MOTHER 3 N64 Art
by: Snowwood on 2/18/2020
Believe it or not, there were many images besides screenshots released for MOTHER 3 N64! This page features all of the game’s promotional material over the years, which were released in magazines like Weekly Famitsu, Nintendo Power, and Dengeki Nintendo 64.
1996
The first collection of images released following the Spaceworld 1996 premiere. The character designs sure are funky lookin’ compared to what they eventually became!
Lucas’ original design, which was seen from November 1996 until November 1997. Unlike his later iteration, he looks much more like a traditional MOTHER protagonist, with darker hair and a red cap.
This enemy, known as “Emigre”, produces highly-valued milk which Tazmillians adore.
Introducing the D.C.M.C.! From left to right: Magic Zildjian, Baccio Trumpman, an unnamed singer, Shimmy Zmizz, and O.J. Hagii.
The Boogill is a fish which is able to walk on land, even heading near into the vicinity of Tazmily!
Seems like this Pigmask is being held hostage. At this point in development, they were known as the “Buhei” (Pig Warriors”).
Isaac, a twenty-one year-old bodybuilder. He’s the champion woodcutter in Tazmily!
Lookin’ kleen. Duster’s original design was widely different from his later incarnation. Like Lucas, this particular design was used from November 1996—1997. His nose rivals Ganondorf’s in length!
Living deep in the swamps of the forest, Rolly is a creature which moves by propelling its round body forward.
The waitress at Club Titiboo, later inadvertently revealed to be one of the main characters, Kumatora. Her design never changed that drastically.
Gasp! Lisa didn’t expect to be clicked on! She’s gotta hurry back to tending Tazmily’s general store!
Grumble, grumble. Mayor Pirkle’s got business to attend to at his mansion up in the hills.
The greatest actor in all of MOTHER 64, Oranga the Orangutan puts any human actors to shame. Just look at how human he is!
We have absolutely no clue who this creature could be…but his nose looks like it could make funny noises if you flicked it!
Otto is a crocodile that likes to spook humans by lifting up its front legs.
The Mysterious Peddler and Salsa sure make quite a combo. The former sure looks like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!
This familiar doughnut loving doctor was slated to reappear in MOTHER 64! This time though, he was going to make contraptions for the Pigmask Army. Perhaps Lucas and friends could inspire a change of heart…?
1997
More renders and promotional images released through out 1997. This year, they began creating mock advertisements for locations and items in the game featured in Dengeki Nintendo 64!
The official logo used since November 1997. Designed by Masaharu Takata.
Great Scale village fish. Easy to make, delicious to eat!
This baboon, known as Bihito sure has some floppy ears!
Boney is the pride and joy of Tazmily.
The cast of MOTHER 64 gather together for a Spaceworld 1997 promotional shot. Try to see how many characters you can identify! This is notable for being the first appearance of the Save Frog, visible in the front row off to the right.
A higher quality scan of the previous cast photo, but with text graphics plastered over it.
Flint’s original render, which was far more simplistic in modelling and texture compared to his later iteration.
“MOTHER 3: Forest of Strange Creatures”, the second subtitle for the game.
The Camopus sure has one large beak! It has the ability to camouflage into his environment, hence the name.
Lucas’ second design from June 1997. While this particular design was kept until cancellation, his model would undergo some re-texturing down the road.
Meet the D.C.M.C.! This album cover sure rings some bells…for the first time, we see Duster freshly designed, part of the group to the bottom left!
Great Scale Village’s Kraken sure likes to brew up some mischief.
Claus’s first identified appearance, and also the only image of his older self, sporting a buzz-cut.
The Yadogarins are a breed of hermit crabs which inhabit the Sunshine Forest. They sure are feeling it.
An advertisement for Club Titiboo! Don’t miss out on their hot, hypnotic tunes!
“Nose is flower, flower is love”; the Pigmask motto. Why not join the movement today? It’ll make you squeal with joy!
Janaika Tea. An item in the final game, known as “Innit Tea” in the fan translation.
“Do you still heavy shoe?” Yes, we do! Better grab a new, handy pair of Porks Footwear! Kinda looks similar to Lucas’s shoes, doesn’t it?
Some say Hiroki is still missing to this day. Fifty dolla to whoever finds him, dead or alive.
1998
All of these images were featured in Dengeki Nintendo 64 magazine in 1998, during the game’s tenure on the 64DD.
A more refined model of the Kraken.
An album cover for “Bon Voyage, Amigos”, labeled with their iconic catchphrase, “Cool is hot, hot is cool”.
Smart! Speed! Super! An ad for a Pork Bean. I gotta get one of these myself!
