Tag Archives: earthbound

Some of My Favorite RPG First Enemies

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So, you’re an adventurer that’s setting out from your most likely recently burned down village. Maybe you got exiled. Who knows. You’re going to encounter monsters on the road. What they’re going to be varies from game to game but for the most part you’re going to easily be able to strike them down.

Despite this, they serve an important role. They’re there to show you how to fight and how the mechanics work. They’re the unsung heroes of the RPG world. So, I want to take some time to highlight some of my favorites.

  1. The Rabite from Secret of Mana

WHY DO I HAVE TO FIGHT THESE THINGS? They’re not going to be the only cute thing that I have to kill on this list but they’re extra cute the way they hop around. They will do a little tackle on you but who can blame them? They just want to be your friend. Still, I done smacked them down. They usually left behind candy. Just great little friends.

2. Rattatas and Pidgeys- Pokemon Red/Blue/Green and FireRed/LeafGreen

It’s luck of the draw, depending on which one of these that you get when you first leave Pallet Town. But both of them are wonderful to run into, because unlike a lot of the other monsters on this list, these are waiting to be your friends. Usually, my first Pidgey becomes my main form of transportation as I fly across the map. Meanwhile, Rattata became a Raticate and his hyper fang carried me through a good portion of the game.

They were also the first two Pokemon I ever caught in my entire Pokemon career. And you never forget your first.

3. Slimes From Breath of Fire

A normal ass slime that has no features. He’s just kind of there to get hit and disappear. Later in the game you encounter gold slimes who give you plentiful amounts of experience and money. No bells and whistles to it. So, why would I even put this on the list? To showcase the next entry.

4. Slime From Dragon Quest

I have killed a lot of these little guys and I hate it every time. Look at that face! He’s just here to be a little guy. It just has so much personality. It makes sense that this little guy became the face of the franchise. So cute. Love you, slime! Thank you for all your hard work.

Now the question is, whose cuter? This slime or the rabite? I can’t choose. You can’t make me!

(It was then that the author ran from his room and into the middle distance to start a new life)

5. Spiteful Crow from Earthbound

Look at this dude. So, cool. Those shades and that bow tie make this little guy stand out. They attack by pecking at your eyes, which to be fair is a spiteful move. However they also throw you a cookie when you return them to normal. That can make a big difference when you have lower HP levels. Maybe they’re not that spiteful, just a little bit spiteful.

6. Lying Hablerie from Persona 4 and Persona 4 Golden

There’s not enough space on this blog to point out how weird the Shin Megami Tensei/Persona games are. But Frank, you might say, there’s infinite amounts of space on the internet.

Exactly.

These things fly up and lick your handsome chad face. Still Izanagi dispatches them easily.

Why I Love This- Earthbound

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Why I Love This, is a series where I talk about the reasons I love certain books, movies, video games and songs.

For those in the know, the Super Nintendo was a golden age for the JRPG. Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy IV-VI, Secret of Mana, Breath of Fire I and 2, Terranigma and so many others. They all had a kind of medieval swords and sorcery vibe to them but then there was one that was so different, so weird and it was known as Earthbound.

Just look at that. You have no idea what’s going on if you didn’t already play it. While most games start you in villages or towns and you already have a sword on you, Earthbound starts with the young man in the striped shirt and hat in a bed at his house. He’s a kid and his next door neighbor is telling him that meteorite landed nearby. That they need to go check it out.

And that starts an adventure that has the following in it: a cult devoted to the color blue, a blues band that plays so loud that they can chase ghosts away, a town beset by zombies led by their leader Master Belch(pictured below), cosmic horrors beyond space time, helping a tribe of cave people with a book called overcoming shyness and so much more.

The game is vibrant and fun and beautiful. The whole thing feels like a little kid drew it and is writing the story, taking it wherever their imagination leads him. You don’t drink potions to heal instead whorffing down hamburgers and fries and things like that. Your enemies include living traffic lights, fire hydrants, hippies, businessmen and alien horrors. It’s so unique and wonderful and easy to pick up.

This game has influenced my writing since I played it. While there’s a part of me that will always love settings like those from Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones but I have a soft spot for urban fantasy like the Dresden Files. I think there’s something about living in a modern area with magic or powers makes everything so much more interesting because how would someone drive away from a dragon in their Kia Sorrento? Earthbound scratches that itch.

You’re just a kid trying to save the world with a baseball bat and your friends and psychic powers. It also fills the wanderlust in me by having you travel across the world. Heading to cities, deserts, pyramids and swamps.

There’s also a darker story underneath all the bright colors and pastels if you’re willing to look into it. I won’t spoil it here but I think that you should check out both the game and lore.

The game is silly and joyful and I think you should play it.