"15 Minutes Of Fame" - The youthful member of the Tessie-Watching Club, pictured above, is motivated to get his "15 minutes of fame" by spotting the mythical Tessie in the waters of Winters.

Andy Warhol - A famous American artist (1928-1987) and major figure in Pop art, a style or movement that dabbled in popular culture, consumerism and the ordinary or items found in everyday life. Probably best known for his Campbell's Soup Cans (1962) and Marilyn Diptych (1962)—among other things—he is credited (or possibly miscredited) with this popular phrase.

The full quote—"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes."—essentially suggests that every person will experience some sense of short-lived fame, celebrity or infamy. It grounds the fantasy world of EarthBound by providing an air of familiarity from our world.

Aloysius Minch - Father of Pokey and Picky Minch; husband of Lardna; next-door neighbors to Ness and his family.

Atticus Finch - The beloved father and righteous, lawyer hero of the classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning, American novel, To Kill A Mockingbird (1960), by Harper Lee. Actor Gregory Peck, who portrayed the just protagonist in the movie rendition in 1962, won the Academy Award for his performance.

It may be more than a coincidence that the anything-but-virtuous father figure of Pokey and Picky Minch — Aloysius Minch — almost rhymes.

Apple Kid and Orange Kid - Two, young inventors found in the town of Twoson.

comparing apples to oranges - A popular saying that makes a comparison between two things that are uniquely different.

The names of these characters seem to be a play on the rather common saying or idiom of the English language (in America, and perhaps abroad). Some have hypothesized that both characters represent inventors, Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison.

The Orange Kid is popular and creates useless inventions, while the Apple Kid is unpopular, messy and actually invents beneficial items that assist Ness' party in advancing in the game. On the surface, the Apple Kid and the Orange Kid may seem to be very much alike (both being youthful inventors from Twoson), but upon closer inspection and interaction, Ness and the party learns quickly that outward appearances aren't always what they seem: despite the Apple Kid's unkempt and disorganized appearance, he proves to be an invaluable, dependable ally.

Apple of Enlightenment - An ambiguous or cryptic item, mentioned in Magicant around the Sea Of Eden, that prophesies Ness and his impending fate with Giygas.

Forbidden Fruit - (Pictured above is Hendrick Goltzius' "The Fall of Man" (1616).) The painting above depicts the idea of "forbidden fruit". From the Book of Genesis (the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament), the "forbidden fruit" is described as a fruit that grew in the Garden of Eden that God forbade the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, to eat.

After a serpent tempts Eve and Adam succumbs to the temptation from Eve to eat the fruit, God eventually expels the couple from the garden. The event is, sometimes, referred to as "the original sin".

In the loosest of interpretations, perhaps the Apple Of Enlightenment alludes to the supposed "apple" (that the forbidden fruit has grown to be known as, although it is never explicitly named in the original text), since it is referred to in or near the Sea—not Garden—of Eden.

"Beat It" - While at the Onett Arcade, one of the members of the Sharks gang tells Ness to "just beat it!"

"Beat It" - An award-winning, #1 hit, rock song from the multiplatinum-selling album, Thriller (1982), by American singer and performer, Michael Jackson. The song and music video reflect the idea of being tough, yet smart, knowing when to fight and when to run.

The Sharks gang member, coincidentally, tells Ness to "just beat it!"—that phrase is repeated throughout the song, "Beat It". As if that is not enough of a similarity, the music video features rival gangs fighting and climaxes in an epic knife-fight-turned-dance-sequence—Ness' adventure parallels this by having him face off against the knife-wielding leader of the Sharks, Frank.

Big Foot - A friendly character, similar to the Cave Boy enemies found in Winters, who sets up shop in Dr. Andonuts Lab.

Big Foot - Also known as Sasquatch, this ape-like creature of legend and folklore originated in North America. This cryptid has been a fixture in popular culture and debated as to whether it is a hoax or an actual creature.

Big Foot lends another touch of the American mystique to the game—not in the actual character, which is more caveman than Sasquatch—but in name. Additionally, he is in an interesting region of the game where the supernatural, legendary and science fiction intersect: Winters.

Big League Bat - A mid-level weapon that Ness can acquire and wield in battle. It costs $3,080 in the drugstore found in Summers or $1,380 in the convenience store spread found in the bazaar in Scaraba.

Major League Baseball, aka "The Big Leagues" - One of the major sports leagues established in America (with limited representation extending into Canada). Major League Baseball has been in existence since 1903. There are currently 30 teams. Some of the more successful and well-known teams include the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

Ness' weapon of choice is the baseball bat. Baseball is known as America's pastime. To add to the American flavor of the game, the Big League Bat is one of the most powerful Ness can get.

Blue Cow - A cow in Happy Happy Village, who is painted blue... as much of the town is, as requested by Mr. Carpainter.

sacred cow - Cows are held in reverence and are associated with deities in Hinduism, thus the phrase, sacred cow. (Pictured above is a representation of Nandi, the bull and steed of Shiva, one of the main deities in Hinduism.)

However, when it is used more colloquially, it can refer to something or someone unreasonably immune from criticism or opposition.

For the religious zealots of Happy Happy Village, they are obsessed with obeying the words and carrying out the orders brought down by their leader, Mr. Carpainter—no matter how crazed or nonsensical or potentially scary or dangerous they may be. He wants the world colored blue, so they start with their own town by wearing blue, hooded cloaks; painting local buildings and houses... and their overzealousness, literally, spills over onto their livestock!

It seems that Itoi drew direct inspiration from religious cults in his home country (Happy Science (Happy is directly in its name!) and Aum Shinrikyo) and possibly abroad with the coincidental timing of the Branch Davidians and the Waco, Texas siege and standoff that happened in the United States in 1993.

Finally, since EarthBound is unafraid to examine and be provocative about religion and other topics that Nintendo usually encouraged the shunning of, Itoi decided to reach beyond Christianity and the other monotheistic disciplines and bring in Hinduism with its practices and veneration of cattle for this subtle representation of a "sacred cow".

"Bow... ...now brown cow?" - In this trumpet player's house, his dog speaks to Ness and his party. Whereas a dog's bark is, oftentimes, translated as "bow wow", this dog tricks Ness and friends (and the game player) by beginning his speaking pattern with "Bow...", but then, finishing it off with "...now brown cow?"

"How now, brown cow" - A nonsensical phrase used in teaching English pronunciation; its origins are unclear.

Just a random, hilarious piece of writing to include. The phrase is, sometimes, used as a playful greeting meaning, "hello". The phrase has shown up in some films.

Brick Road - A character in EarthBound who enjoys building dungeons, including his Brick Road Maze near the shores of Lake Tess in Winters. In an implausible twist, he later becomes a living, walking manifestation of an actual, strange tower in Scaraba, known as Dungeon Man.

The Wizard Of Oz - A children's novel by author, L. Frank Baum, that was first published in 1900. There is a Yellow Brick Road that the quartet of heroes follows throughout the novel. It leads to the Emerald City of Oz.

The name, Brick Road, is one of two references to L. Frank Baum's The Wizard Of Oz. The book shares similarities with EarthBound: both feature a youthful hero/heroine who travels far and wide on a wild adventure with three companions.

Burglin Park - A spacious park found in the town of Twoson. Within its confines, a large number of vendors sell their wares at the Flea Market and are victims of extortion, paying off Everdred to stay in business.

burglar - One who commits the crime of burglary.

Ironically, Burglin Park is near the home of Everdred, the notorious thief and extortionist/racketeer who accepts payoffs from the park's merchants for "protection". (It is stated that the vendors would rather choose Everdred instead of enlisting the police because of their corruption.)

Despite the shakedown payments, large number of thefts still happen here. Doubly-ironic, the term burglary implies breaking into a structure—not necessarily the vending spaces in this open-market—to steal.

Buzz Buzz's Time Travel From Devastated Future Plot - Buzz Buzz returns from 10 years in the future from a time and place ravaged by the destruction wrought by Giygas. Buzz Buzz seeks out Ness to warn and prepare him for his fateful battle to save humanity and the future.

The Terminator - An American, science fiction, horror, action movie from 1984, directed by James Cameron. Its plot involves time travel and a humanoid, robot assassin (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) programmed to travel back in time from a post-apocalyptic future where humanity is all, but decimated, to relentlessly and indiscriminately hunt down and "terminate" the life of the mother (Sarah Connor - played by Linda Hamilton) of the future resistance fighter (John Connor) who will ultimately defeat the artificial intelligence (Skynet) behind the near-extinction.

Buzz Buzz fills the role of character, Kyle Reese (played by Michael Biehn), the resistance fighter who is sent back to current times from the future to protect Sarah Connor from the Terminator cyborg. Likewise, Buzz Buzz returns to the present to warn Ness of the future and to tell him of his prominent role and destiny in saving mankind. Buzz Buzz even joins the party and guards Ness for a short time, successfully fighting off a fearsome, metallic figure (Starman Jr. , essentially another robot like the Terminator), until. . . his story is tragically, yet comically, cut short by a swat.

Calorie Stick - A food item that helps restore HP (approximately 60 HP (Hit Points)) or 6 HP for Poo. It costs $18 at the Threed Drugstore, the Dusty Dunes Desert Drugstore and the Grand Department Store in Fourside.

Calorie Mate - A health food/meal supplement, originally produced by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. out of Japan in 1983. Popular in Japan, the snack bar comes in a range of flavors and is consumed to tide over hunger between meals or as a nutrient-rich, meal substitute.

The Calorie Stick introduced gamers outside of Japan to the Calorie Mate food item. It is a rare instance in EarthBound in which something not well-known in American or western culture is present and used.

Casey Bat - A special baseball bat that Ness can use. It is an extremely powerful weapon, but just like its namesake, the Casey Bat has a high offensive attack, but it swings and misses most of the time—only connecting at a 25% rate.

"Casey At The Bat" - Originally published in the Daily Examiner on June 3, 1888, this epic poem by Ernest Thayer accounts the exploits of fictional, baseball slugger, "mighty Casey", whose hubris and arrogance gets the best of him, causing him to strike out, while underestimating his opponent and not trying, thus letting his team down.

The Casey Bat taps into the love affair of America with one of its pastimes—baseball. The bat, whose swing-and-miss rate is atrocious, has the potential to be very effective, just like "Mighty Casey".

City Bus - A bus service that provides transportation between some of the towns in Eagleland (Twoson, Threed, Dusty Dunes Desert and Fourside).

Greyhound Lines, Inc. - A transportation company in the United States that offers bus trips to a number of cities within the country and North America. It was founded in 1914 by Carl Wickman.

If the viewer inspects the writing on the City Buses closely, they appear to read "GRAY HAND BUS" (when the vehicles face toward the right)—a safe way to copy the well-known bus line's name.

Red Delivery Truck With Logo - Large, delivery trucks with long trailers can be seen driving through the streets in towns, like Summers.

In EarthBound, the red trailers contain a white, stick figure character appearing to run.

However, in Mother 2 (Japan's local version of the game), the white figure is replaced with a whorled, cursive script that reads "Come" and a swirly, white stroke beneath. The phrase, "Come", the swoosh symbol and the red-and-white color pattern look remarkably similar to the Coca-Cola logo.

Coca-Cola - A carbonated, soft drink or soda that is well-known and consumed throughout much of the world.

Coca-Cola—an American soft drink that enjoys near international or universal, brand recognition—is parodied and highlighted, perhaps subtly pointing at consumerism and the pervasiveness of the reach and influence of another American, commercial and cultural icon.

Crazed Sign - A strange, anthropomorphic enemy encountered in the urbanscape of roads and paths in Moonside.

Ohio HWY 40 - A highway found in the state of Ohio in America.

Another instance of inspiration from America, some imagination was conjured up and conceived from the state name, OHIO, to form a face for the Crazed Sign foe.

Crooked Cop, Overzealous Cop, Captain Strong - Under a sub heading found in the fictional ONETT TIMES newspaper called "POLICE ATTACK INNOCENT BOY!!", a snippet from the official manual reads: "Five policemen, under the direction of Chief Strong, ganged up on a local youth who, they claim, was trespassing in closed territory. To their surprise, the boy trounced them all, including the chief. It was caught on video by a bystander and will be aired on this evening's news."

Rodney King Police Brutality Video - On March 3, 1991, after a high-speed car chase, motorist and intoxicated parolee, Rodney King, suffered a savage beating at the hands of four officers from the Los Angeles Police Department. The incident was captured on video by George Holliday from his balcony. After the footage was sent to and aired by television station, KTLA, the incident sparked a public discourse on racial tension and relations and police brutality.

The disturbing incident became an international story, shocking many who witnessed the brutal acts and making many realize the dire state of racism and police brutality first-hand in their living rooms for the first time. Never shying away from a controversial topic, EarthBound boldly and memorably addressed the flash point incident by placing Ness in an equally-terrifying and vulnerable position against a group of police officers.

