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EarthBound Finally Launches for Wii U Virtual Console

This article is over 11 years old and may contain outdated information

EarthBound, one of the most requested SNES games for the Virtual Console, can now be played on your Wii U Gamepad.

On the short list of SNES classics that gamers love, EarthBound is pretty close to the top. A critically-acclaimed, yet unconventional RPG about psychic children fighting off an alien invasion, EarthBound has long been one of the most requested games for Nintendo’s Virtual Consoles. Long-time fans and curious newcomers can finally let their excitement show: After years of waiting, Nintendo has released the full game for the Wii U Virtual Console, complete with optimization for Wii U Gamepads.

Despite being a traditional JRPG in many ways, EarthBound broke new ground at the time for its unique characters, light-hearted humor, and small-town American setting. EarthBound was also the first appearance of Ness, the fan-favorite character who went on to be featured in the Smash Bros series. All told, it’s done well for a sequel in the series that was lucky to reach North America in the first place.

As an extra bonus, the original manual and strategy guide have been uploaded to the official EarthBound website for your perusal. Of course if you’d rather just dive in and see what the fuss was about for yourself, the Wii U version will set you back a mere $10.

Source: Nintendo, via IGN

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