Mother 3 fan translation complete, ready for download

by Ross Miller { Oct 17th 2008 at 12:00PM }

After two years of development (and an endless string of tipsters keeping us up-to-date on every update on the project), the Mother 3 Fan Translation version 1.0 is now available for download, so English-speaking gamers without fluency in Japanese can enjoy the title. You'll need a copy of the Mother 3 ROM (also known as Earthbound 2) to use the patch, as well as your own copy of the imported game for legal purposes, moral clarity and a sense of contentment for supporting the franchise despite Nintendo's insistence to not bring it stateside.

In other news, Earthbound for Wii (possibly Virtual Console) is still rated by the ESRB, and since May 2nd that's all we know about it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Tags: earthbound, fan-translation, mother, mother-3

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jihad Germ @ Oct 17th 2008 12:04PM

Thank you so much!

Monkey Thing?!!? @ Oct 17th 2008 12:04PM

I'll admit i'm tempted. I just see the whole emulator thing as a point of no return

That and i really don't have time for an RPG right about now

George @ Oct 17th 2008 12:26PM

Monkey Thing?!!? - Emulators are not illegal. You can obtain a legal ROM by ripping it form your legitimate cartridge, using only a flashcard, a DS and an official cartridge. You do NOT need to cross into any legal gray areas to play this thing.

Monkey Thing?!!? @ Oct 17th 2008 12:42PM

Its not a moral issue, it's just that once i have the emulator, i'll want to use it. Rarely do i buy something that i don't feel compelled to use, and it would just open up a whole new time-drain for my life

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Oct 17th 2008 12:54PM

Well I guess you'll just have to wait till NOA releases it;)

Jakka @ Oct 17th 2008 1:09PM

Well I thought Nintendo was ripping people off ever since VC was released but that's a different story.

Either way it's their own fault for refusing to release what appears to be the most requested game ever...

Monkey Thing?!!? @ Oct 17th 2008 1:26PM

I am holding out for a 3-game DS compilation, that's true.

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Oct 17th 2008 1:42PM

Yeah...good luck with that.

Neuromancer @ Oct 17th 2008 12:22PM

I'd be great to see Nintendo go after people for pirating a game that was never available in their region in the first place.

Why_Am_I_Here @ Oct 17th 2008 12:23PM

How do you get the earthbound 2 ROM and game? I really want to play this, but I don't have anything.

Ross Miller @ Oct 17th 2008 12:36PM

Good time to note: If anyone links to a ROM site, we'll be deleting the comment and probably banhammering. Thank you and enjoy your day.

Zertoss @ Oct 17th 2008 12:40PM

I don't know how anyone can be on the internet in 2008 and not know that asking where to get the ROM on a site like Joystiq is a really bad idea.

It's like going to church and asking for some porn.

John Z @ Oct 17th 2008 12:43PM

Zertoss: I find your surplus of faith in human intelligence disturbing.

John Z @ Oct 17th 2008 12:46PM

Ross: Would it be OK to link to a tool whereby one with a DS and homebrew device could rip the cartridge that they legally own?

Zertoss @ Oct 17th 2008 12:57PM

John Z, I'm more disgusted that it isn't common knowledge by now than surprised. Like how people still open every single attachment that gets emailed to them.

There should be a certification exam you have to pass before you're allowed to own a computer.

StrangeBum @ Oct 17th 2008 12:59PM

All I'm going to say is that Google can be your best friend if you're truly interested.

Now it's time to get this up and running on my work pc...and time to say goodbye to productivity for awhile...

Why_Am_I_Here @ Oct 17th 2008 1:05PM

Ummmm. I've actually just never posted on joystiq before, as well as having just discovered this, so I'm not stupid, just new.

Courtney @ Oct 17th 2008 12:41PM

Eeeeepp!!!!! Best news of the morning for me.

Veko @ Oct 17th 2008 12:44PM

Hmmm...this would probably be a good time to get around to finishing Earthbound 1. I know my cartridge for it has to be in one of my dozen boxes of junk in the basement.

Monkey Thing?!!? @ Oct 17th 2008 12:44PM

Fun fact: Nintendo claims that their games have a special exemption from the DMCA clause that allows for one legal backup copy

SetoChaos @ Oct 17th 2008 1:12PM

Really? Are you sure? I know it's legal here in the UK (also in Canada) to own a backup copy (mod chips are legal here in the UK too) but I thought it was illigal in the USA? Why do Nintendo's games have an exemption?

aj @ Oct 17th 2008 3:26PM

Then why do they print "IT IS NOT LEGAL TO CREATE A BACKUP COPY OF THIS GAME" in the manuals?

Seriously, it's in the back, in English and French if you have the Canadian version, as well.

Cobra951 @ Oct 19th 2008 6:39PM

"Fun fact: Nintendo claims that their games have a special exemption from the DMCA clause that allows for one legal backup copy" -- Monkey Thing

Better Fun fact: The DMCA does not prohibit digital copying *at all*. It prohibits the cracking of digital protection or encryption (and not analog protection such as Macrovision either). None of this applies here.

When the DMCA does not come to bear, the long-established fair-use doctrine allows you to make copies of your own legitimate software for your personal use. They don't have to be archival, and there is no limit on how many.

Back on topic, this is a terrific translation job. It is complete and absolutely pro in caliber. Thank you so much, Tomato et al.

Titanium_Orchid @ Oct 17th 2008 12:56PM

Earthbound one was awesome.

I remember being blown away by the fact that it took up so much memory space.

dark_inchworm @ Oct 17th 2008 1:58PM

Poor Nintendo, I would gladly pay you for this, but it looks like that shall not happen. Why don't you want my money? :(

George McBain @ Oct 17th 2008 2:03PM

I happily bought Mother 3 from Play-Asia a year ago when it was on sale for $15 w/ free shipping! I printed out a GameFAQs translation, but only played the first 10 minutes before I got distracted and, since I knew this translation was coming out "soon", decided to wait. Happy times!