Cup Of Noodles, Cup Of Lifenoodles - The Cup Of Noodles is a food item that can help restore limited health; the Cup Of Lifenoodles is an item that cures many ailments and provides the same effects as Poo's Heal Ω. The Cup Of Lifenoodles can be found in any number of Gift Boxes (such as in the Talah Rama's Cave within the Dusty Desert Dunes) or can be given to you by one of the Mr. Saturns in Saturn Valley.

Cup Noodles - A brand of instant ramen first developed in 1971 by Nissin Foods out of Japan. Cup Noodle is a registered trademark of Nissin Foods.

The Cup Of Noodles and Cup Of Lifenoodles are modeled after the popular packages of Cup Noodles found in Japan and competitor brands there and abroad.

Dali's Clock - An unusual and particularly-specific enemy that can affect time and mainly appears in Moonside.

Salvador Dali's "The Persistence Of Memory" - Originally painted by Salvador Dali in 1931, this work of art is one of the most popular examples of Surrealism. It is famous for its melted clock imagery.

Dali's Clock and the Abstract Art enemy are examples of EarthBound's irreverent sense of humor, perhaps, poking fun at the perceived pretentiousness and absurdity of some pieces of art and/or collectors, critics, appraisers and artists.

The fact that they are found in the reversed, dimensional area of Moonside may be further testament that the creators are needling these same targets by suggesting that these forms of art only make sense in a warped, twisted representation of reality.

Furthermore, Dali's Clock is such a universally-recognized image from a famous painting that it fits into this game's pseudo-realistic world quite well, lending another touch of our real-life world to help make Eagleland feel more vibrant and relatable.

Death Ray - A special weapon and one of the more powerful ones for Jeff that is found near the entrance of Tenda Village.

Death Ray - A mysterious or fictional weapon that would theoretically use beams or pulses of energy or waves that could bring death and destruction to all within its path. A number of scientists and inventors have claimed to work on one of these, with perhaps the most famous being Nikola Tesla. He claimed to have invented one and that it could bring down airplanes from miles away. But, no real or firm evidence of it has ever seen the light of day. Several science fiction works have employed the use of a "death ray" including EarthBound.

The Death Ray fits in with the game's outer space feel and science fiction vibes. The early chapter of the game feels like a classic, 1950s or 1960s, sci-fi movie where the inclusion of a Death Ray would not feel out-of-place.

Deep Darkness - An area outside of Scaraba that the guide refers to as "located in the heart of the world's largest rainforest". The Hawk Eye is needed to pierce through the "deep darkness" to see and explore through its jungle-like interior and treacherous swamps and waterways. It leads to the Tenda Village.

Heart Of Darkness - Written by Joseph Conrad and originally published in 1899, this novella—with settings in Africa, along the Congo River—deals with imperialism/colonialism, exploitation and the darker side of human nature.

The name, "Deep Darkness", plays off of the title of Conrad's book. It doubles as a geographic reference to an in-game version of Africa (or possibly, South America and its Amazon basin) and as a symbolic hint to the further deterioration of the hearts of the characters affected by Giygas' influence, especially as the adventure progresses closer to its end.

Diamond Dog - Revealed as the second half of the boss fight against the Carbon Dog in the Fire Spring of the Lost Underworld, this tough enemy seems to be composed of a hard shell of pure diamond. It guards the final part of the eight melodies to be recorded into Ness' Sound Stone.

Diamond Dogs album by David Bowie - This eighth album by English rocker, David Bowie—whose cover artwork was considered controversial—displayed the sounds of glam rock, punk and soul. Its title track, "Diamond Dogs", thematically, seemed to portray a post-apocalyptic scene in perhaps New York.

It seems that David Bowie influenced the creative side of members of the EarthBound staff a number of times. This album title proved to be an inspiring idea for a unique enemy. Also, it can be inferred that perhaps some of the lyrics from "Diamond Dogs" exhibit some of the same sci-fi, dystopian tones that would await the future of mankind in EarthBound, if Ness and his friends fall to Giygas.

Dirty Child - A random, child character that can be seen in EarthBound.

Pigpen (Peanuts Comic Strip) - He is one of the many distinct characters found in the Peanuts comic strip world of Charles M. Schulz. He is fondly remembered for his uncleanliness and the cloud of dirt that floats around him. His name comes from the idea that pigs live in a pen and, oftentimes, cover themselves in mud for protection from sunlight and to stay cool.

This soiled NPC wanders around EarthBound, wearing the almost identical, gray clothing of Pigpen, dust cloud or orbiting dirt particles intact. Ironically, the children of EarthBound share a similar look with the children, who populate the Peanuts comic strip world of Charles M. Schulz. Charlie Brown and his friends seem to speak about adult topics, yet still retain their childlike innocence—just like Ness and his friends—and have been beloved by Americans for generations.

Donkey Kong (Onett Arcade) - in the Onett Arcade, there are a number of arcade cabinets on display: one, of which, looks remarkably like a pixelated version of Donkey Kong.

Donkey Kong - A wildly-popular and influential arcade game, developed and published by Nintendo in 1981. It spawned the universally-known characters of Mario, Donkey Kong and Pauline.

By including mock-up screens of Nintendo's very own, Donkey Kong, EarthBound exhibits more of that self-reference.

Dragonite - A Bag of Dragonite can be acquire and used offensively by Ness and the gang. This item—which cannot be bought in stores—can be used to turn a member of the party into "a dragon for a single attack" in battle.

Dragon Powder is found in the network of passageways within the Talah Rama's Cave during the extensive set of trades that Ness makes with the monkeys who guard the entrances found there. A Bag Of Dragonite can be found among the gift boxes in the Fire Spring area of the Lost Underworld and within those that lie in Magicant, also.

Dragonite - Fans of the Pokémon franchise would also know that a Dragonite is one of the many pocket monsters to be found in their games.

It may be more than a coincidence, but several, former employees from Ape Inc., who helped with the development of EarthBound, would go on to found Creatures Inc. This Japanese, video game company would later join Game Freak Inc. and Nintendo as co-owners of Pokémon.

Eagleland - It is the main home region or area where Ness lives and begins his adventure. The towns of Onett, Twoson, Threed and Fourside all reside within Eagleland, as do the Dusty Dunes Desert and Peaceful Rest Valley.

Bald Eagle - The national bird of the United States of America, it is prominently displayed on several government and monumental seals, landmarks, currency and other official entities (like the Great Seal of the United States seen above).

Eagleland is another way to say "the land of the eagle"... in this case, the bald eagle. America and its culture—bald eagle and all—are central focuses of EarthBound.

Earth's Belly Button - The center of the world or earth which plays on the location of the Lost Underground and alludes to inspiration from other literature. It seems to feed into the supernatural and sci-fi energy found throughout EarthBound.

Navel Of The World - The site of a proposed center of the world, which is also related to the Latin phrase, axis mundi, meaning the world axis or an imaginary line that passes through the Earth's center.

Several civilizations and locales that hold to traditions of older cultures and religious centers have laid claim to this. There are various examples. In the 6th century B.C., Delphi was a religious center and symbol of unity to the ancient Greeks and was considered the center of the world (omphalos) according to myth. Easter Island (Chile) has its own Navel Of The World: a rounded rock with unique, magnetic properties, surrounded by other stones in a compass-like layout. According to legend, it is the source from which all life sprang.

An earth's belly button, or the Navel of the World, would imply a deep mystical or mysterious focal point or spiritual connection, which connects well with the celestial, supernatural, larger-than-life happenings throughout the geography of the game. Furthermore, Ness and friends travel deep within the world beneath the surface, getting closer to the core, which further drives the point.

"Eat my shorts" - An insult that is seen twice in EarthBound: 1) as graffiti scrawled across a hotel billboard in Summers by Pokey insulting "his neighbor", Ness; and 2) uttered by a police officer in Fourside after the evil influence of Giygas and Monotoli passes.

"Eat my shorts" - A popular, derogatory catchphrase that was uttered by the well-known, grade-school character, Bart Simpson, from the long-running cartoon, The Simpsons.

Bart Simpson—being a popular, animated, American youngster with a propensity for humor and sass—served well being referenced in the EarthBound experience.

Enrich Flavor - In Fourside, the name of a character of little significance who fills in the vacancy left behind when Geldegarde Monotoli regains his senses after the Mani Mani Statue is removed. To try to atone for his bad ways, Monotoli abdicates his mayoral title and stops his unconscionable pursuit for material riches. Enrich Flavor quickly pounces to take the place of Monotoli. He changes the names of the Fourside skyscraper and the local hotel to the Enrich Flavor Building and the Enrich Grand Hotel, respectively.

Enrich - A straightforward and obvious pun on this minor character's name.

Enrich is a name that is a play on the idea of enhancing taste or improving value. Ironically, Monotoli discovers true richness and fulfillment in his life when he gives up his greedy obsession for money and power. He becomes happier working as an elevator man in his former building, appreciating simple things rather than being driven as a rich, mean, controlling tyrant.

Escargo Express - The name of the delivery service in EarthBound that comes to pick up and drop off items for management of your party's inventory. Ness' sister, Tracy, works for the company.

Escargot - This is a French dish made from snails.

Snails are extremely slow creatures, so the name, Escargo, when combined with Express (meaning "fast"), forms an alliterative oxymoron. The terms imply opposite meanings - slow fast!

Additionally, part of the word escargo contains the word cargo, (note that the end of escargot and the word, cargo, are pronounced the same way) which is another name for the items being transported... so there is another play on words.

Finally, there is a joke about the condition and care of deliveries—Neglected Class—which unfortunately is the way a lot of customers feel when their packages arrive damaged and/or late, especially in this era of increased deliveries.

This is another funny play on words and ideas. Instead of Cargo Express, Escargo Express changes the idea of a fast delivery service to one that may move at a snail's pace.

Evil Eye - An odd foe comprised of a set of disembodied legs and a large, single eye that delivers a series of fear-inducing ailments (Feeling Strange, Paralysis and Diamondization). It appears in Onett late in the game.

Evil Eye - A perceived curse in a number of cultures that involves the notion of a person having the ability to send a glance that delivers harm, ill will, misfortune or even death toward the target of the stare. Amulets, charms and/or other superstitious routines, behaviors or actions are worn or carried or performed to deflect the effects of said evil eye.

The Evil Eye serves as another thing of superstitious and unexplainable nature that occupies the game. Although the notion of an evil eye spooks many people still, it stands outside the realm of the verifiable or confirmable in the natural world of our real-life Earth.

Exit Mouse - At the house, just south of Onett along the trail to Twoson, Ma Mouse will implore you to take one of her sons along with you—if space allows in your inventory. The Exit Mouse is very useful in that it will instantly lead you out of deep mazes or intricate caves, such as the Gold Mine found in the Dusty Dunes Desert.

Lab Rat/Mouse In Maze - Some rodents are used in scientific experimentation. As seen often in popular culture, some testing may involve mice and rats finding their ways out of mazes.

The Exit Mouse is probably inspired by laboratory mice and rats that are/were used in experiments in mazes. Interesting enough, there is a mouse that lives in the home of the Apple Kid, who is an inventor. This mouse may symbolically represent a "lab rat". Finally, the Exit Mouse is one of a number of animals that assumes human characteristics, but is an ally unaffected by Giygas.

Franklin Badge - A protective item that, when equipped, deflects lightning attacks. Paula gives it to Ness, while in Happy Happy Village.

Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790) - A Founding Father of the United States, his wide knowledge and expertise and varied roles as writer, scientist, statesman, printer, diplomat, inventor and more left a significant, lasting impression on the development of the United States of America.

Among many things, Benjamin Franklin is well-known for his experiments with electricity. Being that he is synonymous with the founding of America and that the idea of elemental attacks, like Thunder or Lightning, is/was a common sight to see in many RPGs, it goes without saying that the Franklin Badge was a clever item to include.

Frankystein Mark II - After battling Frank, leader of the Sharks gang in Onett, Ness will have to fight this robotic, tank-like adversary.

Frankenstein - A classic in Gothic horror, this novel was written in 1818 by English author, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. The book is about a scientist (Victor Frankenstein) who creates a living creature through scientific experimentation, and all of the consequences, responsibilities and troubles that ensue as a result of the Creature's existence.

This "maniacal robot" that backs up Frank in battle (Frankystein Mark II) is influenced by the creature built by Victor Frankenstein in the 1818 novel by Mary Shelley. Both are created and "brought to life" and the Frankystein Mark II, once again, reveals how heavily the game is flavored by classic literature.

Gaia Beam - The most powerful, beamed weapon that Jeff can build from the Broken Antenna—it can be crafted one Jeff reaches IQ level 65. There is a 1-128 chance that Uncontrollable Spheres in Lumine Hall will drop a Broken Antenna, as well.

Gaia - (Pictured above is a terra-cotta statuette of Gaea from Tanagra, Greece.) In Greek mythology, she was the goddess of the Earth; essentially Mother Earth and the mother of all of the other gods.

