DM_L

To those who actually reacted in a serious manner to this article:

You have no business playing Contact!

Dude. I can see it now. This is just me being giddy, but here's my take:

The touch screen could simply be used for menus and communication. Everything you did with buttons in Earthbound you could do with the stylus. Tap people to talk to them, etc. Tap an icon to open up the menu... The usual. Not especially creative, but practical. The game could also be played with buttons, much like Animal Crossing Wild World.

The game would be advertised as a compilation of Earthbound 2 (the main attraction) and the original Earthbound. An extra selling gimmick (perhaps being exclaimed on the box) would be that the original, "never-before-played in the US" Mother 1 (renamed to whatever name they see fit) would be an unlockable, allowing you to play all three games of the series on one cart (perhaps, and this is a fanboy's wet dream, but perhaps Mother 1 could be played in Onett's arcade).

Y'know, if Mother 3 would ever make it over here, it seems like it would actually be best to throw it in a compilation. Despite its cult classic status, the game alone, being a sequel to a 10-year-old nonseller, wouldn't make huge sales and would probably equate Four Swords Adventures. However, toss it into a compilation and you've got three games for the price of one. Everyone will want to play "the game with Ness in it." It has a lot of potential, especially on the DS rather than the GBA.

I'm optimistic, but I'm used to disappointment with the Mother series, so even if this never graduates from "rumor" status, I'll be fine.

You use the touch screen to turn and aim (like a mouse), the d-pad/ABXY to strafe and move forward (depending on what's your dominant hand), and L or R to shoot. The Morph Ball and other schtuff like that can be accessed through buttons on the touch screen.

It's really very nifty.

:want: