellation, two music tracks were officially uploaded to Itoi's website in both stereo and mono format.

Battle Theme #5

This song, called "Battle Theme #5" has a harder variation named "Etude for Ghosts" in the final version of MOTHER 3 on the GBA. This original, easier varation is unused in the GBA version's data.

Tazmily Village

A music track intended for Tazmily Village, which Sakai claimed was originally the main melody. It was planned to be used in the GBA version, but was dropped because the slow tempo did not fit the small, narrow nature of the GBA screen. The melody is still heard in many places in the final game, such as "Monkey's Delivery Service" and "Master Porky's Theme."

Weekly Famitsu

Weekly Famitsu Editor Yasuhiro Nagata (now Itoi's protégée as a Board Member of Hobonichi Co. Ltd), who is a self proclaimed MOTHER fan, published his thoughts and feelings about the cancellation on Famitsu's site. He interviewed Itoi several times in their magazine throughout MOTHER 3's development, and was heartbroken at the news. Thus, he asked for other MOTHER fans to send him emails about their thoughts on the news, so they could all process the loss together. The results were posted between August 24th and 29th, 2000.

Here is Nagata's forward for the survey results:

"When I first heard that MOTHER 3 had been canceled, I thought others wouldn't share in my confusion. I didn't feel like it would affect everybody. However, as you can see from the emails that were posted, I received a lot of personal turmoil in my mailbox. There was confusion rooting in both anger and sadness." -Yasuhiro Nagata

Japanese fans thoughts on MOTHER 3's cancellation:

(There are several pages of fan thoughts on the original Famitsu page. Here are a collection of some translated quotes to grasp a general feel of how Japanese fans felt at the time, hearing the news.)

"I never played the series myself. I once experienced it by watching my friends play MOTHER 2. My gut feeling is that it's a shame and pity. The fact that development has stopped seems to have affected the future of the series. I'm going to tell my friends all about this tomorrow."

"It was shocking. After I finished reading the whole discussion, I saw a screenshot of the twins and their mother facing each other. I got a little teary-eyed and muttered to myself, "Oh, I'll never be able to play this game..."

"I cried when I learned about the cancellation of MOTHER 3. I've always been looking forward to it, reading N64 magazines such as Weekly Famitsu, 64 Dream and Dengeki Nintendo 64. I don't usually write letters like this, but I'm writing to you because this is so painful. I don't understand, where did MOTHER 3 go? This is so painful.."

"I read the news at work. I cried despite being at work. "Why did you buy a N64?", or "I named my cat Mr. Saturn" and "I made this my ringtone!" and so on. It was all about the love I had for MOTHER 2 and my anticipation of 3. Was this just a hack strategy to sell the N64?"

“I feel as if I was suddenly hit with the news about the death of a friend I hadn’t kept in touch with for years. You’d think, “I thought he was doing well, but now I’ll never see him again.” That’s how I feel. It’s a pity.”

“I can’t believe this…that’s my initial feeling. I first played the MOTHER series back in elementary school when I was a kid, and I still hold those games dear to my heart. So I had some high expectations going into the new 3rd game. I kept wondering when it was going to come out, and honestly I’m not really sure what I feel about this announcement yet. I just want to say that I don’t care if the game is half finished! Itoi-san and his team worked very hard on it, so I want to play MOTHER 3 as far as I can! I don’t know whether it’s possible or not, but I don’t want this game to become vaporware! That’s all I can say…”

“Man, it’s a real shame. My girlfriend (now wife) who hates video-games played through MOTHER 2 even more than I did. I was even thinking about casually playing MOTHER 3 with her when I was reminiscing about our MOTHER 2 days…I believe one day, we will be able to experience a new “MOTHER.”

"The fun of a new game starts when you immediately begin reading strategies in magazines like Famitsu before release. There are times I'm disappointed when I finally play the game, but...that's what games are for, even the disappointments! Even if development is canceled! That's how I feel. I had a pleasant dream...that MOTHER 3 was a groundbreaking game that let your imagination run free. I wanted to play it! With a controller in my hands."

- From a 30 year old company employee

October 2000

Game Wave

Shigesato Itoi appeared on Game Wave during a broadcast in the last week of October. In it, Hikaru Ijuin asked Itoi, "What is going to happen to MOTHER 3?", to which Itoi responded, "Make it (bleep)." Unfortunately, the last bit of the answer was bleeped out (probably for humorous effect.) This left a lot of Japanese fans speculating on what Itoi said.

November 2000

MOTHER 3 Chamber Concert

On the Japanese Melee site, Sakurai interviewed Shogo Sakai since he was composing music for Super Smash Bros. Melee. During his interview with him, it was revealed a small, yet secretive MOTHER 3 Chamber concert was held post-cancellation for the key members of the staff. Of the known people in attendance was Shigesato Itoi, Satoru Iwata, Koichi Sugiyama, & Hirokazu Tanaka. This translation is provided by Soma of Source Gaming:

Sakurai: Someone at work said, “There’s this concert, you want to go?” And I ended up going. Well, there was also the fact that the first piece was a collection of songs from Kirby Super Deluxe. There was also a second chance meeting, while you were working. For some reason, I was listening to a demo tape of music you had made for MOTHER 3 with Mr. Miyamoto and Mr. Itoi. And I thought, “Wow, Mr. Sakai is working hard, even though he has his job at Data East.” Then, somehow, you were at HAL Labs, and we were working together (laughs). But because you had some experience with orchestras you got the job, and this game was a nice opportunity for you start working with a full orchestra.

Sakai: November two years ago, we did a small MOTHER 3 chamber music concert. At the time discussions about the Kirby anime were ongoing, so I was thinking that if Kirby was going to appear on television, I might get the conductor job for that.

Small MOTHER 3 chamber music concert: after MOTHER 3 was cancelled, using a very small-scale orchestra, we performed a small live performance, inviting only the key players who were involved. It was a very secret, clandestine operation.

December 2000

Yomiuri News Stream

On December 4th, 2000, a Japanese news site by the name of Yomiuri News Stream published a video interview with Shigesato Itoi regarding MOTHER 3's cancellation. Unfortunately, the original video is lost to time, but thankfully transcriptions from Itoi's responses do exist.

"Our failure was in thinking we could create this massive game, that we'd be able to realize everything and make it happen. But, we overshot things right from the planning stage."

"We had no control over time or the cost of things."

"In the middle of the project, Iwata-san, one of our producers landed another job he couldn't pass on."

"I'm happy to have met a consumer who forgives me. I hope others will too, even if it takes many years. But, it would've been even more difficult to continue production on MOTHER 3."

"Our producer, Iwata-san of HAL Laboratory, has become an executive director of Nintendo. He is working on the next generation machine and can no longer be involved with MOTHER 3."

"We were told it would take one more year to finish the game."

"We're still in the process of reviewing what other media we could bring MOTHER 3 to life in."

"There was a request to make MOTHER 3 on the GameBoy Advance. However, when I reflected upon my initial feelings of "wanting to create a game that will always be remembered", I felt that it wasn't the right choice to help realize those feelings."

"In the future, the key will be figuring out how to plan a good production system."