Gaia is a personification of Earth and a mother figure of life. The themes of mothers, motherhood and the planet Earth loom large in EarthBound... so much so that Mother is the title of the series in Japan. Gaia, being a goddess representation of Earth, is an appropriate name choice to be used in EarthBound.

Geldegarde Monotoli - This former real estate agent is the mayor of Fourside. Under his leadership (and with Mani Mani Statue in hand), corruption and crime flourishes.

Monopoly - A popular, board game that was published by Parker Brothers. Its current iteration dates back to 1935, and was created by Charles Darrow, based off of The Landlord's Game by Lizzie Magie.

Geldegarde - It is a name whose roots could have a number of different, possible meanings: one could mean "to guard a castrated man" (construed as a weaker man); another "to guard something or someone that has been deprived of a natural part or a crucial element" (construed as Monotoli losing his free will to Giygas' influence); still another may suggest "to guard gold" (construed as greed and avarice or what seems to be the modus operandi of Monotoli).

Mayor Monotoli was a former real estate agent. Monopoly is a game all about acquiring and controlling property... with the ultimate goal of owning all of the properties, or holding a monopoly over all of the real estate.

Giant Step - The EarthBound Strategy Guide reads: "Just north of Onett is an unusual land formation that looks, quite literally, as if it were a giant's footprint. Of course, many local legends abound about its origin. It's a tourist favorite." It, also, is the first "Your Sanctuary" site.

Gulliver's Travels - A satirical novel by author, Jonathan Swift, that was first published in 1726. One of the fictional lands found within the book—Brobdingnag—is inhabited by giants. Details about these giants' strides and steps appear within the book.

One passage reads: ..."He (an inhabitant) appeared as tall as an ordinary spire steeple, and took about ten yards at every stride...".

Another passage later reads: "Scared and confounded as I was, ...when one of the reapers, approaching within ten yards of the ridge where I lay, made me apprehend that with the next step I should be squashed to death under his foot...".

EarthBound actually makes allusions to Gulliver's Travels again in the Lilliput Steps area. (More about this later.)

Neil Armstrong's Famous Speech - Another possible source of inspiration for Giant Step could arise from the iconic quote by American astronaut, Neil Armstrong, who uttered his historical phrase, upon being the first person to step upon the surface of the Moon on July 20, 1969: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

It feels like Gulliver's Travels could have lent a lot of inspiration to EarthBound—with its visits to unique places, the satirical encounters with the local folk and how human nature seems to have a tendency to degrade into more petty, selfish and self-serving behaviors no matter where Gulliver goes.

Also, being that EarthBound uses so many astronomical and/or outer space references AND events and things associated with America, it is not too far-fetched to assume that Giant Step could be a riff off of "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

Gruff Goat - An enemy, first seen in Winters, that the strategy guide describes as: "this woodland creature can inflict severe damage to unwary travelers with his horns."

Three Billy Goats Gruff - A popular, Norwegian fairy tale starring three male goats who outsmart a hungry troll, who guards the bridge they all need to cross, in order to eat in the grassy field beyond. Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe included the folktale in their collection, Norske Folkeeventyr (translated into Norwegian Folktales). It was first published between 1841 and 1844.

Because the Three Billy Goats Gruff is or was a popular, children's tale and because EarthBound includes a cast of animal enemies, the Gruff Goat (gruff can mean stern, intimidating or unfriendly) would prove to be a recognizable choice to the game's supposed target audience.

Guardian Hieroglyph - In the Sphinx in Scaraba, this mock-up of an Egyptian hieroglyph, springs to life, stepping from off the wall to pursue and guard against intruders.

Anubis - A jackal-headed god of the dead in ancient Egypt.

The Guardian Hieroglyph looks similar to Anubis. Being that Ness and friends have entered a sacred tomb, Anubis—a god and protector of tombs and guide to the afterlife, among other roles—is an obvious defender against would-be grave robbers.

Hall Of Fame Bat - One of the higher-tiered, baseball bats available for Ness' offense.

Hall Of Fame (Baseball) - A museum and the special honor of recognition bestowed upon many of the best baseball athletes and individuals involved in baseball through history, especially in the organized leagues in America.

Having the Hall Of Fame Bat as one of Ness' best options highlights the role of baseball ("America's pastime") in the game and re-emphasizes Eagleland's role as EarthBound's America.

Hand-Aid - A special good that Paula's mother gives to her daughter upon returning from Happy Happy Village. The item fully recovers the HP of one user.

Band-Aid - A trademarked brand of self-adhesive bandages, invented in 1920.

The Hand-Aid avoids using the trademarked, Band-Aid, while adding another relatable, everyday item to EarthBound, thus augmenting the contemporary and realistic feel of the game.

Hard Hat - An item that can be equipped for defense, it can be purchased in the Threed Drug Emporium for $298 or found in a gift box.

Hard Hat - A protective helmet that is usually worn at worksites or workplaces.

The Hard Hat is another example of the everyday items that through a child's imagination and in reality helped give EarthBound its mystique and reputation.

Hawk Eye - An item found and earned in the Pyramid in Scaraba that gives Ness and his party the ability to see in Deep Darkness.

Hawk's vision - The vision of these birds is among the best of all animals. It can spot prey from great distances, has a wide field of vision of 280° and can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, as well!

Although the Hawk Eye allows Ness and the party to see in Deep Darkness, in reality, the sharp vision of the hawk is not actually well-suited for sight in the dark, like other nocturnal animals including owls.

"Hello! And... good-bye!" - An unusual greeting and conversation heard while in Moonside.

"Hello, Goodbye" by The Beatles - This song was a chart-topping single from the Magical Mystery Tour album by the English, rock band, The Beatles.

There are many allusions to The Beatles found within EarthBound's soundtrack and script.

Hint Stand - An extremely helpful booth that can be found throughout the locales of EarthBound. The guide explains: "The gentleman who runs the business seems to know what you've been doing, and what you need to do. The hints may not be cheap, but they can certainly help you get out of a confusing situation."

Peanuts Comic Strip - Lucy's Psychiatry Stand - Whereas most, other children would have a lemonade booth to make extra money, Peanuts character, Lucy Van Pelt, had a Psychiatric Care 5¢ Stand, humorously dispensing advice.

The Hint Stand is constructed similarly to Lucy's Psychiatric Care Stand. Both offer advice at a cost. EarthBound's creators seem to be fans of Schulz's beloved comic strip (Peanuts with its original run from 1950 through 2000) that follows the lives of a group of American children. With an adult slant, the kids in the Peanuts gang seem obliviously-wise for their ages, sharing timeless witticisms that many grown-up readers and viewers can relate to and that spark memories that take them back to their days of youth.

Holmes Hat - This stylish cap provides some protection and can be found in the Happy Happy Drugstore for $59 or within a locker in the Snow Wood Boarding House.

Sherlock Holmes - A famous, fictional detective, first appearing in 1887 in British writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, A Study In Scarlet. Holmes would go on to appear in four novels and fifty-six short stories.

Throughout the various appearances of Holmes in written form, he is never expressly-described as wearing a deerstalker. However, original illustrations of the time depict him as donning the cap and that image has persisted to this day.

The distinctive look of the deerstalker cap is almost instantly recognized as part of character, Sherlock Holmes. Like child sleuths, Ness and friends investigate and follow clues, as they pursue the trail of Pokey Minch throughout the game. This serves as another literary homage in EarthBound—a game loaded with them.

"I am not afraid of no zombie." - A humorous quote attributed to the notorious Masked Child character in the Threed hospital.

"Ghostbusters" theme song lyrics: "I ain't afraid of no ghosts." - A catchy refrain repeated in the hit single from the Ghostbusters movie. Ghostbusters (1984) was a blockbuster, supernatural comedy and phenomenon that was selected for preservation by the United States Library of Congress for its National Film Registry in 2015.

EarthBound frolicked in stirring in and incorporating items from the American mainstream; in this instance, channeling music and a popular catchphrase, while exhibiting an ironic representation of another well-known character—albeit, one with heavier horror leanings in a hilarious light.

The Masked Child declares that he's "not afraid of no zombies", instead of the other undead haunting that the song speaks about: ghosts. The quote becomes more comical, as he eventually softens his stance and admits his fear: "Actually I don't want them to come out. They're way too scary."

However, it is doubly-funny and paradoxical coming from a persona that is modeled after a terrifying, murderous, monster villain that shows no fear and whom, himself, is feared by the victims he stalks and horror movie fans alike: Jason Voorhees from the Friday The 13th franchise.

I ♥ NY Character - A tourist-like character seen in Summers outside of the Scaraba Cultural Museum; he sports a shirt whose logo resembles the successful, typographical ad for real-life New York.

I ♥ NY - In 1977, this famous, advertising campaign to promote tourism in New York state was produced by the New York State Department of Commerce and was created by American graphic designer, Milton Glaser. The logo has been seen on various souvenirs, including tee-shirts.

Another great detail and connection between EarthBound's fictionalized America, Fourside in Eagleland, and a major, metropolitan area in its real-life counterpart - New York.

Insane Cultist and Happy Happyist - Members of Mr. Carpainter's cult, these mesmerized enemies blindly follow his obsession of wanting to paint the world blue.

Religious cults:

Happy Science - A new religion, founded in Japan by Ryuho Okawa in 1986. Formerly known as The Institute For Research In Human Happiness, the group has a publication wing, media divisions, schools and its own political party. According to its website, "there are three main points in Master Ryuho Okawa's teachings: 'love,' 'enlightenment' and 'the creation of Utopia'. The religion is viewed as controversial by some and as a cult by others.

Aum Shinrikyo - A new religion, founded in Japan by Shoko Asahara (born as Chizuo Matsumoto) in 1987. Currently known as Aleph, the group—which had orchestrated and carried out deadly, public attacks and a number of assassinations—was formally designated a terrorist organization by several countries, including Japan and the United States. The group, which took a syncretistic approach (that is, blending aspects from several, different, religious beliefs), was/is viewed as a Doomsday cult. Asahara and a number of followers were eventually put on death row and executed, while others received varying prison sentences.

Branch Davidians - An apocalyptic sect, also known as the General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, founded in America by Benjamin Roden in 1955. This Doomsday cult considered itself an offshoot of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Branch Davidians are remembered in infamy for the Waco siege, or Waco massacre. A raid on the group's Mount Carmel Center was carried out on February 28, 1993 by the United States Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on suspicion of illegal firearms. The 51-day standoff involved the U.S. federal government, Texas state law enforcement and the United States military and ended on April 19, 1993 in a series of fires that destroyed the compound. Over 70 Branch Davidians—including their self-anointed messiah, David Koresh—perished, while four, federal agents died. Several other individuals on both sides were injured.

Ku Klux Klan - A white supremacist, homeland terrorist organization and hate group, originating out of America at the end of the Civil War in 1865.

The close proximity of the new religious movements of Happy Science and Aum Shinrikyo to Shigesato Itoi may have left a strong impression for EarthBound... especially Happy Science on the Happy Happyists. Some of the more sinister and sensationalistic acts of these cults, combined with the tragic timing of the Branch Davidian siege in America (before the game's release) may have cast their shadows over the game's plot.

The newsworthy event from America could have helped influence EarthBound's inclusion of the crazed Happy Happy Cultists; the game was completed and released over a year later in 1994 and 1995.

And as if this was not enough for a video game, Itoi was not afraid to further poke the censors and stoke the flames with the controversial and evocative design of the Insane Cultists/Happy-Happyists. Their pointed hoods and masked faces, unmistakably, remind one of the similar attire that a notorious, hate group and internal, homeland terrorist organization that took root in America's postbellum period wears—the Ku Klux Klan.

Kidnapped Farmer/Man Above Fourside Bakery/Stoic Club Bartender Non-Playable Character (NPC) - A distinctive character that appears a number of times in places as varied as Burglin Park in Twoson and on the second floor of the Fourside Bakery (he gives Ness and friends a Pair of Dirty Socks in return for his Grandma's Contact Lens!?!!). Later, he—or his likeness—appears again as a kidnapped farmer in the Stonehenge Base and as the bartender of the Stoic Club.

Mr. T - A popular, American celebrity/actor of the 1980s, renowned for his unique "T"-shaped, Mohawk hairstyle and the copious amounts of gold necklaces that he wore.

At the peak of his fame, he appeared in The A-Team (a television series that followed the adventures of a band of military escapees, as they evaded capture, while helping ordinary citizens who were being taken advantage of by criminals) and had guest appearances in various sitcoms, movies and pro-wrestling, while having his own cereal brand, cartoon and toyline for a time.

The creators of EarthBound chose to include another popular icon of '80s/'90s America to bring more familiarity and realism to their Eagleland version.

Kiss Of Death or French Kiss Of Death - An enemy, depicted as a giant set of smiling lips, that appears in the Cave of the Pink Cloud, while its stronger variation—the French Kiss Of Death—is located in Magicant.

