History VideoGame / Mother3

* NatureVersusTechnology: A major theme of the game involves the conflict between the more nature-leaning heroes who come from Tazmily Village, a town that initially lived in harmony alongside nature without much development, and the more technology-leaning villains, the Pigmasks who modify nature to not only create modern technology, but also change the animals of the land into chimeras fit to their views. Narratively, the game starts out very nature-settled especially on Chapter 1 where technology is only somewhat influential but starting on Chapter 4 it moves away into technological landscapes transitioning with an in-between state, finalizing with Chapter 8 taking place entirely in the technologically advanced [[spoiler: New Pork City]]. The logo itself reflects this dichotomy as it is made out of wood, but is shown covered in metal reflecting the transition of the game, [[spoiler: at the end of the game after Lucas pulls the last needle the logo is shown covered entirely in wood, implying that nature won in the end thanks to Luca's wish.]]

* ItsAllAboutMe: [[spoiler:'''Porky'''. '''Minch'''.]]

Nintendo's refusal to release the game outside of Japan (as not only did ''[=EarthBound=]'' horrifically undersell in North America, but the GBA was also all but dead in North America and Europe by the time ''Mother 3'' released) led to drastic measures-- which, in this case, means an English-language FanTranslation which took two years to complete, releasing in 2008 (by which point the GBA was no longer getting new releases; the system would be officially discontinued two years later). The translation would later receive an update in 2014, fixing up minor typos, grammatical errors, and bugs; it can be found [[http://mother3.fobby.net/ here]], though you'll need an official copy of the game to play it. As it stands, the translation is currently the only way to ever play the game in a language that is not Japanese. For ease of reference, this unofficial translation is the primary source for tropes.

* TheReveal: Three big ones:

** Fassad is [[spoiler:a traitorous Magypsy named Locria]].

** Fassad is [[spoiler:a traitorous Magypsy named Ionia]].

* LiveItem: If you carry a Fresh Egg with you for too long, it will hatch into a Chick and grow to a Chicken. You can sell the Chicken for a good sum, making them good VendorTrash.

* DynamicCharacter: Every RPG hero wants to get physically, mentally, or magically stronger. Lucas, on the other hand, wants to become stronger as a person. [[CharacterDevelopment And so he does]].

''Mother 3'' is the long-awaited sequel to ''VideoGame/EarthBound'' and the third (and final) entry in Creator/ShigesatoItoi's ''VideoGame/{{Mother}}'' franchise. Like prior games, the game contains [[WidgetSeries weird and quirky writing and gameplay]] which features deft employment of MoodWhiplash in its artistic story, and centers on a young boy with psychic powers and his friends -- but in this game, the time and setting are vastly different, and the threat to humanity is much more ''earthly'' than it was long ago.

* AdultFear:
** [[spoiler:Losing your mother, violently, and right in front of your eyes.]]
** Watching your father [[BerserkerTears completely break down]] and hurt other people in a grief-driven rampage, only to be knocked out by the local warden.
** The whole idea of Claus, a little boy, running away and never being found.
** [[MushroomSamba While hallucinating]], having everybody who loves and cares about you both physically hurting and viciously insulting you. Among them is your father, threatening to beat you.
** Being forced against your will fight against somebody you dearly love.
** [[spoiler:Watching your children fight, one of them with the intent to kill.]]
** And finally, [[spoiler:a child committing suicide in front of his family.]]

''Mother 3'' is the long-awaited sequel to ''VideoGame/EarthBound'' and the third (and final) entry in Creator/ShigesatoItoi's ''VideoGame/{{Mother}}'' franchise; it continues the tradition of [[WidgetSeries weird and quirky writing and gameplay]] which features deft employment of MoodWhiplash in its artistic story. Like prior games, ''Mother 3'' centers on a young boy with psychic powers and his friends -- but in this game, the time and setting are vastly different, and the threat to humanity is much more ''earthly'' than it was long ago.

** Lucas and Claus are named for the twins (Lucas and Claus) in ''Literature/TheBookOfLies''.

** Creator/ShigesatoItoi [[WordOfGod has stated]] he named the twin protagonists after the twins from ''Literature/TheBookOfLies''.

* ArabOilSheikh: Technically he isn't an example, but Fassad is clearly designed after these and has a very similar personality.
* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: See MookChivalry below.

* {{Arcadia}}: Tazmily Village.

* CainAndAbel: [[spoiler: Lucas and Claus. [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Not that they want to be.]] ]]

** The Hall of Memories is one big CallBack to the previous game.

* BackStab: Lets you be on the giving or receiving end. Duster, quite awesomely, has the ability to sometimes flip enemies around and force them to endure one, even if they originally sneak-attacked you.

* BlackBeadEyes: Almost every character has these.

* AlwaysIdenticalTwins: It's... actually kinda hard to say if Lucas and Claus are identical or not. Based on what we know, they ''do'' at least look similar enough to confuse the two of them, except they have [[IdenticalTwinIDTag completely different hair colors]].

* ABoyAndHisX: Boy protagonist Lucas is accompanied by faithful dog Boney, per the norm of the series. However, [[UndyingLoyalty Boney is unique in that he sticks with Lucas throughout the entire adventure]].

* ArmyOfTheAges: Though, not neccessarily handpicking Powerful Warriors persay, [[spoiler:Porky's Pigmask Army is mostly comprised of people he's pulled from various points in time who know of industrialized society, and bring it to the Nowhere Islands.]]

* ABoyAndHisX: Lucas and Boney, per the norm of the series. However, [[UndyingLoyalty Boney is unique in that he sticks with Lucas throughout the entire adventure]].

* DeathSeeker: Implied with Lucas, twice. First time is a little-known dialogue chain from "[[FanNickname Mr. T]]" if you try to go down the train tunnel without first talking to Old Man Wess. [[BlackComedy It's very funny]]. [[spoiler:The second is during Chapter 6, when he sees his mother's ghost walking through a sunflower field. While he tearfully chases after her, in an act of desperation, he ends up pitching himself off a cliff trying to reach her]]. [[TearJerker It's not funny at all.]]

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Salsa and Samba, and also counting the ape Chimeras.

* ShumckBait: In the floor of restrooms while roaming New Pork City, you come across one restroom that gives out a loud thump when you check on it, as if something ''big'' is behind it. Naturally that's a sign maybe you should leave well enough alone. [[spoiler: Enter anyway and you'll be face to face with the Chimera, luckily you can back out out quickly if you're fast enough.]]

* MusicalPastiche: The music when fighting the bat enemies in the first chapter starts with something that sounds very like the "Nananananananana Series/{{Batman|1966}}" theme.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: After [[spoiler:Hinawa is killed by the Mechadrago]], Claus decides to go after it to [[spoiler:avenge his mother]]. In a series filled with child heroes, one might expect him to succeed even with just a knife. '' '''He does not'''.''