Proof that the remaining 10% is worth being absorbed by the darkness for here:
These are recommendations made by Tropers for EarthBound, all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. No-name recommendations will be zapped. Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.
Do warn when a fanfic may head into sexually explicit or non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business.
Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.
The Pride Of Twoson
by Schnozzbun
- Reccomended by Phoenix Fire 69
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Post-Second Sanctuary - the newly met Ness and Paula have a chance to get to know each other better. However, upon entering Twoson, Ness realises that the biggest challenges are still to come as Paula has unfinished business with her family.
- Comments: Very well-written and wholesome, with a dose of drama. The way Ness and Paula are portrayed makes them feel more like real kids.
That's What Being Friends Is About by Schnozzbun
- Reccomended by Phoenix Fire 69
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Early-game Earthbound. The introverted and shy Ness recounts the first time he meets the bold and brazen Paula. The two realise how important their friendship is, and get to know each other better in Threed.
- Comments: Also very well-written and wholesome, with a side of hurt/comfort.
- Reccomended by Phoenix Fire 69
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Things get pretty deep when you’re stuck in a small space underneath a cemetery.
- Comments: A nice look into what exactly Ness and Paula were doing while Jeff was on his way to rescue them.
Two Skies,One Color by TheNefariousNerd
- Recommended by dompeace23
- Vanished from the internet. Please post a link if found.
- Synopsis: Cave Story/Earthbound crossover in which Ness and Co. are warped to the Cave Story universe during the final battle with Giygas due to a mistake on Pokey's part. Now they must work together to save both universes.
- Comments: Interesting concept. Above average writing and neatly utilizes the original game dialog. Features plenty of quality action. A great read.
Fobbies Are Borange by Stephen Georg (xfisjmg1), Martin Tovar (matilda_caboose), Benjamin Carignan (Katon), Lewahi, and Chaz Estell (BlackLeader)
- Recommended by Shaon
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Technically a fan radio play, but still. Retells the story of Earthbound by adding some rather demented Character Development (or undevelopment, in the case of Jeff) to the otherwise Heroic Mime characters and some bizarre subplots involving sweet tea.
- Comments: Considered by many to be the most epic undertaking by the fandom; formerly performed live over Radio PSI.
- Recommended by Sparky Lurkdragon
- Status: Ongoing
- Synopsis - A fanmade comic adaptation of Earthbound.
- Comments: Absolutely phenomenal execution. It's every bit as funny, strange, and at times scary as the game, with tons of Adaptation Expansion and pretty much no Adaptation Decay. As of this writing still in progress - you can follow the forum thread and get some very interesting author's notes here.
Existing and Exiting by The Exile
- Recommended by Lady B
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Giygas is defeated but Poo does not return to his body and nobody knows how to bring him back. Poo had never really understood the purpose of his Mu training until now.
- Comments: A really interesting idea. Expands a little bit on the universe without turning Grimdark, like some of the fanwork tends to turn. I personally don't care for how Poo is characterized, but the idea makes up for it. Also, an interesting take on the origin of the Absolutely Safe Capsule.
- Recommended by Yaridovich 23.
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis A series of comics with two main stories showing Porky returning to Ness' time, and a view of the White Ship on its launch day.
- Comments: It's good for a few laughs and really has an accurate MOTHER tone to it, and it has interesting ideas on how some of the characters and events of MOTHER 3 came to be.
- Recommended by Charlie 95148
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Because no one deserves to live forever.
- Comments: For those who need a Fix Fic in which Porky Minch - the product of parental abuse, demonic possession, hatred from his hometown peers for his body type, and time travel side effects on his mind - sees the error of his ways and gets released from the Absolutely Safe Capsule. In the world of Mother, magic and love can trump the metal prison of science.
- Recommended by Topaz Light
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Ten songs, ten memories of the creature known as Giygas. In every memory, in every corner of its mind, she is there.
- Comments: A short fic that's at once heartwarming and absolutely heart wrenching. Far less concerned with depicting a series of factual events than with expressing Giygas' emotions, each of the ten passages reads like a raw stream of thought and feelings, never really exiting the realm of the simple perceptions and desires Giygas felt as a child. This fic is a short, emotional journey that's well worth the read for anybody interested in Giygas as a character.
The Rat Race byThe Author
- Recommended by Inyarear, kt-low
- Synopsis: This is mostly the same story as the original, but now with Paula ("Jenny") heading up the party and Ness ("Jimmy") as her second. (Also, the Dalaamese Prince from EarthBound has been swapped out for a Dalaamese Princess and shipped with the geek, Tony is now Jewish, and Pokey/Porky's replacement looks suspiciously similar to Michael Moore.)
- Comments: The Author himself serves as a kind of
Marty Stu narrator in a few areas, but never makes any physical appearance in the game; it also portrays The Player (you) as a kind of Self-Insert Fic (which arguably applies to almost any RPG). Play for a bit of ego-stroking, stay for some rather interesting insights on God, destiny, free will, religion, and how to pronounce Giygas' name. That would be "Gee-eye-gus" if this game is to be believed.- kt-low: I second that; thanks for the tip; halfway through the game and I'm quite impressed. Despite being labeled as a game "for girls" it doesn't feel girly at all, aside from the NPCs referring to you as a lady. They are still funny, a lot of trivial text is changed, and it retains the EarthBound atmosphere: sometimes breaking the fourth wall, other times making fun of the game itself (Like the library receptionist who's just giving maps for anyone for "no reason") and the signs. Oh, the signs. They are more fun to read than before. "Onett: The flower of Eagleland" becomes "Onett: Malaria free since 1965." Overall, it's almost the same game but it's still a fresh, nice, and humorous EarthBound experience.
The Halloween Hack by Toby Fox.
- Recommended by: Toko WH
- Synposis: Starting off several months after the events of EarthBound, Bounty Hunter Varik is hired by ex-mayor B. H. Prikle to track down a monster that recently killed two townsfolk. Though things start out light-hearted enough, things take a much darker tone as Varik begins to delve deeper into the mind of one very disturbed old man...
- Comments: Probably one of the more well-known EarthBound hacks, the Halloween hack is a very interesting take on the events that happened after EarthBound, and what would happen if the choosen four didn't return. Be warned though, once you leave Twoson, the game takes a much darker (and harder) turn. Definitely not for the faint of heart. It also changes up the game mechanics quite a bit in that the normally Useless Useful Spells are pretty much needed if you want to have any hope of surviving early game, and stay useful throughout the late game. Be warned though, it can get a bit grindy at points, but other than that it's a pretty interesting and challenging hack for experienced EarthBound players. Oh! And also, remember to press that B button!
Hallow's End by H.S.
- Recommended by: Toko WH
- Synposis: Following the trio of Sally, Clyde, and Craig, what started out as a Halloween like many others quickly becomes an adventure no one expects, as they're attempt to get some candy from the Old, Dark House ends up with Halloween apparently never existing, and their neighbors forgetting they exist. Determined to figure out exactly what's going on, the group soon begins to find out there may be more going on than what appears.
- Comments: Generally a Lighter and Softer Halloween rom hack alternative to The Halloween Hack, though not without its dark moments, Hallow's End is an exceptionally well put together mod that not only completely reconstructs the game from the ground up, but manages to tell a rather interesting and darker story without losing the original spirit of EarthBound. With completely new areas, enemies, and attacks, it's something that could be considered a game in it's own right, and is almost as long as EarthBound. Even if it isn't Halloween time, it's a mod that should be checked out by any EarthBound fan.
