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The Mother series is an original role-playing game series spearheaded by Shigesato Itoi working for Nintendo starting in 1989 for the Famicom/NES and Super Famicom/Super NES systems.
Although most RPGs depict knights and wizards (such as Final Fantasy), the Mother series takes place in a suburban town in the 1980s. Enemies consisted of aliens, possessed cars, and hippies. Instead of swords and shields, weapons consisted of Yo-yos and frying pans. The game became very popular in Japan, and merchandise for the game was produced, including shirts, handbooks, and even a fully-orchestrated and performed soundtrack.
Mother/EarthBound 0
Nintendo of America planned to translate and release the first Mother game in the United States under the title EarthBound. The game was ultimately deemed unprofitable for a US release, however, and the project was cancelled after the game had already been translated and all packaging and advertising was ready. Some rumors have Nintendo refusing to release EarthBound 0 in America because the Super Nintendo had already been released in America and they thought that no one would notice a new NES game because large amount of gamers had already shelved their Nintendo Entertainment Systems for their new Super Nintendo.
In recent years, one of the auctioned beta cartridges of the game was made into a ROM and circulated for download on the Internet. To avoid confusion, the game was dubbed EarthBound 0 by fan translator "NeoDemiforce", as Nintendo had since released the Super Nintendo sequel to Mother in America under the title EarthBound.
Mother 2/EarthBound
Main article: EarthBound
Though Mother never saw the American marketplace, its sequel for the Super Famicom/SNES, Mother 2, did. It went by the name of EarthBound in the US and starred a young psychic boy by the name of Ness. It too was very popular in Japan, but it didn't sell as well in the US, when RPGs were less popular. However, it has developed one of the strongest cult followings in North America, a community which is still thriving today.
Other games
A compilation for the Game Boy Advance, called Mother 1+2, was released in Japan Q3, 2003. The game was meant to promote the upcoming Mother 3 (also for Game Boy Advance) as the rebirth of the franchise. Mother 3 had been in development for the Nintendo 64, but it was cancelled due to production problems. The game's story had already been developed, along with the main characters, so what is being produced for the Game Boy Advance will be essentially a port of the intended Nintendo 64 game.
Neither Mother 1+2 nor Mother 3 is expected to be released in North America.
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