Mother 3 Deluxe Box

Description

The Mother 3 Deluxe Box is a premium limited-edition set to commemorate the launch of the game. It contains the standard Game Boy Advance cartridge of Mother 3 in slightly different packaging alongside a special Game Boy Micro console finished in a deep red colour, featuring the series logo. A Franklin Badge from the series is also included.

Mother 3 is the sequel to Mother 2 (or EarthBound in the US). Despite great interest it was not released outside Japan, leaving Western audiences to rely on fan translations and import copies. The game follows Lucas, a young boy living in the rural Nowhere Islands, as his family becomes entangled in a series of events that transform their peaceful home into a battleground against a mysterious army, across eight chapters. The gameplay uses a classical turn-based battle system with rhythmic combo mechanic twist, allowing players to chain attacks by timing button presses to the beat of background music. Its visual design employs vibrant pixel art and exaggerated character animation, complemented by a soundtrack that blends playful motifs with sombre themes. The presentation reinforces emotional beats, using colour and music to signal shifts in tone and narrative weight.

The game underwent a long and complex development cycle spanning more than a decade. Initially conceived as a 3D project for the Nintendo 64 and its 64DD peripheral under the working title EarthBound 64, the concept was eventually cancelled. The project was revived for the Game Boy Advance, where it adopted a 2D presentation while retaining its ambitious narrative structure. After waiting so long for this title I was happy to shell out of the Deluxe Box upon the release. A quite nice set, a bit limited on its inclusions but the GameBoy Micro looks polished in red. Definitely one for any fans of the series.