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RPG

EarthBound

1994 · Ape Inc. · HAL Laboratory

Explore an everyday world made strange by humor, psychic powers and an unusually warm sense of adventure.

PLATFORMS

SNESGBA

GAMEBOX SCORE

92

Provisional GAMEBOX editorial ratings. These are not verified facts or aggregate review scores.

/ 100

Retro Score92
Hidden Gem85
Revival Potential82

GAME DNA

experience
Narrative-driven · Role immersion · Experimental
genre
RPG
mood
Epic · Thoughtful
gameplay
Role Playing · Character Building · Exploration
difficulty
Medium
era
1990s
pacing
Balanced
perspective
Top-down
structure
Linear

DISCOVER BY GAME DNA

Game DNA is GAMEBOX editorial classification; era comes from the sourced release year. Ratings are separate editorial judgements.

EpicThoughtfulRole PlayingCharacter BuildingExploration

ABOUT THE GAME

Explore an everyday world made strange by humor, psychic powers and an unusually warm sense of adventure.

Explore an everyday world made strange by humor, psychic powers and an unusually warm sense of adventure.

WHERE CAN I PLAY IT?

Availability information will be added to the GAMEBOX database.

We only list legal and officially available platforms and services.

RETRO HISTORY

First listed release: 1994. Explore the cited source for the game's release and development history.

ORIGINAL RELEASE
1994
Developer
Ape Inc. · HAL Laboratory
Publisher
Nintendo

DISCOVER MORE

SIMILAR GAMES

Explore what makes games feel like EarthBound

GAMEBOX algorithmic assessments of editorial Game DNA. Confidence describes overlap strength, not a probability of enjoyment.

1998

Xenogears

90% SIMILAR

VERY STRONG MATCH

Experimental · Role immersion · Epic · Thoughtful · RPG

WHY IT'S SIMILAR

Both games share Experimental experiences (engaging with unconventional forms of play or narrative presentation) and Role immersion experiences (inhabiting and developing a character within a world); Epic / Thoughtful mood; RPG genre.

Similarity breakdown
  • experience: Experimental · Narrative-driven · Role immersion100% distinctive overlap · 69.8 / 69.8 points
  • mood: Epic · Thoughtful100% distinctive overlap · 47.3 / 47.3 points
  • genre: RPG100% distinctive overlap · 19.5 / 19.5 points
  • gameplay: Character Building · Exploration · Role Playing100% distinctive overlap · 21.7 / 21.7 points
  • structure: Linear100% distinctive overlap · 20.3 / 20.3 points
  • pacing: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 11.1 points
  • perspective: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 10.4 points
  • difficulty: Medium100% distinctive overlap · 2.7 / 2.7 points
  • era: 1990s100% distinctive overlap · 4.4 / 4.4 points

2015

Undertale

82% SIMILAR

VERY STRONG MATCH

Epic · Thoughtful · Experimental · Narrative-driven · RPG

WHY IT'S SIMILAR

Both games share Epic / Thoughtful mood; Experimental experiences (engaging with unconventional forms of play or narrative presentation) and Narrative-driven experiences (following and interpreting a story-led journey); RPG genre.

Similarity breakdown
  • experience: Experimental · Narrative-driven52% distinctive overlap · 37.3 / 71.4 points
  • mood: Epic · Thoughtful100% distinctive overlap · 47.3 / 47.3 points
  • genre: RPG100% distinctive overlap · 19.5 / 19.5 points
  • gameplay: Character Building · Exploration · Role Playing100% distinctive overlap · 21.7 / 21.7 points
  • structure: Linear100% distinctive overlap · 20.3 / 20.3 points
  • pacing: Balanced100% distinctive overlap · 12.0 / 12.0 points
  • perspective: Top-down100% distinctive overlap · 14.1 / 14.1 points
  • difficulty: Medium100% distinctive overlap · 2.7 / 2.7 points
  • era: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 4.6 points

1994

Final Fantasy VI

81% SIMILAR

VERY STRONG MATCH

Epic · Thoughtful · Role immersion · Narrative-driven · RPG

WHY IT'S SIMILAR

Both games share Epic / Thoughtful mood; Role immersion experiences (inhabiting and developing a character within a world) and Narrative-driven experiences (following and interpreting a story-led journey); RPG genre.