Jesus' Betrayal and Judas' Kiss - (Pictured above is Giotto di Bondone's "The Kiss of Judas" (circa 1304 - 1306).) The painting above depicts the betrayal of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane by one of his disciples and the Twelve Apostles, Judas Iscariot. Sealed with a kiss of Jesus, Judas informed on and entrapped Jesus to chief priests and elders for thirty pieces of silver.

EarthBound chose a popular idiom from the English language and personified it into a fearsome foe. On a deeper level, the Kiss Of Death is synonymous with betrayal and its roots lie in religion. The racier notion of a French kiss and its placement in a game marketed towards and starring teens was another potential provocation for Nintendo's censors to spring to action against.

Kraken - A formidable "sea beast" that has terrorized the waters between Summers (Toto) and Scaraba. The Bionic Kraken variation appears late in the game.

Kraken - A legendary monster of the sea originating out of 13th century Norwegian folklore. The mythical creature is most often imagined as a giant squid or enormous octopus.

The Kraken—along with other cryptid-referenced characters, like Bigfoot and Tessie—add to the supernatural vibe and lore that EarthBound creates within its vivid world.

Lier X. Agerate - A suspicious character that Ness encounters very early in the game. His cabin is located near the meteorite. Ness learns that Lier has uncovered the Mani Mani Statue, deep beneath his home.

the words, liar and exaggerate - His name is a not-so-subtle play on these two words.

Being one of the first adults under Giygas' influence that Ness encounters, Lier's suspicious actions and "stranger-danger" vibes help to set the tone for the wild, dangerous and irreverent adventure ahead.

Lilliput Steps - An area in the Peaceful Rest Valley near Twoson where Ness records his second melody to the Sound Stone.

Gulliver's Travels - A classic work in English literature, this forerunner to the novel was written by Anglo-Irish author, Jonathan Swift, and published anonymously in 1726. This parody is presented in a four-part adventure that follows the travels of Lemuel Gulliver, a surgeon and sea captain, who records his wild experiences at each of his destinations.

Lilliput is an island that is featured in the first tale of the book. Gulliver survives a shipwreck and swims to Lilliput, where he discovers a land inhabited by people who stand less than 6 inches in height.

Gulliver's Travels is considered a classic work in English literature. Its biting satire; poignant look at and exaggerations of human nature; and its main character's recounting of his exploration of various locations all make it a natural fit for the sensibilities of EarthBound.

Lilliput Steps is a direct reference to the small people of the land of Lilliput.

Loaded Dice - An inanimate enemy in bow tie, cane and top hat, whose attacks include the random nature of summoning "any of the enemies in Magicant" (according to the EarthBound Player's Guide).

Loaded Dice - A pair of dice that are unethically-manipulated to increase the likelihood of being able to roll a certain number; essentially, allowing someone to cheat at gambling.

The Loaded Dice in Magicant, perhaps, suggest how Giygas has seemed to hold an upper hand over Ness throughout the game by unfairly cheating and leaning the odds in his favor with all of the attempts on defeating Ness. Additionally, it may be a subtle lesson that teaches that it is hard to cheat fate or your destiny.

Lost Underworld - An area and home of the Lost Tenda tribe/Tenda Village Underground, who are a more outgoing, talkative bunch than their brethren up above. The area is found in a hole near the Electro Specter battle within the Lumine Hall. Deep beneath the surface, the Lost Underground contains large, roaming dinosaurs; gushing geysers and the volcanic Fire Spring.

The Lost World - A science fiction novel by author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, that was first published in 1912. It follows a group of explorers on an adventure to find a plateau in South America that has living dinosaurs. The play on the name of the novel is apparent, as well.

Additionally, A Journey To The Centre Of The Earth - A science fiction novel by author, Jules Verne, that was first published in 1864 and later revised in 1867. This adventure is set far beneath the surface of the earth in a region rife with dinosaurs, a giant geyser and volcanoes (both inactive and active).

Finally, both works share the idea of time travel, as the main characters in each witness prehistoric scenery.

Besides playing off of the title, The Lost World, and borrowing key features from this book and A Journey to the Centre of the Earth, EarthBound stretches its gaming territory into the more untamed and uncharted wilderness of other continents... as well as adding in the fantastical ideas of dinosaurs roaming the lands, subterranean civilizations and a look into prehistoric eras to make the game an even more grand adventure.

Mad Taxi - An anthropomorphic, aggressive, automotive foe that spews fumes and tries to screech into Ness and his party in Moonside.

The Taxis from The Wiz - Animated, yellow taxi cabs that elude Dorothy and her friends, along their journey to the Emerald City. (Their assistance of a ride would have saved Dorothy and her friends much time along the Yellow Brick Road had they took their fare. This subtle nudge, also, suggests practices that are guided by some taxi drivers' prejudices, assumptions and racial biases.)

EarthBound flourishes in mockery and caricature of aspects of society and human nature, and enjoys tweaking expectations and assumptions and turning them on their heads. So, including ideas from a play and movie that took a beloved, American classic film set in rural Kansas (The Wizard Of Oz) and uprooted and transplanted it into urban Harlem (The Wiz) seemed like a natural choice for the producers of the game.

The Wiz still tells the tale of a Dorothy Gale and shares many, major story beats with its source material, but in a large-scale, Motown-produced, disco era extravaganza that feels like a parody and homage, all at the same time.

The Mad Taxi looks like it came off of the same assembly line of those taunting, yellow cabs in The Wiz that Dorothy is never able to hail. The Mad Taxi appears in the urban equivalent in EarthBound: Fourside. Also, there is a bit of a stereotypical dig at how aggressive and wild taxi drivers are sometimes viewed.

Magic Cake - The wife of the Sea Captain in the port area of Toto—when she isn't hanging around in the Stoic Club in Summers, waxing philosophically—is a baker, whose Magic Cake is a highly-regarded dessert. It has hallucinogenic effects on those who enjoy it. The strategy guide included: "Ness, a big fan of the Captain's wife says that he entered a dream-like state as he savored a slice."

Marijuana Brownies - Brownies laced with marijuana that give off THC-influenced effects to the eater. They were an alternate, and sometimes, popular, clandestine way to consume the drug without smoking or detection of usage from the strong odor, before limited, medicinal usage was legal and the sweeping wave of recreational decriminalization throughout the United States. There has been an extensive history of eating cannabis, dating back to ancient China up through the times of 20th century intellectual, literary and artistic circles.

Although it has not been established who invented the first of these spiked desserts, two people are usually credited: Alice B. Toklas, a writer and partner to fellow writer, Gertrude Stein, published a cookbook in 1954 that included a recipe; and Brion Gysin, a surrealist painter, writer and poet, who contributed the recipe to The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book.

The idea to introduce Magic Cake and to have the young cast consume it was an extremely bold and ingenious way to pick up the plot, change settings and take the story into a whole, new direction, all while introducing a new team member. It cannot be understated just how bold this was. Had the censors realized that Magic Cake may have been too similar to an illegal item in the United States—not only for adults, but especially adolescents—there probably would have been zero percent probability that it would have been included in the game. Once again, it shows the level of conviction, audacity and the subversive nature that Itoi invested in his writing of EarthBound.

Mani Mani Statue - This object is an evil manifestation whose golden luster seems to wield blinding, hypnotic, wicked influence over individuals in EarthBound. The statue changes hands several times throughout the adventure, transferring from Lier X. Agerate to Mr. Carpainter to Everdred to Geldegarde Monotoli, leaving in its wake a path of destruction and corruption. The heroes battle the Mani Mani Statue in Moonside.

Money/Golden Calf/Golden Idol/Oscar - All of these items are connected to gold or the color and value of gold.

Gold (symbol Au, atomic number 79) is a yellow, precious element that is a member of the noble metals family on the periodic chart in chemistry. Throughout history, it has been highly-prized due to a number of factors: 1) its resistance to oxidation or corrosion, or to tarnish; 2) its general reluctance to react with other elements (also known as inertness or what it means to be noble, chemistry-wise); 3) its desirable melting point that is not too high or low for coinage; 4) its vibrant, lustrous color; and 5) its scarcity.

Mani Mani sounds like the word, money, which also can sway people towards the darker side of human nature. In our everyday society, the hope for attaining gold and riches carries immoderate influence over many individuals.

The bedeviled people of EarthBound seem to idolize the Mani Mani Statue—like the Golden Calf tale found within the Bible.

The Mani Mani Statue resembles an Oscar Award statue with horns. The Oscar Awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognize excellence in the film industry annually. The set of horns attached to this Oscar look-alike are suggestive of a devil or evil entity.

Perhaps the resemblance of the statue to the Oscar statuette represents the notion or idea of glitz, glamour and Hollywood, where pretense and the allure and fantasy of acting, illustrate the ideas of falseness, false hope, false idols and how the illusion of such can lead many to blindly follow.

Manly Fish and Manly Fish's Brother - Human-like, aquatic enemies, armed with spears, whose natural habitats are the watery regions throughout Deep Darkness. The Manly Fish's Brother is stronger and can use PSI powers, as well.

The Creature From The Black Lagoon - A "monster movie" from Universal Studios in 1954 that featured the title character (also known as Gill-man), an amphibious, aquatic humanoid, and its interactions with a crew of scientists in the waters of the Amazon River.

It may be more than a coincidence that the scaled enemy (and his brother double) are found in the faraway Deep Darkness' swampy terrain and waterways. Again, EarthBound taps into early, science-fiction, American film and that retro, 1950s/1960s vibe that the game opens with.

Masked Child (Non-Playable Character) - A child character, wearing a suspicious, white hockey mask, who appears in a number of sites throughout EarthBound, including the library in Onett and the Threed Hospital to name a few.

Friday The 13th movie series - A series of horror movies—the first of which debuted in 1980—that features a fearsome killer (Jason Voorhees) who wears a hockey mask and stalks his victims, committing over-the-top, gruesome murders.

The Masked Child seems to parody the Jason Voorhees character and gives off similar chilling, creepy vibes, while not saying much in the library (quite ironically, he knows where the Overcoming Shyness book is) and appearing throughout the gloomy environs of Threed.

This homage to the popular, horror character from American cinema lends a chill of fear and another sense of ironic humor to EarthBound.

Maxwell Labs - An ally and classmate of Jeff's whom the strategy guide describes as: "At the Snow Wood Boarding School, Jeff studied with the mechanical genius, Maxwell Labs, one of the great fixers of all time." One of his contributions to the team is his Bad Key Machine.

James Clerk Maxwell - A Scottish mathematician and scientist (1831-1879), who is famous for his theory of electromagnetism that helped usher in quantum mechanics and aided in Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity.

The intelligent Maxwell Labs of the Snow Woods Boarding School in (EarthBound's version of Great Britain) seems to be inspired by the prolific exploits contributed to the field of science by his possible namesake, James Clerk Maxwell of Scotland.

Minor League Bat - One of the earlier baseball bat weapons available for Ness. It can be bought for $399 from the Threed Drugstore or the sporting goods shop in the Grand Department Store in Fourside.

Minor League Baseball, or the Minor Leagues or Minors -

Another reference to "America's Pastime" of baseball, the Minor League Bat helped to drive home the relevance and connection to everyday life in 199X America.

Miss Fake - The crooked manager of the Topolla Theater in Fourside, she ensnares the Runaway Five in another unscrupulous contract that can only be bought out at one million dollars supposedly.

Fake - synonymous with false, untrue, misleading, unreal, illegitimate

Fake—as in misleading—is blatantly in her name; in fact, it is her name. Miss Fake represents a long and sordid history with show business, bad contracts and greed. A number of prominent and influential musicians in America (and presumably abroad) were cheated and/or lost publishing and songwriting rights to their works by unscrupulous, industry heads... the Runaway Five, notwithstanding.

Miss Venus - A popular singer who gives performances at the Topolla Theater in Fourside. She is a beautiful, young woman seeking stardom.

Venus, The Roman Goddess Of Love - Renown for her beauty, this goddess of love, desire and more in Roman mythology is immortalized in Sandro Boticello's "The Birth Of Venus" (c. 1485) above top (↑).

Venus (the planet) - The second planet from our Sun, underneath its thick atmosphere, this neighbor of Earth is the hottest planet in our solar system. This "twin of Earth", also called the Morning Star or Evening Star, is the third, brightest object in the sky. A few, more peculiar facts about Venus: a day on Venus (about 243 Earth days) is actually longer than a year (225 Earth day), while its sunrise is in the west and its sunset is in the east—the complete opposite of ours'.

Madonna - This American singer, songwriter and entertainer, also commonly referred to as the "Queen of Pop", is one of the greatest selling recording artists in history. Her expansive career, which began in the 1980s, has seen her score a number of hit songs (in pop, R&B, dance and electronica) spanning decades. Despite a number of controversies (and much acclaim), she has been like a chameleon: constantly reinventing herself through her sense of fashion, sound and style, forging her status as a cultural icon.

