EarthBound Beginnings is an RPG, so expect exploring to be a big aspect of the game. The game takes place on a large map called the field (or overworld) where all the towns and landmarks are located. The landscape is also littered enemies, as well as caves and dungeons where enemies reside. Unlike EarthBound, EarthBound Beginnings's encounters are random, so you'll have to wait and see which enemies you face!
The goal of EarthBound Beginnings is to collect eight forgotten melodies, located all over the world. Some require you to complete some task, while other are simply somewhere in the world and need to be found. When you learn all eight melodies, you'll gain access to the final boss.
Controls[edit]
: Use the direction pad to move Ninten around the world (any accompanying party members will follow his footsteps). Also use the direction pad to move the cursor around in various menus.
: Press the A button to bring up the in-game menu, to select a menu item, or to advance a conversation.
: Press the B button to cancel or back out of any particular menu selection in progress. In the world, press and hold the B button to make your party run.
: Press the Start button to pause the game and bring up the status screen when not in battle.
: Press the Select button to pause the game and bring up the world map whenever you are outside.
ATMs and Phones[edit]
In order to obtain the money you earn from battle, you have to withdraw it from the ATM. To save your game and find out how much experience points you need to get to the next level, you need to pick up a phone and call dad.
- ATM Machines: use the Cash Card to withdraw or deposit money.
- Black Phone: Black phones are free and allow you to call up dad, find out how much money you made, find out how much experience you need to get to the next level, and save your game.
- Pay Phones: Pay Phones cost $1 and functions the same way as a black phone.
Towns[edit]
As you move from town to town, it should be important to note that each town has shops and hotels. They provide you with services that can help you on your adventure. However, like all good things in life, these things cost money. Unless you have a decent supply of cash, don't go overboard on the purchases.
- Department Stores — Not every town has one, but the ones that do have multiple floors that sell different items. You can also sell your items to the clerk on the first floor.
- Drugstores — Drugstores are found in towns with no department stores. They can also be found in department stores. They sell a small number of items, usually medicine.
- Burger Joints — Burger Joints sell burgers and fries; fast food essentially. They're not that expensive and can serve you well for the first half of the game.
- Hotels — Hotels are places where you can purchase rooms to sleep in. Every town has them, and when you purchase a room, your HP and PP is full recovered. Hotels are pretty costly, so only use them when you need them.
- Inns — Inns are the same as hotels but they don't cost you anything.
- Hospitals — Hospitals are where you go to pick up KO'd allies or visit the doctor to heal status ailments. The doctor can't heal everything, though!
- Healer — Healers can recover allies that have been petrified and your PP for some money. Have some cash on hand in the event you need to see him, because healers are found far away from towns.
In the field[edit]
Command window[edit]
In the field press the A button to open up the Command Window. This window will feature six options for you to choose from:
- Talk — Allows you to converse with people and animals. You can also use this to pick up the phone to call your Dad.
- Goods — Opens up the Goods Menu and lets you look at, or use, your items.
- PSI — Opens up the PSI Menu so you can use PSI. You are only allowed to use healing PSI and Telepathy outside of battle.
- Check — Allows you to check objects. This is necessary for getting a few melodies in the game and obtaining items from present boxes and trash cans.
- State — Opens the Status Menu to check your Stats, PSI, equipment, and melodies collected.
- Setup — Allows you to change the text speed and other options.
There is also a window that appears on the bottom of your screen, which we'll call a Quick-Status Window. It shows:
- Name — The name of a character.
- Lvl — The current level of a party member
- HP — The number of HP a party member has left.
- PP — The number of PP a party member has left.
- Exp — The number of experience points a party member has.
Goods[edit]
PSI[edit]
State[edit]
The Status Window is where you can keep track of your stats., PSI, equipment, and melodies. It's a pretty important screen as it can show your advantages and weaknesses.
- Lvl. — The player's current level. This goes up after collecting a certain amount of experience points.
- HP — The player's Current/Maximum Hit Points. This goes up as you level up. When your HP reaches 0, your character is KO'd. When all characters are KO'd, the game ends.
- PP — The play's Current/Maximum Psychic Points. This goes up as you level up. Only Ninten and Ana have PP. If you have enough PP, you can use a PSI attack.
- Offense — The amount of damage you'll do to the enemies. The amount of damage given is x — ( y / 2 ), where "x" is the player's offense and "y" is the enemy's defense.
- Defense — The amount of resistance you have against damage. Damage resisted is x — ( y / 2 ), where "x" is the enemy's offense and "y" is your defense.
- Fight — Shows how often you will land smash attacks.
- Speed — Shows the character's speed. This determines who goes in what order in battle. For example, if the enemy has a speed of 18, Ninten has a speed of 15, and Lloyd has a speed of 19, the order will be "Lloyd → Ninten → Enemy" unless external factors are involved (Character gets their attributes temporarily lowered, for instance).
- Wisdom — Shows how much of a chance the player has of inflicting enemies with status ailments (by using items like the Flashdark or PSI). Obviously, you should give all status-inflicting items to the person with the highest Wisdom stat.
- Strength — A stat that shows how much HP you may receive at level. Also increases your resistance to certain status ailments.
- Force — A stat that shows how much PP you may receive at level up. Also increases your resistance to certain status ailments.
- Exp — Show the number of experience points the character has. When you've collected enough, you'll level up.
There is also PSI, which shows all the PSI the character knows; Equip, which shows the equipment the character has; and Melody, which shows all the melodies you have collected.