What is the connection between EB0 and EB? How are the characters related?

Before I say anything, I just wanted to say that this is the perfect topic to come along just now. I am writing this letter right after the mailbag update came up, and I have been thinking about relationships between EB and EB0 all day. How did you know? You must have spooky hidden powers.

I don't think Giegue is Giygas. Well, I don't want to think it is more to the point, I guess. I hate Giygas. I like Giegue. I don't want them to be the same.

Aside from the cosmic destroyers.. I'm not sure who or when, but I know at some point in Magicant, Ninten is told that he looks like Queen Mary. An obvious hint that they are related. Adding to that, Ninten's great-grandmother was called Maria, which is similar to Mary. This means Queen Mary is Ninten's grandmother, since his mother is at home and his great-grandmother has a different name (plus she was kidnapped). That would also explain why Queen Mary knows how to defeat Giegue. (Poor Giegue.)

Oops, that was all EB0 stuff. As for relationships between EB0 and EB, it would make sense for Ninten to be Ness's dad. I hope he isn't, though, because that would mean he grows up to get some boring office job and never have time to see his kid in person.

About Paula I have no idea. Maybe her parents are the descendants of the people who owned Twinkle Elementary. The name Polestar has 'star' in it, so that's sort of related to 'twinkle'.

I think it would be cool if the land of EarthBound Zero died out and Eagleland was built on its remains, but there's too short of a time gap (I think) between the games for that to happen. Still, it would be pretty cool if Winters was a town built on former Snowman, Onnett as the future Podunk, and so on.

To answer your question about Strawberry Tofu, everyone knows that Ninten got really big-headed after saving the earth and all and decided every single Strawberry Tofu should be his. He bought them all, causing people to be frantic with despair at their loss. This is also why the land of EB0 died out in the first place!

And that's all I have to talk about. (Look, I have a conclusion today.)

--Pancake



Congrats on writing a Letter of the Week!
Hey, look! Pancake wins! Pancake's been a dedicated Mailbagger for a while, but not yet has she achieved Letter of the Week. But this week's letter was just so the l33t. And yes, I have many spooky hidden powers. Buahahah...

Now, I have to disagree with your first comment. Giegue = Giygas. HE IS. Tomato has proof, more or less. And it would make a lot of sense for Ninten to be Ness's father, but I would think that he'd at least still be a celebrity after barely a decade. To think that after all that he just went for, say, a phone company or something...how anticlimactic! Then again, if the whole world was destroyed and rebuilt, he'd be soon forgotten. A fascinating take on the situation, I say.

That was a fine perspective on the connection betwee the two games, a topic long debated to the death. ...see, that was the beginning of a conclusion. Work on that conclusion, Pancake, and you'll be well on your way to another victory! ;)

--GuyInSummers



Wow, I must have psychic powers too, because I knew you would write this after the update! ...America isn't dead ...yet. I also doubt that they could build an entire town in 20 years. Can you build a house in 2 days?

--OmniPenguin

Dear mailbag that refuses to update itself...

I have a dillemna: I seem to be the only serious EB fan in the world who hasn't beaten EB Zero. I have never gotten any farther than the graveyard, because even with a gamepad, playing Mother on an emulator is simply too difficult and frustrating for me to enjoy. I'd rather hold hope on the day Nintendo releases the game on Gameboy Advance or Gamecube in some form, where it will be much more appreciated. I can't waste a precious experience like an EB game on an emulated experience, no matter how good the emulation may be. Some people can, however, and these are the people who make all sorts of remixes and MIDIs of the music, and simply drive me insane by doing so. Why should Nintendo release the game on Gameboy Advance now that it's gotten so much stinking exposure over the net? My problem is, getting down to the problem itself, is that I'm not sure what to call the Earthbound Zero Overworld theme. In the SSMB section of this site, there is an MP3 of the Earthbound and Earthbound Zero theme, and it is titled Pollyana. Pollyana, is, as far as I've even known, a character in the original Mother. Now how the heck should anybody know that the Earthbound theme song, heard in Ness' house, and in the overworld of EB Zero, is named after Pollyana? Where do people get this information? What I can't stand more that anything else is when a fansite expects you to know something that isn't common to knowledge to all fans. I'm a huge EB fan, and I haven't played EB Zero, and I don't own any of the EB soundtracks, so sue me!