The Venus in EarthBound is a beautiful woman who is the object of many admirers... kind of like the Roman goddess.

Staying true to America's heavy, lasting impression on Eagleland, Venus may have been envisioned in some degree from the iconic maelstrom of Madonna. Her impact on popular culture, fashion, music and more was/is undeniable.

Both are blonde singers and there is, at least, one direct correlation: we learn that Miss Venus has posed for a photography book (much to the chagrin of her mother), while the coverage of Madonna's controversial, coffee table book, Sex—which was published only a few years before EarthBound's release—was certain to still be fairly fresh in the writer and developers' minds.

Finally, the name, Venus, is part of the recurring theme of astronomical names or terms found throughout the game.

Miss Venus' photography book - Miss Venus' mother tells Ness and the party that her daughter is going to have a book of photographs coming out soon. Her mother hopes that her daughter is dressed in the book, as she laments how "Times have sure changed...".

Madonna and her book, Sex - Popular, American entertainer, Madonna, had a successful career with a long list of hit songs, but had some controversial episodes along the way. On October 21, 1992, she released a coffee table, photography book titled Sex. The book featured adult content and generated a lot of buzz and attention. It was released the day after her fifth studio album, Erotic, came out. Amidst all of the attention and backlash, it went on to become the best and fastest-selling coffee table book in history.

Miss Venus is an attractive, blonde singer who is very popular in Eagleland; her choice to have "a book of photographs" published—perhaps even in the nude—mirrors the sensation behind Madonna and her book. Finally, Venus (the goddess of love) is somewhat thematically connected to Madonna (author of Sex and Erotic).

Mole - A helpful animal and friendly variation of mole, who gives assistance in the form of useful tips to help you to play through the game in a more successful manner.

Mole - A slang word for an informant - one who secretly helps provide information to another side or party, while posing as a confidant for the opposing side or party.

The Friendly Mole embodies the slang meaning of mole, while many other moles—like the Mole Playing Rough and boss character, Mondo Mole—in the game stay under Giygas' evil influence.

"Money, that's what I want" lyrics of The Runaway Five - Lyrics from a song that the Runaway Five mentions, while talking to Ness and party.

"Money (That's What I Want)" - A rhythm and blues (R&B) song, originally performed by Barrett Strong in 1959, that proved to be the first hit song for the famed Motown label.

The song was covered by The Beatles in 1963—yet another connection between EarthBound and The Beatles.

Monotoli Building - The largest skyscraper in Fourside. It is named after Geldegarde Monotoli, the corrupt mayor of Fourside, whose office resides there.

Chrysler Building - This stylish skyscraper that was constructed, beginning in 1928 and completed in 1930, is located in Manhattan in New York City. Its ornate design is in the style of Art Deco. It briefly held the title of tallest building in the world. It is named after Walter P. Chrysler of automobile fame, who commissioned its construction.

The Chrysler Building's unique look lent a hint of familiarity to the grand Monotoli Building found in Eagleland's booming metropolis, Fourside.

Mr. Baseball Bat and Cap - The Mr. Baseball Cap is given as a gift, if Ness finds his way into the secret clubhouse in Onett. The Mr. Baseball Bat, an upgraded weapon for Ness, can be purchased for $498 at the drugstore in Dusty Dunes Desert or the sporting goods shop in the Grand Department Store in Fourside.

Mr. Baseball - A sports comedy movie starring actor, Tom Selleck, from 1992, whose plot centers around an American baseball player. Jack Elliot, a veteran first baseman, is traded from the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (United States) to the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (Japan) to attempt to continue his career and help the Dragons chase the pennant. Culture clash and comedy ensues.

The connection between baseball and America and Japan's love affair with the sport is reflected in this pop-culture reference.

Mr. Carpainter - The leader of Happy Happy Village whose cult follows his commands to paint everything blue.

Mr. Carpenter from The Day The Earth Stood Still - An alias that main hero and extraterrestrial visitor, Klaatu, assumes when he is hiding out after escaping a hospital under guard by the American president's secretary and the Army. While on the run, Klaatu—played by actor, Michael Renner—finds a suit to wear that has the name, Mr. Carpenter, sewn into its inner lining.

The movie plays a large role in inspiring EarthBound, so it is not too far-fetched to assume that the main character, humanoid alien, Klaatu—disguised as Mr. Carpenter would not be borrowed. Furthermore, since Mr. Carpainter is obsessed with painting the world blue, it is a clever manipulation of the similar-sounding name, Mr. Carpenter.

Mr. Poochyfud - The manager of the Chaos Theater in Twoson. He has a reputation of cheating acts who perform in his theater.

Poochyfud - This play-on-a-name is an altered spelling of the words, pooch and food, which essentially translate to "dog food".

The name, Poochyfud, or "dog food" is a derogatory name for this greedy character.

Mr. Saturn - The innocent, friendly and helpful inhabitants found within Saturn Valley, whose speech is marked as simplistic and written in a large, child-like font style.

Ziggy - An American comic strip and character by cartoonist, Tom Wilson, Sr. (later taken over by his son, Tom Wilson Jr., also referred to as Tom II), that debuted on June 27, 1971. On the comic's website, https://www.gocomics.com/ziggy, the lovable, rotund character is described as follows: "Poor Ziggy. He's perpetually one step behind, one nickel short, one lane away from the fast lane. But we love him for it, because everyone feels like Ziggy now and then."

"Kilroy was here" - A popular World War II-era meme or graffiti accompanied by the slogan that was scrawled in various areas that were liberated or occupied by the Allies (the forces that opposed the Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan). The image most commonly depicted a rounded head with set of eyes and a long nose, peering over a wall; his fingers clutching tightly, keeping his head just above.

Saturn - The sixth planet from our Sun, this gas giant is the second largest planet in our solar system. Saturn is encircled by a spectacular ring system and the most moons of any planet: 146 (as of this writing)!

There are a number of possible inspirations that may have shaped the design of Mr. Saturn; some of which may not even be named here.

Comic strips from America have seemed to be a source to draw from in the game, Ziggy, possibly notwithstanding. It is conceivable that the beloved Ziggy and his hard-luck experiences may have been absorbed into Mr. Saturn.

The face from the "Kilroy was here" sketches is another plausible reference extracted; its connection to the United States and a world war (or war of global ramifications) could link with the game's plot quite easily.

Finally, EarthBound uses several names that align with the planets and outer space, and Mr. Saturn continues the trend.

Mr. Spoon and Mr. Fork - Mr. Spoon is the curator of the Dinosaur Museum in Fourside. Mr. Fork is a curator of the Scaraba Cultural Museum found in Summers. For these individuals who share a common occupation, there seems to be an ongoing competition of one-upmanship, as exhibited by a boastful phone call from Mr. Spoon to Mr. Fork and Mr. Fork's reaction.

On a side note, Mr. Spoon, who is a big fan of the singer Miss Venus, can be seen in the audience at her performance, screaming his desirous feelings toward her... ironically, exhibiting a whole different meaning of the word, spoon—meaning to engage in amorous caressing, kissing and/or conversation.

Spoon and Fork - Popular eating utensils that are commonly paired together at mealtime in Western cultures.

Ironically, Mr. Spoon and Mr. Fork seem to be rivals feuding, as opposed to a complementary pair. This is comparable to another pair in the game: the inventors, the Apple Kid and the Orange Kid.

Mu Training - Poo must complete his "Mu Training" in Dalaam before he joins Ness and the party.

Mu - From a Buddhist sense, mu refers to "nothingness" or "not have" or "without".

The Buddhist concept of Mu and Poo's training to attain it enriches the game with yet another shocking episode, while expanding its world building and script.

Ness - The main protagonist and central character of EarthBound.

N.E.S. (NES) or S.N.E.S. (SNES) - The initials of, and alternate, acronym nicknames for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System and the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Ness' name is an obvious homage to the video game company and console(s) from which EarthBound appears.

Ness' name could be formed either from the shortened name that is formed from the initials of the Nintendo Entertainment System or as an anagram of the initials from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

"Night-time stuffiness!" - An attack that can be unleashed on Ness and his party (by Spinning Robo, Li'l UFO, Guardian Hieroglyph). The attack can cause party members to suffer through a cold, which can be cured by Cold Remedies, Secret Herbs or the PSI recovery of Heal. If untreated, the affected party member may periodically take damage even after a battle.

NyQuil Cold Medicine - An over-the-counter, cold syrup that was originally released in the United States in 1966 by Vicks (formerly the Vick Chemical Company). The medicine became a success with its multipronged attack, covering a wide range of symptoms that afflict sick individuals. A popular, marketing slogan that began in the late 1970s still drives this point home today: "The nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medicine".

The NyQuil Cold Medicine slogan, with its run-on list of symptoms, had a series of memorable commercials. The reach of this advertising was so great, in fact, that it found its way within the writing of EarthBound.

Peaceful Rest Valley - A unique area of the game located through a network of treacherous caves on the eastern edge of the town of Twoson. It is made difficult to pass by a broken bridge and an odd Iron Pencil Statue that can only be removed by an equally bizarre invention from the Apple Kid in Twoson. Just beyond this locale of Li'l UFOs and Spinning Robos, Happy Happy Village lies.

Peaceful Rest Valley - A valley is a low-lying area. Peaceful Rest is a roundabout way of saying "Rest In Peace" (R.I.P.), which is a common phrase or abbreviation etched onto or chiseled into gravestones to wish for peace in death. The Peaceful Rest Valley is where the Happy Happyists cult have retreated to.

Also, the name may be a play on the place-name in California, known as Death Valley—one of the hottest places on Earth, this home to a national park lies in the Mojave Desert and is the point of lowest elevation in North America.

Or perhaps it is a sly reference to the following phrase that is often heard at funerals: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" from Psalm 23 of the Book of Psalms that starts with "The Lord is my shepherd" in the King James Version of the Bible.

The Peaceful Rest Valley is a harsher indictment on the episode of EarthBound that deals with the Happy Happyist religious cult. Symbolically, the self-imposed isolation of the group makes it seem dead to Eagleland society, as does the brain-dead following of the members of Mr. Carpainter.

Peaceful Rest Valley, euphemistically, sounds more pleasant than the connotations of "Rest In Peace Valley" or "R.I.P. Valley".

If the creators and producers of EarthBound were alluding to Death Valley, it would check three boxes for relevance and inclusion within the game: 1) the name references another real-life place in America for Eagleland to borrow from; 2) the actual name paints a somber and ominous mood that shows the serious, scary side of some of the material the game explores with religious cults, closed-minded behavior and more; and 3) the real Death Valley is a dangerous, unpleasant desert and location of unbearable, potentially record-breaking heat... the beguilingly-named Peaceful Rest Valley being synonymous with Death Valley would fall right in line with EarthBound's trademark, stinging irony.

Peeping Tom - An insignificant character in Fourside is commented on here: "The boy stuck to the wall... may be a Peeping Tom." He appears to be peering into the Magnet Hill area of the city.

Peeping Tom - Another name for a voyeur . The phrase, "Peeping Tom", comes from an embellishment on a legendary event. In the 11th century in an English town named Coventry, a real-life woman, Lady Godiva, was said to have ridden on the back of a horse in the nude as a protest to her husband's excessive taxation. All of the citizens were said to have averted their eyes... save one: a man named Tom. This is the infamous Peeping Tom of lore. Interestingly enough, he was introduced to the tale several centuries later in 1773!

The cheeky reference to the random character in EarthBound adds a touch of our real world to the game.

Pharaoh's Curse - An item that can either be found in a gift box within the Pyramid in Scaraba or dropped by some venomous enemies. The Pharaoh's Curse can poison foes. Additionally, a Grave Robber non-playable character admits his fear of entering the Pyramid in Scaraba... perhaps an allusion to the "Pharaoh's curse".

"Pharaoh's Curse" or "Curse of the Mummies" - Pharaoh's curse is associated with a seemingly connected series of unfortunate events that occurred after the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs were entered and items and belongings were disturbed and removed. This idea has been propagated over the years from various sources including:

• execration texts, or curses displayed within the hieroglyphs of some tombs, attempting to ward off would-be tomb robbers;
• works of horror fiction and film, especially surrounding revived mummies seeking revenge when their sacred, burial chambers are desecrated or their eternal rest is disturbed;
• a series of coincidental deaths of members of the party of Howard Carter, the famed, British archaeologist who excavated the site of the tomb of Tutankhamun (King Tut) in 1922.

The Pharaoh's Curse enhances the elements of superstition and lore in Scaraba—EarthBound's Egypt. Aspects of the curse are alluded to on the Hieroglyphs that Poo reads from in the guarded, Hieroglyph exhibition room that is being remodeled at the Scaraba Cultural Museum: "...Nonetheless, our pyramid was protected by the gods of Scaraba."

