Mother is a role-playing game created by Shigesato Itoi, who directed and wrote it, with Shigeru Miyamoto as producer. Nintendo released it on the Famicom in Japan on 27 July 1989. It sold about 400,000 copies there and was the sixth best-selling game of 1989 in Japan. The music, by Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka, had to work within the Famicom's limit of three notes at a time.
An English NES version called Earth Bound was completed in September 1990 but never released. In 1998 fans dumped a prototype of it and released it on 27 April 1998 under the name EarthBound Zero. In Japan the game returned on the Game Boy Advance in 2003 as part of MOTHER1+2.
Nintendo finally released the English version as EarthBound Beginnings on the Wii U Virtual Console on 14 June 2015, and it later joined Nintendo Switch Online.12
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | EarthBound BeginningsVirtual Console; first official English release, based on the 1990 Earth Bound localization | Wii U | Jun 14, 2015 | Nintendo | 2 |
| NA | EarthBound BeginningsNintendo Switch Online (NES library) | Switch | Feb 9, 2022 | Nintendo | 1 |
| JP | MOTHERMazāFamicom | NES | Jul 27, 1989 | Nintendo | 2 |
| JP | MOTHER1+2Compilation with MOTHER2 | Game Boy Advance | Jun 20, 2003 | Nintendo | 2 |
| EU | EarthBound BeginningsVirtual Console; Japanese Wikipedia gives 15 June, English Wikipedia the same day as North America | Wii U | June 2015 | Nintendo | 2 |
| JP | MOTHERVirtual Console; Japanese Wikipedia gives 15 June, English Wikipedia 14 June | Wii U | June 2015 | Nintendo | 2 |
| JP | MOTHERNintendo Switch Online (Famicom library) | Switch | Feb 10, 2022 | Nintendo | 2 |
| EU | EarthBound BeginningsNintendo Switch Online | Switch | Feb 10, 2022 | Nintendo | 1 |
Also known as: MOTHER JP2Mother JP1Mazā JP1Earth Bound NA1EarthBound Zero WW1MOTHER1+2 JP2ESP1 JP1
Box art by region
JP MOTHER
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Version differences
-
CensorshipEnglish version (Earth Bound / EarthBound Beginnings)
Under Nintendo of America's content rules, the English version removed religious symbols, blood, nudity, cigarettes and references to violence and alcohol, changed characters resembling the Peanuts cast and renamed towns named after holidays.1
-
GameplayEnglish version (Earth Bound / EarthBound Beginnings)
The English localization added a run button, in-game options and an expanded ending.1
-
DifficultyFamicom (JP)English version
According to Rose Colored Gaming, the Japanese release is harder than the English version.1
Translations
-
English Official
Nintendo of America2015Wii U · 1990 Earth Bound localizationReleased · complete
The English localization was finished in 1990 but shelved; Nintendo released it in 2015 as EarthBound Beginnings.1
Where to play legally today
-
Nintendo Switch Online Subscription
EarthBound Beginnings (NES – Nintendo Switch Online)
English version
Checked: 2026-10-133nintendolife.com
Reception
Mother sold about 400,000 copies in Japan and was the sixth best-selling game of 1989 there.1
In lists
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
Spotted a mistake? Write to atlas@old-games.net.