I always hated that Disney movie, anyway.

--Halapetendo



I'm sorry, what was that first comment? :/ Actually, I was suprised at the number of responses I got this week...I doubted so many people actually had even played EB0. You aren't alone. And to answer your question, Pollyanna was called Pollyanna on the original Japanese soundtrack. For the record, "Pollyanna" means a person who's incredibly optimistic all the time.

~GiS



I haven't gotten past the part where you get loid yet. :(

I'll make it past there soon though! just you wait.. I'll finish it better than all of you!

Ness' house theme and the overworld theme are a lot the same. listen to Ness' house theme in 1.5X speed and you will see what I mean.

--OmniPenguin

OK, before i begin be forewarned that this is what happens when a Video game fantic with to much time on his hands does when there are no games to play think up answers to questions like this on the ut most depth of things. and thus after a while of thing a few months ago i find that i have an answer linking the first two chapters of the Mother (Earthbound) seris.

it begins long ago when Scaraba was the mightyist nation on earth, and starmen were a species of sapient mechanoids without a home planet. and thus spent there time travling from populated world to populated world helping devloping socitys develop further, and eventually they came to earth, and here they began to help Scaraba build the great pyrmids. however though there was a overall sentiment of joy towards the starmen, there were a few who feared and hated the starmen, the shamens of Mani-Mani and thus one day there leader (unbeknowst to be the first humen being to ever weild the powers of PSI)wished upon the Starmen, a horrible fate, however, thus his PSI was released and all his hatred and anger twoards the starmen swelled forth to form a large spinning cloud composed of four tendrils at the center of which formed a horrific demonic face and thus giygas was born. sensing the life fortce of his creator and tie to the existantial plains life force being drained by his mere presence he embronzed adn thus immotalized the being thus making him remian permanatly on this plain. however the starmen soon sealed his power and thus it was a plaicd calm for many an ages, until that one day in 1900.

on that day two people were having a picnic on a secluded hill when suddenly they were ubducted by a youthened Geuige who's now dead father had set out to conquer the universe by unsealing and controlling the power known as Giygas. however unsure of his skill geiuge sent out some scouts to scan the local life and supposed protectors of Gueige, however the nation of Scaraba had diminished greatly and thus little was known to the humens of Giygas, so Gueige ordered his two slaves to be exucuted and had himslef put in hyper sleep to age a few thousand years (his was a very long lived species) so that in a few decasdes he could easily conquer Earth and awaken Giygas, however George manged to escape using a newly awkened power with him which he later refered to as PSI, and thus he managed to escape back to Earth, however knowing no one would believe him he set out to create a genetic super PSi soldier capable of stopping Guige and if it came to it Giygas. thus clonign and amplifyign his Psionics Gene usign technolgy stolen from, the aliens he created Ninten in Mark, who mostly was a failed experment, and thus he kept his new son alive to continue his dyign expermitn, and thus Mark, began to continue his grnadfathers work and thus created Ninten, who once the time came set out to slay Guige, However he came to late and ended up killing Geuige just as he had completed the ceramonty to awaken Giygas the cosmic destryoyer. Mark knowing this set out to creat an even more powerful soldier, and thus created Ness, and i'm quite sure i don't need to explain the rest.

--Rootbeer Kid



...wow. You had better have entered a fanfic in the Funfest. You have very creative ideas that dazzle my imagination. However, I must say you sure fill a lot of gaps. The introduction of Mark certainly came out of the blue. Still...you could make your own whole game out of that story! It certainly does establish a possilbe link between the two games.

~GiS



Do you write fanfics? You sound like you could. try one, I'd read it if/when Simonbob puts it up.

Don't all of us have too much time on our hands?

Anthadd, if you're reading this, finish Nephew of the forgotten one. I want to see how that ends :(

--OmniPenguin

if this was letter of the week I'd be like O.O and dance around in circles, wait.. EB0 is on a planet that's circle and so is EB. coincidence? I think not.

--OmniPenguin



YAY MY 100th LETTER IN MAILBAG! W00T! CELEBRATE! OMNIPENGUIN WINS! Wait...OmniPenguin is the corresponder. That means...oh, not again.





Hi me! I found the cap you lost!

--OmniPenguin

Honestly I do not believe these games are tied in any way, but there are tons of similarities and differences between Earthbound and EB0. The main similarities and differences are in the characters, game play, and the story line. Lets start with the characters.