Philosopher's Stone - A stone that resides in the Stoic Club in the town of Summers, in which members of the club wax philosophically over, while spouting off pseudo-intellectual, sciolistic-speak in front of Ness and friends.

Philosopher's Stone - (Pictured above is Joseph Wright's of Derby, "The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus" or "The Alchemist In Search Of The Philosopher's Stone" (1771).) The philosopher's stone is a legendary substance that was said to change common metals into gold and silver and/or perform other miraculous feats of alchemy outside of the realm of the natural world, like granting immortality and healing powers. From the Middle Ages to the late 17th century, several luminaries in the world of science—like Sir Isaac Newton and Roger Boyle (the father of modern chemistry)—searched for the philosopher's stone in some of their experimentations and work.

In the context of EarthBound, a "philosopher's stone" is not expressly-stated, but in the Stoic Club, there is mention of the club's pretentious members "philosophizing" as they stare at a stone on display. It may be more than a coincidental pairing of references... and yet another instance of the witty writing and humor found throughout the game.

Piggy Nose - An item that can be purchased for $300 at the convenience store found in the bazaar of Scaraba. It can be used to sniff out and detect nutritious, PSI-rich Magic Truffles in the marshy areas of Deep Darkness.

Truffle Hogs - Specially-trained hogs have, traditionally, been used to hunt the rare and expensive truffle. Truffles are edible spores that grow on underground fungus. They are considered a gourmet delicacy in culinary circles. The truffles' scent is similar to pheromones (androstenol) found in male pigs, making the female truffle hog a natural choice to root the food source out. Truffle dogs are used as well.

The Piggy Nose brings yet another very specific and uncommon aspect from parts of real-world Europe and North America. Ironically, however, the area where the Magic Truffles are sniffed out in the game is modeled after sub-Saharan Africa (or possibly part of South America)—an area not known for truffle hunting.

Pink Cloud - In Dalaam, it is the location of Ness' sixth, "Your Sanctuary" spot.

Pink Clouding or Pink Cloud Syndrome - A clinical term associated with the stages of recovery from an addiction. A pink cloud usually occurs early in recovery and can lull the person into a false sense of being cured of the addiction. There can be early feelings of euphoria and joy, optimism and perhaps some overconfidence that can lead some to incorrectly assume that they are already cured or that there is no more hard work needed to maintain the sobriety.

This may be an oddly-appropriate name to use in this area of the game where the effects of Magic Cake have taken over.

Plague Rat Of Doom - A powerful, enemy boss rodent that guards the sewer leading to Ness' Magnet Hill, "Your Sanctuary" location.

Plague or Black Plague or Black Death - An epidemic that devastated Eurasia and northern Africa in the mid-1300s. The fearsome disease spread by way of trading ships pulling into ports. Between 1347 and 1351, nearly one-third of the European population (approximately 25 million or more people) was decimated. In later years, there were recurrences of the grim plague.

This disease was carried by rodents that were stowaways on ships at port and caused by infected, flea bites. Symptoms included unsightly swellings, fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, aches, pains and, ultimately, death.

The Plague Rat Of Doom is a terrifying notion with an historic basis. The idea of a plague or pandemic and of a doomed future underlines how Giygas' evil influence has infected the mass population on a large scale and how Buzz Buzz has foretold the devastation and bleak forecast of the world's and mankind's future, if Ness is unable to fulfill his destiny.

Additionally, plague is or has been passed on to humans from populations of rodents (rats included) that carry and are bitten by infected fleas. Recent theories hypothesize that human body lice may have played a larger role than previously believed.

Polestar Preschool - The preschool in Twoson that Paula and her parents operate.

Pole Star or Polaris - The stars through which the imaginary axis of the Earth points as a fixed location north and south.

The pole star, symbolically, represents a steady point that can be trusted or relied upon... like Paula's parents and the Polestar Preschool for the children of Twoson. The pole star (Polaris to the North) has been used to guide ships and planes since long ago. Also of note, the pole star reference is part of the recurring theme of astronomical names or terms found throughout EarthBound.

Punk-Sure Cycle Shop - A bicycle shop in Twoson that will rent a bicycle to Ness. Its manager is dressed in punk rock style, complete with vest, earrings, sunglasses and mohawk.

Punk/Puncture - Puncture is a hole in a tire... probably not the image you would want to convey at a cycle shop, but when your store manager is punk through-and-through, the name takes on a different meaning.

Punk-Sure brings a punch to the playful puns found in the game. At the same time, the game's diversity reaches more into the real world with the inclusion of characters who adapt the punk aesthetic.

Pyramids in Scaraba - A famous landmark and structure standing in Scaraba. Of the few pyramids in existence, the one guarded by the Sphinx holds a number of secrets, including the Hawk Eye and passage that leads Ness and friends closer to Deep Darkness.

Pyramids of Giza, including the Great Pyramid - Large, stone, triangular structures erected by the ancient Egyptians to serve as royal tombs. Although other cultures built pyramids in other regions of the world, the Egyptian pyramids are some of the most famous. There are over 100, officially-cited pyramids in Egypt. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The pyramids of Egypt have long inspired awe. People have wondered how these massive, majestic tombs were built without the aid of modern technology. This—in addition to the mystery and lore of the ancient Egyptians' belief of the afterlife and their mythology—has stoked curiosity and has made ancient Egypt the subject of many ideas and works of the supernatural and of legend. They were a natural choice for the wild plot of EarthBound.

Rabbit's Foot - An item that can be found among the gift boxes scattered throughout Lumine Hall. According to the strategy guide when carried, it brings defense up by 3, increases speed by 40 and protects from Paralysis.

Rabbit's Foot - An object, viewed by some, as an item that brings good luck. They are usually attached to a key ring and carried by the owner.

Rabbits are swift, evasive animals. The Rabbit's Foot bestows some of that elusive speed and fittingly prevents the immobility of paralysis to set in. And, ironically, as it is a popular item in superstitious circles, it does not hold so much luck for the rabbit itself.

Ram Raisin - A pharaoh from ancient times in Scaraba. A collection of sarcophagi and even, a training pot, for various members of his hereditary line are displayed in the Scaraba Cultural Museum in Summers.

Ramses or Ramesses or Rameses (line of Egyptian rulers) - Ramses II, also referred to as Ramses the Great, was well-known for the length of his reign, among other things. He was designated as successor to the throne at the young age of 10, and his rulership spanned from 1279-13 BCE.

His reign saw an era of prosperity, in which extensive temple building occurred—the largest since the pyramids some 1,500 years prior. He launched predominately successful, military campaigns. He is, also, remembered for having a large harem and over 100 children. A line of nine kings in succession took his name in the 20th dynasty of Egypt.

Ram Raisin may seem like a bit of a stretch for a parody on the name of Ramses, but it exemplifies some of the lighthearted silliness sprinkled throughout EarthBound. And again, it adds an exotic element and a touch of world history to help make the settings in the game feel more varied, lived in and realistic.

Ramblin' And Struttin' Evil Mushrooms - These variations of fungal enemies attack with spores. The spores cause confusion and can be removed by Healers in the hospitals or by the girl who is picking mushrooms in the Peaceful Rest Valley.

Super Mario Bros. Super (or Magic) and 1-Up Mushrooms - The names of two of the earliest power-ups found in the iconic Super Mario Bros. franchise.

The color palettes of the Ramblin' and Evil Struttin' Mushrooms are similar to those of the more famous mushrooms found in the Super Mario Bros. universe, from which they may be inspired.

"a real Rambo-type" - Inside the Onett Arcade, a random, child character refers to Ness as "a real Rambo-type guy", hinting at Ness' toughness after he has fought a few members of the Sharks gang.

First Blood - An American, action movie from 1982 that starred actor, Sylvester Stallone, as John Rambo, a decorated Green Beret (or a member of the United States Army Special Forces) and veteran of the Vietnam War.

Rambo finds himself being singled out and harassed by a sheriff and the local police department, as he passes through their town of Hope, Washington. After he is unjustly detained and further harried at the police department, he escapes and is pursued. Violence and mayhem ensues, as the heavily-decorated Green Beret's survival instincts kick in.

The First Blood/Rambo film franchise became a popular intellectual property (IP) in the world of 1980s, American, action flicks, spawning everything from action figures to video games. The character was so well-known that even the kids in Eagleland knew of his fictitious exploits. What's more, Ness' scary plight with the corrupt, Onett Police Department is foreshadowed by the conversation in the arcade.

Red Cross signs - Signage that bears red cross symbols can be found a number of times in EarthBound; two places include the space above the entrance door of the hospital within Dungeon Man and as a sign that can be seen at one of the vendors' spaces in Burglin Park.

The Red Cross - Founded on May 21, 1881 by nurse, Clara Barton—who was nicknamed the Angel of the Battlefield for her care and service on the American Civil War battlefronts—the American Red Cross is a charitable, humanitarian organization that delivers emergency assistance, disaster relief and disaster preparedness education.

The Red Cross is symbolically recognized as a sign of medical relief in times of war and disaster. The Red Cross logo (its shape is actually a Christian cross known as a Greek cross) is trademarked, and is protected and universally-recognized by the Geneva Conventions. Infringement of the logo is taken seriously, even though EarthBound slipped the emblem into the game.

The Runaway Five - A musical band that befriends Ness and friends after Ness frees them from dishonest, contractual obligations at both the Chaos Theater in Twoson and the Topolla Theater in Fourside.

The Blues Brothers - An American, action-packed, musical comedy film from 1980. Its plot centers around recently-paroled Joliet Jake (portrayed by John Belushi) and his blood brother, Elwood (portrayed by Dan Aykroyd). The duo engage in "a mission from God", tracking down and reassembling their old, blues band to play a benefit performance to earn the $5,000 needed to save their childhood home, a Catholic orphanage, from foreclosure. As they reunite with their former members, special, musical guests—such as the likes of James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles—appear among the cast. Along the way, the Blues Brothers are chased by the police and a wildly-arbitrary bunch of angry pursuers, adding to the action.

Gorgeous and Lucky, the two lead singers from the Runaway Five, bear a striking resemblance to Jake and Elwood (from sunglasses and suits to body types). The wild travels and mishaps of the Runaway Five capture the spirit of The Blues Brothers' comedic adventures and mayhem well. Overall, EarthBound aligns well with its crazy and unpredictable plot points, diverse settings and rendezvous with a cast of quirky characters.

(As an aside—being that EarthBound is a Nintendo exclusive—it seems more than coincidental that Gorgeous—the shorter, more stout singer in red—and Lucky—the taller, more thin singer—bring on obvious comparisons with Mario and Luigi of the Super Mario Bros. respectively.)

Sand Lot Bat - One of the earlier baseball bat weapons available for Ness. It costs $98 from the sporting goods shop inside the Grand Department Store in Fourside.

The Sandlot - Slang for a neglected or vacant lot of land or field that has not been maintained and that may be used usually by children for sports or games. Also, The Sandlot was an American, comedic movie from 1993 about a group of youngsters who bond together, while learning to play baseball.

The Sandlot film reference works well in EarthBound by accentuating the love of baseball and the youthfulness of the cast - two important things present in the game.

Scalding Coffee Cup - An extremely unusual enemy, in the form of an animated cup of hot coffee, found in the Grand Department Store in Fourside.

Liebeck v. McDonald's (1992) - A highly-publicized lawsuit in which a woman was severely burned by a scalding-hot cup of coffee from fast-food giant, McDonald's. The case was decided on August 18, 1994 and eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. The news was a widespread event, prior to the completion and release of Mother 2/EarthBound.

The Scalding Coffee is a direct and very specific example of the creators of EarthBound being tuned into some of the wildly bizarre, news stories coming out of the United States at the time.

Scaraba - One of the locales found in EarthBound, Scaraba is an exotic, desert village that lies across the sea from Summers and Toto. It shares characteristics with Egypt.

Scarab and Sahara Desert - A portmanteau or blending of the words, scarab (a type of beetle, found and idolized in Egyptian mythology) and Sahara (the world's largest desert, found in northern Africa, covering part of Egypt).

Scaraba represents a fictionalized, Egyptian area in EarthBound, thus providing some of the rich history and mythology of Egypt to create even more bolder, mystical elements for the adventure.

Sea Of Eden - An area that lies at the end of Magicant, the land within Ness' mind. Ness' Nightmare lies there.

The Garden Of Eden - (Pictured above is Italian Renaissance painter, Titian's "The Fall of Man" (circa 1550).) The painting above depicts the fateful scene that is known as the "original sin" from the Garden of Eden. From the Book of Genesis (the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament), God expels Adam and Eve from the garden after they eat the fruit that he forbade them to eat.

The Sea Of Eden dives deep into the recesses of Ness' mind and the mystical area of Magicant. Perhaps its allusion to the Garden Of Eden—a place that holds the promise of paradise, but that is lost to temptation—is a metaphor for the potential of Ness' mind to succumb to the Mani Mani Statue known as Ness' Nightmare. The Sea Of Eden delivers a small part of the popular religion of Christianity found in the Western world and in America to the game.