Similarity breakdown
  • experience: Narrative-driven · Role immersion40% distinctive overlap · 27.1 / 68.0 points
  • mood: Epic · Thoughtful100% distinctive overlap · 47.3 / 47.3 points
  • genre: RPG100% distinctive overlap · 19.5 / 19.5 points
  • gameplay: Character Building · Exploration · Role Playing100% distinctive overlap · 21.7 / 21.7 points
  • structure: Linear100% distinctive overlap · 20.3 / 20.3 points
  • pacing: Balanced100% distinctive overlap · 12.0 / 12.0 points
  • perspective: Top-down100% distinctive overlap · 14.1 / 14.1 points
  • difficulty: Medium100% distinctive overlap · 2.7 / 2.7 points
  • era: 1990s100% distinctive overlap · 4.4 / 4.4 points

1998

Panzer Dragoon Saga

75% SIMILAR

STRONG MATCH

Epic · Thoughtful · Role immersion · Narrative-driven · RPG

WHY IT'S SIMILAR

Both games share Epic / Thoughtful mood; Role immersion experiences (inhabiting and developing a character within a world) and Narrative-driven experiences (following and interpreting a story-led journey); RPG genre.

Similarity breakdown
  • experience: Narrative-driven · Role immersion56% distinctive overlap · 35.5 / 64.0 points
  • mood: Epic · Thoughtful100% distinctive overlap · 47.3 / 47.3 points
  • genre: RPG100% distinctive overlap · 19.5 / 19.5 points
  • gameplay: Character Building · Exploration · Role Playing100% distinctive overlap · 21.7 / 21.7 points
  • structure: Linear100% distinctive overlap · 20.3 / 20.3 points
  • pacing: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 11.1 points
  • perspective: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 10.4 points
  • difficulty: Medium100% distinctive overlap · 2.7 / 2.7 points
  • era: 1990s100% distinctive overlap · 4.4 / 4.4 points

1995

Chrono Trigger

70% SIMILAR

STRONG MATCH

Epic · Thoughtful · Role immersion · Narrative-driven · RPG

WHY IT'S SIMILAR

Both games share Epic / Thoughtful mood; Role immersion experiences (inhabiting and developing a character within a world) and Narrative-driven experiences (following and interpreting a story-led journey); RPG genre.

A close match offering a different series or DNA profile.

Similarity breakdown
  • experience: Narrative-driven · Role immersion40% distinctive overlap · 27.1 / 68.0 points
  • mood: Epic · Thoughtful100% distinctive overlap · 47.3 / 47.3 points
  • genre: RPG100% distinctive overlap · 19.5 / 19.5 points
  • gameplay: Character Building · Exploration · Role Playing100% distinctive overlap · 21.7 / 21.7 points
  • structure: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 23.0 points
  • pacing: Balanced100% distinctive overlap · 12.0 / 12.0 points
  • perspective: Top-down100% distinctive overlap · 14.1 / 14.1 points
  • difficulty: Medium100% distinctive overlap · 2.7 / 2.7 points
  • era: 1990s100% distinctive overlap · 4.4 / 4.4 points

1998

Parasite Eve

69% SIMILAR

STRONG MATCH

Epic · Thoughtful · Role immersion · Narrative-driven · RPG

WHY IT'S SIMILAR

Both games share Epic / Thoughtful mood; Role immersion experiences (inhabiting and developing a character within a world) and Narrative-driven experiences (following and interpreting a story-led journey); RPG genre.

A close match offering a different series or DNA profile.

Similarity breakdown
  • experience: Narrative-driven · Role immersion42% distinctive overlap · 27.4 / 66.1 points
  • mood: Epic · Thoughtful100% distinctive overlap · 47.3 / 47.3 points
  • genre: RPG100% distinctive overlap · 19.5 / 19.5 points
  • gameplay: Character Building · Exploration · Role Playing100% distinctive overlap · 21.7 / 21.7 points
  • structure: Linear100% distinctive overlap · 20.3 / 20.3 points
  • pacing: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 11.1 points
  • perspective: No shared values0% distinctive overlap · 0.0 / 14.7 points
  • difficulty: Medium100% distinctive overlap · 2.7 / 2.7 points
  • era: 1990s100% distinctive overlap · 4.4 / 4.4 points