Ninten and Ness
Similarities:
1.Fights with a bat.
2.Uses Psi attacks.
3.Lives in a small town with a dirty mayor.
4.Lives with his mother, but the father can only be reached by phone.
5. Their Moms are both great cooks.
6. Have lazy dogs.

Differences:
1. Ness gets homesick while Ninten has asthma attacks.
2.Ninten has two sisters, Mimmie and Minnie, while Ness has one sister, Tracy.
3. Ninten has a remember songs, while Ness has the Sound Stone to record the melodies of the sanctuaries.

Paula and Ana
Similarities:
1.Use fry pans
2. Have very strong PSI powers.
3. Have quiet Fathers.
4. Possible have the hots for Ninten/Ness.
5.Have visions of Ninten/Ness

Differences:
1. Paula was captured by carpainter, while Ana's Mom disappeared.
2. Paula lived in the normal town of twoson, while Ana lived in a chateau in the town of Snowman.
3. Paula seems to talk more then Ana.
4. Ana is the third character in the game, while Paula is the second.

Jeff/Loid
Similarities:
1. Genius/ Guns our their weapons.
2. Good with explosives.
3. Have scientist Dads.
4. No PSI powers.
5.The only character who we know for sure that has had some education experience.

Differences:
1.Jeff goes to a boarding school in Winters. While Loid goes to a public school were people think he is a nerd.
2. Jeff can fix weapons while I don't believe Loid can.
3. Loid is the second character you get while Jeff is the third.
4. Loid is pick on at school, while Jeff was not.

Poo/Teddy
Similarities:
1.Swords are their best weapons.
2. Tough physical attacks.
3. Last character you receive.
4. Both characters have the most unique names.

Differences:
1. Poo can use PSI, while Teddy cannot.
2.Poo wants to help the group because he knows he should. While Teddy wants to join his group, because he wants revenge for his parents deaths.
3. Poo is always been good, while Teddy is a gang member for a while.

Brickroad/Eve
These two characters seem to be similar. They both have great strength.

Flying Man/Flying Man
Wow! pretty much the same, except in EB0 it is earlier in the game compared to Earthbound.

Police/Police
Also very similar. Both famous for putting up crazy road blocks.

Desert Monkeys/Desert Monkeys
Some what similar, Except the monkeys in EB0 don't teach teleport.

Surgeon and Nurse/Surgeon and Nurse
Does the same thing in both games

Status Healer/Status Healer
Does the same thing in both games.

Friendly Mole/Swimming Cat
Both give good advice, but the Swimming Cat gives sweet items.

Wow lots of similarities there, but there were also a ton of differences. Game play is what I will go over next.

Game Play
Similarities:
1. Pretty much the same menu commands.
2. Many of the same status attacks in battle.
3. Same battle menu.Differences:One big one. In EB0 you have the option to walk fast, and in earthbound you can only do it after eating certain foods.

Final I will go over the similarities and differences in the story line. This section may not be as big as the character section, but I believe that the story line is the main reason I don't think the two stories are tied.

Similarities:
The beginning of both of these games are very similar. Ness and Ninten both have strange things start happening to them. (Ness the meteor, and Ninten the lamp attacks him.) They both head out and fight a gang.(Ness the Sharks. Ninten the zombie gang. The characters in the games are very similar in many ways to the story line also. In both games you fight the main hench men of giygas, and giegue the Starmen. I think there are many more similarities, but I feel this mailbag submission is getting a little to long. So I am going to get to the differences.

Differences:
I think the main differences in these two great games is the the violence levels. In EB0 many characters have bad stuff happen to them such as having people get kidnapped, or killed. In Earthbound when this stuff happens it is not quite as serious. I don't recall anyone in Earthbound dying without being silly about it. At least that's what I think. Both games are great. I think EB0 is very serious compared to Earthbound. Earthbound is quite a bit funnier than EB0 in my opinion. Obviously there are a ton of other differences in the story line, but I feel the seriousness of EB0 and the great humor of Earthbound makes these two games very different.

