Before Pokémon, there was Mother. Ape Inc. brought Shigesato Itoi’s unconventional RPG vision to life—suburban settings, modern items, and emotional storytelling that subverted genre expectations. After Mother 2 (EarthBound), the company reorganised into Creatures Inc. and became a Pokémon stakeholder, their RPG legacy continuing through that franchise.
Fast facts
Mother series
| Title |
Year |
Platform |
| Mother |
1989 |
Famicom |
| Mother 2 (EarthBound) |
1994 |
Super Famicom |
| Mother 3 |
2006 |
GBA (by Brownie Brown) |
Design philosophy
| Element |
Approach |
| Setting |
Contemporary, suburban |
| Tone |
Humour and melancholy |
| Items |
Modern objects |
| Combat |
Traditional with twists |
Transition to Creatures
| Factor |
Detail |
| Timing |
Mid-1990s |
| Pokémon opportunity |
New focus |
| Staff continuity |
Same personnel |
| Legacy |
Mother influence on Pokémon |
EarthBound cult status
| Aspect |
Note |
| Western sales |
Initially poor |
| Critical reappraisal |
Cult classic |
| Influence |
Undertale, others |
| Mother 3 |
Never officially localised |
See also