Next on Ripley’s Believe it Or Not, “Are Lucas and Claus twins?”.
“Hoo!” That’s one sinister-looking Claus.
Vote PicaPicard! A campaign poster for the Mayor. Naturally, the advertisement uses a different Romanization of his name.
Basketball is sure to attract new people to Tazmily Village! I’m sure Leder must be their hailing champion.
An advertisement for Ionia’s Fortune-Telling.
Vibe check? Ionia gazes into her crystal ball with this advertisement.
Another advertisement for Ionia’s Fortune-Telling, this time featuring a front view of her character.
A very intimidating advert for Ionia’s Fortune-Telling. The All-Seeing Eye sure forebodes some otherworldly power…
The Yado Inn is like a second home to all Tazmillians.
Ionia, “Her Himself!” Hrmmm…just who is this strange being? I’m not seeing them clearly!
An advertisement for Pork Bean Driving School. Please recommend to your friends!
Thomas’s General Store. Don’t let his off-the-wall appearance put you off; they’re the finest shop in Tazmily!
Richie, a seven year-old villager.
Nichol, a five year-old villager.
Even at fifty-five years old, Mayor Pirkle is still respected as one of Tazmily’s most prideful residents.
Lighter, a thirty year-old woodsman.
Fuel, Lighter’s eight year-old son.
A prideful Butch shows off his Top Breeder trophy, which he won for his fine pigs!
1999
These unfortunately were the last few promotional images released for the game, in the summer of 1999.
The final logo, finally revealed to be “MOTHER 3: Fall of the Pig King”, on August 27th, 1999.
The main family grouped together for a promotional shot, all bearing their finalized designs.
Why not try some delicious Kraken Soup? It’s sure to revitalize your HP!
Character and Environment Concept Art by Benimaru Itoh
Below is a collection of early concept art of the game’s landscapes and characters from Benimaru “Ashura” Itoh.
A grumpy looking Tazmily villager. I wonder what sort of nasty things he smelled this morning to put him in such a bad mood…
Some sort of kitchen. Apparently Itoh did over 100 sketches of shops like these.
A stone bridge which leads to some sort of settlement overgrown with moss.
Club Titiboo, where all the action happens. We see the famous Ness-lookalike on the left and Kumatora on the right. The in-game models are very accurate to the concept art here!
Various early designs for Lucas. The one labelled “A” is what they eventually went with for the game’s 1996 iteration.
A villager named Lardna.
Lucas speeding around on a Porkbean. This art seems to be based around his final design!
The abandoned Osohe Castle towers high over the trees.
More artwork of Osohe Castle, this one instead featuring a moat and more decrepit appearance.
A lower quality, but full version of the previous image.
Another angle of Osohe Castle.
Sunbeams shine down on the forest; I wonder whose house that is to the right?
Starving villagers scavenge for edibles in this pirate village. The dog on the right has a unsettling realistic looking foot in his mouth…and does that building say, “POLKY’S?” Hrmmm…
A lower quality, but non-watermarked, version of the previous image.
Charmingly-detailed artwork of Tazmily Village.
A treehouse cafe.
Concept art of various vehicles and enemies that would’ve appeared in the game. Lucas and Claus are also seen accelerating the minecart away from Pigs on the hunt for them!
A huge sunset in the desert.
Artwork of a river in Shimedori Forest.
The crossroads in Tazmily Village. Great Rock can be seen towering in the distance.
Lucas (in his early poncho design) explores the murky depths of Unlost Cave.
A dome shaped building looks over a mountainside on the horizon.
A bordered town with a bunch of mystical looking pink buildings. Almost “Magicant-like”, don’t you think?
A village full of egg shaped buildings. Likely belonging to the Yottore.
A village suspended in the treetops.
A rustic-looking orange tinted castle.
The blacksmith’s smokey hut.
A silly looking pirate NPC selling the catch of the day.
An exterior of a shop in the “Pirate Village” which likely became Great Scale.
A hot air balloon hovering outside some sort of fortress in the forest at night.
An oil-digging machine.
Enemy Concept Art by Toshinao Aoki
Below is a collection of enemy concepts and locations from Toshinao Aoki, a freelance artist.
Concept art of Rolly, detailing his walk cycle as he exits the swamp.
The villagers witness the strange sight of the Kraken in Great Scale Village.
A much lower quality, but full version of the previous image.
The enormous Kraken menacingly ensnares a villager in its jaws in this piece of concept art. The red sunset emits a sense of malice…
The flying rat has been terrorizing the village, biting villager’s heads!
A flying pelican with a huge beak!