Overall I think these two games rock. They have many differences and many similarities. I think that might be the reason why I don't think they have any ties. I think this question will be answered once Mother 3 (The game I have been waiting forever for.) comes out. Hope GiS doesn't mind how long this entry is. I also hope it makes sense. For the love of EB0 and Earthbound this is

--carryabigbat



HOLY SHOOT. Longest...entry...ever. I believe it would be impossible to find a more detailed comparison between the two games anyware on the net. However, it doesn't really explain how the two games are linked as se/prequels. However, it was an incredible, record-breaking letter. But dang, that thing is long! And to think I wonder why Articles are never updated...everybody sends ME their articles! Heh, congratulations for being awesome.

~GiS



I sure hope that this isn't the result of a week long thinking... I can think of 20 more things you could do, like eat?

I also noticed a similarity. All the people wear clothes! Isn't that surprising? I sure wasn't expecting that when I played those 2 games.

--OmniPenguin

Guess what I think about earthbound zero and earthbound.I think that ness is related to the dog in nintens front yard and i think that the guy with the phone on his head in dalaam is tracy's step bother who married paula's long lost siter who is married to GiS's step grandma who went to vacation at summers with mr.t's cousin who has a secret crush on pokeys mom who plans on killing all thing that are related to me:DUNG BEETLES!!Mwahahahaha

--Jeff Maxwell



Good theory. But I don't have a step-grandma. We regret to inform you that you lose.

~GiS



Wow, so GuyinSummers can get me free Earthbound related merchandise? GiS, I want some! I know you're related to Ness, don't deny it! But wait, are you sure that Mr T even went to summers?

--OmniPenguin

When you first play EarthBound Zero (after playing Earthbound of course) probably the first thing that comes to mind is that looks like Ness, but its not really cleared weather or not, there has been a lot of debate about it but thats going to far, anyways I think them looking the same is a good thing, Ninten and Ness, Ana and Paula, and Loid and Jeff. Teddy and Poo don't fit in there. I don't think they are related but its nice to see them how they look a like. Then again they could be related, who knows maybe different timelines?

But think about it if you play EarthBound Zero before playing EarthBound (something rare) you'll probably find it as a whole new game improved, its hard to explain, but you'll have a different view of things.

They do have many similar things like the Hippies and sort of the music. They both have a similar plot and a bunch of other things like 4 main characters, you call your dad to save, your sister holds items for you, their ATM machines and a Mayor of the city. The list goes on. My opinion is that EarthBound is just and improved Mother.

--Akuma



Ooo, my high-quality-letter-sensors are going off. Indeed, we see a fine perspective on the situation here. It's easy to see that EB and EB0 have definate connections, but what this connection means may forever remain a mystery. I just wish my sister held items for me. If I let her do that, I'd be unable to recognize them when I got back.

~GiS



Maybe Ninten, Ana, and Loid got name changes and moved to a town 20 years in the future? Or was it 100?

Dun dun duuuuuuun....

--OmniPenguin

Eb=Eb0....well almost. Many of the themes in Eb and Eb0 are very closely related, but for good purpose.

Eb games have strict rules on how things play out in its world. Being that the heroes are kids, generic copies of them precede through out each sequel. You must have an athletic boy, a gifted blonde chick, a wussy genius type and a strong character you can place your confidence in. Both games are set in modern times and deal with an invading alien jogernaut. So as far as innovation goes, no Eb game can really 1-UP another. So it really comes down to how the stories work out and how believable they precieve themselves to be.

Eb was a huge game with cool plot fillers such as time travel, enlightened apples and mr.saturns. There was alot to this game. But sometimes more isnt better. Eb0 was a much smaller straight forward game but it worked so well. I really liked Eb0 story in terms of how the game played out and how it all came togethor in the end-on top of the mountain when you fought giygas(yes giygas, not geigue).

Given this I think the games evened out for a tie but on my personal opinion, Eb's magicant rocks with detail and that Eb0's magicant really bugs me, so Eb is a better game even if it does pose off of everything done in Eb0.

--Psionic Brawler



As we have seen here and so many times before, the similarities between EB0 and EB are easily noticeable... Hey, you just gave me an idea. What if when Ness and co. travelled into the past, they...did something to trigger EB0! ...or something. I dunno. I'm tired.

~GiS



Sounds like you're ready to make EB2 then. Go see if there's an open space at nintendo! Maybe you can convince them to finish it! You'd be worshipped far and wide! I'd have something to do for a few months :D

--OmniPenguin

Thik of it this way, the characters in Mother/EarthBound Zero are about 6 in the 1980s where as the characters in Mother 2/EarthBound, wich takes place in 199X are close to, if not in their teens. The only person I think is releated is Gigu/Giygas because they are in my opion the same being. (excuse spelling of gigu/giygas).

