A poetic story about Earthbound from series creator Shigesato Itoi

At first glance something like this comes off as a little “odd”, but when you get passed the weird translation oddities and the stigma of being weirdly artistic in this industry, I think this sort of thing is super awesome to see from a developer. The following is a (long) piece written by Earthbound series creator Shigesato Itio where he tells you exactly what the games mean to him as a person. It’s a pleasant little read if you’ve got some time to kill!

You can find it all after the break actually, since it’s pretty long.

“What Earthbound means to me.”

What exactly is the game known as Earthbound? It’s a question I still find quite difficult to answer.

Children can get dolls, no longer needed tableware, leftover bolts and nuts found in toolboxes, flowers and leaves found in gardens;

And come up with random songs about the said objects, while playing with them on the carpet. They can go on forever and create a world based on that. With those feelings, Earthbound was made.

Well, since I’m an adult, I thought about how to change certain perspectives, how to hide secrets here and there, and how to make things extra difficult, without thinking twice.

Then, I had my friends come to play. Each with their own unique ways of playing.

Starting with a simple story of roots and stems, followed by the the exciting addition of branches, leaves and flowers.

With all the people that came to play, before we knew it, Earthbound was created.

“I found out about you after playing a game called Earthbound!” is something I’ve heard through the walks of life.

Not only when the game was released, but also long afterwards.

A lot of people who’ve enjoyed the playground I call Earthbound, has come up to me and shared their memories of simple things such as safety pins, colored glass shards, dead leaves and so on.

I would tell them “Oh wow, you’ve remembered that well”

And they’d say “I loved every facet of that game,” with bright eyes.

I’d then reply with “Me too.”

Yeah, I believe that was it. I wanted to make a playground where people can appreciate the most insignificant things found within. Prior to making the game, it wasn’t actually my goal to come up with such a thing. It was discovered by my many friends who’ve enjoyed their time in the playground. Yeah, that’s what I really wanted to do.

When I was making Earthbound, I was already an adult, who’ve lived almost 30 years. I believe that I’ve become even more of an adult throughout the course of time, as I’ve begun to think of things I never would’ve before.

For example, “What kind of person would I like to be when I die?”

I didn’t have an answer to that before, but I do now: “Someone with a lively wake.”

Things such as my commitments, the times I was an idiot, the times we had fun, the occasional times I was kind, should all be left in the memories of people. And those are the things I’d like the people who are living to quarrel about while laughing, and looking forward to what’s ahead. I’d like to live a life which can end with such a party.

I’m not interested in honor, wealth, achievements or records. When people reminisce and say “That guy…”, I believe it’s the following words that makes the person.

No, I don’t mean all this to consider Earthbound as a dying person. It’s not actually a person, but I like to think of Earthbound as someone like that.

So, please enjoy the now even more readily available Earthbound, and consider sharing some new memories with your friends. It brings me great happiness that this day has come and I’m more than certain that the others who’ve helped me make the game also feel the same.

Thank you for everything.

Nintendo of Japan via Siliconera