This game, a second in the
MOTHER trilogy,
follows the story of a young boy named Ness, who has psychokinetic powers, who is tasked by
a mysterious time traveler, to save the planet from the influence of the mastermind Giygas.
Along the way, he finds three other friends who are willing to join him on his quest, while
being hindered by his envious neighbor, Pokey Minch.
Developed in 1995 by HAL Software, Shigesato Itoi wanted a second entry to continue the plot
of the Japanese-only first game, MOTHER.
Nintendo was initially hesitant, since the first game did not sell all that well (and the game
was never released in America). However, they agreed, giving Itoi a small development team.
Being the first entry of the series to those outside of Japan, this game is notable for having
the references to previous games rewritten or cut in the worldwide release. As a result, there
is a significant lack of consistency in the game. Regardless, the game initially sold in
America with little success, with it's failure being attributed to the game's simplistic
graphics, and the bizzarre marketing scheme. However, many years later, the game became a cult
classic, often owing to Ness's inclusion in 1999's
Super Smash Bros.
fighting game.