--Heero0m



Six? Well, it's possible. But if I tried to beat the crap out of an elephant, or a tiger, or a giant death robot when I was six...ouch. And what about Teddy? Is gang-member Teddy? Well, logically no...but why is Teddy hanging with a bunch of six year olds?

~GiS



Really? 6 years old? now that I think about it, I saved the world when I was 6 too.

I used a toothbrush and saved my teeth from plunging into the world of darkness. it was fun, but tiring.

I want to do it again though!

--OmniPenguin

Of course they are, why wouldn't they be? The second one is a sequel.

Durhey.

*smacks head* PEOPLE SKILLS. I always forget that! *stupid grin* I think that Ness and Ninten are the same person, only Ness is stupid and forgot his good friends from wherever they were from. Obviously they weren't very good friends. I have to pay people to by my friends. I'm a very lonley boy.

Will you be my friend?

--KoW



That depends. Do I get paid vacations?

Mmm, I'd personally like to know the relationship between Ness and Ninten, but I really can't see them being one and the same. Let's see what OmniPenguin has to say.

~GiS



You left out "cash or check accepted." ^_^

Sure i'll be your friend. I'm shy, sorta near sighted, and not very strong though... Are you sure you want me to be your friend? >yes no

--OmniPenguin

Well, they have to take place in the same world. I mean, what are the chances that there are two worlds with odd Hippies trying to kill you in them?

I'd say that none of the characters are related. Some people say that Ninten=Ness's dad, but I hate the thought that that pixelated little kid with an ugly hat could give birth to such a cool kid as Ness. Besides, it doesn't seem that Onett is anywhere near Podunk. And EB0 takes place in America, not Eagleland.

That's all i have to say..

--Crono



Well, if they're from the same world there's probably SOME relation...I mean, just look at the similarites. If you've forgotten them, just read carryabigbat's essay. And I'll have you know that I get attacked by hippies every day. That's normal...right?

~GiS



Eagleland sounds sorta like England, if you think about it. As for the hippies... well, aren't most hippies like that? Play Animal crossing today! Man that game is addictive. And I hate Tom and his houses that cost money.

--OmniPenguin

I think Ninten and Ana are Ness's grandparent's, Loid is Jeff's grandfather, and Teddy faded into the Land Of Lost Videogame Characters That Deserved Another Shot, along with Bonk, Plok, and Pit from Kid Icarus. I'll bet that their poker night rules.

--GG Crono 4



Actually, Teddy was in EB. You just have to dive into the dresser in the Threed Hotel. Didn't you read Mailbag last week? ^_^

~GiS



Hmm, if EB0 was either 20 or 100 years behind EB, it's still somewhat impossible. Did you say that Ness has grandkids when you talked to the old woman in one of the hospitals? Is that where you got the idea? Haha. You're cracking me up! ...do you have some glue?

--OmniPenguin

EarthBoom and EarthBoom0 are tied? Why? The characters are related? Are they cousins? Is the family / tied together thing kinky? I am confused. By the way, I left my hat at the old folks home. BUT NOW I CAN'T FIND MY CANE >:(

--Grampa



Just lemme' get a total of 10 of his letters. I'm opening a Grampa section.

~GiS



Hey grampa! Did you rise from the dead again? Oh, your cane is over there, by that rotting corpse. I think that old guy was trying to take it, but he died in the process. Oh yeah, the owner sold your hat. I think he said something about gold...

--OmniPenguin

Hey I just read this weeks (last) letters and responses. You are sounding quite smart and clever. Keep up the good work.

P.S. How's about that application for Cushing??? And your room is a mess

--Mom



Heheh...um, everybody, meet my mom. Thanks for the compliments, I'll finish the application, and my room is NOT that bad. ...is it?

~GiS



Ack! Mom? I didn't know you visited starmen.net too! I'm sorry :( I'll clean up my room next wednesday! I promise!! Please don't take away my bag of chips :(

--OmniPenguin

Another fine day, sirs and madams. Keep up the good work and all. Yay for OmniPenguin who did an excellent job with the whole corresponder thingy. Yeah...I'm tired. Very, very tired. I think I'll just...zzzz....