EarthBound 64, known in Japan as is a canceled role-playing video game that was under development by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory for the Nintendo 64. It was intended to be the third game in the Mother series following EarthBound (1994), with series creator Shigesato Itoi working as designer. The game was slated to feature ten playable characters across twelve chapters, with the main antagonists being Porky Minch – a character previously featured in EarthBound – and his Pigmask Army.
Initially intended for the Super Famicom, development was transferred to the 64DD peripheral, before being moved to a standard Nintendo 64 Game Pak in 1999. The game suffered numerous delays due to the 64DD's failure and the developers' inexperience with 3D technology, leading to its cancellation in August 2000. The project was later revived for the Game Boy Advance and eventually released in 2006 as Mother 3, with assistance from developer Brownie Brown.
Gameplay
Earthbound 64 was a role-playing game. It used a fighting style similar to its predecessors. Enemies are encountered by interaction on the overworld where they would have an exchange with the player. In battle, the enemies were viewed in a first-person perspective, and the player was tasked with picking the action for the character. Commands included Fight, Stand, Check, Strength, Goods, Magic, Speak, and Call (of which the latter four were not available in playable demos). The game was intended to use the Nintendo 64’s Rumble Pak; the designers worried however that it would interfere with the battles. Designers planned a timing-based mechanic for use in battle. They utilized a “3D stick” that players would strum like a guitar chord. Characters featured several abilities, including jumping and spin attacks. Developers stated that the game requires 40 to 60 hours for experienced gamers to finish it.
Development
thumb|The game was designed for the [[64DD peripheral, shown here as docked beneath the Nintendo 64.]]
EarthBound 64, known as Mother 3 in Japan, was preceded by a version developed for the Super Famicom (Super NES) that began development in 1994. The team was inspired by Super Mario 64 and decided that they too could creatively flourish by making a 3D open world. Their early technical specifications exceeded the capabilities and memory limits of the platform. About halfway through development, the team attempted to scale back its large scope and changed its target from cartridge
The EarthBound fan community anticipated a sequel, and a North American release of Mother 3 was announced as EarthBound 64. In April 2000, IGN estimated the game's development as "safe to assume that the game is nearing its final stages of completion". |width=30em
The Mother 3 logo was made from a fusion of metal and trees, which Itoi interpreted as an "uncomfortable beauty" from two materials that were impossible to fuse. They wrote that the game would be highly original, but were not able to tell the degree to which the story or characters would interact. IGN compared the multi-character aspect of the narrative to the Japan-only Super Famicom RPG Live A Live. EarthBound 64 appeared on Famitsus Most Wanted list in September 1999, ranking in the 10th spot. It also appeared on Nintendo Powers most wanted list multiple times, with the publication suggesting that it could become one of the most important launch titles for the long-delayed Nintendo 64DD. Brian C. Byrne, author of History of The Nintendo 64, identified EarthBound 64, identified it as the "most sought after" canceled Nintendo 64 game, stating that while it would materialize on the Game Boy Advance, the loss of 3D graphics and being exclusive to Japan made it lacking for some.