This interview was published immediately after the announcement of MOTHER 3 on the GBA. Itoi speaks about his “criminal record” concerning game development, reassuring that they’re taking caution regarding the development of MOTHER 3. Despite being overjoyed that it’ll come out for certain this time, Itoi feels somewhat apprehensive talking about the game due to the previous cancellation on the N64.

The interviewer questions its release on the handheld system, to which Itoi responds, “Originally, I didn’t envision MOTHER 3 being released on a platform of this size…so I carefully thought it over and came to the realization that I was trapped in the mindset that everything I made had to be epic and grandiose. I was trying to give everyone a work of epic proportions and that’s where I failed. But recently, I’ve started to feel that perhaps there’s a different niche I can fill. And this realization, while not the sole reason, is among the reasons why I chose the Game Boy Advance for MOTHER 3.

Itoi didn’t escape conversation about MOTHER 3 for long – as this interview snippet appeared on his blog just over a week later! Just as before, Itoi is extremely hesitant to reveal any information on MOTHER 3. He tells the Hobonichi: “I don’t feel it would be a good idea to talk about it yet. If I were to say something, it would wind up set in stone and take away from our creative freedom”. He compares his feelings to a couple refraining from announcing they’re expecting, until they’re absolutely sure about it. On this subject, Itoi says he would like people to forget about MOTHER 3 for now, as he doesn’t feel the need to show anything until the game is finished. He calls imagining things during the wait “another part of the game experience”.

This is whopping ten part interview was published on 1101.com’s MOTHER 3 page between April 18th and May 1st 2006. In it, Itoi reflects on his experiences making MOTHER 3 with Yasuhiro Nagata. The game was revived during a visit to Kyoto one day, where Miyamoto bluntly pleaded to Itoi, “Please make MOTHER 3 for the Game Boy Advance” when they entered a taxi together. From there, Itoi felt incredibly inspired, “If I just take a month or so to myself, and concentrate on writing interesting dialogue and scenarios, I’m sure I can do it!” He talks about how the original N64 version of MOTHER 3 was envisioned more as a blockbuster movie, and admitted it was hard to let go of that for the handheld version.

On the topic, Itoi talks about the future of video-games and how they seem to be leaning towards portable experiences. He says it’s something Miyamoto predicated, and why MOTHER 3 ended up on the GBA in the end. A lot of troubles went into the making of the game, to which Itoi looks to inspire younger people reading this interview, “..Take it to heart when I say “making it happen” is a wonderful thing.” Many more details are also elaborated upon, such as the writing process of the game, Itoi’s over-ambition with the N64 version, and why Flint’s role ended up changing over the course of development!

A live video interview with Itoi was hosted by Hobonichi on the day of MOTHER 3’s release.

Other parts are also uploaded on niconico: Part 2 and Part 3.

Make sure you’ve beat MOTHER 3 before you read this interview! It’s quite the MOTHER-load of information. This whopping multi-part interview contains more insight to the game’s creation than we can summarize! Nintendo Dream sat down with Itoi a couple of months after MOTHER 3’s launch to hold a retrospective on the title. Everything you could ever want to know about the game is here: from the development of the failed N64 iteration, to Itoi’s feelings post-release. Find out how MOTHER 3 ended up with a pixel art style reminiscent of the first two games, along with the creation of the game’s music with Shogo Sakai.

However, if you want to dig even deeper into the secrets behind the N64 version, from the cancellation to the original plans for the final battle, Itoi reveals all here! Hear the minds behind MOTHER 3 open the curtains on: the purpose of Happy Boxes, origin of Save Frogs and the humanity behind the elusive Pig King. All this and more awaits you in this Nintendo Dream interview!

Fellow MOTHER community member and video-game media preservationist, OkeijiDragon, had the pleasure of conducting this special interview. Here, he speaks to the first (and at the time only) Western employee at Brownie Brown, Brendan Sechter. Brendan was one of the few debuggers for MOTHER 3, who beat it with no equipment or items and under ten hours! At first, he played through the game normally for a couple weeks, reporting his general opinion on the game. At this point in time, the last area of the game and ending were not even completed. Brendan reveals that during the development of MOTHER 3, the N64 prototype was set up in the lounge room and used as reference. On the topic of the prototype, Brendan says, “I wasn’t a MOTHER fan, but I was trying be enthusiastic about my position there, so I tried it out. As far as I can recall, it was most of the first chapter (with a very Flintstones feel) and some cut scenes. The game crashed toward the end of the chapter.”

At the MOTHER 3 launch event, Brendan recalls seeing images of the N64 version that he had never previously seen, believing there was more to the prototype than what he had played. Luckily, he got a paper cup signed by Shigesato Itoi himself at this event! Many elements changed during the development of the game, with tons of unused data being discovered to this day. Unfortunately, Brendan didn’t recall the purpose of some of the unused sprites, but he did call the “finishing touches” near the end the most satisfying part of development. What was he least favourite part of MOTHER 3, you ask? The underwater area, of course! We assure you, many fans feel your pain!

An interview with Brownie Brown from 2013 about their company legacy with a focus on Fantasy Life, and it even includes an image of their rough-draft GBA redesigns for Lucas, Claus, what may be Tazmily with a few character sprites, and more!

Nintendo Dream published this retrospective on MOTHER 3’s development back in November 2015. When asked about what left the greatest impression during MOTHER 3’s development, Itoi said that the moment they decided to cancel the N64 version left a great impact on him. “It’s not like it was anyone’s fault, but it was perhaps the results of the competence and various balances at that time. Only the vision kept getting bigger, and I felt that if everyone wanted to make what they wished for, it will never be finished”.

Like many, Nintendo Dream wondered if many features were left behind on the N64 version. Itoi did reveal that while many things were left behind, new elements were added in return, feeling “the MOTHER 3 that had been inside me was wholly unleashed right at that time”. In regards to the art direction, Itoi felt that sprite art matched the series best in the end.

In terms of the many artists he worked with over the years, Kouichi Ooyama (MOTHER 2 Art Director) and Toshinao Aoki (MOTHER 64 Enemy Designer) meshed well with his vision best. Just like previous games in the series, MOTHER 3’s scenario was written with Itoi reciting each line orally while a couple of staff members typed them in. Many debates were had during the game’s development, such as the believability of Flint’s endless search for Claus. Itoi and Nintendo Dream converse about the profound impact that MOTHER has had not only on parents, but worldwide. In the end, Itoi despite the specific messages MOTHER 3 conveys, “…each person should be able to find their own way to enjoy MOTHER 3”.

Echoes – Writer 2020-2022

Kody NOKOLO – Writer

8lackSphinx – Editor

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