Sentry Robot - A robotic enemy that can be found guarding the upper floors of the Monotoli Building.

Lost In Space series, Robot and Robby, The Robot from Forbidden Planet movie - Lost In Space (1965 - 1968) was an American, sci-fi, television series by Irwin Allen that followed the adventures of a family of space colonists, "lost in space" after their mission to land on an Earth-like planet far away is sabotaged and is knocked off-course. Onboard their ship is the Robot, which assists the family throughout the series.

Forbidden Planet (1956) was an early, influential, American, sci-fi movie that is about a starship (the United Planets Cruiser C-57D) and its crew that goes on an exploratory mission to a distant planet called Altair IV to try to find out what happened to a ship that disappeared there 20 years earlier. Upon landing, the rescue and recovery team discovers that a lone scientist, Dr. Edward Morbius, and his daughter, Altaira, are the sole survivors. Suspicion and mystery ensue, as the C-57D crew works to figure out what's really going on with the doctor and his daughter.

Robby, The Robot is a mechanized helper, created by Dr. Morbius. It has made appearances in a number of other television programs, commercials and films since its debut in Forbidden Planet.

Features from both famous robots can be seen in the components of the Sentry Robot (especially from The Robot from Lost In Space). EarthBound pays tribute to some of the more well-known automatons from early, American fiction, further building on the game's tone. Also, these robots come from movies that capture that 1950's/1960s, retro-futuristic vibe that EarthBound absorbs in its aesthetic.

The Sharks - The young gang terrorizing Onett. Led by gang leader, Frank, and stationed at the local arcade, the Shark members stand out with their fin-shaped hair(?) and variety of toy-like weapons: pogo sticks, hula hoops and skateboards.

The Sharks from West Side Story - The name of one of the two, rival gangs in the musical, West Side Story.

The inclusion of the Sharks gang in Onett pays homage to the beloved, American musical, West Side Story (1957), while simultaneously reflecting some of the negative, news reports coming out of America that spoke about the prevalence of gangs, gang violence and gangster rap music, as well as racial conflicts.

Sky Runner - The "spherical flying machine that looks like a flying saucer" that scientist, Dr. Andonuts, lends to his son, Jeff, to go rescue Ness and Paula in the town of Threed. Later after repairs, it takes Ness, Paula and Jeff to the sandy shores of Summers.

Skywalker of Star Wars fame - The surname of the family of central characters found in the Star Wars saga.

The Sky Runner is a play off of the name of the major character and heroic Jedi, Luke Skywalker, from the Star Wars universe. (Note that at the time of EarthBound's release, that only the original trilogy of Star Wars was created and filmed (Episodes 4 through 6: Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1981), Return Of The Jedi (1983).). Luke Skywalker was the central character throughout.)

Star Wars has made such a significant mark on our culture and science fiction that it comes as no surprise that its themes of alien civilizations and outer space would influence EarthBound. However, to avoid any legal disputes or issues—in typical, EarthBound manner, the name has been altered and used in a humorous or satirical manner.

Space Invaders - In the Onett Arcade, there are a number of arcade cabinets on display: one, of which, looks remarkably like a pixelated version of Space Invaders.

Space Invaders - One of the most influential video games in history, this shoot 'em up—set in outer space—was developed and released by Taito in Japan in 1978 and distributed by Midway outside of Japan.

Space Invaders is, literally, what is at the core of EarthBound. By including this title, the game adds the endearing elements of the arcade experience - a very real touch of nostalgia from that era in America and beyond.

Sphinx - A large statue of a mythical beast with the head of a person and body of a lion that lies in the desert near the pyramids of Scaraba.

Great Sphinx - One of the most recognizable landmarks from ancient Egypt, this large, limestone statue measures as one of the world's largest sculptures.

The Great Sphinx—like so many things from ancient Egypt—enhances the game's mystical and supernatural narrative, while extending the tale beyond everyday American life to include more exotic lands... in this case, Egypt.

Spinning Robo, Whirling Robo, Hyper Spinning Robo - This family of mechanical, spinning, robotic enemies can be encountered in the Peaceful Rest Valley, Winters and Lumine Hole respectively. Each can yield meteorite-related items as rare drops in defeat.

R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) The Robot - The robotic accessory that was packed with some models of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) during its launch in July 1985 in Japan and in October 1985 in North America.

The Spinning Robo, Whirling Robo and Hyper Spinning Robo share similar design features with Rob The Robot. They all have weighted bases; rounded torsos; wider heads perched atop long, thin necks; and rigid, framework arms. Rob The Robot even pivots or twists laterally on a limited axis, while playing through Nintendo games, Gyromite and Stack-Up.

Spiteful Crows - Some of the earliest foes in the game, these corvine creatures take flight at Ness in Onett. Found in various areas, they can drop Cookies as a reward after their defeat.

Crows from the Disney cartoon, Dumbo - Dumbo was a 1941 film retelling of the children's book, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl and illustrated by Helen Durney. The story was sold to a company called Roll-A-Book Publishers, Inc. in 1939, which in turn, sold the story to Walt Disney Productions.

The crows laugh at claims that Dumbo can fly, but when they realize they hurt his feelings, they decide to lift him up, both emotionally and literally, by helping to restore his confidence in himself with a "magic feather".

Some controversy and criticism have been leveled at the portrayal of the crows as thinly-veiled, African-American stereotypes, especially with regards to the leader of the crows and his name. Jim Crow (also referred to as Dandy) was more than a name; it was a time in American history when a collection of state and local laws legalized racial segregation. These "Black codes"—which arose predominately throughout the American South at the end of the American Civil War (1865) and lasted until 1968—were created to stifle, restrict and intimidate the recently freed people. Severe, punitive measures (including violence and even death)—both within and outside the law—were enacted on those who violated these codes.

Crows from the Motown-produced, musical movie, The Wiz - The Wiz was a 1978 retelling of the successful, 1974 Broadway musical and is a loosely-based adaptation of the movie, The Wizard Of Oz (1939). It has an African-American flavor and slant.

The mean-spirited murder of crows pester and taunt the Scarecrow until Dorothy's arrival.

It seems, as though, the crows from The Wiz share many details with the crows from Dumbo, which predate the former by some 37 years. EarthBound's Spiteful Crow shares some of that common, inspirational lineage from both.

The crows from Dumbo wear sundry articles of clothing and hats, while the crows from The Wiz are dressed in large sunglasses, tailcoats and wide-brimmed hats. The Spiteful Crow forgoes all of that formal attire and keeps it simple with his angular shades and blue bow tie.

The crows depicted in both movies behave maliciously and mean—or spiteful, teasing and taunting their naive victims, before breaking into song. The Spiteful Crow has—well, spiteful—in its name.

The Wizard Of Oz sparked a number of creative ideas within EarthBound (as did perhaps The Wiz, with the likes of the Mad Taxi), so the Spiteful Crow may not be a coincidental design and choice. It is not too far out of character for EarthBound to find motivation from something that is viewed in a somewhat satirical matter of something in the American experience. Or to brave approaching a source that may have some controversy attached, such as Dumbo.

Finally, in one closing note: One of the attacks that the Spiteful Crow performs involves pecking at Ness and friends' eyes. This vicious tactic may have been directly copied from a particularly grisly scene from master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock's American horror film, The Birds, from 1963.

— — —Star town tabloids - The sensationalistic, tabloid versions of each town's legitimate newspaper have the ending -Star attached to each. Each morning—after Ness and his friends spend the night at the local hotels—the bellhops, oftentimes, accidentally deliver the tabloid publication, instead of the actual local newspaper, resulting in some humorous and ridiculous headlines.

Star and the Daily Star - Star, a celebrity magazine published in America since 1974, and the Daily Star, a newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1978, are names of tabloid publications.

By tacking on the suffix, —Star, to the end of each town name (such as TwosonStar, ThreedStar and FoursideStar), these tabloid renditions try to exploit the gullible readers, while trying to artificially-inject legitimacy to their printed material, as if to suggest that each town actually endorses them.

Star Magazine and the Daily Star both share the stellar name of the EarthBound "rags"—which again is yet another astronomical or space-related term used in this game that centers around outer space and extraterrestrials.

Starman (Starman Jr., Starman Super, Ghost Of Starman, Starman Deluxe, Final Starman) - A semi-major adversary and class of alien, robotic enemies. The Starman is kind of an unofficial mascot for the Mother/EarthBound series; they appear in differing capacities throughout the Super Smash Bros. series. The Final Starman is actually pictured on the cover art for EarthBound.

Gort from The Day The Earth Stood Still - Gort is the robotic, humanoid guardian that accompanies and protects Klaatu/Mr. Carpenter and their spacecraft, if provoked by Earth's human population.

The Solway Firth Spaceman - A famous photograph taken on May 23, 1964 in Cumberland, England (near the Solway Firth coastal waters). It shows a suspicious figure standing behind a young girl. The photographer—a local fireman and historian named Jim Templeton—contended that the figure was not originally in the shot and that it was wearing a space suit. The picture caused a frenzy, being a flash point on the timeline for UFO/alien speculation.

David Bowie's song, "Starman" - From 1972's impactful The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars album, this was the lead single. Some of its lyrics (especially in the second verse) seem to sync up with the game's early storyline, while the chorus repeats in part: "There's a starman waiting in the sky/He'd like to come and meet us...".

Starman from Super Mario Bros. - From the original Super Mario Bros. game, Starman is a power-up item that grants temporary invincibility to Mario and Luigi when they touch it. It appears throughout the series, sometimes, under different names.

The maleficent, alien, metallic figure bears striking resemblance to Gort and to the Solway Firth Spaceman image—both remembered in the rich lore of science fiction and extraterrestrial beings.

David Bowie's imagination seems to possibly be a wellspring of creativity tapped a number of times by the game's creators. In fact, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars was a concept album that has a number of similarities with EarthBound: 1) both deal with an outer space alien that comes to Earth, that may be androgynous/hermaphroditic or gender-fluid and 2) a future apocalypse is involved.

As mentioned earlier, some of "Starman"'s lyrics from Verse 2 could almost accompany early gameplay in EarthBound: "I had to phone someone, so I picked on you/Hey, that's far out, so you heard him too/Switch on the TV, we may pick him up on Channel Two/Look out your window, I can see his light/If we can sparkle, he may land tonight/Don't tell your poppa or he'll get us locked up in fright".

Finally, maybe the creators of EarthBound were paying homage to Nintendo's legendary series by sharing this name with the Super Mario Bros. item.

Stoic Club - An "exclusive" club in Summers, whose self-important members—fueled on by hallucinogenic Magic Cake and overpriced water—pose pseudo-intellectual questions and sciolistic thoughts among one another.

Stoicism - A school of thought that flourished in the Classical period in Greco-Roman circles. It was noted as one of Western civilization's most grand and sublime philosophies. Some key figures in the formulation of Stoicism include: Zeno of Citium (its founder), Seneca (Roman statesman, philosopher and playwright), Epictetus (former slave and philosopher) and Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor).

Its adherents believe in self-discipline and self-awareness by practicing reasoning/rationality, self-control and virtue (wisdom, courage, justice, temperance) to attain a sense of inner peace and tranquility from negative emotions.

A fulfilling life with purpose and meaning, also, includes living in harmony with nature and others, while only being concerned with things that can be directly controlled in one's own life or sovereignty (like one's own thoughts, beliefs, emotions, actions, decisions).

When one is able to let go of concerns and worries over external things outside of one's own direct control, one learns to accept things as they are and can reach a greater sense of peace of mind and a resilience and inner strength to deal with unexpected things that life can throw one's way.

With this idea of an acceptance of fate, the Stoic gains a keener appreciation and gratitude for every day and for every moment and interaction of life and of our time on this world. They live in the present, are more mindful and learn to accept change.

The term, stoic, has a modern connotation of "being indifferent to pain and pleasure".

Finally, there are modern chapters of the Stoic Fellowship found in major cities.

By recognizing a concept from some of the foundations of Western civilization (particularly, the Greek and Roman classical periods), EarthBound expanded the depths of its parallel world to ours'.

But, in true EarthBound fashion, Itoi made a mockery in sheer satire of his Stoic Club. By poking fun at its self-important members that were too good to allow the common person to join their circle, yet were not as enlightened as their pretentious actions would let on, he pulled back the curtain on the absurdity of the whole thing.

Stoicism's lofty ideals with reasoning and moral highness for society and self are co-opted and corrupted for the self-edification and ego-stroking of an egotistical, fallacious group of poseurs or wannabe intelligentsia dispensing nonsense and non sequiturs while under the influence of Magic Cake.

