Earthbound sequel Mother 3 may finally get a western release

By Mike Epstein February 4, 2016

mother 3 western port coming mother3 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nintendo will publish a western localization of Mother 3, sequel to the game released in North America as Earthbound, on the Wii U virtual console later this year. According to Eurogamer, the digital re-release will celebrate with the 10-year anniversary of game’s Japanese launch. Mother 3 hit store shelves in Japan on April 20, 2006.

The report comes following news of the impending port finding its to social media through Nintendo tipster Emily Rogers.”Don’t be surprised if Nintendo celebrates a game’s 10th anniversary this year,” Rogers tweeted, followed by a tweet with a picture of Mother 3 character Kumatora. (Her Twitter account has since been deleted.) Other sources followed suit, confirming they had heard the same information.

Recommended Videos

The game North American RPG fans know as Earthbound was originally released in Japan as Mother 2, the second chapter in the Earthbound series. Though the series accrued a loyal following among western RPG fans, Nintendo has only recently turned its attention back to localizing the rest of the Earthbound franchise. The critical and public reception to the 2013 re-release of Earthbound on the Wii U virtual console, prompted Nintendo to localize Mother, the first game in the series, as Earthbound Beginnings, 26 years after its initial release on the Japanese Famicom. International awareness of the Mother games, if not interest, has also grown thanks to series heroes Ness and Lucas appearances in Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series.

Nintendo may also be motivated by the public response to a new Mother 3 release, based on the positive reception to the Wii U re-release of Earthbound in 2013. As Nintendo transitions away from developing games for the Wii U towards mobile gaming and the NX console, rumored to be launching this year, Mother 3 may lend a brief, but welcome show of support for the flagging publisher.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Michael is a New York-based tech and culture reporter, and a graduate of Northwestwern University’s Medill School of…

Gaming

Best Nintendo Switch deals: consoles, games, and accessories

Original Switch next to Switch OLED.

Even though the Nintendo Switch first came out in a period when there was really no other handheld competition, nowadays, there are nearly half a dozen other options, and yet, Nintendo still maintains its dominance in the market. A lot of that is not necessarily due to the hardware itself, even though the console is certainly a thin and light, but also because of a great selection of first-party games that almost everybody will find enjoyable. On top of that, you get to choose between three different versions, the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, or Nintendo Switch OLED, so you can pick the one that fits your budget the most.

To that end, we've collected some great Nintendo Switch video game deals and accessories deals, so be sure to check those out. Or, if you'd rather have one of the more traditional consoles, check out these game console deals instead.
Best Nintendo Switch deals
Nintendo Switch (renewed) -- $260 $300 13% off

Gaming

Stardew Valley 1.6 has finally arrived on consoles and mobile

Special Orders board in Stardew Valley.

Stardew Valley console and mobile players will want to start a new farm soon. The long-awaited 1.6 update is finally available for all platforms on Monday, bringing with it a new farm type, more dialogue with NPCs, new events, and too many other things to count.

The 1.6 update launched for PC players on March 19, so console and mobile players have been waiting almost eight months for the release. In July, developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it was taking longer than expected. The following month, he wrote in another post that the ports have been the "primary focus" for the team. He had even stopped working on the Stardew follow-up Haunted Chocolatier to get the console and mobile updates finished.

Gaming

How to get and use Prize Tickets in Stardew Valley

Lewis' Prize Machine in Stardew Valley.

One of the many additions to the 1.6 update for Stardew Valley is Prize Tickets. This seven-year-old farming simulator has continued to gain and keep popularity among its adoring fans, and the game's biggest update yet brought along a new bookseller, a secret Meowmere weapon, and now this mysterious collectible item.

Any players jumping back into Stardew Valley since the 1.6 update released on console and mobile, or anyone playing this indie hit for the first time, may be confused about how these Prize Tickets can be used. Not only that, but it isn't obvious where players can receive them in the first place. Here's how you can acquire and use these Prize Tickets in Stardew Valley.
How to find Prize Tickets in Stardew Valley
Players can earn Prize Tickets in Stardew Valley by completing Special Orders and quests. You can also receive them by winning the Egg Festival and Festival of Ice, alongside finishing the Spirit's Eve maze. Although you don't win them, you can spend 1,000 star tokens at the Stardew Valley Fair to get some Prize Tickets.