(Itoi emphasizes the foolishness of the whole scene with the following examples: The Magic Cake lady actually nods off mid-thought before she begins explaining some unstated "very complicated issue", while another man launches into a long-winded topic about "self-identification" that quickly devolves into "Blah, blah, blah...".)

The bartender or club owner exposes the whole masquerade with only a few sentences:

"You don't understand what the hey everyone is talking about, do you? I don't either, but I try to be patient with the customers. They pay high prices just for a glass of water and the chance to have serious, intellectual discussions. ... The show? It's already started. Everyone stares at the stone on stage and philosophizes. ...Doesn't it sound stupid?"

To further besmirch and reduce the importance of the Stoic Club, the biggest irony is how the club later becomes a truck stop called "The Lazy Cowpoke Stop'n Go" at game's end, after the Magic Cake Lady stops making her beloved baked good.

T-Rex's Bat - One of the most powerful baseball bats for Ness, it can be purchased in the Drugstore of Snow Wood for $698.

Bolan's Zip Gun album by T-Rex - The title of the tenth studio album released by the English glam rock band founded by Marc Bolan, T. Rex. Part of the album's name, Bolan's Zip Gun, was used to name a weapon for Jeff, as well: the Zip Gun.

Perhaps T-Rex or the Bolan's Zip Gun (1975) were favorites of the game's designers because both are referenced as weapons in the game. Interestingly-enough, the album has a number of song titles that fit a sci-fi or futuristic vibe: "Precious Star", "Space Boss", "Think Zinc" and "Girl In The Thunderbolt Suit".

Talah Rama - A helpful, spiritual character, found within the mazes of the Monkey Cave in the Dusty Dune Desert. Upon reaching him, Ness and friends will receive the Yogurt Dispenser and will learn how to use PSI Teleport with the assistance of a friendly monkey.

Dalai Lama - Born as Lhamo Thondup on July 6, 1935 in Taktser, China, he became the Dalai Lama and Tibet's political leader at the age of 15. Exiled to India, the Dalai Lama has striven to make Tibet an independent, democratic nation, separate from China. The Dalai Lama—whose name translates to "Ocean Teacher", meaning "teacher spiritually as deep as the ocean"—was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his stance of nonviolence in Tibet's liberation efforts and for his concerns over the environment.

The Talah Rama brings in a more diverse, more inclusive element to EarthBound, expanding the game beyond the early center of focus in Eagleland. The Talah Rama, who meditates, levitates and lives amongst monkeys in the caves beneath the Dusty Dunes Desert, adds Eastern spirituality and religion from real-life Tibetan Buddhism.

Tee Ball Bat - One of the earliest, bat weapons that Ness uses in the game. It can be bought for $48 at the Onett Drugstore and the Twoson Department Store or for $98 at the Happy Happy Drugstore.

Tee Ball - An easier version of baseball that substitutes pitching with a "tee" - a stand that allows the baseball to be placed at a stationary position, so as to be batted with less difficulty.

Tee Ball is an introductory form of baseball to help teach the fundamentals of the game in an easier or more accessible manner. Since baseball is "America's Pastime", it is fitting that EarthBound uses it as an early, weaker bat for Ness' arsenal.

Tessie - A mythical creature in Winters that lives in Lake Tess and mirrors our real-world lore with the Loch Ness Monster. There is a Tessie Watching Club that camps out in the woods near Lake Tess, hoping for the opportunity to spot the elusive beast. Tessie proves to be a useful ally to Ness and friends.

Nessie or Loch Ness Monster - The name given to a mythical creature thought to exist in Loch Ness (or Lake Ness) in Scotland. The creature is purported to be a marine species with long neck. Much of the evidence that has been presented to prove the existence of Nessie has been discredited, leading many to believe that Nessie is a hoax.

Tessie helps to add to the air of fantasy, supernatural and sci-fi within the game, while extending the in-world locations of EarthBound's Eagleland outside its borders to more exotic areas, like Europe and abroad. In an interesting instance of the game referencing our real world directly, it is reported that "Tessie in Lake Tess is cousin of Nessie".

"There's a tight wad born every minute..." - A quote uttered from the character on the second floor of the Fourside Bakery when he greets Ness and the party for the first time. Upon realization that Ness and crew is returning the memento of his Grandma's Contact Lens, found in the Dusty Dunes Desert, he quickly changes his attitude and gratefully gifts Dirty Socks to the team.

"There's a sucker born every minute." - A famous quote attributed to P.T. Barnum of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus fame. Barnum (1810 - 1891) was an American showman who partook in a number of ventures boosting sensationalism and publicity, and is remembered most for his part in billing his joint venture in the circus as "the greatest show on Earth". Ironically, there is no proof that Barnum is the originator of the quote.

Besides the fact that there is an actual circus (or remnants of one) in the game, inclusion of the quote enhances the ideas of sensationalism from an American showman—no less—and, also, the perspective that the game plays off of often.

Tomas Jefferson (of the Sanchez Brothers) - One of the three slot machine carrying characters who can be found in the Dusty Dunes Desert. He stands alongside the Sanchez brothers.

Thomas Jefferson - One of the "founding fathers" of America, he is known for his extensive work with drafting the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, as well as being the country's third president. Also, Jefferson was a major force behind the procurement of the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the country back in 1803.

Being that the game is centered around a fictitious parody of America in large part, it is fitting that it would make mention of one of its "founding fathers"—Thomas Jefferson. (It already immortalized another "father" in Benjamin Franklin with its Franklin badge that repels lightning/electricity.)

Topolla Theater - A famous landmark and theater found in Fourside, EarthBound's version of New York City.

Apollo Theater - An historic and famous landmark found in Harlem, New York, renown for its reputation of having a tough crowd—who if they accept an act as being talented, that act usually goes on to becoming successful in show business. There was even a television show, Showtime At The Apollo. According to its website, some amateur acts that have successfully springboarded on to future success from performing at the theater include Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D'Angelo and Lauryn Hill.

The Topolla Theater serves as a site to spotlight some of the game's delightful music, as the gamer gets to enjoy concerts by Miss Venus and The Runaway Five. Furthermore, it imports an historic piece of the Big Apple and transplants it into the game's Fourside—or as the player's guide calls it - the Big Banana. Again, the game recalls our real world with its vision of one of America's booming, urban metropolises.

Toten Karmen - A pharaoh from ancient times in Scaraba. His casket, along with his pencil box and lunch box are displayed in the Scaraba Cultural Museum in Summers.

Tutankhamun/Tutankhamen (or King Tut) - Also known as the "boy king", at the young age of nine, he assumed the throne and title of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. His reign lasted ten years. In 1922, when famed, British archaeologist, Howard Carter, uncovered his intact tomb, King Tut became an international sensation. (On a side note, after a number of coincidental deaths struck down people associated with the excavation, the legend of the "curse of the Pharaohs" or "Pharaoh's curse" grew.)

Toten Karmen is a playful, phonetic way to mimic the tongue-twisting, real-life name, Tutankhamun/Tutankhamen. The fact that he was essentially a child and teen ruler connects with our young adventurers, destined to save the corrupted world and future of EarthBound.

His inclusion in the tale brought some real-world variety to the game's scenic backdrops (by representing Egypt and Saharan Africa), while lending additional, supernatural material to the mix with the idea of a "curse of the Pharaohs" or "Pharaoh's curse", connected to the discovery and disturbance of his tomb.

On a humorous, side note, some of the artifacts of Toten Karmen that are on display include his lunch box and pencil box.

Toto - A seaport due east of the town of Summers.

The Wizard Of Oz - Toto is the name of main character, Dorothy Gale's, pet dog.

The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz is referenced a number of times in EarthBound, which makes sense since this American favorite in children's literature and musical film parallels the game's cast, plot and overall sense of imagination and adventure.

Trick Or Trick Kid - A Halloween-themed enemy that seems suitably fitted for Threed. With the head of a carved jack-o'-lantern, "he attacks with pumpkin seeds".

Halloween/Jack-O'-Lantern/"Trick Or Treat!" - A festive holiday that falls on October 31 annually in America and other countries. Halloween is celebrated with costumes, "fun" scares, decorations, treats and children traditionally dressing up and traveling door-to-door, asking "Trick or treat?", after sunset. Homeowners who answer their doors, usually ask to hear a joke or will offer treats—usually candy or coins.

Jack-O'-Lanterns are hollowed-out pumpkins with faces carved into them and candles inserted, perhaps traditionally meant to ward off evil spirits and decoration.

The Trick Or Trick Kid has the face of a jack-o'-lantern, and his name is a play off of trick or treat, intimating that there are no treats available, only harmful tricks delivered by this foe. His presence in the game adds a twist of spooky fun, while kids of all ages will instantly recognize his pumpkin design as representing a favorite, childhood pastime (in America and elsewhere) in Halloween.

Twoson - The second town found in Eagleland and in the game.

Tucson - The second-largest city in the state of Arizona in the American Southwest, it is the home of the University of Arizona and has strong, Native American, Mexican and Spanish colonial cultural and historic influences.

The city's pronunciation is the same as TWO - SON and is an obvious example of wordplay found in EarthBound. Its inclusion in the game reinforces the idea of Eagleland as being a stand-in for America.

The War Against Giygas - During the game's opening screens, this message appears.

The War Of The Worlds - A heavily-influential, science fiction novel by English author, H.G. Wells, that was first published in 1898. Its plot is centered around an invasion of Earth by Martians and the epic fight for the survival of humankind.

It was made more famous (or infamous) in America in a radio broadcast and prank staged by Orson Welles. The show aired over the CBS Radio Network on Halloween evening (October 31, 1938) and was said to have caused mass-hysteria in some markets.

A famous movie adaptation from 1953 left a heavy impression on future science fiction motion pictures, and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library Of Congress in 2011.

The War Of The Worlds is a key influence to EarthBound. Everything from its imaginative storyline of an alien invasion that threatens the future of the Earth to the opening, "The War Of The Worlds" title sequence from the 1953 film served as fuel for Itoi's fertile imagination.

"What would you like written on your Tombstone?" - A grim joke and advertisement speaking of a "Tombstone Blow-out Sale" for those who have passed away in the Onett Hospital that is sponsored by the Onett Hospital Surgery Team. It reads: "What would you like written on your tombstone?"

Tombstone Pizza - Tombstone Pizza is a popular, frozen pizza brand sold in America. Introduced in 1962, it was known for a famous slogan used in its advertising: "What do you want on your Tombstone?"

The ads for Tombstone Pizza lent a macabre, yet memorable, tagline that many people in America remembered. It was popular enough to be included as another running joke in EarthBound and it lent itself nicely to the dark tone; sarcastic irreverence and pun work found throughout EarthBound.

XXXterday - A comical quiz that occurs at one of the houses in Onett.

"Yesterday" - A popular, hit single by The Beatles, appearing on their Help! album from 1965. This sad ballad about breakup featured Paul McCartney's vocals in what feels like an acoustic solo, backed by string quartet.

The correct answer to this quiz is YES, as in "Yesterday" and since there is an ongoing trend of referencing The Beatles throughout the game, this inclusion of such a random, funny pun adds to the Beatlemania. Once again, this brings a musical touch from our real world, mentioning a hit song from one of the most famous bands in history.

Yellow Submarine - A vehicle found within Brick Road—the walking dungeon version of himself found in Scaraba. Jeff can repair this broken vehicle and the team can use it to travel to Deep Darkness.

"Yellow Submarine" by The Beatles - The title track from the tenth, studio album of The Beatles from 1969. "Yellow Submarine" is a children's song that features a rare appearance by drummer, Ringo Starr, singing lead vocal.

The yellow submarine is another acknowledgment of the creators of EarthBound's fandom and adoration of The Beatles and their music. It also is another example of something that bridges EarthBound's world with our real-life world.

Yes Man Jr. - One of the three varieties of the Shark gang members that terrorize Onett. This enemy is distinguishable by his hula hoop and skeletal outfit showing a rib cage.

Yes-Man - A slang term that refers to a person who agrees with someone no matter what actions, behaviors or thoughts are voiced. The term holds a negative connotation.

The Yes Man Jr. is a rather unflattering and barbed name for this gang member of the Sharks. It implies that he blindly follows the every whim of his fellow gangsters and their boss, Frank. This trait seems to afflict so many of the mindless, corrupted masses under Giygas' influence in EarthBound.

Zip Gun - The Zip Gun is a weapon for Jeff that can be bought for $425 in the Dusty Dunes Desert from the Arms Dealer.

Bolan's Zip Gun album by T-Rex - The title of the tenth studio album released by the English glam rock band founded by Marc Bolan. The band name is T. Rex. It was used to name a weapon for Ness, as well: the T-Rex's Bat.

Perhaps T-Rex or the Bolan's Zip Gun (1975) were favorites of the game's designers because both are referenced as weapons in the game. Interestingly-enough, the album has a number of song titles that fit a sci-fi or futuristic vibe: "Precious Star", "Space Boss", "Think Zinc" and "Girl In The Thunderbolt Suit".